Race Track Industry Program Speaker Series – Martin Panza

Martin Panza has over 30 years of race track experience. He served as the New York Racing Association's (NYRA) senior vice president of racing operations from 2013 to 2021 and prior served as the vice president of racing at Hollywood Park from 1994-2013. At NYRA, Panza had been responsible for the leadership and oversight of racing functions, including the overall development, planning, and execution of NYRA’s premier stakes offerings and daily racing programs.

Martin served as chair of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) safety committee, establishing the NTRA code of safety standards in the process. The Thoroughbred Safety Coalition was launched in 2019 to create and implement a series of significant safety, medication, operational, and integrity guidelines across thoroughbred racing to ensure the well-being of horses and jockeys while increasing transparency and accountability. Martin also served on the American Graded Stakes Committee and Breeders’ Cup Selection Committee.

Martin spoke to the students about how to package and promote the racing product to today’s racing fans.