NTRA forms panel from public ranks

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has formed an 11-member advisory panel to its Horseplayers' Coalition that will be asked to identify and develop policy recommendations for state and federal regulators, the NTRA announced Tuesday.

The panel will be chaired by Mel Moser, a retired attorney from Kentucky. Other members include Herman Bell, an information-technology professional from Maryland; Steve Byk, the New York-based host of the radio show "At the Races"; Gupta Etwaru, a surgeon from California; Ron Geary, the owner of Ellis Park in Kentucky; John Goodman, a simulcasting and marketing manager from Kentucky; Bob Hansan, a software entrepreneur from Virginia; Louis Licata, an attorney from Ohio; Mike Maloney, a professional horseplayer from Kentucky; Mike Mayo, a health-care entrepreneur from Texas; and Judy Wagner, an insurance executive from Louisiana.

The NTRA launched the Horseplayers' Coalition earlier this year in the hopes of bringing a grass-roots aspect to its lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. The NTRA is currently lobbying for support for a bill that would eliminate the federal withholding tax on winnings wagers exceeding certain payouts and odds.