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View Full Version : Tampa Bay Downs - overall impression


SG4
02-24-2016, 02:02 PM
I was wondering what other members here think in general of the racing at Tampa Bay Downs & the type of product they put out there along with management's interest in caring about customers & improving their racing.

I hadn't put much effort in following Tampa on a day to day basis in previous seasons as it always had the feel of a minor league track to me & from my brief view had too many days with a very biased dirt track (leaning to the outside being preferable). This year I've started paying more attention & although the quality isn't always major league, they can get a fair amount of top outfits & with some crafty condition books score some very nice horses as well. It seems like handle has gotten to a pretty solid level as well, and their takeouts aren't egregious so it's starting to become a more appealing track to play. I also am seeing a lot of fair track days which is important, considering people seem to be screaming about a bias at GP almost daily.

However, moments like the starting gate snafu last week & then again today it looked like the gate wouldn't open before race 2 have me wondering how far away the track is from being fully big-time, and if there's management there who cares enough to get things like this fixed up. These small things make me hesitant still on moving a large part of bankroll to action there.

Also any general thoughts on the jockey colony? I don't remember anyone really making a name for themselves there over the last several years & then going on to make an impact at a bigger track, which I find surprising. Does all the first & second rate (and maybe more?) talent just go to Gulfstream?

Either way I'm just wondering if I'm late to the party in caring about Tampa or if its stock is still on the rise. And please, no comments necessary about their race caller!

johnhannibalsmith
02-24-2016, 02:19 PM
I'm not a big fan of playing their main track races, but I really do like a lot of the bottom to mid-level claiming races on turf there. I can't say that I do well playing them, but I can almost always get engaged in trying to decipher a lot of those races. Field sizes seem to be solid and when I'm checking it out there appears to be no shortage of horses that a guy can make a case for while they seem to attract runners coming out of all kinds of races and not just repeat events of the last time the race was carded. But the track announcer... :D

ReplayRandall
02-24-2016, 02:44 PM
If you're receiving rebates, here's a little something for you:

Antonio A. Gallardo

All Stats- Lifetime- Tampa Bay Downs

2yo
77 19 10 8 7 $106,332 25% 27% +$21.00

3yo
469 118 85 56 56 $557,599 25% 15% +$71.00

4yo+
1098 257 177 143 143 $1,054,843 23% −5% −$59.30

Dirt Flat
1075 275 190 146 124 $1,107,887 26% 1% +$7.20

Turf Flat
569 119 82 61 82 $610,887 21% 4% +$25.50

All
Starts-Wins
1644-394 272 207 206 $1,718,774 24% 2% +$65.40-Net Win

bello
02-24-2016, 02:49 PM
For me Tampa is a great live experience track. Grab a chair, sit outside near the paddock and walking ring where you can practically touch the horses. But their improved racing status has actually kept me away. I like A tracks for their competitive racing, horses and jockey colonies and C tracks ( Finger Lakes, Charlestown, Sam Houston) because they are so darn easy handicap. Tampa used to be a C track. Now they fall into the B category like Parx, Chicago racing ,Mid Atlantic tracks and my own personal feeling is those are the toughest to handicap.

But if you can make it out to Tampa Downs...you will have a great time. And if you like senior woman you can have a field day

castaway01
02-24-2016, 04:17 PM
I can't think of another track that has raised its status and quality of racing more in the past decade than Tampa. It went from minor league to a solid mid-level track. Handle keeps rising, attendance is up, quality of racing is better. Whatever they're doing, they should keep doing it.

ultracapper
02-24-2016, 04:40 PM
Hasn't Beyer named it his favorite track in the not so distance past?

barahona44
02-24-2016, 06:18 PM
For me Tampa is a great live experience track. Grab a chair, sit outside near the paddock and walking ring where you can practically touch the horses. But their improved racing status has actually kept me away. I like A tracks for their competitive racing, horses and jockey colonies and C tracks ( Finger Lakes, Charlestown, Sam Houston) because they are so darn easy handicap. Tampa used to be a C track. Now they fall into the B category like Parx, Chicago racing ,Mid Atlantic tracks and my own personal feeling is those are the toughest to handicap.

But if you can make it out to Tampa Downs...you will have a great time. And if you like senior woman you can have a field day
"(Sings) "I'm just a gigolo, everywhere I go..."

Zydeco
02-24-2016, 06:29 PM
I can't think of another track that has raised its status and quality of racing more in the past decade than Tampa. It went from minor league to a solid mid-level track. Handle keeps rising, attendance is up, quality of racing is better. Whatever they're doing, they should keep doing it.

I agree with this.

pondman
02-24-2016, 06:58 PM
My only concern is-- do I have an edge at Tampa? I play about half the races and consider my edge exceptionally strong. It's in my top 10 list of tracks that I can make money at.

Tom
02-24-2016, 10:02 PM
I love Tampa Bay.
Good racing, good fields, and of course, my favorite announcer! :ThmbUp:

pandy
02-24-2016, 11:48 PM
I like Tampa Bay. I don't like speed favoring tracks and at Tampa I can zero in on horses that can finish. Turn backs do well. I also like handicapping the type of races they card.

Milkshaker
02-25-2016, 12:09 AM
It's in my top 10 list of tracks that I can make money at.

I wish I had two tracks I could reliably make money at--let alone 10!

SandyW
02-25-2016, 02:39 AM
I love Tampa Bay.
Good racing, good fields, and of course, my favorite announcer! :ThmbUp:

My favorite announcer also, when you walk into the race book and hear his voice you know Tampa is running.:)

VigorsTheGrey
02-25-2016, 03:17 AM
I like to stay with top jocks antonio gallardo, daniel centeno, ronnie allen jr, and fernando de la cruz....Also look for longshots that have an excellent or decent work 4-8 days prior to todays race...good track for long shots.

Vigors

tanner12oz
02-25-2016, 06:32 AM
I dont play it alot but I think they run a solid operation down there. I actually think they give gulfstream a run for there money. To me gulfstream nosedived a couple years back when they added dates.

jahura2
02-25-2016, 08:24 AM
For me Tampa is a great live experience track. Grab a chair, sit outside near the paddock and walking ring where you can practically touch the horses. But their improved racing status has actually kept me away. I like A tracks for their competitive racing, horses and jockey colonies and C tracks ( Finger Lakes, Charlestown, Sam Houston) because they are so darn easy handicap. Tampa used to be a C track. Now they fall into the B category like Parx, Chicago racing ,Mid Atlantic tracks and my own personal feeling is those are the toughest to handicap.

But if you can make it out to Tampa Downs...you will have a great time. And if you like senior woman you can have a field day

I love the place, actually my favorite live experience and that includes my hometown track , Keeneland. Pace of the day is relaxing, for the most part it is warm there and the weather outstanding. Food is good, beer is cheap, its just a great relaxing day with no drunk preppies falling all over you. Their turf track is where I concentrate my betting interests and have always done well. Aside from the usual leading riders like Gallardo and Centeno you can usually spot a diamond in the rough there as I made some money with Inez Karlsson years ago and Ronnie Allen when he was coming up.They continuously give a venue for some newer talented riders. I have also found a lot of false favorites there to bet against and the logic usually holds up. It has been interesting lately to see some big names like Pletcher,Motion and Harty show up there as there horses almost always get overbet and provide opportunity for some profitable wagers. The angle of horses for courses works well her quite a few times. I highly recommend anyone visiting the Fla. west coast to make a trip to TBay. If you have a bad day at the windows just go to the beach the next day, you cant lose.

ebcorde
02-25-2016, 08:52 AM
For me Tampa is a great live experience track. Grab a chair, sit outside near the paddock and walking ring where you can practically touch the horses. But their improved racing status has actually kept me away. I like A tracks for their competitive racing, horses and jockey colonies and C tracks ( Finger Lakes, Charlestown, Sam Houston) because they are so darn easy handicap. Tampa used to be a C track. Now they fall into the B category like Parx, Chicago racing ,Mid Atlantic tracks and my own personal feeling is those are the toughest to handicap.

But if you can make it out to Tampa Downs...you will have a great time. And if you like senior woman you can have a field day

I've been there. they party their ass off. I know exactly what you mean.

A tracks are harder, they can come from way off the pace and win. I equate A tracks to NFL football. 1 minute on the clock, Patriots beaten for 59 minutes, and Tom Brady scores to win the game. But you likely not see a QB do that in Division II NCAA

FrankieFigs
02-25-2016, 11:15 AM
I have been once, back in 2013. Loved it there. Great place to spend the day.

I have also followed TBD more seriously over the past 4 years. I have found some nice turf prices and it is one of the few tracks that I attempt to decipher lower-level claiming races. But the major reason I follow their product is watching the shippers go elsewhere after the meet. There has been lots of value when they come up north after training on the deep, sandy surface for 4 months....

no breathalyzer
02-25-2016, 11:42 AM
Tampa has been my most profitable track this winter for me i really love the dirt racing there.. its the first card i look at when i have time.. never thought that would ever be the case. Very nice product atm :ThmbUp:

Redboard
02-25-2016, 12:47 PM
I think one reason that Tampa has raised its status in recent years is that, before the merger, Tampa was the main FL track that TVG featured, they didn’t have Gulfstream. I seemed to remember Beyer commenting on how it didn’t deserve the handle it gets, for what that’s worth.
Pros:
-No statebreds
-Nice live experience, if you like “old-time racing” feel.

Cons:
-Traffic can be really bad, specially Tampa Bay Derby day. Haven’t been there in a few years though and maybe they fixed this.
-Low purses, and we all know what that usually leads to. For example, Gulfstream’s purses today are around $300k, TB’s are half that.

I like Gulfstream better but it’s worth a trip if you’re in the area IMO.

whodoyoulike
02-25-2016, 07:40 PM
For me Tampa is a great live experience track. Grab a chair, sit outside near the paddock and walking ring where you can practically touch the horses. But their improved racing status has actually kept me away. I like A tracks for their competitive racing, horses and jockey colonies and C tracks ( Finger Lakes, Charlestown, Sam Houston) because they are so darn easy handicap. Tampa used to be a C track. Now they fall into the B category like Parx, Chicago racing ,Mid Atlantic tracks and my own personal feeling is those are the toughest to handicap.

But if you can make it out to Tampa Downs...you will have a great time. And if you like senior woman you can have a field day

So, you're saying a lot of women between 40 - 50 go there?

Johnny V
02-26-2016, 09:38 AM
I have never been to Tampa but I am considering a visit. Anyone have any recommendations of hotels, motels near the track? That along with any other recommended places etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

bello
02-26-2016, 09:44 AM
Tarpon Springs...Google it...Old Greek American community that focused on Sponging.. Great fresh greek seafood in over a dozen restaurants caught by the fishermen that day. Lots of shops and boutiques. I staye in a Holiday Inn there but I believe it switched brands.

Track during the day and back to Tarpon Spring at night for a festive greek meal at night.

Perfect for me.

Also minor league baseball season starts soon.

Johnny V
02-27-2016, 07:55 AM
Thanks Bello for your recommendation. I will look into it.

Big Russ
02-27-2016, 09:54 AM
Morning Glory Club on Saturday mornings. Free coffee and donuts, plus Grunder and a guest speaker. Always a good time. I think the last week is Tampa Bay Derby day, so not many left. I'm here right now stuffing down my second donut.

barahona44
02-27-2016, 09:58 AM
Morning Glory Club on Saturday mornings. Free coffee and donuts, plus Grunder and a guest speaker. Always a good time. I think the last week is Tampa Bay Derby day, so not many left. I'm here right now stuffing down my second donut.
Grunder in the flesh? Sign me up! :D

Copyroomjim
02-27-2016, 01:03 PM
I was there last weekend for the first time since back when George Steinbrenner owned it. Wasn't impressed. I actually think it looked the same, only dirtier. Much prefer Gulfstream but only during the January to Fla Derby time frame.

powerrun
02-28-2016, 10:02 PM
I have been once, back in 2013. Loved it there. Great place to spend the day.

I have also followed TBD more seriously over the past 4 years. I have found some nice turf prices and it is one of the few tracks that I attempt to decipher lower-level claiming races. But the major reason I follow their product is watching the shippers go elsewhere after the meet. There has been lots of value when they come up north after training on the deep, sandy surface for 4 months....

Excelllent observation, FrankieFigs. I am from Tampa and obviously love Tampa Bay Downs. The shipping edge is for real! My favorite Tampa Bay Downs races are maidens, turf, and lightly raced horses ready to pounce with maturity on their side (e.g., 3 year to 4 year old who showed potential at 3).