Tampa Bay Downs reports minor damage from Hurricane Milton

Tampa Bay Downs reported minimal damage to the front of the track in Oldsmar, Florida, and significant flooding in the barn area following the attack of Hurricane Milton on the evening of October 9th.

The Category 3 storm hit Siesta Key, Florida, a barrier island next to Sarasota in the western part of the state, at 8:30 p.m. ET the night before. Siesta Key is about 60 miles south of Tampa. Oldsmar is located off the north shore of Old Tampa Bay, approximately 25 miles from downtown Tampa.

Tampa Bay Downs, which runs Nov. 22 through May 3, had no horses on site. Track employees have been out of the office since Oct. 7 to prepare for the storm, according to Margo Flynn, vice president of marketing and public relations. The track's simulcasting and poker room closed on October 8th

“Due to the power outage, downed power lines and fallen trees on surrounding streets, we are unable to summon emergency crews to take a closer look. We have a stay-at-home order,” Flynn told BloodHorse on Oct. 10.

Some areas in the greater Tampa area were hit particularly hard. Part of the roof of Tropicana Field, home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays, was ripped away by strong winds.

The storm then tracked east over central Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, with the middle of its track crossing south of Orlando before continuing into the Atlantic Ocean. Milton spawned multiple tornadoes and an estimated three million homes and businesses were without power as of 10 a.m. ET Thursday. Four deaths were confirmed in St. Lucie County on Florida's Atlantic coast, where officials said tornadoes touched down.

Some horse farms in the area of ​​Ocala, the county seat of Marion County about 98 miles northeast of Tampa, are reporting minimal damage.

“We were left virtually unscathed at Bridlewood,” said George Isaacs, manager of John and Leslie Malone’s farm. “For these events you prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Of course you bring all the horses inside and keep them protected from wind and weather. We’ll be out this afternoon.”

With Hurricane Milton expected to hit Florida, Ocala Breeders' Sales has postponed its annual October sale by one day to Monday and Tuesday. Most of the horses were removed from the property before the hurricane hit, but the approximately 75 horses that remained at OBS were in good condition as of Thursday after the storm, according to OBS communications director Alicia Hughes.

Hughes said there was heavy rain in the Ocala area, but OBS suffered no damage or power outages. Photos taken by Hughes showed limited debris at the dealership after the storm.