Tampa Bay Downs announced on Twitter Thursday that it would be holding additional days to its meet. Currently running four days a week, the track will shift to a three-day-a-week schedule after May 3, running Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from May 6 to May 30.
The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering granted the extension to the current meeting on April 23. Margo Flynn, vice president of marketing and publicity at the track, confirmed this on Thursday.
Tampa has been conducting racing without spectators since March 18. The track will stayed open in part to accommodate trainers stabled locally who have no place to ship their horses at the present time. Management had previously informed horsemen they would be able to remain at the track at least through May 31. Officials alerted horsemen this week of their intention to extend the meet.
“It was a pretty easy decision once we realized the horse inventory on the backside was going to remain fairly constant through the month of May, depending on what tracks open up north,” Peter Berube, the track’s vice president and general manager told The BloodHorse. “If all of a sudden the horse population declines, we have the ability to go back to the state and drop these dates. But I don’t anticipate that happening. “
The Tampa Bay Downs Summer Festival is scheduled for June 30 and July 1 with live racing. Details for spectators are TBD. All live races can be live streamed and viewed on TVG.com.
For more info on Tampa Bay Downs > http://www.tampabaydowns.com/racing/2019-2020-racing-calendar
Past The Wire Staff
