Via TD Thornton
Michael Algeo, who has served on the Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) since 2016 and was its chairman, has resigned from both positions, effective immediately June 14.
Frank Vespe of Maryland’s “Off to the Races Radio” was the first to give the scoop on his June 17 broadcast.
Algeo’s departure highlights a time of regulatory upheaval in the Maryland race that in recent months has been marked by three other long-serving commissioners (David Hayden, Tom Bowman, Tom). Winebrener) also resigned from the MRC or was not granted a term extension by the governor. .
The recent departures roughly coincided with the passage of a Maryland law in April to create a soon-to-be-appointed supervisory board with broad powers, the Maryland Thoroughbred Track Regulatory Authority (MTROA).
In addition, the MRC is in the midst of a nationwide regulatory transition regarding the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) coming into power to oversee drug and safety testing. of this sport.
Speaking on Vespe’s show, Algeo also raised other concerns for the sport as he leaves his post, such as the seemingly never-ending rotation of safety issues. for horses, plus the decades-long debate in Maryland about whether Laurel Park, Pimlico Raceway, or both calculate the state’s long-term plans for the race.
“I often compare it to playing the game Whac-A-Mole,” Algeo told Vespe. “As soon as you solve a problem, a crisis, another problem arises. And so I just think it’s time for a new generation, a younger generation, someone who can come in and have a fresh look. And God bless them, because it’s a wonderful industry, and I feel very honored to have served for the past seven years….I, like everyone else, will be interested in seeing how things turn out. where to go and how to end.
When asked by Vespe how all of those pieces – MRTOA, HISA, horse safety, rebuilding at Pimlico/Laurel – would fit together under the auspices of the commission, Algeo admits he doesn’t have a good answer.
“I will excuse ignorance,” Algeo told Vespe. “I don’t know how they will fit together. [The question I often get now is] ‘Oh, so Maryland has set up a new racing regulator to oversee races in Maryland. So no more commissions?’ That’s the question I’m getting. That’s people’s perception, and perception carries a lot of weight.”
Algeo continued: “I believe the role of the MRC has been significantly reduced. It has been calculated considerably. And it’s not like it was when I started in 2016. And so it’s going to be really interesting to see how the two entities, the racing regulator and the racing commission, work together.
“The simple answer is that the commission is a regulatory body,” Algeo told Vespe. “I have been informed that [MRTOA] really just an unsafe creation in case [1/ST Racing, which owns Laurel and Pimlico] should leave Maryland and [some entity] is required to run daily operations. But until it actually takes shape and we see how it works, I still have a lot of questions.”
Algeo is a retired Maryland Circuit Court judge. His term as chairman of the board was scheduled to end in October, with his term at the MRC set to end in July 2024.
Last month, Algeo was honored ahead of GI Preakness S. with a Special Merit Award at Pimlico’s annual Alibi Breakfast. That award recognizes people who “have had a positive impact on the racing industry.”
