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.
