New leader for operator of NY thoroughbred tracks

[June 19, 2013]  NEW YORK (AP) -- The directors of the New York Racing Association have chosen a lawyer without a background in horse racing as the organization's new president and CEO.

The choice of 60-year-old Christopher Kay comes a year after NYRA fired its top executive and chief counsel amid an investigation into why $8.5 million in winnings wasn't paid to bettors. That was quickly followed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo taking power away from the long-troubled NYRA and creating a temporary board to run thoroughbred racing at the Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct tracks.

Kay is a graduate of Duke University's law school who worked most recently as chief operating officer at The Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit promoter of parks and conservation.

NYRA says Kay brings business, sports and legal experience to the job.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.