Knowlton leaves 'Friends' post

Jack Knowlton, the managing partner of Sackatoga Stable, has resigned from the board of the racing advocacy group Friends of New York Racing after his appointment to a government committee that will oversee the bidding for the New York Racing Association franchise, Friends of New York announced Friday.

In a letter to Friends of New York's chief executive, Tim Smith, Knowlton said that "it is necessary for me to submit my resignation" because of the perception of a conflict of interest in holding both positions.

Knowlton, whose racing stable owns the 2003 Kentucky Derby winner, Funny Cide, was appointed to the Committee for the Future of Racing by Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno on Aug. 26. The committee is charged with developing guidelines for bidders for NYRA's franchise, which expires at the end of 2007, and making recommendations to the governor and legislature on which bid to accept.