Sports

NYRA opening up

Yesterday’s webcast of the first meeting of the NYRA Reorganization Board of Directors from an office in NYC was hard to follow, with the video stream and sound often freezing or buffering to distraction. But the very fact that the new board will now comply with the NYS Open Meetings Law and Freedom of Information Law is a huge step in breaking free from the old NYRA’s culture of arrogance.

Other developments worth noting:

* NYRA has adopted a new mission statement: “Meeting the highest standards in thoroughbred racing and equine safety.”

* NYRA corporate officers are no longer allowed to make campaign contributions in statewide and legislative elections, nor will they be allowed to bet.

* Veterinarian Dr. Michael Kotlikoff, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, has been named Special Advisor to the board for equine health and safety, as recommended by new board chairman David Skorton, president of Cornell.

* New board member Bobby Flay served notice he is going to be a forceful spokesman for NYRA’s customers, saying, “NYRA used to be the leader of the industry. That’s not true anymore. We have a product the public doesn’t want. We need to build a great racing product.” — Ed Fountaine