History

2014 - The 88th anniversary season of Thoroughbred racing officially begins July 1, 2013, the second day of Tampa Bay Downs’ inaugural Summer Festival of Racing. The Summer Festival was formed to enable Tampa Bay Downs to control its simulcast income by becoming a year-round, live-racing facility. By the time the horses return for the December restart, horsemen and fans observe a new look on the first floor of the Grandstand. The enhancements included the Riders Up! Pub, featuring a variety of craft and domestic beers and liquor, and the Metro Deli, offering pizza, Cuban sandwiches, roast beef, ham, corned beef and turkey. On the racing front, a record $2,695,000 is paid out in stakes purses. The purse for the Grade III Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on turf was increased $50,000 to $200,000; the race joined the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby and the Grade III, $150,000 Hillsborough Stakes on turf on the annual Festival Day card. Increases of $25,000 for the Turf Sprint and Lightning City Stakes, from $75,000 to $100,000, gives Tampa Bay Downs a record 11 races worth six figures.

Jamie Ness wins his record eighth consecutive training title by sending out 53 winners. The late Don Rice is the only other conditioner to win eight titles, but they were not consecutive.

Antonio Gallardo, a native of Spain, wins his first jockeys title by riding 124 winners and surviving a ding-dong battle over the final several weeks with four-time leading jockey Ronnie Allen, Jr. Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., the ownership group of Rich and Karen Papiese, captures its fifth consecutive owners title with 45 victories. Track officials establish the Tampa Bay Downs Million Dollar Derby Bonus, with $1-million to be awarded to the owners of any horse winning the Grade III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes, the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby and the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands. Vinceremos — owned by WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing Stables — wins the Davis and finishes second to Ring Weekend in the Tampa Bay Derby before fading to 17th in the Kentucky Derby.

Additionally, a fan who picked Vinceremos in the Davis is given an opportunity to win a $100,000 bonus. The Tampa Bay Derby winner, Ring Weekend, is owned by St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds, trained by H. Graham Motion and ridden by Daniel Centeno. In tandem with Equus Technology Group, Tampa Bay Downs institutes the Live It Up Challenge handicapping contest, won by Glenn Wilson of nearby Westchase. Wilson is the only player to stay alive through the duration of the event; he wins $1,500 and a seat at the 2015 Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship in January in Las Vegas. On March 29, Tampa Bay Downs plays host to the first Jockeys and Jeans barbecue luncheon to benefit the Permanently Disabled Riders Fund. Among those attending are six-time Tampa Bay Downs leading jockey Mike Manganello; Hall of Famers Pat Day, Walter Blum, Jacinto Vasquez, Bill Boland and Ramon Dominguez; Dr. Eddie Donnally; female pioneers Barbara Jo Rubin, Diane Crump and Mary Russ; and disabled former riders Eibar Coa, William Klinke, Julia Brimo, Jose Diaz and Michael Straight. On Feb. 21, in what is believed to be a first, brothers Fernando, Walter and Juan De La Cruz all ride winners on a single card. L.J. McKanas, a trainer competing at Tampa Bay Downs for the first time, delights race goers by appearing as a contestant on the CBS reality show Survivor. Announcer Richard Grunder marks his 30th season at Tampa Bay Downs.