Finger Lakes Gaming and Race Track

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Please improve this article if you can. (June 2007)

1 Location
2 History
3 Feature Races
- 3.1 List of stakes races at Finger Lakes
4 External Links

[edit] Location

The track and racino is located in Farmington in western New York State, approximately 25 miles southeast of Rochester, NY. The facility is about two miles south of New York State Thruway exit 44.

[edit] History

Finger Lakes Race Track opened on May 23, 1962 as a Thoroughbred horse race track. The race track has gone through several ownerships and a cycle of successful and near-bankrupt seasons.

The track as a seasonal business, holding races from spring to fall was financially hurt with the advent of Off Track Betting in the 1980s.

Finger Lakes rebounded in the 1990s when "Simulcast" racing began. Under this system, patrons were able to attend the clubhouse year-round and wager on races at other tracks around the country.

In 2004, Finger Lakes Race Track became Finger Lakes Gaming and Race Track after a $10.5 million renovation. The largest part of the renovation was the addition of a racino (casino-style video gaming floor.) Attendance soared at the facility.

Ross Morton, a well-known race caller, was Finger Lakes' announcer from opening day until his death in February of 2008.

[edit] Feature Races

Finger Lakes is home to the New York Derby, a 1 1/16th mile restricted race for 3 year old horses who have been bred in the state of New York. Carrying a purse of $150,000, the race is a part of the Big Apple Triple, consisting of the Mike Lee at Belmont Park, the New York Derby, and the Albany at Saratoga Race Course. The race is typically ran in July.

At this time, Finger Lakes Race Track does not offer any graded stakes. They do offer ungraded and restricted stakes throughout the meet.