History

Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack is New York's home for live thoroughbred racing! Located among the abundant wineries and spectacular vistas of New York's beautiful Finger Lakes region, our spectacular racetrack is a favorite destination for local residents and thousands of tourists who visit the area annually.

Our 450-acre property currently houses over 1,200 race horses in 21 barns. Along with a world-class equine swimming facility, Finger Lakes maintains a one-mile main racing track, a half-mile training track, and more than 1,100 video gaming machines. 

Our history is in racing. Finger Lakes has hosted over 62,000 horse races and entertained over 19 million fans since its opening in 1962.

It all began on May 23, 1962 as Pure Village took the inaugural race at Finger Lakes with a winning time of 1:17 3/5 for six furlongs. In the five decades since, "The Thumb" has hosted some of the sport's greatest jockeys and thoroughbreds, including Hall of Fame riders Angel Cordero, Pat Day, Julie Krone, and Bill Shoemaker.

Among other notable events in track history:

1978: Fresh off a Triple Crown sweep on Affirmed, jockey Steve Cauthen raced at Finger Lakes, attracting a crowd of 11,030 and setting an on-track wagering record of $765,580.

1996: The legendary horse Fio Rito was buried in the Finger Lakes infield, becoming the first horse buried on the Finger Lakes grounds. The locally-based New York State Horse of the Year (1980) stepped into the national spotlight by winning the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga and dominated at Finger Lakes throughout his career, winning 19 of 27 starts.

2002: Finger Lakes introduced an Equine Swim Facility - one of the only aquatic facilities on track grounds in the country.

2004: The property added Video Gaming Machines in February of that year, transforming itself into a multi-faceted entertainment destination.

2006: The New York Breeders' Futurity featured the largest purse in the history of the track at just over $250,000.

2007: Funny Cide became the first-ever Kentucky Derby winner to race at Finger Lakes in the $100,000 Wadsworth Memorial Handicap. A crowd of more than 12,000 watched the champ charge from behind and pull away down the stretch in the final race of his career.