Finger Lakes Meet to Offer Claiming Distance Series

Officials have released the first condition book for the 62nd consecutive year of live Thoroughbred racing at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack, which kicks off on Monday, April 24 with a 1:15 pm first post. The 90-day season runs through Wednesday, November 22. Stall Applications are still being accepted.

Racing Secretary Jerry Richards, in his second year at Finger Lakes, has added a claiming distance series to the 2023 condition book. The series is named after North Warning, the current track record holder at one mile and five-eighths. Action kicks off on June 19 and features three legs and a final, with the distance increasing with each leg.

"We're very exciting about the upcoming racing season and the North Warning series," Racing Secretary Jerry Richards said. "Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack has a long-time history of distance racing and I'm very happy to bring back some semblance from the past."

Leg one, to be run at one mile and seventy yards, carries a purse of $12,600 added per division, and will be run as a $5,000 claimer. The claiming price increases to $6,250 for leg two and the purse amount moves to $15,000 added. Leg two, scheduled for July 31, is to be run at one mile and an eighth. The claiming price increases again to $8,000 for leg three and will be run at the classic distance of mile and a quarter on September 11. The purse(s) will grow to $20,000 for that event. The series final is set for October 23 at one mile and five and a half furlongs and will be run under starter ($8,000 or less) conditions. The purse in the finals is guaranteed at $25,000.

There is a one-time $250 nomination fee, which is due by June 7. All nomination fees will be added to the purse for legs one and two. Supplemental fees will be accepted between June 8 through July 19 and will be added to leg 3. The cost to supplement to the series is $1,000.

Horses earn their way into the final by earning points throughout the preliminary legs with four points for a win, three points for a second, two points for a third and one point for fourth. The top 12-point earners from the preliminary legs make the finals. In the event of a claim the points follow the horse.

For more information about the North Warning series, or the first 2023 Condition Book, please contact the Finger Lakes race office at 585-924-3232, ext. 271. The full first condition book can be found online.