Al Karwacki, who served as general manager and vice president of Bowie Race Track in Maryland, died March 7 of pancreatic cancer. A resident of Darien, Ga., he was 78.
A Baltimore native, Karwacki started at Bowie in 1963 as a part-time accountant. He worked his way up to comptroller, then general manager and vice president. He served with other racetrack executives from around the country on the board of directors of the Thoroughbred Racing Association.
During his time with Bowie, Karwacki was awarded the Federico Tesio Award for his contributions to Maryland racing.
Karwacki left Bowie for California in 1988. He served as the general manager of Southern California Off-Track Wagering Inc. (SCOTWINC). He retired in 2002 and moved to Georgia, where he enjoyed ocean fishing and church activities.
Karwacki, who served in the Coast Guard during the Korean War, is survived by his wife, Lorraine; sons David and James; a daughter, Karen; and seven grandchildren.