Tampa wants to extend meet through May 30
In a typical season, Tampa Bay Downs would be moving into the final days of its meet. But nothing about this season is typical, and Tampa, which is one of the few major tracks that has been able to continue racing during the coronavirus pandemic, has applied to extend its meeting.
Tampa, which has been racing without spectators since March 18, opened the last week of November and was scheduled to race through May 3. But technically, to meet legal requirements tied to simulcasting laws, the meet began last July 1 and runs through June 30. The track has now applied to extend its live racing dates through May 30 with racing on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and is awaiting approval from the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.
With a number of tracks around the country not yet opening their backsides in order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, Tampa management has already informed trainers that their stock can remain at the track at least through May 31.
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Looking to facilitate its possible extension, Tampa had previously announced that the Florida Cup, a card featuring six $110,000 stakes races for registered Florida-breds, would be canceled in order to allocate a portion of those purses to the track’s overnight purse account. The card had been scheduled for March 29, and the racing office reported there were 111 nominations to those stakes by the March 14 deadline.
“It’s a huge blow to everyone to have to cancel one of the biggest days on our racing calendar,” Peter Berube, Tampa’s vice president/general manager said in a March release announcing the cancellation. “We are dedicated to helping ensure to the best of our ability the health and well-being of everyone associated with Tampa Bay Downs, and the logistics of putting on a multi-stakes event in the midst of a national health crisis made this the only decision possible. The silver lining is this gives us an opportunity to help our horsemen continue racing.”
– additional reporting by Mike Welsch