Can You Guess My Name!
Tampa Downs was opened in 1926 and struggled to survive until 1947.
Re-opened as Sunshine Park the track continues its run today. In 1966
the track is again renamed to Florida Downs in 1980 it almost returns to
its original name but bay is added and Tampa Bay Downs has another name.
Tampa does not have a racino but does have a card room common in most
Florida venues before racinos were legalized in certain areas. Tampa has
a purse value index of 19.
In 1968 the grandstand was leveled by an early morning blaze and in 1980 George Steinbrener of New York Yankee fame became fifty percent owner of the track.
In 2011 Tampa Bay ran it's usual carry over season till early May. The purse value index increased to 20. Jockey Ronald Allen took the riding title. Watch Me with Luis Garcia up won the upgraded Grade II Tampa Bay Derby. Racing resumed in late 2011 into 2012.
In 2012 Tampa Bay enjoyed another great season of racing. Leandro Goncalves edged 2011 champion Ron Allen by one win to take the riding title. The Tampa Bay Derby was won by Prospective under jockey Luis Contreras. Also in 2012 in a survey conducted by The Blood Horse, Tampa Bay Downs was voted the best middle-market racetrack in the nation. It was recognized for having old-school flavor not seen in today racino saturated market.