Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla.
From the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association
The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and Tampa Bay Downs will again present several added-money events and $860,000 in purse supplements for Florida-breds and Florida Sires Stakes-eligible runners during the Oldsmar, Fla. track’s 2020-2021 season that is offering 90 days of thoroughbred racing from Nov. 25-May 2.
Horses eligible for the lucrative Florida Sire Stakes program will have extra money to run for starting Dec. 5 when the track presents the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes for 2-year-olds and the $100,000 Sandpiper Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, both set for six furlongs. The purse for each race includes a $50,000 win-only supplement for horses eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes program.
The following weekend, the track will offer the renewal of both the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Marion County for FSS-eligible horses, 3-years-old and older at seven furlongs; and the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes City of Ocala for fillies and mares eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes, 3-years-old and older, also at seven furlongs.
“We are pleased to, once again, partner with Tampa Bay Downs and their horsemen in offering some very nice stakes purses and supplements for our Florida-breds competing there this Winter and Spring,” FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell said. “We enjoy working with the Tampa Bay management and ownership team and appreciate how hard they work the meet while attracting a nice on-track crowd filled with out-of-state ‘snowbirds’ while continuing to offer a very competitive and popular simulcast signal nationwide.”
Florida Sire Stakes horses and Florida-breds will have the first extra incentives of the New Year in the $125,000 Pasco Stakes and in the $125,000 Gasparilla Stakes.
The Pasco is for 3-year-olds and the Gasparilla is for 3-year-old fillies, both set to go seven furlongs.
The Pasco and Gasparilla purses both include a $50,000 win-only supplement for Florida Sire Stakes eligible runners and a $25,000 win-only supplement for registered Florida-breds.
“We are very excited to offer these supplements for Florida-bred and Florida Sire Stakes-eligible horses,” Tampa Bay Downs racing secretary Allison DeLuca said. “We will feature these purse enhancements throughout the season and look forward to attracting excellent fields.”
A celebration of Florida’s rich thoroughbred breeding and racing heritage takes place Sunday, March 28, 2021, when Tampa Bay Downs plays host to its 18th annual Florida Cup Day for registered Florida-breds.
The Florida Cup is made up of six stakes races, each offering $110,000 in purse money and is a collaborative endeavor between Tampa Bay Downs; the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association; and the Tampa Bay Downs Division of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. Those purses include a $10,000 win-only supplement for Florida Sire Stakes-eligible competitors.
“Last year we had to cancel the Florida Cup races because of the impact of COVID-19,” DeLuca said. “So this year, we are more excited than ever to have our biggest day for Florida-breds. It is a very popular day with the horsemen and fans alike.”
Florida Cup 2021 will be made up of the following races restricted to registered Florida-breds.
- $110,000 Grey Goose Turf Classic, 4-year-olds-and-older, mile-and-an-eighth, turf
- $110,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore, 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs, dirt
- $110,000 Equistaff Sophomore Turf, 3-year-olds, mile-and-a-sixteenth, turf
- $110,000 NYRABets Sprint, 4-year-olds-and-older, 6 furlongs, dirt
- $110,000 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies, 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs, dirt
- $110,000 Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf, fillies and mares 3-years-old-and-older, mile-and-a-sixteenth, turf
The Florida Cup has seen such national stars as Live Oak Plantation’s 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1)-winner World Approval, who was also honored that year with an Eclipse Award as the North American champion turf male. That year, World Approval started his banner campaign, that included two Grade 1 wins in the Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga and the Ricoh Woodbine Mile in Canada, with a victory in the EG Vodka Turf Classic Stakes.
Imperial Hint, the 2018 FTBOA Horse of the Year and an earner of more than $2 million in his career, won the 2016 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore Stakes in his second career start before going on to twice win both the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes and the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga.
Several other stakes throughout the season will offer purse supplements.
There will be a $25,000 win-only supplement for Florida-breds in four other stakes including the $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes (Grade 3) for older horses going a mile-and-one-sixteenth on the turf, the $175,000 Endeavour Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares at a mile-and-one-sixteenth, both to be run on Feb. 6; the Feb. 13, $100,000 Pelican Stakes for older horses going six furlongs; and in the Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile-and-one-eighth on March 6.
The $100,000 Lightning City Stakes for fillies and mares and the $100,000 Turf Dash for older horses will offer $25,000 win-only supplements on Feb. 20 that will be a paid to Florida-breds that finish in the top six on a 60%-20%-10%-5%-3%-2% basis.
On March 6, the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) for 3-year-olds at a mile-and-one-sixteenth and the $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at a mile-and-one-sixteenth on the turf, will offer $50,000 supplements for Florida-breds to be paid on the same 60-20-10-5-3-2 basis.
For more information on races for Florida-breds and Florida Sire Stakes-eligible runners at Tampa Bay Downs, contact Allison DeLuca, Tampa Bay Downs racing secretary or Margo Flynn, with Horsemen’s and Horsewomen’s Services at 813.855.4401.
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