Tampabay downs media guide 16-0273-JK2
The Silks Poker Room The Silks Poker Room offers players top-notch competition, with a variety of high-stakes games and tournament action. Five- and Seven-Card Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em and Three-Card Poker are only the tip of the iceberg. The elegant air-conditioned room is completely non-smoking and includes 30 poker tables. There are plenty of television monitors and roaming tellers, so fans can watch, wager and win on all the live horse racing and simulcast action. Tableside beverage service and in-house masseuses are available, so no one has to miss a hand. Whether patrons are experienced poker players, newcomers, or somewhere in between, The Silks Poker Room offers a friendly, welcoming environment. Our professional, outgoing, and experienced staff is always willing to help. The Silks Poker Room, which opened in December of 2003, is located on the third floor of the Grandstand and is accessible by both stairs and elevator. During live racing hours on weekends, players pay the track’s regular $2.00 Grandstand admission at the gate and proceed to the Poker Room. Guests can stop by the reception desk to reserve a spot at the table where the game of their choice is being played. Tampa Bay Downs In The Community Each season Tampa Bay Downs holds five Charity Days during its meet, with proceeds earmarked for charitable organizations that qualify under Florida law to receive such contributions. The recipients are in both the Tampa Bay community and the Thoroughbred industry. Over the past 12 seasons, more than $1-million has been raised for these organizations through Charity Days at Tampa Bay Downs and the Tampa Greyhound Track Poker and Racebook. A sampling of the charities that have received direct aid from Tampa Bay Downs include Rotary’s Camp Florida in Brandon, Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Upper Tampa Bay Education Foundation, Florida Thoroughbred Charities, Oldsmar Cares, Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa, Inc. (TROT) and the Sulphur Springs Pool in Tampa. In addition, Tampa Bay Downs directly contributes more than $31 million into the community each year, while providing more than 500 employment positions during the live racing season. In the summer months, Tampa Bay Downs continues to support the community by offering job opportunities to more than 100 individuals. The track’s annual payroll exceeds $7.1 million. The Silks Poker Room is open every day except Christmas and Easter Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 a.m. The popular Bay Area Poker Club plays each Tuesday night from August through May. 10
History 1926 - The track opens for its inaugural meeting under the name of Tampa Downs. The season lasts 39 days and is headed by Ohio investor Harvey Myers and Kentucky Colonel Matt J. Winn, famed promoter of the Kentucky Derby. Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Gene Sarazen and John Ringling help inaugurate the opening on Feb. 18. Torcher wins the $4,450 “Florida Derby,” which is actually a precursor to the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Park. 1927- Tampa Downs reopens, but is forced to close after nine days of a scheduled 37-day meeting due to economic reasons. 1932 - Lexington (Ky.) Herald editor-publisher Desha Breckinridge and Major Thomas McDowell of Lexington oversee repairs and restoration of the facility, but conflicts cause the cancellation of the meeting. 1934 - The Tampa Turf and Field Club is formed, headed by Hal Thompson. The track reopens as Tampa Downs. Inadequate handles during the heart of the Great Depression force the meeting to close after only six days. 1943 - As World War II rages on, the U.S. Army constructs barracks and turns the track into a jungle warfare training center. 1946 - Sunshine Park Racing Association is formed and provides 650 stalls. A 1947 season is approved by referendum. New Yorker Justin O’Connor buys the track but dies just two days before opening. 1947 - Frank Hobbs buys the track from the O’Connor family. The modern era begins as Sunshine Park runs its inaugural meeting. The first official tote board is in operation, an electric starting gate is introduced and a photo finish camera is installed. 1948 - A horsemen’s boycott is averted by increasing the daily purse distribution by $500. Following the 1948 meeting, the Florida Racing Commission denies a request from Sunshine Park’s management to run at night. 1950 - Legendary sportswriters including Grantland Rice, Red Smith, Fred Russell and Arthur Daley are regulars at the track as they travel south to cover baseball spring training games. Rice coins the phase “Santa Anita of the South” in his columns to describe the racetrack. John W. Kane of Wilmington, Del., wins control of the track following a stockholders’ squabble. A Quarter Horse meet runs for three weeks in February. 1951 - A record crowd of 6,060 greets the return of Thoroughbred competition on Opening Day. 1953 - A dozen barns burn but are quickly replaced. The Florida Legislature passes a special bill allowing the track to keep 15% of the takeout and to pay a $4,000 daily fee instead. The track begins to show a profit for the first time and new Clubhouse construction begins at a cost of $300,000. 1954 - The new Clubhouse opens. Four new 50-stall concrete barns are constructed to meet demand from horsemen, increasing stable capacity to 900 horses. The track surface is rebuilt, improving drainage and drawing raves from trainers and jockeys. 1955 - Control of the track is passed to a syndicate headed by Frederick Ballon, director of Yonkers Raceway; Richard West of Rhode Island; and Frank Hobbs, a Tampa attorney. 11
- Page 1 and 2: 2016/2017 Media Guide
- Page 3 and 4: Welcome To Tampa Bay Downs! Excitin
- Page 5 and 6: Media Policies Tampa Bay Downs is e
- Page 7 and 8: Live Racing Schedule 7
- Page 9: The Downs Golf Practice Facility Lo
- Page 13 and 14: History 1978 - The Florida Senate s
- Page 15 and 16: History 1996 - The track’s first
- Page 17 and 18: History 2007 - Prior to the commenc
- Page 19 and 20: History 2012 - Spectacular on-track
- Page 21 and 22: History 2014 - The 88th anniversary
- Page 23 and 24: History 2016 - The popularity of th
- Page 25 and 26: Jockey Profiles 25
- Page 27 and 28: Jockey Profiles Mike Allen Born: Au
- Page 29 and 30: Jockey Profile Daniel Centeno Born:
- Page 31 and 32: Jockey Profile Fernando De La Cruz
- Page 33 and 34: Jockey Profile Chelsey Keiser Born:
- Page 35 and 36: Jockey Profile Ademar Santos Born:
- Page 37 and 38: Trainer Profiles 37
- Page 39 and 40: Trainer Profiles Joseph Arboritanza
- Page 41 and 42: Trainer Profiles Jason DaCosta Born
- Page 43 and 44: Trainer Profiles Eoin Harty Born: N
- Page 45 and 46: Trainer Profiles Tom Proctor Born:
- Page 47 and 48: Trainer Profiles Joan Scott Born: J
- Page 49 and 50: Trainer Profiles Ian Wilkes Born: M
- Page 51 and 52: Owner Profiles Gilbert G. Campbell
- Page 53 and 54: Owner Profiles Jagger, Inc. Owner:
- Page 55 and 56: Owner Profiles Savoy Stable Owner:
- Page 57 and 58: Records 57
- Page 59 and 60: Records Main Track Distance Horse A
The Silks Poker Room<br />
The Silks Poker Room offers players top-notch competition, with a variety<br />
of high-stakes games and tournament action. Five- and Seven-Card Stud,<br />
Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em and Three-Card Poker are only the tip of the<br />
iceberg.<br />
The elegant air-conditioned room is completely non-smoking and includes<br />
30 poker tables. There are plenty of television monitors and roaming tellers,<br />
so fans can watch, wager and win on all the live horse racing and simulcast<br />
action. Tableside beverage service and in-house masseuses are available,<br />
so no one has to miss a hand.<br />
Whether patrons are experienced poker players, newcomers, or<br />
somewhere in between, The Silks Poker Room offers a friendly, welcoming<br />
environment. Our professional, outgoing, and experienced staff is always<br />
willing to help.<br />
The Silks Poker Room, which opened in December of 2003, is located<br />
on the third floor of the Grandstand and is accessible by both stairs and<br />
elevator. During live racing hours on weekends, players pay the track’s<br />
regular $2.00 Grandstand admission at the gate and proceed to the Poker<br />
Room. Guests can stop by the reception desk to reserve a spot at the table<br />
where the game of their choice is being played.<br />
Tampa Bay Downs<br />
In The Community<br />
Each season Tampa Bay Downs holds five Charity Days during its meet,<br />
with proceeds earmarked for charitable organizations that qualify under<br />
Florida law to receive such contributions. The recipients are in both the<br />
Tampa Bay community and the Thoroughbred industry. Over the past 12<br />
seasons, more than $1-million has been raised for these organizations<br />
through Charity Days at Tampa Bay Downs and the Tampa Greyhound<br />
Track Poker and Racebook. A sampling of the charities that have received<br />
direct aid from Tampa Bay Downs include Rotary’s Camp Florida in<br />
Brandon, Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Upper Tampa Bay Education<br />
Foundation, Florida Thoroughbred Charities, Oldsmar Cares, Thoroughbred<br />
Retirement of Tampa, Inc. (TROT) and the Sulphur Springs Pool in Tampa.<br />
In addition, Tampa Bay Downs directly contributes more than $31 million<br />
into the community each year, while providing more than 500 employment<br />
positions during the live racing season.<br />
In the summer months, Tampa Bay Downs continues to support the<br />
community by offering job opportunities to more than 100 individuals. The<br />
track’s annual payroll exceeds $7.1 million.<br />
The Silks Poker Room is open every day except Christmas and Easter<br />
Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 a.m. The popular Bay Area Poker Club plays each<br />
Tuesday night from August through May.<br />
10
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