IHRC Chairman: Gorajec Fired for Regulating too Much

Paulick Report

Thomas Weatherwax, chairman of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission, told the Indianapolis Business Journal commissioners are frustrated that longtime executive director Joe Gorajec is “too focused on enforcing regulations and not focused enough on marketing and promoting horse racing within the state.”

On Saturday morning at a hastily called meeting, the commission, in a 4-0 vote, relieved Gorajec from a job he has held for one week shy of 25 years. Effectively immediately, Deena Pitman, who was Gorajec’s assistant, takes over on an interim basis while the commission conducts a national search.

“We’re at a crossroads,” Weatherwax, a longtime state senator told IBJ.com prior to Saturday’s meeting. “It just takes a little different attitude to take it to the next level. We’re going to be doing more to promote and market our business and get more people involved. Everything I’m telling you is economic development.”

Weatherwax praised Gorajec, saying, “You’re not going to find someone to replace the quality of Joe Gorajec growing on trees.”

Gorajec is known nationally for his strict enforcement of medication regulations and for initiating integrity programs that have been a model for other states.

“We’re not going to do one thing to take away our integrity in this industry,” Weatherwax said.