HARRISBURG -- Gov. Ed Rendell plans to make a major reorganization of two state agencies that oversee different aspects of the horse racing industry in Pennsylvania.

He plans to merge the staffs of the Horse Racing Commission, which oversees thoroughbred racing, and the Harness Racing Commission. Three members of each commission would remain in place, however, Mr. Rendell's chief of staff, Greg Fajt, said today.

Not all details have yet been worked out, he said, but officials think they can get better cooperation out of the two staffs if a single person directs both staffs.

He said the administration will soon do a nationwide search to find one person to oversee the staffs of both agencies. Mr. Fajt said that, in the past, there sometimes hasn't been as much cooperation between harness and thoroughbred officials as there should be.

He said that the two current directors, Anton Leppler of the Harness Racing Commission and Ben Nolt of the Horse Racing Commission, would report to the new director. Mr. Fajt said he didn't expect many layoffs from the reorganization because much of the same work remains to be done.

Both commissions fall under the state Department of Agriculture. The state has three harness tracks, The Meadows in Washington County, Pocono Downs near Wilkes-Barre and Harrah's Chester Downs south of Philadelphia. A fourth harness track has been licensed in Lawrence County.

There also are three thoroughbred tracks, Philadelphia Park, Penn National near Harrisburg and Presque Isle Downs in Erie.