Florida Racing: The Week Ahead

Florida Racing: The Week Ahead

Both Florida thoroughbred tracks will resume racing on Wednesday.

Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Bech will have ten races with first post of 12:35 p.m.

Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar has a nine-race card with first post of 12:25 p.m.

Both tracks will have stakes races on Saturday Dec. 17.

Entries will be announced late Wednesday afternoon.

Gulfstream Park will have five Saturday stakes, all with $100,000 purses.

Tampa Bay Downs’ lone Saturday stakes is the $100,000 Lightning City, at five furlongs on turf for fillies and mares three-years-old and up.

Three of the Gulfstream stakes are Grade 3.

Those races are: Harlan’s Holiday, 1 1/16 miles on dirt for 3-year-olds and up; Rampart, one mile on dirt for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up; Sugar Swirl, six furlongs on dirt for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

The other Gulfstream stakes are the El Prado, at 7 ½ furlongs on turf for 3-year-olds and up, and the South Beach, at 7 ½ furlongs on turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

Gulfstream has racing Wednesdays through Sundays. Unless otherwise noted, first post is 12:00 p.m. on Sundays and 12:35 p.m. on other days.

During December, Tampa Bay has racing on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  Unless otherwise noted, first post is 12:25 p.m. On Jan. 1, Tampa Bay will add Sundays to its live racing schedule.

--Jim Freer