Fans Return to Tampa Bay Downs as Racing Begins

The smell of cut grass drifted across the Tampa Bay Downs apron the morning of Nov. 23 as track maintenance workers groomed the turf course in preparation for the Nov. 25 opening day program.

On Wednesday, spectators will be allowed to view the races in person for the first time since March 15. A nine-race card that includes four races on the grass course will being at 12:25 p.m. ET with the gates opening at 11 a.m.

Wednesday's feature race is the Happy Thanksgiving Purse, an allowance/optional claiming event carded as the eighth race. A field of nine colts and geldings will sprint 6 1/2 furlongs on the main dirt track. The 3-1 morning-line favorite is 3-year-old colt Hauntedbythemusic, trained by Baltazar Galvan, with Samy Camacho named to ride.

Tampa Bay Downs will race on a Wednesday-Friday-Saturday schedule before adding Sundays to the mix Dec. 20 (the track will race Thursday, Dec. 24 and be closed Christmas Day, Dec. 25).

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, fans will be required to wear masks both inside and outside the facility, unless they are eating or drinking. Social distancing is encouraged and will be enforced, as necessary.

Gerald Bennett, who has won five consecutive Tampa Bay Downs training titles and six overall, has entered seven horses for Wednesday. He described the vibe on the grounds as upbeat as horsemen, jockeys, and backstretch personnel get ready to launch the track's 95th anniversary season.

"Everyone wants to get running. We have quite a few new outfits here and quite a few new riders; very competitive riders," Bennett said. "We're eager to get started and see how everything unfolds, but I think we're going to have pretty competitive racing from the first day.

"You have the great weather and you have a dirt track that is the same consistency from day to day, so you don't have to over-train your horses. The turf track is probably as good as any turf track in the country, so you get (trainers such as) Chad Brown, Shug McGaughey, (Todd) Pletcher, and (Christophe) Clement shipping horses in to run."

That doesn't make it any easier to win races, but it draws attention—and wagering dollars—from bettors far and wide.

Camacho, who won the Oldsmar jockeys title in 2018-19 and captured last season's Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on 49-1 shot King Guillermo, expects to be tested by his rivals from the beginning. 

"I had a good season at Gulfstream (in south Florida), but I love Tampa and I'm glad to be back with my family and my friends and the fans. I'm excited, and I want to start winning races and having fun," Camacho said.

While Camacho is fired up for the start of the meet, Bennett says having fans along for the ride gives everyone a boost.

"A lot of fans always talk to me and ask me if my horse has a shot, and I'll talk about the race and tell them which horse I think we have to beat," Bennett said. "It's good having them back, and Tampa is a great area to race and live. It's a relaxed atmosphere and everybody knows each other in the barn area, so it gets to be like a family."

While Bennett expects to have as many as 50 horses in his stable (including some trained by his wife, Mary Ann Bennett, he expects strong challenges for the top spot from last season's runner-up, Kathleen O'Connell, and third-place finisher Michael Stidham.

Newcomers likely to be heard from include Michael Maker, Jon Arnett, and David Van Winkle.

The jockeys race should also be highly charged from the outset, with Camacho joined by defending champion Antonio Gallardo, a five-time title-holder; six-time winner Daniel Centeno; Pablo Morales; Jose Ferrer; Jesus Castanon; Ronnie Allen Jr.; and newcomer Roberto Alvarado Jr.

The 2020-21 stakes schedule kicks off Dec. 5, Cotillion Festival Day, which features a card of mostly 2-year-old races. Stakes offerings that day include the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes for 2-year-olds and the $100,000 Sandpiper Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Both races are at a distance of six furlongs on the main track. 

The 41st annual $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby, a showcase for Triple Crown prospects, will be held March 6 as part of a Festival Day program which includes four graded stakes and total stakes purse money of $1 million.