O'Hara named executive director of racetrack development for Daily Racing Form

Phil O’Hara, a former executive with Penn National Gaming Inc. and Equibase, has been hired by Daily Racing Form Inc. in the new position of executive director of racetrack development.

O’Hara, who has been on the DRF’s board of directors since 2008, will “lead DRF’s strategic racetrack partnership initiative,” according to a release from the company. The initiative focuses on the creation of customized marketing programs at tracks that tie-in to products sold by DRF, such as its past-performance publications.

“I’m excited to become a contributor to DRF’s strategic racetrack development efforts,” O’Hara said in a release. “Racetracks have seen the benefit of DRF’s increased production of high-quality news and event coverage, as well as creation of new handicapping tools across its print and digital platforms, and I believe we’ve only scratched the surface of what DRF can do to drive handle and new fan growth for our racing partners.”

O’Hara was most recently a principal in Meyocks and O’Hara Racing Enterprises, a consulting company. Prior to that, he was the president and CEO of Equibase, which supplies data to DRF and other handicapping companies. From 1985 to 2000, he worked at Penn National Gaming, departing with the title of executive vice president of pari-mutuel wagering.