Del Giudice Retires; Holliday Interim NYRA Chairman

Michael Del Giudice has retired as chairman of the board of directors for the New York Racing Association and been replaced on an interim basis by board member Marc Holliday.

Holliday, who races under the banner of Blue Devil Racing, will fill the position until next month when the board of trustees will conduct their regularly scheduled Dec. 16 meeting and members are expected to vote on lifting the interim tag and naming Holliday as the new chairman.

Del Giudice, a board member since 2003, has served as chairman since 2015 when he replaced Anthony Bonomo, who gave up the position following a brief two-month stint after he was linked to a scandal involving the son of former New York State Senate leader Dean Skelos.

Holliday, who joined the board in 2014, brings to the job extensive experience as an owner and breeder that Del Giudice and David Skorton, Bonomo's predecessor, lacked. A regular presence at Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park, Holliday owned and bred grade 1 winner Come Dancing  and according to Equibase statistics has won 127 races with earnings of $6,067,942 with his Blue Devil Racing Stable since 2007.

Holliday is the chairman and CEO of SL Green Realty Corp., which is regarded as New York City's largest owner of office space, and has extensive political connections in Albany.