An article out of Massachusetts is stating that former Plainridge Racecourse President and CEO Gary Piontkowski did not leave the track earlier this spring because of health reasons as earlier reported, but because of another alleged situation.

A report which appears on boston.com states that Piontkowski was removed by Plainridge owners and officials over alleged 'withdrawals' from the tracks money room on an almost-daily basis.

Piontkowski is a much-respected figure within the local racing community and is credited with transitioning the track from the former operation at the Foxboro Raceway.

The news has come as a shock to local racing participants.

“We are all dumbfounded, you know?” said the track's leading driver, Jim Hardy, who later went on to add, “Right now we are just trying to take it all in.”

Local trainer Barry Farrar also commented on the situation, stating, “We don’t know what to think” and “all we know is what we read in the paper."

(With files from boston.com)

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