Bonomo New Chairman at NYRA

By T.D. Thornton 

Anthony Bonomo has been voted chairman of the New York Racing Association Reorganization Board in a proxy vote by the organization's board of directors, according to a report in The Saratogian. 

The same story also reported that Tuesday's scheduled NYRA open board meeting—its first since December—was called off because of “Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to extend state control of NYRA for at least another year,” although no formal extension has been announced. 

Gov. Cuomo's press office refused to answer questions late Wednesday afternoon about whether an extension of state control was imminent. The TDN attempted to contact several NYRA board members by phone, but could not reach them before deadline for this story. 

However, no mention of a NYRA return to privatization was referenced in Cuomo's proposed 2015-16 budget that was passed by legislators shortly after 3:00 a.m. Wednesday, just after the start of the fiscal year. So it appears as if NYRA will operate through 2016 under state control. 

David Skorton, the previous chairman, resigned effective Dec. 31, 2014. Skorton had announced months in advance that he would be also leaving his job as Cornell University president in June 2015 to head the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum and research complex. 

Skorton was originally appointed by Cuomo and legislators as chair of the NYRA Reorganization Board in 2012 when the state put in place what it then termed “a temporary, publicly controlled body” to transform the structure, management and finances of Thoroughbred racing in New York State. At that time, Cuomo made it clear the state oversight of NYRA was expected to last only three years. 

According to his NYRA bio, Bonomo, a Brooklyn attorney, is President of Administrators for the Professions, Inc., the insurance company management organization that operates, among others, Physicians' Reciprocal Insurers, a medical professional liability insurer. 

Bonomo has served as a Trustee of Hofstra University, and founded the GAELS Foundation, which is dedicated to the development of youth through sports. He and his wife Mary Ellen have owned Thoroughbreds based in New York since 2005, racing primarily under the stable names Brooklyn Boyz Stables and MEB Stables. 

The next NYRA board meeting is scheduled for Apr. 22.