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Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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BALTIMORE, 05-29-08---The Maryland Jockey Club ("MJC") announced today that Tom Chuckas has been named president and chief operating officer, effective June 1. Chuckas replaces Chris Dragone. Chuckas has been a special consultant to Magna Entertainment Corp. (MEC) chairman Frank Stronach since May 1. MEC owns the Maryland Jockey Club.
“Tom brings a wealth of experience to the position,” said Scott Borgemenke, Executive Vice-President of Racing for MEC. “He has solid relationships with the horsemen and knows all the major players in Annapolis.”
The 53-year-old spent 11 years as the Chief Executive Officer of Cloverleaf Entertainment, the management company that operates Rosecroft Raceway, a harness track in Prince George’s County, Md. While working at Rosecroft, Chuckas helped create a critical revenue-sharing agreement with the Maryland Jockey Club in the late 1990’s and also had a significant role in negotiating the 15-year cross-breed simulcasting deal in April 2006.
“I look forward to the challenges we are facing with the current conditions,” Chuckas said. “We are hopeful that the slots referendum will pass in November and allow us to compete on a level playing field with our competitors in Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.”
MJC operates Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness® Stakes, the middle jewel in thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown. The 133rd edition of the Preakness was held May 17 with the undefeated Big Brown winning impressively in front of 112,222 fans.
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