Horses begin arriving at Tampa Bay Downs; Racing Resumes Nov. 28

HorseracingFLA Staff Report

Early arrivals began flooding the backside at Tampa Bay Downs on Monday morning as the stable area opened at 8 a.m. in preparation for the thoroughbred track’s 2015-2016 meeting.

Tampa Bay Downs, in Oldsmar, will resume live racing on Saturday Nov. 28. It will have racing at least three days each week through May 8.

Tampa Bay Downs will begin with racing on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It will add Sundays on Dec. 20.

The 2015-2016 meet is the 90th anniversary season at Tampa Bay Downs.

On Monday, sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s greeted horses and their handlers who had no difficulty acclimating to their new surroundings.

“This is my kind of weather,” Kingsley Beckford, an assistant to trainer Jason DaCosta, told the Tampa Bay Downs press office.

Beckford accompanied 12 horses trained by DaCosta on their 19 ½-hour van ride from ThistleDown Racino in the Cleveland suburb of North Randall. Ohio.

“It’s a good environment all-around here,” Beckford said. “The barn area is clean, the track surfaces are good and the horses enjoy being here.”

The Tampa Bay Downs main track will open for training at 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.

Creech Horse Transportation drivers Mike LoPiano and Tom Kauffman timed it to arrive with DaCosta’s horses at 8 a.m. sharp, and under normal circumstances, they would have been the first on the grounds.

But when a truck hauling the unraced 2-year-old filly Miss Adara reached the stable gate shortly after 7 a.m. from Innfields Training Center in nearby Odessa, allowances were made to permit her to report early to her new home in Barn 21, where she will be trained by Charles Harvatt.

DaCosta’s 12-horse contingent, consisting of seven fillies, four geldings and a colt, included his 2-year-old gelding Unbridled Trick, who won the $150,000 Best of Ohio Juvenile Stakes on Oct. at 10 ThistleDown. He also owns Unbridled Trick.

DaCosta finished fifth in last season’s Tampa Bay Downs standings with 23 victories.

Horses begin arriving at Tampa Bay Downs; Racing Resumes Nov. 28

Melbourne Cup: 101-1 shot wins with female jockey

I just watched Australia's Melbourne Cup and post-race on Twinspires.com.  It will be easy to find on-line and worth your while.

Prince of Penzance (101-1) won it and Michelle Payne became the first female jockey to win this "Race That Stops a Nation."  There was a 24-horse field on  turf. They ran  it counter clockwise, like we do in the states.

This race was as exciting as a Breeders'  Cup Classic but notches below a  Kentucky Derby (I was there every year from 1999 to 2013).

The scene was fantastic--and great fun watching while not wagering.  check it out, if you love horse racing.
Jim Freer

This Week at the Florida Tracks: Nov. 2 to Nov.

HorseracingFLA Staff Report

This Saturday Nov. 7 will be the biggest stakes day of this fall’s Gulfstream Park West (GP West) meet.

There will be eight stakes races, all with $100,000 purses and all restricted to Florida breds.

Gulfstream Park is holding the GP West meet at Calder Casino & Race Course in Miami Gardens under a lease agreement with that track.

The GP West meet will resume this Wednesday, with its regular Wednesday through Sunday schedule. First post time is 12:35 p.m. through the end of the meet on Nov 28.

Gulfstream Park on Dec. 5 will begin its four-month 2015-2016 championship meet.

Gulfstream is calling this Saturday the “Millions Preview” because four of the races have similar conditions to races that will be run at Gulfstream on Jan. 16, which will be the annual Sunshine Millions Day.

Many horsemen and fans are referring to this coming Saturday as “Florida Day.”

The eight GP West stakes races on Nov.7 are:

*Millions Classic Preview–1 1/8 miles on dirt, 3-year-olds and up

*Millions Distaff Preview — 7 furlongs on dirt, fillies and mares 3-years-old and up

*Millions Turf Preview — 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up

*Millions Turf Sprint Preview — 5 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up

*Juvenile Sprint — 6 ½ furlongs on dirt,2-year-olds

*Juvenile Fillies Sprint — 6 ½ furlongs on dirt, 2-year-old fillies

*Juvenile Turf — one mile, 2-year-olds

*Juvenile Fillies Turf — one mile, 2-year-old fillies

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association is contributing $25,000 to the purses in each race.

Through 2012, Calder had an annual race card in November that had a similar menu of races and was called the “Florida Million.”

Gulfstream in Hallandale Beach is open daily for simulcasting, including the GP West races, during the GP West meet.

Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar is in the midst of physical and operational preparations for its opening day on Nov. 28. Until then, it is open for simulcasting of races including GP West.

Calder Casino

21001 N.W. 27th Ave.

Miami Gardens, FL 33056

(305) 206-6309
Calder Web site

For information on the racing at GP West (Calder), use the Gulfstream Park contact information listed below.

* Live racing — Wednesdays through Sundays, first post is 1:15 p.m.

Casino — Open from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays

Gulfstream Park

901 S. Federal Highway

Hallandale Beach, Fla. 33009

Phones — (954) 454-7000
Gulfstream Park Website

* Simulcast wagering — seven days a week with more than 30 thoroughbred and harness tracks; open for simulcasting from 11 a.m. until approximately 11 p.m.

* Casino — the two casino rooms are open from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays

* Poker — 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. on Sundays through Thursdays, and 24 hours on Saturdays and Sundays.

Tampa Bay Downs  

11225 Race Track Road, Tampa, Florida 33626

Main Phone (813) 855-4401

Toll Free (In Florida) (866)-TBDOWNS (823-6967)
Tampa Bay Downs Website

Tampa Bay Downs will resume live racing on Nov.28th.

Prior to then, it is open seven days a week for afternoon and evening simulcasts of thoroughbred races from more than 20 tracks. A schedule may be obtained by calling the numbers listed above.

*The Silks Poker Room hours of operation: Daily, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m.

The Downs Golf Practice Facility hours of operation:

Pro Shop: 8:30 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. daily (Last bucket sold at 7:45 p.m.)

Range: 8:30 a.m. – dusk daily

Short Game Area: 8:30 a.m. – dusk daily (lights out at 9:45 p.m.

This Week at the Florida Tracks: Nov. 2 to Nov.

Horse Racing FLA Schedule

Our Horse Racing FLA web site will be undergoing maintenance today, and into Monday, November 2nd.

We’ll resume racing coverage Monday afternoon – evening.

Do have a superb day, stay cool!

HorseRacingFLA staff

 

Horse Racing FLA Schedule