In what may or may not be related to the discussion of Magna yesterday, Doug Donn has resigned from his post at Gulfstream. I believe either Mr. Donn or his father had been running that track for 60 years.

My own dealings with him were brief but memorable. About 10 years ago Charlie Nebel was pulling his usual nonsense, in this case getting us thrown off track by convincing middle management that we were trying to stiff the track out of their sales commissions-- in point of fact the "sales" were comps to the press and other VIP's for the Breeder's Cup, and we insisted that even those getting freebies pay the track's $3 share. The guy at the stand, a friend of Charlie, pocketed the money, then denied he had ever received it, and Charlie went to management ( a guy named Bobby Knuck, I think), telling them we were selling, and keeping the track's share. Knuck threw us off track, and wouldn't listen to a word I said.

Finally, I called a friend who was also a friend of Donn. He made a call, telling Donn that he had given the $3 himself at the stand. Donn called me, asked me a couple of questions, then called Knuck into the office with me still on the line and read him the riot act in a quiet voice. We were back on track the next day, the vendor was soon fired, and Knuck was fired within a few months.



TGJB