What?

[SOREHOOF]

Why is Trevor still calling races for the Breeders Cup ? Didn't they (we) get enough of this last year? Or any other time we tune in to Cal. racing ? It makes me sick. He doesn't see Maryfield coming down the stretch? He didn't see Pine Island break down ? Is he even watching the races?

[hockey2315]

"They'll have to sprout wings to get to (insert every horse's name that wins tommorow)"

[Pedigree Ann]

Why is Trevor still calling races for the Breeders Cup ? Didn't they (we) get enough of this last year? Or any other time we tune in to Cal. racing ? It makes me sick. He doesn't see Maryfield coming down the stretch? He didn't see Pine Island break down ? Is he even watching the races?

Okay, he's taken a lot of grief over Pine Island but I think he didn't have a chance to see it. Remember, he isn't watching the pan, he uses binoculars and scans the field. If you watch the replay, you'll see that he had just finished calling the end of the field (where PI was) and moved back to the front when PI went down. And when she went down, she disappeared from view, behind the rail; she couldn't be seen from the grandstand. He may have wondered where she was, but there were more pressing duties, like calling the horses still in the race.

[goingtothewhip]

It's obvious that some are obsessed with finding mistakes with Denman's calls...and holding the Pine Island non-call tight to their chest like it's worth something.

Get over it.
If you are letting the racecall effect you that much in the age of HD television, then you have issues that require professional help. Or maybe just a hug from that sweaty security guard at walmart.

[cowgirlintexas]

It's obvious that some are obsessed with finding mistakes with Denman's calls...and holding the Pine Island non-call tight to their chest like it's worth something.

Get over it.
If you are letting the racecall effect you that much in the age of HD television, then you have issues that require professional help. Or maybe just a hug from that sweaty security guard at walmart.
Lmao!! I could'nt agree more.. Trevor is one of the best and I feel is allowed to make a mistake or two during his career. I'd like to see the complainers try to call a race and see how they do. Its much harder than it sounds.

[TheSpyder]

Agreed.

It's not like we could all agree on the "best announcer" anyway. If we could we'd also all bet on the same horse as well. Trevor is as good as anyone.

Spyder

Lmao!! I could'nt agree more.. Trevor is one of the best and I feel is allowed to make a mistake or two during his career. I'd like to see the complainers try to call a race and see how they do. Its much harder than it sounds.

[ArlJim78]

he is really not suitable for the breeders cup races. he seems to choke.
yesterday in the turf race in the stretch he called that it was nownownow making the big move form the back, but all through the stretch he didn't mention the horse that everyone could see was tracking nownownow closely and pushing him to the wire, achill island. you could see it was two horses driving to the wire, he just didn't bother mentioning who the second place horse was until after the wire. my guess is that he didn't know who it was.

and then of course as others pointed out he totally missed maryfield until they were pretty much at the wire.

there are so many better alternatives, i don't think he'll have this gig very long.

[otisotisotis]

sorehoof = tom durkin?

[NoChanceToDance]

I don't get to hear him call many races, apart from the breeder's cup. He did get a few things wrong yesterday though. He missed the winner of the sprint (as was mentioned), he called Achill Island "Achill Hill" and to be honest for an experienced race caller getting a name wrong is inexcusable.

He never even mentioned Achill Hill...... sorry, Achill Island under after they had crossed the line again. Even though the horse was only beaten by a head. It was all Nownownow. "Nownownow looks like he's joined in at the quarter pole" even though Achill Island was in front at that point.

Having said that when i was at Santa Anita for the Big 'Cap this year i thought the calls of all the races were very good (i assume it was him).

If we are talking about bad race callers, who is the guy who calls at Turfway? Not only is he very annoying, but he only seems to speak every five to ten seconds. "and they're off" long pause "(horses name) takes the lead" long pause "oh, and there goes (horses name) right by" long pause..............

I used to enjoy the calls from Bay Meddows. Who used to call there?

[philcski]

Why is Trevor still calling races for the Breeders Cup ? Didn't they (we) get enough of this last year? Or any other time we tune in to Cal. racing ? It makes me sick. He doesn't see Maryfield coming down the stretch? He didn't see Pine Island break down ? Is he even watching the races?

BRING BACK DURKIN!!!!

I genuinely like Trevor when he calls the races in Cali, but he just cannot handle the BC calls like Durkin does. There's a reason he was the caller for 22 of the 23 years... he's the best.

[Danzig]

I don't get to hear him call many races, apart from the breeder's cup. He did get a few things wrong yesterday though. He missed the winner of the sprint (as was mentioned), he called Achill Island "Achill Hill" and to be honest for an experienced race caller getting a name wrong is inexcusable.

He never even mentioned Achill Hill...... sorry, Achill Island under after they had crossed the line again. Even though the horse was only beaten by a head. It was all Nownownow. "Nownownow looks like he's joined in at the quarter pole" even though Achill Island was in front at that point.

Having said that when i was at Santa Anita for the Big 'Cap this year i thought the calls of all the races were very good (i assume it was him).

If we are talking about bad race callers, who is the guy who calls at Turfway? Not only is he very annoying, but he only seems to speak every five to ten seconds. "and they're off" long pause "(horses name) takes the lead" long pause "oh, and there goes (horses name) right by" long pause..............

I used to enjoy the calls from Bay Meddows. Who used to call there?


mike battaglia

[Bigsmc]

I will defend him on the dirt races. It was nearly impossible to tell who was who as they raced down the backstretch through the rain and by the time they hit they stretch only the frontrunners are clean.

The purple saddle towels do not help when you are at the track trying to pick out who is who. Not that Denman was looking at them, but I was.

While I am bitching, the sound system at Monmouth is horrid. I rarely could hear Collmus or Denman.

[Danzig]

hey, durkin made his bed, they went with denman. it's really a non-issue. or should be.

[King Glorious]

Sure, he didn't call Achill Island's name down the stretch. And sure he called him Achill Hill the first time. How many times did Jerry Bailey mangle the name in his analysis of the stretch run after the race? Three or four times before he finally gave up. How bout giving Trevor a little credit for picking out the horse that was making the winning move (Nownownow) instead of worrying about the runner-up so much? How bout a little credit for picking up on Corinthian's winning run seemingly on the backstretch?

[GPK]

mike battaglia


gaaaaaaaining.....



God...like nails on a chalk board....

[Athletics005]

I don't get to hear him call many races, apart from the breeder's cup. He did get a few things wrong yesterday though. He missed the winner of the sprint (as was mentioned), he called Achill Island "Achill Hill" and to be honest for an experienced race caller getting a name wrong is inexcusable.

He never even mentioned Achill Hill...... sorry, Achill Island under after they had crossed the line again. Even though the horse was only beaten by a head. It was all Nownownow. "Nownownow looks like he's joined in at the quarter pole" even though Achill Island was in front at that point.

Having said that when i was at Santa Anita for the Big 'Cap this year i thought the calls of all the races were very good (i assume it was him).

If we are talking about bad race callers, who is the guy who calls at Turfway? Not only is he very annoying, but he only seems to speak every five to ten seconds. "and they're off" long pause "(horses name) takes the lead" long pause "oh, and there goes (horses name) right by" long pause..............

I used to enjoy the calls from Bay Meddows. Who used to call there?

I believe you are referring to Tony Calo and I agree.

[Danzig]

gaaaaaaaining.....



God...like nails on a chalk board....

i had tvg or hrtv on the other day, and there's a guy who calls very similar to battaglia. can't remember what track, but i think it's his evil twin.

[Indian Charlie]

i've never heard denman refer to a horse about to win a g1 by calling him a horse that wasnt even in the race.

i guess dorkin fans dont remember that one.

[NTamm1215]

Trevor was excellent on Saturday in comparison to his Juvenile Turf and F&M Sprint calls.

His Saturday calls were crisp, precise, and generally entertaining. For a guy who generally does little editorializing, I thought he was on his game with snappy remarks in most of the races.

I was in the Grandstand Friday and bought one of those little ear radio things to hear the call since you really couldn't see anything in the rain. I followed Maryfield all the way around in the binoculars and was certain it was her coming down the middle of the track, but Trevor not mentioning her had me worried.

NT

[Habersham000]

They should use John G. Dooley...he is the best :D

[Sightseek]

I was so sick of hearing the same things in each call. "looking like he just stepped in.." etc.

The Distaff played out perfectly for a Durkin call...

[Metal Man]

I was so sick of hearing the same things in each call. "looking like he just stepped in.." etc.

The Distaff played out perfectly for a Durkin call...
Time has pasted Trevor and his call is a little stale. I think that less could be better when he calls the the last 3/8 to the wire.

I really like the guy at Mountaineer.

As Durkin gets older he is starting to pause and draw blanks. Was it Durkin that call the wrong winner though the last 1/4 mile and after he hit the wire corrected the mistack and said "I hate when I do that".

The best caller was Joe Hernadez with that gravelly sounding voice, it was so hard to understand you never knew when he blew the call.

[tiznowthegreat]

I guess I'm in the minority but I thought Denman did a fantastic job. I think that it is hard to find race callers that are so good at identifying horses during the race that are "doing it easily" or that are running on a loose reign or being asked to pick it up a bit. He gives you a great idea of who is moving well enough to be a contender. I thought he did a great job of picking up Octave on the far turn specifically but there were many more throughout the day. I personally enjoy all of his trademark lines, he's got about 10 that he frequently uses.

[MaTH716]

Why do I think I have seen this thread before.

[copying]

What I hate about Durkin is when 2 horses finish a neck apart and he shouts, "TOO CLOSE TO CALL!!" -- then 2 seconds later, all the TVG announcers say, "the inside horse got it". I guess Durkin needs some stronger binoculars.

[Ronnie]

I like to hear Denman every now and then as I hear Durkin just about every day. I get to hear all the things he says on my Denman talking bobblehead.

[hi_im_god]

on the one hand...stop humping durkin's leg

on the other hand...even i have to admit his bc calls haven't been what i usually hear from him.

on the other other hand...ahhhhhhhhhh! where'd that come from!

[infield_line]

unless they have the graphics/ horse location setup like WO and KEE installed. I think it really adds to the enjoyment of seeing the race unfold, and there is no question where your horse is running...

Just my $.02.... I like Trevor, but I'm probably not as highly tuned to evaluate the calls than some of you

I/L

[The Indomitable DrugS]

I like how he said (in a raised voice) "And Street Sense is threatening to run a big one!" right while Curlin made a decisive move past Street Sense at a part of the race where Street Sense is notorious for dominating.

But hey - when Street Sense made his explosive pre-stretch move last year in the Juvie - Trevor missed it altogether and instead decided to give Circular Quay a huge call.

If you listen to the call of the '06 Juvie - and can't see the race - you'll swear Circular Quay is going to win the race right up until inside the 1/8th pole.

Trevor certainly isn't as sharp as he once was.

[cmorioles]

That was a strange call. At no point did it look like SS was going to beat Curlin, but if you listen to the call, you get the opposite impression.

[Kasept]

Trevor certainly isn't as sharp as he once was.
Doug,

I don't think it's a lack of sharpness.. It seems that he is uncomfortable out of his element and with horses unfamiliar to him. In addition, it seems a real challenge for him to run through entire large fields to identify positioning and then rejoin the call up front. (Something with all his faults Durkin consistantly did well in his BC days.) I also think he relies way too much on his standard, and pat, phraseology. There is little emotion or 'thrall' in his calls in a setting where the performances should generate it. While a great 'everyday' racecaller, I think he is badly miscast as the voice of the Cup.

[philcski]

Trevor was excellent on Saturday in comparison to his Juvenile Turf and F&M Sprint calls.

His Saturday calls were crisp, precise, and generally entertaining. For a guy who generally does little editorializing, I thought he was on his game with snappy remarks in most of the races.

I was in the Grandstand Friday and bought one of those little ear radio things to hear the call since you really couldn't see anything in the rain. I followed Maryfield all the way around in the binoculars and was certain it was her coming down the middle of the track, but Trevor not mentioning her had me worried.

NT

Bought one as well. Worth the $10. The between-race commentary was a bit bland as they refused to take a stand, attempting to justify every horse in the race (which, on BC day, isn't COMPLETELY wrong I guess) but otherwise a very useful tool.

[Coach Pants]

Denman is all shtick. He can't help it.