Dragone to direct racing Hall of Fame

Christopher Dragone, a former racetrack executive and the operator of a Thoroughbred breeding farm in New York, will replace Joseph Aulisi, who is retiring, as the director of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, the museum announced on Friday.

Dragone, who has been a general manager at racetracks in New Jersey, Michigan, Oregon, and Maryland, will take over as director on Jan. 1, 2011, but will begin working at the museum in October with Aulisi “to ensure a seamless transition of the day-to-day responsibilities” of the position, according to the museum.

Dragone currently operates December Hill Farm, a Thoroughbred breeding operation established by his father, Allan Dragone, the former chairman of the New York Racing Association.

Aulisi has been the director of the museum and Hall of Fame since 2006. He was formerly the museum’s development officer, a position he took in 2000. According to the organization, after his retirement, Aulisi will continue to work with the museum in raising funds to reach a target of a $10 million endowment that was initially seeded by the William Stamps Farish Fund.