Schwartz leaves NYRA board

Barry Schwartz, the former chairman of the New York Racing Association, recently resigned from NYRA's board of directors, Schwartz said Tuesday.

Schwartz said he sent a letter to NYRA's board three weeks ago detailing his resignation. Schwartz had been a board member at NYRA for 11 years and was its chairman for four years, from late 2000 until late 2004.

"My views on racing in New York are very different from the views of the current management," said Schwartz, 63. Schwartz, the owner of Stonewall Farm in New York, also cited his desire to focus more time on his Thoroughbred breeding and owning operation, he said.

Charles Hayward, NYRA's chief executive officer, was out of the office Tuesday and was unavailable for comment.

Schwartz's tenure as chairman of NYRA was marked by several bettor-friendly changes, including a reduction in takeout. During that time, NYRA also came under fire from politicians and regulators, including New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who brought charges against two dozen employees of NYRA's mutuel department for tax fraud. Schwartz was often outspoken about his belief that Spitzer's investigation was politically motivated.