Track Superintendent Doug Bowling has announced his retirement from that role, concluding a career that spanned nearly 50 years with Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. Bowling will be succeeded by Assistant Track Superintendent Warren Cogle.
Bowling's retirement date is scheduled for December 31, and Cogle will assume his new post the following day.
Bowling's career at the track began in February of 1977 working in security. From there, he spent roughly 20 years in valet, rising to Executive Director of Valet. Bowling eventually added Director of Track Maintenance to that role, before shifting full-time to Track Maintenance and Grounds Crew shortly thereafter. He credits Jay Fortney, former Track Superintendent and Consultant at Charles Town, for showing him the ropes.
"The job is so complex," said Bowling. "I didn't know what I was stepping into at the time. Having Jay [Fortney] there to teach me and mentor me was important. Just to have someone to bounce stuff off of. To have someone say, 'you're doing the right thing, keep doing it.' A racing surface is always tough to manage. Just because it works one place doesn't mean it works somewhere else. And the biggest challenge at Charles Town is to have it ready for year-round racing in all types of weather. Jay's expertise in preparing me for that was huge."
Bowling also credited Charles Town's former General Manager of Racing Operations Dickie Moore for hiring him for the role, and his support that followed.
"I was very fortunate to have someone like Dickie [Moore] take a chance on me and then always have my back. He was always there to make sure I had everything I needed to be successful in the position. And that's been true after with Erich [Zimny] and Charlie [McIntosh], but to have that when you're just starting out was especially important."
"It's hard to imagine Charles Town without Doug," said Charles Town's General Manager Sean Demeule. "For almost 49 years, he has taken incredible pride in this racetrack and this property. He knows his craft, he cares deeply about doing things right, and people respect and trust his judgment. Maintaining a racing surface year-round, through every season and all kinds of weather, is both an art and a science, and Doug has spent a career mastering it. That same pride shows in the way he cares for the entire property and in the standards he sets for his team. Doug has given an extraordinary amount to Charles Town, and we're going to miss him. After almost five decades here, he has certainly earned the chance to spend a little more time on the golf course."
Cogle is a lifelong Jefferson County resident who has spent 20 years in the track maintenance department and has been in his current role since 2012. He says he's ready and appreciative of the opportunity.
"I grew up on a small farm and have always been around the agriculture industry," said Cogle. "This was my first real career and my interest just continued to grow, and I'd say that's what's allowed me to advance to this point. Doug has set the standard for integrity and is responsible for where Charles Town is today from a track safety standpoint and has built something really good here. Now it's up to me to keep up those standards. I'm looking forward to the challenge and working with everyone involved."
Bowling identified Cogle early in his tenure with the track as a potential successor to the Track Superintendent role.
"I knew early on he had the potential to be what he is today," said Bowling. "He's a hometown guy. His roots are here. And I knew he was the right candidate. So we just started to develop him. And I don't expect us to miss a beat."
"Doug Bowling has been the steady hand behind our racing surface for years, and his retirement marks the end of an era at Charles Town," said Charles Town's Director of Racing Operations Charlie McIntosh. "I'll never forget something Doug told me when I first arrived here: 'The best time to ask a trainer what they think of the racetrack is when they are walking out of the winner's circle.' He was absolutely right. It's a thankless job, and Doug handled it with professionalism and consistency. We're going to miss him, but we're confident that Warren will be able to pick up right where Doug leaves off."
As Bowling heads into retirement, he does so with overwhelming gratitude for all those who were a part of his journey.
"I just really want to thank Penn Entertainment for the opportunity of a lifetime. They came in and saved us all back in the '90s, and it's really just been pleasant and enjoyable working for them. And nothing I've accomplished in the job would be possible without my team members. I tell them, even though it's always the Track Superintendent who gets the compliments when things are going well, it's the employees who put the hours in and execute the vision. I asked Jay Fortney, 'what does it take to be a great track superintendent?' He said you have to have a great number two man, and be surrounded by good, strong employees. And that's the secret to Charles Town. We have a lot of people who care. I always wanted Charles Town to get the recognition that other tracks receive, and to leave it in a better place than when I got here. And I think we accomplished that."
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