Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla., has announced its second 6 percent purse increase of the current meet, which will take effect with the Friday, Feb. 25, card. Horsemen will be competing for an additional $1,000 per race in all overnight races (all races except stakes). The first increase, which took effect Feb. 10, also raised purse money by $1,000 a race.
The increases continue an upward trend that saw the track hike overnight purses four times during the 2020-2021 meet.
“Several factors have contributed to our ability to raise purse money again for our horsemen,” said Peter Berube, the track's vice president and general manager. “First and foremost is the quality product our horsemen continue to provide, which has led to an increase in wagering handle.
“Our racing office, headed by racing secretary Allison De Luca, works diligently to provide competitive races with large fields that attract bettors both on-track and from our simulcast outlets around the country. We have also enjoyed good weather much of the season, which has been reflected in our attendance figures,” Berube said.
Tampa Bay Downs handled in excess of $12.1-million on its Feb. 12 Festival Preview Day card, headlined by the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes for 3-year-olds. The figure was the seventh-largest in track history.
Track officials are optimistic the March 12 Festival Day card, which includes the Grade 2, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby for 3-year-old Triple Crown prospects and three other graded stakes, could exceed the track record of $15,229,366 set on Festival Day last season.
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