Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack (FLGR) will kick off its 65th season of Thoroughbred horse racing Monday, April 27 with an eight-race program, along with the introduction of a slightly earlier start time of 12:55 p.m.
The opening day feature, the Welcome Back Racing Fans, is set for race seven. The $26,500 allowance test will be run at 4 1/2 furlongs.
Not For Hire appears to be the top contender - if he takes to the dirt. While he has faced better in the past, the Jonathan Buckley-trainee has primarily raced on turf and will be making his dirt debut.
Kevin Navarro, who finished fifth in the 2025 jockey standings at Finger Lakes, will be aboard Not For Hire for owner Windylea Farm.
Buckley is coming off one of his best seasons at FLGR, placing second in the 2025 trainer standings with 63 victories.
Jockey Jacqueline Davis is set to make her return to FLGR on Monday. She has three mounts, including Skytown for trainer Ronald Breed Jr. in the Opening Day feature. Injuries sidelined Davis last June but she recently returned to riding over the winter at Charles Town.
FLGR will again offer 91 race days, with live racing conducted on Monday and Tuesdays for the first two weeks of the season before moving to its usual Monday through Wednesday schedule through November 25.
While first-race post time moves up to 12:55, the wagering menu stays the same. FLGR is coming off a solid 2025 when total wagering grew by $7.1 million.
"We felt status quo was the way to go for this season," Director of Racing Todd Haight said. "We added a second Pick 5 last year that offered a mandatory daily payout and we saw that wager grow precipitously by over 150 percent."
