BY TAMPA BAY DOWNS PRESS OFFICE (Edited)

TAMPA, FL— Tampa Bay Downs Stakes schedule has been released to include $3,460,000 in purses across 24 stakes races.

Festival Day will be held on Saturday, March 6, 2027. The day will highlight five stakes races, some of the most notable being the $500,000 ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby (Grade 3) with a $100,000 raise in purse money, courtesy of ESMARK. Festival Day also hosts the Grade 3 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on turf with a purse of $200,000.

“We’re proud to build on the momentum of our historic centennial season with our stakes schedule as it continues to attract top talent from across the country,” Marketing and Publicity Director Elizabeth Swarzman said. “We are honored that ESMARK has increased The Tampa Bay Derby purse by $100,000, making it our largest purse in track history.”

Festival Day will also host the Grade 3 Michelob Ultra Challenger for 4-year-olds and older with a purse of $125,000, the $125,000 Columbia for 3-year-olds on turf, and the Grade 2 Hillsborough for fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older on turf, with a purse of $225,000 to close out the stakes for Festival Day.

The stakes program begins on Saturday, December 5 with the $125,000 Inaugural, for 2-year-olds and with the $125,000 Sandpiper for 2-year-old fillies.

The $125,000 Wayward Lass for fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older, the $125,000 Pasco for 3-year-olds, and the $125,000 Gasparilla for 3-year-old fillies, will all to be run on Saturday, January 9, 2027.

The $175,000 Tampa Bay (G3) for 4-year-olds and older on turf and the Grade 3 $175,000 Endeavor (G3) for fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older on turf will both be run on January 30, 2027.

Tampa Bay Downs will be hosting Festival Preview Day on Saturday, February 6, 2027. The $125,000 Suncoast (Listed) for 3-year-old fillies, the $250,000 Sam F. Davis (Listed) for 3-year-olds, the $125,000 Pelican (Listed) for 4-year-olds and older, and the $125,000 Minaret Stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old and older. Festival Preview Day will total $625,000 in guaranteed purse money.

To close out the month of February, the $100,000 Turf Dash (Listed) for 4-year-olds and older along with the $100,000 Lightning City for fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older, on turf will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2027.

Florida-breds take center stage on Florida Cup Day, Sunday, March 28, 2027, featuring:

The $110,000 NYRABETS Sprint, for 4-year-olds and older.
The $110,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore, for 3-year-olds.
The $110,000 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies, for 3-year-olds fillies.
The $110,000 Lambholm South Sophomore Turf, for 3-year-olds.
The $110,000 Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf, for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older.
The $110,000 AAA Feed & Tack Turf Classic, for 4-year-olds and older.

Purses for Florida Cup stakes include a $10,000 bonus for FSS-eligible winners.

For stall applications please visit: https://www.tampabaydowns.com/horsemen/stall-apps/

Important notice for horseman: stall applications will be due on September 14, 2026 for the upcoming live-racing meet. The barn area will open on October 28, with the track opening for training on November 3.

Return to the September 4 issue of Wire to Wire