Patrick Patten interviews Suffolk Downs-Aqueduct-Monmouth announcer Larry Collmus. Among Collmus’ favorite lines from calls past: “My best lines were off the cuff. My favorite would be when Cigar made his move in the 1996 MassCap, I said ‘There goes the Legend.’ I don’t think anyone had called him that before. I liked it. He certainly was a legend.”
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Noticed this tossed-off phrase in a Jay Cronley ESPN column today: “Women can’t call races?” Which made me wonder — is there now, or has there ever been, a woman calling races at any thoroughbred track?
3/30 Update: I knew there had to be female track announcers somewhere. A correspondent wrote in today to say: “Yes, in Japan and Korea, some women call races. Yasuko Iguchi, the first woman announcer of horseracing in Japan, had called JRA races from 1971 to 1995 on live broadcast of Radio Nippon. Kayo Koeda also is woman announcer at Hokkaido tracks. Kim Su-Jin became the first woman announcer in Korea.”
Posted by JC in Track Notes on 03/29/2006 @ 9:15 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– Never mind the nearly one million immigrant workers that make up two thirds of tiny, oil-rich Dubai’s population and “live in a Dickensian world of cramped labor camps, low pay and increasing desperation,” for racing fans like Vic Zast, Dubai is an oasis, a place where “life is effortless for the visitors who, at the wave of a hand, will get what they desire” and the lavish entertainment provided by its ruler is just “a reminder that horse racing is a reason for people to gather. It is not some drab accommodation for sitting through a dreary simulcast.”
– The impressive performances of Japanese thoroughbreds in the World Cup is just the latest sign that the Japanese breeding industry has come of age, writes Andrew Beyer. Now, it’s time to let go of the protectionist policies that have kept foreigners out of Japanese racing: “As Japanese horses continue to compete so successfully against the world’s best, it is hard to make the old argument that they are weaklings deserving protection from outside competition.”
– Do you have enough style for the Kentucky Derby? The Lexington Herald-Leader wants to know.
Posted by JC in News on 03/28/2006 @ 11:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
Godolphin could have its first Kentucky Derby starter since 2002 with Discreet Cat. The colt won the UAE Derby impressively by six lengths, beating a field that included older horses like previously undefeated Uruguayan Triple Crown winner Invasor, and is attracting excited attention as a result. British bookmaker William Hill made Discreet Cat its 5-1 Kentucky Derby favorite, but Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford is warning eager fans to wait before wagering:
“Punters would be extremely wise to wait before backing Discreet Cat for the Kentucky Derby.
“We’ve already decided he won’t run in the Blue Grass Stakes or any other American Classic trial and the early thoughts in our camp are that he’ll either go for the Kentucky Derby without another run or the Preakness without another run.
“We’re very much aware that he’s not even three yet as he’s a May 1 foal and he’s very young and still immature.
“For the moment, we’ll just monitor his training and then Sheikh Mohammed will make his decision.”
And jockey Frankie Dettori sounded a note of caution after the UAE Derby as well: “I don’t know how he’s going to be against the best of the Americans,” he said. “But he showed great determination and focus.”
If Discreet Cat were to run in the Kentucky Derby, it would be only his fourth career start, going 1 1/4 miles against tested competitors like the current leading favorites Brother Derek and Lawyer Ron. However impressive his Dubai win, those are a couple of tough knocks to overcome.
Other Dubai results: Local horse Electrocutionist overcame a slow start from post one to win the World Cup by 1 1/4 lengths. “I knew he was a good horse and a special horse,” said happy owner Sheik Mohammed after. The Americans put in a good show, with Brass Hat finishing second, Wilko third, and Magna Graduate fourth.
Buff Bradley, trainer of Brass Hat, admitted some disappointment at the results, but said, “I got over it, and it took me about 10 seconds … We were so proud of Brass Hat. He made us proud. He ran super.”
Electrocutionist could start in this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, as might David Junior, who turned in an eye-catching performance winning the Dubai Duty Free. “He was swinging away like he was running in a maiden and when I asked him to quicken up, he went away like a rocket,” said jockey Jamie Spencer. “Once he had got out I was never going to get beaten.”
Related: Sources close to Ouija Board’s connections say jockey Kieren Fallon has lost the mount on the “wonder mare” following her poor showing in the Sheema Classic, and Wilko will remain with trainer Jeremy Noseda. The four-year-old returned to Noseda’s Newmarket barn following the World Cup, and may start next in the May 29 Met Mile or the June 17 Stephen Foster.
Posted by JC in International on 03/26/2006 @ 10:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
