History
Finger Lakes Race Track opened on May 23, 1962 as a thoroughbred horse race track. The race track has gone through several ownership changes and a cycle of successful and near-bankrupt seasons. Famous jockeys that have ridden at Finger Lakes include Angel Cordero, Pat Day, Julie Krone, and Bill Shoemaker. Ross Morton, a well-known race caller, was Finger Lakes' announcer from opening day until his death in February 2008. And Tin Cup Chalice, the first winner of the Big Apple Triple Crown of Racing, made his home at Finger Lakes. Unfortunately, Tin Cup Chalice was killed on April 17, 2009 in a freak accident while training at the track. A colt named Zany bolted and collided with him and both horses died.
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, which is a casino-style video gaming floor. Attendance rose at the facility after the introduction of the racino.
Read more about this topic: Finger Lakes Gaming And Race Track
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