Page 5 - Bay Downs News Today

Handicappers Andie Biancone and Jeremy Pond deliver their best bets, plus their favorite long shots, for Saturday's Grade III Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

The local prep for the March 12 Tampa Bay Derby is Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis, a Grade 3 that tops a four-stakes card. Let’s see if I can help you cash a few tickets.

A few top jockey notes for the winter include Hall of Famer John Velazquez being based mostly at Santa Anita rather than Gulfstream; and Joel Rosario calling Oaklawn Park his main winter base.

Despite On-Track Limitations, Tampa Bay Downs Enjoys Strong Betting Season Sponsored by: Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla. When Richard Grunder called the 37,587th and final race of his marvelous 37-year Tampa Bay Downs career on May 2, it was as if a giant balloon whished into another dimension, never to be recaptured. While 21st Century technology permits fans to revisit Grunders greatest calls, such as the riveting Street Sense-Any Given Saturday duel in the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby, th...

Tampa Bay Downs Supporting OTTBs With Check Presentation Sunday Sponsored by: Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) supporter Tampa Bay Downs will promote aftercare awareness on the undercard of the final day of the Oldsmar, Florida-based race meet. Race 6 on Sunday, May 2 will benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Following the running of the race, a check presentation will be made to the TAA and a TAA blanket and swag bag will go to the winning connections. In Tampa Bay Downs...

Tampa Bay Downs Announces Fourth Purse Increase Of Meet Sponsored by: Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla. Fueled by continued gains in simulcast revenue, Tampa Bay Downs has increased purses by 10 percent for the fourth time during the 2020-2021 meeting. The boost takes effect with todays card and extends through the season finale on May 2. Peter Berube, the tracks Vice President-General Manager, said purses for each race will be increased by $3,000 from their previous levels. Purses for...

Sponsored by: Jose Ferrer The calendar says jockey Jose Ferrer was a year older on Wednesday. Just dont tell that to his rival jockeys or the trainers and owners who continue to benefit from his skill and passion. Ferrer rode three winners at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla., on his 57th birthday, then performed 20 pushups in the winners circle after weighing in following the ninth race, which he won on 3-year-old filly Princess Nina. “Hell, no,” Ferrer replied when asked if he fe...

#6 Miss Auramet: She comes in off a victory on Feb. 24 where she was able to capitalize off a perfect trip and track down the front-runners late. It’s a very good sign to see her back so quickly once again at the sprinting distance after just missing a two-race winning streak in the start prior. She’s blessed with tactical speed and should be able to utilize that versatility with a good post to work with. I like her chances in what should be a pretty wide-open betting race. Best Bet #2 Jous...

Tampa Bay Downs Announces 10 Percent Purse Increase Sponsored by: Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla. Tampa Bay Downs horsemen and horsewomen will benefit from another increase in purse money beginning with Wednesdays card. The approximate 10-percent boost will provide a $1,000 increase for all maiden special weight, allowance, claiming and starter races. Peter Berube, the tracks Vice President-General Manager, said a double-digit gain in simulcast wagering has more than offset a decline...

Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card: Midnight Bourbon Aging Well Sponsored by: One Kentucky Derby qualifying points race was held over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, but there were a couple of other races worth looking at. The points race was the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes from Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., a 1 1/16-mile contest offering 17 Derby points to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1). While no winners of the Lecomte have gone on to capture the G1 Kentucky Derby, t...