Tampa Bay Downs Festival 33

The eyes of the Thoroughbred world will turn to Tampa Bay Downs on March 9, 2013 for Festival Day 33, a celebration of equine excellence highlighted by the renewal of the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby for 3-year-old Triple Crown candidates. The card also includes the Grade III, $150,000 Hillsborough Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf and the $100,000 Suncoast Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

The highly thought of Verrazano, who has pummeled two fields in succession to start his career for conditioner Todd Pletcher, is the headliner in the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) this Saturday. The son of More Than Ready was a dynamic debut winner at Gulfstream and came back on that oval to annihilate allowance foes by more than 14 lengths, and he could be really any kind in advance of his stakes debut. John Velazquez will be in town to pilot the impressive prospect.

Tampa Bay Downs Fesitval 33 Racing Information:

There will be 12 races on Festival Day.

First race post time is approximately 12:25 pm ET/9:25 am PT