by John Scheinman

Klaus Panholzer, a Magna Entertainment Corp. senior vice president in charge of corporate hospitality and food and beverage services, and Helmet Pichler, general manager of food and beverage service, both have been fired by the Maryland Jockey Club.

The two, who arrived in Maryland together in 2004, were let go at the same time as Maryland Jockey Club President Chris Dragone and Dwayne Yuzik, senior vice president and associate general manager of Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course.

“The gist is the Maryland Jockey Club decided to go in a different direction and food and beverage is one of them,” said Tom Chuckas, who officially will take over as the new president of the Maryland Jockey Club on June 1.

No replacements have been named, Chuckas said.

Panholzer, an Austrian, was hired by Frank Stronach in 2000. He was credited last year with helping clean up Pimlico in 2006, when the track’s food services were threatened with a shutdown days before the Preakness Stakes (G1) by the Baltimore city health commissioner, according to a story in the Baltimore Sun.

John Scheinman is a Maryland-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent