A representative from TAA will also be on-site to host the winners of the VIP Experience from the “Off to the Races” online benefit auction. Generously donated by Tampa Bay Downs and Tom Cannell, the winners of this VIP Experience will enjoy premium dining, access to the paddock and winner's circle for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Race.

“We are very excited to welcome back Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to the 2024 Tampa Bay Derby,” said Margo Flynn, Vice President of Marketing, Tampa Bay Downs. “We are proud to support their mission and spread awareness for accredited aftercare.”

Emily Dresen, TAA's Director of Funding and Events, said, “We are so excited to be back at Tampa Bay Downs for the Tampa Bay Derby. Tampa Bay Downs has remained a committed partner and advocate for accredited aftercare, and we are thrilled to participate on one of their biggest days of racing.”

The TAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, retire, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding.

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As part of Tampa Bay Down's support, a VIP experience has been donated to the winners of the January 2023 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance “Off to the Races” online benefit auction of bucket list racing events. This all-inclusive VIP experience consists of dining, premium seating, winner's circle access, and more.

“We are excited to have Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on-site during the Tampa Bay Derby with a featured race and hosting a VIP experience,” said Margo Flynn, Vice President of Marketing and Publicity at Tampa Bay Downs. “We value aftercare and think this is a great opportunity to promote everything that the TAA does on one of our biggest race days.”

“The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is thrilled to have such longstanding support from Tampa Bay Downs” said Emily Dresen, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Director, Funding & Events. “Accredited aftercare is important to Tampa Bay Downs, and they continue to promote safe and proper aftercare for our equine athletes through a variety of avenues, and we are so excited to be here for the Tampa Bay Derby.”

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The 41-year-old University of Washington graduate currently announces at Grants Pass Downs in Oregon and will begin his third season at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., on July 19. At Tampa Bay Downs, he replaces Richard Grunder, who retired on May 2 after 37 years and more than 37,000 races at the Oldsmar oval.

Beem was chosen from among dozens of applicants after a nationwide search. A lifelong fan of racing with a strong social media following, Beem is excited to bring his enthusiastic style to a track that has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 20 years.

“I love the racing there and am excited to become a part of it,” said Beem, who hosts an hour-long podcast each Monday through Friday – the Jason Beem Horse Racing Podcast sponsored by Twinspires – on which he interviews many of the sport's leading figures.

“From calling races at Colonial Downs and Monmouth Park (in 2019), I got to know a lot of the horses and horsemen who compete at Tampa, and it really appeals to me as a fan. It's good, quality racing, the turf races are outstanding and it's a very horseplayer-friendly track.”

Margo Flynn, the Vice President of Marketing and Publicity at Tampa Bay Downs, believes Beem will be embraced by listeners accustomed to Grunder's energetic, fan-friendly style, while attracting new followers through his social-media platforms. In addition to his podcast, Beem is active on Twitter ( @BeemieAwards ) and Instagram ( @jasonbeemracing ) and has a YouTube channel.

“Jason hit all the checkpoints we were looking for,” Flynn said. “He sees racing through a fan's eyes and understands the need to cultivate new fans and develop ways to target them. He has a big pair of shoes to fill, but he has the experience and love of the sport to make his own mark at Tampa Bay Downs. We are excited to have him on board and to introduce him to our fans on June 30 and July 1.”

Beem, who started his announcing career in 2006 at River Downs (now Belterra Park), describes his race-calling style as high-energy and information-driven. “I have a quick delivery, I try to get as much information as I can to the horseplayer and I'm very descriptive. Accuracy, obviously, is the most paramount thing for me.

“It's funny because I still get nervous before every race, even a $2,500 claiming event,” he said. “I'm surprised that I always have that adrenaline rush when they're entering the gate, but I'm glad that hasn't stopped after 15 years.”

Beem knows it is a next-to-impossible task replacing Grunder, who is a jockey's agent at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn. In an almost-eerie coincidence, both called races at since-closed Portland Meadows in Oregon at similar stages of their careers, with Beem working there from 2006-2014.

“I don't look at it as trying to replace him, because he is a legend,” Beem said. “I just want to be a great member of the Tampa Bay Downs team, get to know the horse-playing community and get a lot of people excited about horse racing.”

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While 21st Century technology permits fans to revisit Grunder's greatest calls, such as the riveting Street Sense-Any Given Saturday duel in the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby, the Fan Appreciation Day card earlier this month was fraught with the reminder that change is inevitable in all avenues of life.

That truism had been reinforced when the 2020-'21 Oldsmar oval meeting resumed back on Nov. 25, slightly more than eight months after the COVID-19 pandemic turned everyone's world upside down. No one was certain how Thoroughbred racing fans would respond to temperature checks, mandatory face coverings and strict social distancing. Attendance was limited to about 30 percent of capacity, resulting in a combined 20.22-percent decrease in on-track and in-state handle on Tampa Bay Downs racing from the 2018-2019 (non-pandemic) meeting.

But that was more than offset by a 20.87-percent jump in out-of-state handle, from $303,474,481 to $366,794,971. The Oldsmar oval's deserved reputation as a winter hot spot that attracts runners from many of the top stables along the East Coast enabled the track to post a 16.62-percent increase in total commingled handle from 2018-2019, with the 2020-2021 season total of $394,698,371 more than $56-million above the figure from two seasons ago.

Average wagering handle per race jumped 18.62-percent, to $482,516, and average handle per entry rose 16.24-percent, to $58,370. Horsemen did their part, as the average field size increased about 2 percent, from 8.1 per race in 2018-2019 to 8.27.

The increase in wagering revenue was passed along to the horsemen. Tampa Bay Downs raised purses by 10 percent on four separate occasions, resulting in a 40-percent increase from Nov. 25 to the May 2 Closing Day card.

“Higher purses enable us to attract better horses, which in turn produces more fan interest and more wagering activity,” said Margo Flynn, the track's vice president of marketing and publicity. “We are optimistic those trends will continue next season and beyond. Our main track and our turf course are regarded as being among the most consistent and safest surfaces in the country, which serves as another enticement for owners and trainers to bring their top horses to Tampa Bay Downs.”

And, over time, the fans started coming back as attendance restrictions were gradually relaxed and people became more comfortable following the mask-wearing and social-distancing protocols. Tampa Bay Downs remains a popular destination for regular customers, first-time visitors and vacationers hoping to make a few bucks while basking in Florida sunshine and savoring Thoroughbred competition.

“As this season progressed, we seemed to notice more new faces throughout the facility than in past years,” Flynn said. “It's an encouraging sign that people are choosing an afternoon at the track as a fun activity to begin returning to some kind of normal lifestyle.”

The track's biggest day of racing, the March 6 Festival Day card Presented by Lambholm South, lived up to its reputation for world-class racing. In the Grade 2, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, lightly raced 3-year-old colt Helium turned back all challengers, springing a 15-1 upset under 56-year-old jockey Jose Ferrer, a Tampa resident.

That same afternoon, fellow 3-year-olds Domain Expertise and Winfromwithin set records in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks and the Columbia Stakes, respectively. Such excellence was not overlooked by bettors, who wagered an all-time Tampa Bay Downs record of $15,229,366 on the day's action.

The season climaxed on another high note, with a crowd of 4,872 – roughly half of what would be expected in “normal” years, but limited by COVID-19 – attending the May 1 card highlighted by the simulcast of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

The gains in wagering and purse increases are positive signs for the 2021-2022 meeting, which begins on July 1 (the second day of the track's two-day Summer Festival of Racing) before resuming in late November.

Tampa Bay Downs has positioned itself in recent years as the premier multi-entertainment facility on the west coast of Florida, with horse racing, The Silks Poker Room, The Downs Golf Practice facility and numerous fine-dining options luring new and repeat customers alike.

The competition to be leading jockey was tight throughout the meeting, with Samy Camacho and Antonio Gallardo trading the lead several times. Camacho, who had won the title in 2018-2019, overcame a 2-for-43 slump in the meeting's second half to overcome his rival, riding four winners on May 2 to turn back Gallardo, himself a five-time track champion, by a 107-103 margin.

The trainer's race, by contrast, was over almost before it had begun. Gerald Bennett possessed the numbers, the skill and the touch to send out 56 winners, 22 more than his closest pursuer, Jose H. Delgado. The title was the sixth in a row for Bennett, who along the way passed the late Frank H. Merrill, Jr., as the No. 1 Canadian-born trainer in racing history with 3,975 victories.

Track officials acknowledge it will take fans some time to get used to a new announcer (Grunder remains active in the sport as a jockey's agent at Canterbury Park in Minnesota). “Richard's departure will be keenly felt,” Flynn said. “Many fans and simulcast bettors associate his voice with Tampa Bay Downs, and the next announcer will have some big shoes to fill.”

For Tampa Bay Downs, which will celebrate its 96^th anniversary season eager to build on past successes, Grunder's trademark calls and vast knowledge are legacies to build on.

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In Tampa Bay Downs' Race 6 presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, 10 maiden 3-year-olds are set to go 5 furlongs on the turf at 3:08 PM.

“Tampa Bay Downs is pleased to extend its support of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and its ongoing efforts to find new homes and second careers for retired racehorses,” said Margo Flynn, the track's Vice President of Marketing & Publicity.

“The TAA is thrilled to be represented during the finale of Tampa Bay Down's race meet,” said TAA Marketing and Communications Manager Alexandra Kokka. “We're so grateful to have the support of Tampa Bay Downs and only wish we could be there in person to thank them for their donation.”

Out of the TAA's 81 accredited organizations, 14 facilities comprised of 10 organizations are located throughout Florida and work to assist Florida's horsemen. Tampa Bay Downs is committed to financially supporting OTTBs and the TAA.

Read more here.

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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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