NYRA Names Pope Racing Secretary for Belmont Park
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Photo: Courtesy of Prairie Meadows
Pat Pope
The New York Racing Association announced May 24 that Pat Pope has been hired to serve as racing secretary for the Belmont Park spring/summer and fall meets. Pope will assume some responsibilities related to the current Belmont spring/summer meet before starting full time for the upcoming Belmont fall meet.
A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Pope comes to NYRA with four decades of experience in racing. Currently the racing secretary at Oaklawn Park, Pope was previously the racing secretary at Delaware Park from 2009-13. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Pope's prior work included time as a racing official at Prairie Meadows, where he was a state steward and racing secretary.
"Pat's decades of experience in racing will serve him well at Belmont Park," said Martin Panza, NYRA's senior vice president of racing operations. "We look forward to welcoming him to the NYRA team."
Pope will continue in his role at Oaklawn, where he has been racing secretary since 1995.
The Belmont fall meet starts Sept. 7 and runs through Oct. 28.