Ogden Phipps II to join NYRA board as Bobby Flay resigns

Bobby Flay, the celebrity chef and horse owner, has resigned his seat on the board of directors of the New York Racing Association and will be replaced by Ogden Phipps II, the son of a former NYRA chairman, the late Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps, NYRA said on Friday.

Flay, who races his horses primarily in New York, has been on NYRA’s board since 2012. An official close to NYRA said that Flay cited the time he needed to devote to his many businesses and appearances for his resignation. Within the racing industry, Flay is also a board member of Breeders’ Cup Ltd, and has in the past several months supported several radical, unsuccessful proposals to bifurcate the organization’s signature event.

Flay served on the board at a time when NYRA was facing intense pressure from the state to reorganize and improve its financial operations, and when the state was also in the midst of authorizing a handful of new casinos and eyeing NYRA’s properties for redevelopment proposals. While on the board, Flay often pressed NYRA to evaluate improvements to its marketing programs and its food and beverage operations, as well as supporting initiatives designed to improve the public perception of horse racing.

“The NYRA board of directors extends its profound appreciation to Bobby Flay for his many years of service to the NYRA board,” said the board’s chairman, Michael Del Guidice, in a statement. “Through his focus on the integrity of the sport, and willingness to speak to the concerns of the next generation of racing fans, Bobby has distinguished himself as an ambassador for the sport.”

Ogden Phipps II, 40, heads a private wealth firm, though he continues to play a role in the management of his family’s breeding and racing operation, along with his sister, Daisy, who lives in Lexington, Ky. His father, who died in 2016, was chairman of NYRA from 1976 to 1983, and many of the champions he bred and raced were based at NYRA tracks.

“NYRA plays a central role in driving the future of horse racing, and sets the industry example when it comes to constantly improving both the guest experience and quality of racing,” said Phipps in a statement. “I’m honored to be able to add my voice to this accomplished board and to play a direct role in bettering a sport that means so much to so many people.”