horse race/

 

12 Days Until Tom is Home!!!!

Today we headed to the horse races at Tampa Bay Downs.  I got a Groupon for four.  We got valet parking, admission into the track's grandstand, betting programs, $5 food voucher, $2 betting voucher, and box seats for each of us.   This is the first time to a horse race track for all of us.  Rog and I were at the Santa Anita track in California, but we attended the 1984 Olympics there.  We did not attend any horse races there.

Tampa Bay Downs first opened its doors in 1926 under the name of Tampa Downs and has since amassed a long and colorful history.  The track ran Thoroughbred horses.
In 1943, the U.S. Army took over the track for use as a training facility.
In 1946 the track was renamed Sunshine Park and entered the modern era with the installation of an electric starting gate, photo finish and electric tote board.
During the 1950s, the racecourse was a popular attraction with many sportswriters who came to the Tampa Bay area to cover baseball spring training.  Arthur Daley became a regular visitor, calling the track the “Santa Anita of the South.”
The year 1965 marked the third name change for the track when it opened as Florida Downs. The track returned to its original name of Tampa Downs in 1980.

In 1983 the track began running periodic Arabian horse races. The Arabian-bred program ended in 2003.
The present owner assumed the reins in 1986 and the track became known as Tampa Bay Downs.
In 1998 Tampa Bay Downs added its 7/8-mile grass track, complete with a ¼ mile chute, which has become one of the most popular turf courses in North America.

This is Les and Michelle studying hard to pick their winners?

Tractors making the track just right for the horse's little hooves.

They have an app for that.

This happened on the first race.  This guy just didn't want to run today.

The trainer almost got hit by the horse's hooves.  But he got set and did his work out, but was a problem again getting into the gate area.

They move the gates around depending on the length of the race. 

Ready set go.  I picked # 3 on this first race and guess what?  He won!!! I got $5 no not thousand or hundred, just five dollars.  But I won. 

My horse #3 has won the race. 

picture time.

This is the paddock area where you can go and watch the horses get ready for the race.

I scientifically picked my horses.  This one was the only gray horse in the race, so he is my winner. 

This is the beginning of the race.  He is third and strong?

This is the end of the race and he is almost last, there is another horse behind him.  Darn back to the drawing board.  I also picked one because it was her birthday today.  She did not win either. 
I am pretty sure we all had a fun day.  We ended the day with a dinner here in town.