Finger Lakes concludes 2014 racing season

By David Mattice

FARMINGTON, N.Y. – Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack (FLGR) concluded the 2014 season on Friday with Dreamboat taking the feature race of the Closing Day card. Pedro Rodriguez guided the 3-year-old gelding owned by Langpap Stables to the two length victory.

Dreamboat covered the one mile and one-sixteenth distance of the seventh race in a final time of 1:44.20. The M. Anthony Ferraro-trainee registered his third triumph in his ninth career start.

Top Performers

The 2014 FLGR “Horse of the Year” was also from the barn of Langpap Stables and M. Anthony Ferraro. Fox Rules won all three of his FLGR starts this year to earn the award.

The 5-year-old gelding achieved all of his 2014 victories under the direction of Pedro Rodriguez. His most notable FLGR victory was a gate-to wire score in the $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders’ Stakes on July 4.

Crackerjack Jones was also a nominee for “Horse of the Year”. The Christopher Progno-trainee broke a long standing track record on Wednesday, November 7. He won the eighth race by six and one-half lengths in a one mile and one-quarter time of 2:05.10. The $184,930 earner broke the 27-year-old mark set by Caramba, who established the record on July 11, 1987 with a time of 2:05.20.

Jaime Rodriguez won his second consecutive FLGR title. He completed the 2014 meet with a total of 160 victories.

The 23-year-old from Carolina, Puerto Rico won two FLGR stakes this season, including the $127,063 Aspirant Stakes with Tiz Time to Shine on September 6.

Chris Englehart continued his dominance in the FLGR trainer standings. He was the top conditioner for the twelfth consecutive year. Englehart saddled 97 winning horses to earn his fourteenth career trainer title.

2014 Highlights

Trainer Michael S. Ferraro notched his 3,000th career win at FLGR on Wednesday, November 12. He reached the milestone when Sweet Sweet Afleet scored a two and three-quarter length victory in the eighth race under jockey David Lopez.

Ferraro is the second F.L.G.R. trainer to reach the prestigious mark of 3,000 wins. His horses have won 47 stakes and amassed a sum of over $23 million in purse earnings.

The 18-time leading trainer from Buffalo, New York finished third in the local trainer standings after completing the meet on a hot streak. During the final two weeks, horses saddled by Ferraro won at an approximate rate of 50 percent.

Tom Cooley was the 2014 inductee into the FLGR Hall of Fame. Cooley held the position of Track Photographer at FLGR since 1970.

The Canandaigua, NY native has taken over 63,000 photos of winning horses at FLGR. He was recognized for his many years of exceptional work and professional service.

Finger Lakes will remain in operation during the winter months for simulcast wagering with up to seven tracks per day. Live thoroughbred action will resume in April with the start of the 2015 meet.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2014/12/06/finger-lakes-concludes-2014-racing-season/

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