Whether you’re planning to spend much of the next several days handicapping the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and the Longines Kentucky Oaks, or rely on a secret strategy to pick the winners, Tampa Bay Downs is the place to be on Florida’s west coast next weekend to enjoy all the racing excitement.
Post positions were drawn Saturday night for both the Derby and the Oaks, and on the surface, Owen Almighty appears to have been dealt a tough assignment in the Derby. The Grade III Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner has been assigned the far outside No. 20 post, putting the pressure on jockey Javier Castellano to hustle his front-running colt from the gate to secure decent position entering the first turn.
The likely Derby favorite is Journalism (somebody tell the mainstream media), the Santa Anita Derby winner who will start from the No. 8 post with Umberto Rispoli aboard. The Derby is the 12th race Saturday and expected to go off at 6:57 p.m.
The Oldsmar oval’s Oaks representatives, Suncoast Stakes winner La Cara and Fondly, appear to have drawn well in the 14-horse field. La Cara will break from the No. 7 post under Dylan Davis and Fondly, who broke her maiden here on Feb. 14, will start from the No. 3 under Irad Ortiz, Jr.
The heavy Oaks favorite is the unbeaten (6-for-6) Good Cheer, who will be ridden by Luis Saez. She drew the No. 11 post. The Oaks is the 11th race Friday, with a post time of 5:51 p.m.
First things first: Jockey Samuel Marin rode five winners today for the second time this season, having achieved the feat on April 11. He has ridden 113 winners during the meet. More on his big day below.
In addition to all the big races being simulcast next weekend from Churchill Downs, the Oldsmar oval will conduct full Thoroughbred cards Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and next Sunday (Fan Appreciation Day) to bring the 2024-25 meet to a close. Admission is free on Wednesday and May 4, with tickets $3 on Friday and $10 on Derby Day.
The gates will open at 10 a.m. both Friday and Saturday, with the post time for Churchill’s first race 11 a.m. on both days. There will be QR codes prominently displayed outside the Grandstand and Clubhouse entrances for patrons wishing to pay by credit card.
Few sporting events boast the tradition of the Kentucky Derby, first run in 1875. For many racegoers, it all starts at the top, specifically with the choice of headwear. A visit to www.kentuckyderby.com features a 2025 style guide that will prevent women and men alike from having their pictures taken for all the wrong reasons.
One piece of advice from someone who knows: If you’d like to enjoy the Derby drink known as a mint julep, sip slowly and be prudent about what, and how much, you eat beforehand and afterward.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Derby Day is (or should be) reflecting on why you’re here in the first place.
It’s all about fun, fun, fun, not proving one’s capacity for overdoing everything just to say you were there (without remembering much about the experience).
Derby Day tickets are on sale online at www.tampabaydowns.com . Reserved seating is sold out. Four front-row boxes ($1,000 each) are available. Children 17-and-under are admitted free.
Valet parking is $25. Automatic wagering terminals will be set up outside in front of the main Grandstand entrance for fans who decide to grab their tickets early and watch elsewhere, and advance wagering on the Derby and the rest of Churchill’s Saturday card will be available Friday. If you’d like to make an Oaks-Derby double wager, don’t forget to place it Friday before the Oaks.
Plenty of Kentucky Derby souvenirs will be on sale in the Tampa Bay Downs Gift Shop, including glasses listing all 150 winners of the race for $9.95 each. There will also be food-truck specials on the grounds, in addition to the usual concession stand and restaurant fare.
The 2024-2025 Tampa Bay Downs meet concludes on Sunday, May 4, which is Fan Appreciation Day. Admission is free and there will be food and drink discounts throughout the day, as the management and staff thank patrons for their support throughout the season.
Around the oval. Samuel Marin, who clinched this season’s jockeys title Saturday, rode five winners today, including three in a row. He captured the second race on Classic King, a 6-year-old gelding owned and trained by Juan Arriagada. Marin won the third race with Immense Faith, a 5-year-old gelding owned by AR Screen Solutions and trained by Reynaldo Yanez.
The rider added the fourth on Bold Baby, a 4-year-old filly owned by Yanez Stable and trained by Yanez, then took a breather before winning rhe sixth on 3-year-old Florida-bred colt Just Relax for owner Sonata Stable and trainer Jose Francisco D’Angelo. Just Relax was claimed from the victory for $32,000 by Arriagada as owner-trainer.
Marin wrapped up his big day in the ninth race on the turf with a well-timed rally on 4-year-old filly True Myth for owner Christopher La Rosa and trainer David VanWinkle.
Arriagada saddled two winners. In addition to Classic King, he won the eighth race with his 6-year-old Florida-bred gelding Impacto, who sped the 6-furlong distance in 1:09.31 to wear down Doctor Oscar. Impacto was ridden by Ademar Santos.
Thoroughbred racing at Tampa Bay Downs continues Wednesday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:28 p.m.
