The Tampa Bay Derby is this Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

The 1 1⁄16-mile Tampa Bay Derby (G2) has long been overshadowed by the richer Derby prep races at nearby Gulfstream Park.

Despite the fierce competition to attract the best three-year-old’s in Florida, the Tampa Bay Derby has more than held its own as a productive prep for the Run For The Roses.

First held in 1981, the Tampa Bay Derby got off to a quick start when 1982 Winner REINVESTED went on to finish 3rd in the Kentucky Derby, but the contest really took off around the turn of the century.

Tampa Bay Derby runners-up MENIFEE (1999) and IMPEACHMENT (2000) went on to hit the board in the Kentucky Derby, prompting the race to receive Grade 3 status in 2002.

This upgrade, coupled with steady purse increases, compelled better horses to target the Tampa Bay Derby.

2006 TBD runner-up BLUEGRASS CAT gave the race a boost when finishing 2nd in the Kentucky Derby, and STREET SENSE took it up a notch in 2007, Winning both the Tampa Bay Derby and the Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has been the most successful conditioner of Tampa Bay Derby champions, Winning with LIMEHOUSE in 2004 prior to saddling four Winners during a five-year span from 2013 to 2017.

Pletcher also saddled 2010 3rd-place finisher SUPER SAVER, who went on to claim the 2010 Kentucky Derby.

The Tampa Bay Derby continued to grow during the 2010s, reaching Grade 2 status in 2011 while riding the enthusiasm generated by STREET SENSE and SUPER SAVER.

The purse reached $400,000 dollars in 2018, one year after Pletcher-trained TAPWRIT used a Tampa Bay Derby Victory as a springboard to success in the Belmont Stakes. (G1).

In 2019, TACITUS Won the Tampa Bay Derby in the Stakes-record time of 1:41.90, the start of a productive season that saw him run 2nd in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

As part of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, the Tampa Bay Derby offers 100 Derby qualification points to the top five finishers, divided on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis.