Santa Anita president resigns

Jack McDaniel's tenure as president of Santa Anita lasted 15 months. According to a release from parent company Magna Entertainment, the former entertainment executive "stepped down" as the president of Santa Anita on Friday. He had been appointed to the position in January 2004.

McDaniel will return to his entertainment facility company, Action Design and Production. McDaniel used his background to update some of Santa Anita's public areas, including Sirona's bar and restaurant and the FrontRunner restaurant. But McDaniel had no prior background in racing before being hired by Magna.

McDaniel last fall hired Michael Gilligan, a marketing executive whose tenure at Santa Anita lasted two months.

Ron Charles, who serves on Magna Entertainment's executive committee and is the executive director of Magna's California tracks, has been appointed the interim president of the track, according to Don Amos, Magna Entertainment's chief operating officer.