35 Years Ago, Sundays Were Silent At Tampa Bay Downs

Sunday racing returns to Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 26, the day after Christmas, which is welcome news for families, tourists and bettors seeking to enjoy an exciting weekend afternoon of Thoroughbred action or just soak up sunshine and atmosphere at the Oldsmar, Fla., track.

While a Sunday spent handicapping by the rail and watching kids toss Frisbees in the Backyard Picnic Area seems commonplace, it wasn't always so. The first Sunday card in Tampa Bay Downs history took place on Dec. 7, 1986, and there was no way to predict how it would be received by the public.

Sunday racing became a reality after the state legislature decided to move Florida into step with more progressive fiefdoms.

“We are expecting a large crowd comparable to our Saturday crowds and maybe even better,” Lorraine King, the late Tampa Bay Downs general manager, said on the eve of the occasion. “If we can introduce new people to the sport of Thoroughbred racing by running on Sundays, then we are confident that they will enjoy themselves and come back on a more regular basis.”

At least one thing seemed to be working in the track's favor: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were playing in Chicago, and you had to be kind of a masochist to stay home and watch the Buccos get plastered 48-14 by the defending Super Bowl champion Bears.

Still, King knew putting on a brave face wasn't going to lure fans. So she instituted free grandstand admission and half-price clubhouse admission and added a free soft drink to go with every hot dog purchase.

Tampa Bay Downs also offered a handicapping seminar by noted Ocala turf writer and racing expert Bernie Dickman, plus a slate of races that included the first running of the Big John Naughton Ford Inaugural Stakes for 2-year-olds, offering a grandiose $15,000-added purse.

One thing King was sure of: the history-making event would draw lots of media attention. Reporters from the St. Petersburg Times, the Tampa Tribune and the Clearwater Sun all showed up to document the proceedings.

What they witnessed exceeded the expectations of the most optimistic observers. The turnstiles kept clicking throughout the day, with attendance of 5,893 surpassing the Opening Day crowd of 5,396 four days earlier.

While it's unclear if King was sticking the needle to the Bucs when she told a Times reporter “Today was very much like the Super Bowl,” she had reason to feel giddy.

Total wagering handle was $496,680 (this was before the simulcasting era), and youthful faces made up a larger-than-usual portion of the crowd (minors were not legally allowed inside Tampa Bay Downs until two seasons later).

These days, calling it an “experiment” seems silly, but 35 years ago it was a big deal, and an avenue to so many of the positive changes that have taken place at Tampa Bay Downs in ensuing years.

“Sunday racing means that people who work the other days of the week now have the opportunity to come out and enjoy the races,” said track owner Stella F. Thayer, the Oldsmar oval's president and treasurer, on the big afternoon.

“We're really hoping Sundays will bring a whole new dimension for attendance opportunities.”

So, maybe the day was more of a Super Bowl-type event than anyone realized at the time (including Bucs' fans, who would suffer through a 2-14 season).

“Naturally, if people unfamiliar with the sport are going to come out to Tampa Bay Downs, they are not as likely to wager as much as our more sophisticated patrons,” King said beforehand. “But … what I want to see is a lot of people. That means they will at least be exposed to the excitement of Thoroughbred racing.”

It would be fascinating to know how many are still coming. Probably more than anyone expected.

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‘Horses Can Help You Forget A Lot Of Bad Things’: Juan Arriagada Accepts Ups And Downs In Equal Measure

Juan Arriagada experienced personal and professional heartbreak in the days leading to last month's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar.

On Oct. 26, the trainer's mother, Erna, died at home in Lima, Peru after an extended illness. After wrestling with his options, Arriagada, who had been stabled at Delaware Park, elected to travel to southern California to saddle his 4-year-old Estilo Talentoso for the $1-million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 6.

“In life, we have to do what we have to do,” said Arriagada at the time. “The owners trust me with their horse, and I feel like I have to do it. I'm a professional, and I have to do my job.”

Arriagada believed he would feel his mother's presence the day of the race, but his hopes took a cruel turn when he was forced to scratch Estilo Talentoso early in the week because of an issue with her right foreleg. A few days later, she was sold to Japanese interests at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in Lexington, Ky.

“I'm not the type of trainer who has 20 stakes horses in his barn,” Arriagada said earlier this week of his Breeders' Cup disappointment. “When something like that happens, it's pretty hard. But everybody in our sport has ups and downs. If you want good things to happen, you have to keep working hard.”

Returning to the embrace of his wife Alison, a former trainer, and their 3-year-old daughter Tezza picked up his spirits. So did the chance to work with his other horses on the Tampa Bay Downs backstretch in preparation for the current Oldsmar meeting.

And, a quick start that resulted in six victories, three seconds and three thirds from his first 18 starters didn't hurt a bit, either.

“It's like the best therapy there is,” said Arriagada, honored as the Salt Rock Tavern Trainer of the Month. “Horses can help you forget a lot of bad things. It's good working with them, and it's much better when you do well.”

Of course, Arriagada will always have a soft spot in his heart for Estilo Talentoso. He purchased the daughter of Maclean's Music-Bazinga Baby, by Afleet Alex, for $15,000 at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Two-Year-Olds & Horses of Racing Age Sale. With Arriagada as her owner and trainer, she finished second in her first four starts – three at Tampa Bay Downs – before breaking her maiden in June of 2020 at Gulfstream Park.

Estilo Talentoso won the one-mile Escena Stakes at Gulfstream on Aug. 30, earning a vacation. She returned last January to finish third here in the Wayward Lass Stakes, launching a year that would change her fortunes while elevating Arriagada's profile.

Back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Grade 3 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie Stakes at Laurel and the G1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland attracted the attention of representatives of Medallion Racing, a partnership group that looks to purchase horses possessing graded-stakes-level talent and residual value post-racing (Medallion Racing is associated with Taylor Made Sales Agency).

Following a third-place performance in the G1 Derby City Distaff Stakes presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery on May 1 at Churchill Downs, Arriagada agreed to sell Estilo Talentoso to Medallion Racing and its partners for $400,000. Arriagada expected her next start in the G3 Bed o'Roses at Belmont on June 4 to be his last time training the filly, but following her gutsy, come-from-behind neck triumph on a sloppy track, the partners rewarded Arriagada by letting him keep Estilo Talentoso in his barn.

“He's given us no reason to change anything up,” Medallion Racing Manager Phillip Shelton said before the Breeders' Cup. “We want trainers who can give our horses a lot of individual attention, and I can't speak highly enough of what Juan has done.”

That testimonial aside, back in Oldsmar, life goes on as before for the Arriagada family. Juan and Alison work as a team, exercising horses in the mornings and bouncing ideas back and forth about the horses.

“I have to be on a horse. It's my life,” said Arriagada, a former jockey who was unable to ride for a while with a balky knee. “And Alison complains if she only gets on three or four. When she gets on seven or eight, then she's happy.”

They also receive occasional help from son Nicolas, 22, who works as an exercise rider for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Nicolas earned his first career victory last April as a jockey at Tampa Bay Downs on one of his father's horses, but struggles to maintain weight redirected his career path.

Nicolas saw his dad's reaction to his mother's death and the scratch of Estilo Talentoso as lessons he wants to carry forward himself.

“Nobody wants to feel that way, but he knew he had to do what he needed to do. He showed me you have to be strong in this life,” Nicolas said. “Bad things will happen and you're going to hit the ground a lot of times, but you have to stand up and keep going.”

Besides his on-track Oldsmar triumphs, Arriagada had claimed four horses here through Wednesday; he is currently working with 20.

“The most important thing in this business is to have the right horses,” he said. “I don't know if I'm a lucky guy or I know a little about horses, but if you don't have the right ones you can't do anything.”

Arriagada has a solid working relationship with his employees, including grooms Clifford Rhymer, Ian Hughes and Mauricio Madrid. Rhymer, who trained horses in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, says being around the Arriagada barn fits his philosophy of putting the horses first and foremost. Both men continue to hone their horseshoeing techniques in an effort to keep the horses happy and focused on competition.

“Doing the right thing – that's his key,” Rhymer said. “The No. 1 thing is making sure they have good feet. That's the only way they can run. After that, you move to the body and start to work on that. Once you've got all the problems solved, you've got a good horse.

“I feel like we can talk about everything happening with the horses, and from there we know what to do,” Rhymer said.

This time of year, Arriagada feels grateful for his family (including Alison's mother, who cares for Tezza while they are at the track), his employees and the ability to pursue his passion. He knows nothing will be given to him, but is glad to work for his opportunities while enjoying his surroundings.

“Tampa Bay Downs just feels like home,” he said. “A lot of good things happen here, it's a beautiful place and I really like the people.”

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Thursday Insights: Terranova Saddles Gun Runner Firster at Tampa

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

8th-TAM, $31,500, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 3:48 p.m.

William Mack's GIANT'S FIRE (GUN RUNNER), a $510,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, makes his first trip to post for trainer John Terranova. The chestnut colt is out of an unraced half-sister to multiple Group 1 placed Mad About You (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}). Also debuting is Godolphin homebred Exacting (Ghostzapper), a son of multiple Grade I placed Centring (A.P. Indy), who will be saddled by Eoin Harty. Jonathan Thomas sends out firster Dubrovnik (Union Rags)–a $180,000 FTKSEL yearling purchase–for the SF Racing/Starlight Racing/Madaket partnership, while Provocateur (Into Mischief), a $600,000 KEESEP purchase, makes his third start for trainer Todd Pletcher and MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm. TJCIS PPs

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Tampa Bay Downs Will Run Special Thursday Card Ahead Of Christmas Holiday

Next week's schedule at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla., has a slightly different look to allow fans, track employees, and horsemen and horsewomen the chance to enjoy racing and spend quality holiday time with family and friends.

Thoroughbred racing at Tampa Bay Downs will be conducted Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before the entire facility closes on Saturday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day. On Dec. 26, the Oldsmar oval will stage its first Sunday card of the season (see attached meeting schedule).

From that point forward, Tampa Bay Downs will race on a Wednesday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule, with the exception of Easter Sunday, April 17.

Except for Christmas and Easter, the track is open every day for simulcast wagering, no-limits poker action and tournament play in The Silks Poker Room, and golf fun and instruction at The Downs Golf Practice Facility.

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