Theresa had a business meeting at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday so we headed for Oldsmar at about 10:00 a.m. for a day enjoying the "Sport of Kings" at Tampa Bay Downs (TBD).
When TBD first opened in 1926 it was called Tampa Downs. For more information on the track's fascinating history click Tampa Bay Downs.
The track is a beautifully manicured 1 mile oval with all of the horse racing amenities on site. TBD is a pari-mutuel facility; simply meaning betting and gambling are on site.
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The meeting was in one of several party rooms available for rent. It had a great view of the track, pretty good food and there was a wagering agent in the room, so if you desired to bet you did not have to go to a wagering window to bet or cash out.
Horse racing is an easygoing event, first race was at about 12:30 p.m. then 8 to 10 more races about 20 minutes apart. All of the pageantry you see on TV with the stakes races is present and you can get right up to trackside and the winners circle.
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Lots of horsepower, but really quiet. On Saturday 108 different horses were scheduled to run with 35 different Jockeys.
The staff was helpful, pleasant and knowledgeable. They also have a racing program that gives the first time race goers great insight into the sport.
The track is about 40 minutes from downtown St. Pete in Oldsmar, on Racetrack Road, phone 813-855-4401, the racing program runs through May.
If you are looking for something different to do, check out the TBD web site, and go take a look at the "Sport of Kings" at the only thoroughbred track on the West Coast of Florida.
e-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net