Derby Lane time line
Jan. 3, 1925: Derby Lane holds its inaugural race.
1931: Parimutuel gambling is legalized.
1930s-50s: Spring training baseball attracts stars to the track, including Dizzy Dean, Babe Ruth and Rabbit Maranville.
1949: New grandstands are built.
1951: Yankees star Mickey Mantle films a cigarette commercial at the track.
1965: The track announces plans to expand with a new clubhouse, offices and a restaurant at the west end of the grandstand, about a $1 million project set to debut in January 1966. The new "big room" allows more than 1,000 spectators to watch races from box seats or tiers that include dining tables. The complex enables the track's corporate St. Petersburg Kennel Club offices to move onsite from downtown St. Petersburg. The track also introduces a quiniela odds board, supplying information on the "twin double," introduced that year.
Feb. 9, 1976: The 17th annual Distance Classic offers the track's first $60,000 stakes race, with the winner earning $18,000.
1977: Derby Plaza, an enclosed area with theater seating, is added.
1984: The track has wagering of more than $100 million for the season for the first time and employs about 800 people.
Feb. 22, 1986: Greyhound Hall of Fame dog Keefer draws a record crowd of 12,779 for his Distance Classic victory.
1990: The movie Coupe de Ville, starring Daniel Stern and Patrick Dempsey, films at the track.
1997: Poker is offered for the first time.
2000: Ryan Farms kennel's Dominator becomes the first North American Triple Crown champion, named All-America team captain (best greyhound in North America) and winning the Rural Rube award (best sprinter) and the Flashy Sir award (top distance).
2001: The movie Ocean's Eleven, directed by Steven Soderbergh, films scenes at the track with stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Carl Reiner.
June 29, 2002: A record all-source handle of $1,317,111 is wagered on its card.
2004: Cayman Went of Bahama Mama kennel becomes the second Triple Crown champion.
March 4, 2006: The track hosts the inaugural Derby Lane Million, the first $1 million stakes race in greyhound history. Greys Calibrator of D'Arcy kennel is the winner and earns $500,000. Attendance is 9,343, and the all-source handle of $1,236,923 is the second highest in track history.
March 3, 2007: The final Derby Lane Million is held, with Flying Stanley of McAllister kennel prevailing and collecting a $500,000 paycheck. Scott Kaplan of Largo wins an automobile for the second time in consecutive Million random drawings for patrons.
Aug. 18, 2007: Tampa Greyhound Track ends racing and moves its live dog races to Derby Lane, giving the St. Petersburg track a year-round operation.
2009: A new poker room is created, the centerpiece of a $2.5 million renovation.
2010: Flying Coal City of McAllister kennel becomes the third greyhound to win the Triple Crown.
2015: The movie The Infiltrator, directed by Brad Furman and starring Bryan Cranston, films scenes at the track.
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Explore all your optionsCompiled by Times correspondent Don Jensen from Tampa Bay Times and Derby Lane files.