Mark Your Calendars: Tampa Bay Downs Announces 2026-27 Stakes Schedule

Mark Your Calendars: Tampa Bay Downs Announces 2026-27 Stakes Schedule

By Madeline Zeto —-                                                               September 3, 2026

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 5 stakes races, some of the most notable being The Grade III $500,000 ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby with a $100,000 raise in purse money, courtesy of ESMARK. Festival Day also hosts The Grade III Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on turf, with a purse of $200,000 guaranteed.

“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,” Elizabeth Swarzman, director of Marketing & Publicity added. “We are honored that ESMARK has increased The Tampa Bay Derby purse by $100,000, making it our largest purse in track history.”

ESMARK is a returning sponsor of the Tampa Bay Derby; ESMARK is a trusted leader in steel founded in 2003, and operates primarily in the aviation, industrial, steel, and energy sectors.

Festival Day will also host The Grade III Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes for 4-year-olds and upward with a guaranteed purse of $125,000, The Columbia Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf, and The Hillsborough Grade II Stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old and upward on turf, with a guaranteed purse of $225,000 to close out the Stakes races for Festival Day.

The stakes program begins on Saturday, December 5 with The Inaugural Stakes, for two-year-old boys, along with The Sandpiper Stakes, for two-year-old fillies.

Other stakes races in January include The Wayward Lass Stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old and upward, The Pasco Stakes for 3-year-olds, and The Gasparilla Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, all to be run on Saturday, January 9, 2027.

The two stakes races, both with a guaranteed purse of $175,000, held on Saturday, January 30, 2027 include The Grade III Tampa Bay Stakes for four-year-olds and upward on turf, as well as The Grade III Endeavor Stakes, for fillies and mares four-years-old and upward on turf.

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

To close out the month of February, The Turf Dash for 4-year-olds and upward, along with The Lightning Stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old and upward on turf will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2027.

Florida Cup Day will be on Sunday, March 28, 2027, the following stakes races will be hosted:

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

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.

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Tampa Bay Downs off-season hours offer simulcast racing, poker, and golf every day! Simulcast racing begins at 11a.m., The Silks Poker Room opens at 10 a.m., and The Downs Golf Practice Facility opens at 8:30 a.m.