Finger Lakes to offer distance series for claiming horses
Finger Lakes Racetrack will host a claiming distance series in its upcoming 2023 season, the track announced while releasing its first condition book for the meet.
The 90-day season at Finger Lakes, in Farmington, N.Y., opens April 24 and runs through Nov. 22.
The distance series is named after North Warning, the track-record holder at 1 5/8 miles, and will include three legs and a final, with distances increasing for each race.
"We’re very excited about the upcoming racing season and the North Warning series,” racing secretary Jerry Richards said in a release. “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."
The first leg of the North Warning series, at a mile and 70 yards on June 19, will be run as a $5,000 claimer, with a purse of $12,600-added per division. The claiming price and purse increase to $6,250 and $15,000, respectively, for leg two at 1 1/8 miles on July 31. The claiming price increases again to $8,000 for leg three, at a mile and a quarter on Sept. 11. The purse will grow to $20,000 for that event.
Horses earn their way into the series final by earning points through the three preliminary legs, with the top 12 point-earners from the series awarded a berth in the final. In the event of a claim, the points will follow the horse. The series final, run under starter conditions, is set for Oct. 23 at 1 5/8 miles, with a guaranteed purse of $25,000.
There is a one-time $250 nomination fee to the series, which is due by June 7. All nomination fees will be added to the purses for legs one and two. Supplemental nominations of $1,000 will be accepted from June 8 through July 19, and will be added to the purse for the third leg.
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