Florida Horse Racing Tracks: Gulfstream Park, Tampa Bay Downs and Hialeah

Florida’s active Thoroughbred racing is concentrated at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. Hialeah Park remains historically important, but it should not be presented as a current Thoroughbred meet. This guide separates active racing from historic venues and explains what a visitor or bettor should confirm before relying on a calendar. You can also compare access through our online racebook guide.

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Tampa’s official admission page lists those season dates. A live meet is not necessarily racing every day: confirm the exact race date, admission arrangements and first post time, then check for cancellations or changes on the morning of the visit.

Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs first opened its doors in 1926. It was called Tampa Downs then, and the name changed a few more times before the track was given its modern name. Its location just outside of Tampa has remained the same. The ownership has changed, most recently in 1986. In that year the present owners Stella F. Thayer and her brother Howell Ferguson bought the track at an auction.

Despite the popularity of horse racing in Florida, Tampa Bay Downs has seen its good and bad times. In the 1940s the race track was commandeered by the US army as a training facility. By 1946 things were somewhat back to normal, and the track became a popular destination for wealthy Florida socialites.

Tampa Bay Downs is famous for being the location of Julie Krone’s first win as a professional horse racing jockey. She won on February 12, 1981 while riding Lord Farkle. For a short period of time there were even Arabian horse races at the track. Today the track is exclusively dedicated to thoroughbred horse racing.

The weather in Florida makes it possible for the track to operate a long meet that lasts from November to May. A part of that meet is the Tampa Bay Derby. This is one of the qualifying races to get into the Kentucky Derby.

Gulfstream Park

Ask some very prominent handicappers and they will tell you that Gulfstream Park is the jewel in the Florida horse racing crowd. In fact, there are plenty of people who will tell you that Gulfstream Park is one of the most important horse racing tracks in the United States.

It would be hard to argue with that assessment. The track is the home of events like the Florida Derby and the Sunshine Millions racing event. It has even hosted the Pegasus Cup, once the world’s richest horse racing event. Millions of dollars are offered in racing purses each year.

It wasn’t always like that at Gulfstream Park. When the track first opened in 1939, just four days of racing were held. It would be 1944 before the track was opened again. Since then the park has had multiple expansions. It now spreads over multiple acres at Hallandale Beach, Florida.

Gulfstream Park schedules Thoroughbred racing across much of the year, but individual dates and meet names change; use the track’s current entries and calendar before planning a visit. There is also a casino located on the property, one of the only ones approved by the county. When not being used as a horse racing venue, Gulfstream Park becomes a venue for concerts by popular entertainers.

Hialeah Park: Historic Track, Not a Current Thoroughbred Meet

Hialeah Park is one of American racing’s most recognizable historic settings. The site opened in the 1920s, became associated with the Flamingo Stakes and was known for its landscaped grounds and flamingos. Its importance to Florida racing history is genuine.

For present-day trip planning, however, bettors must distinguish history from active racing. Florida’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering reports current handle for Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs, while Hialeah’s recent reported live-racing handle is zero. Do not travel there expecting a current Thoroughbred card without checking the venue and state records first.

That distinction also affects online searches. A page or directory may call Hialeah a “race track” because the physical property and racing history still exist. That label does not prove that live Thoroughbred races are being conducted now.

Check the Current Florida Racing Calendar

Schedules, post times, surfaces and special-event dates can change. Confirm details with the official Gulfstream Park racing information, the official Tampa Bay Downs calendar and the Florida pari-mutuel statistics. Those primary sources are more dependable than an undated travel article.

Assessing Horses That Ship to Florida

Horses arriving from another circuit may face a different surface, distance, pace or level of opposition. Compare those changes with the horse’s recent work and race record. The move alone does not establish a conditioning advantage or disadvantage.

There is no universal rule that a northern shipper needs one or two Florida starts before running its best race. Treat a poor first start as a result to investigate, not an automatic setup for a profitable second or third start. Record the evidence and price before the race if you want to test a specific pattern.

Our Florida, New York and Kentucky overview provides broader regional context.

Check Online Coverage Before Opening an Account

To follow Gulfstream Park or Tampa Bay Downs remotely, confirm that today’s card, stream and desired bet types are available through the service you intend to use. A provider’s directory can contain historical venue names; it does not prove that Hialeah is conducting live races.

Account eligibility, payment options, data access and promotions vary by operator and jurisdiction. Check the current rules and any conditions attached to free tools or bonuses before registering or depositing. Use the racebook comparison and legal-states guide as starting points.

Use the live meet, not a historical venue list

Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs serve different parts of Florida’s Thoroughbred calendar, while Hialeah belongs here for its historical importance rather than as a current Thoroughbred meet. Tampa Bay Downs currently advertises a 2026–27 live season beginning November 18, 2026; that is a future schedule as of this update, so confirm it again before travel. Check Tampa Bay Downs’ current site and the host track’s official entries for your intended day.

Before betting a Florida race, identify whether it is on turf, dirt or another listed surface and whether scratches or a surface switch changed the field. A seasonal description cannot replace the final racecard. Compare the runner’s recent form at a similar distance and surface, then count the complete ticket cost. Track availability in an online account and eligibility at your location must be confirmed separately.