Denman trying hard; (Bejarano-Multiple facial fractures)
 

don't get me wrong...I play California.

but it is slightly bizarre listening to Denman pulling out all the stops...

"moving like a winner"
"the more they asked the more he gave"


..when the racing is (to be polite) less than stellar.

I know it's openiing day, but they're running 10,000 claimers!

stop complaining, 10k claimers are horses too!

Is Bejarano breathing after that fall?

taken to hospital for x-rays

That breakdown made me sick. ****ing a.

Terrible spill. Update on Bejarano's condition:

http://www.drf.com/news/article/105730.html

Jay Privman never misses an opportunity to recognize Trevor's return to the booth:

"The biggest celebrity at Del Mar, though, is Trevor Denman, the race commentator who has become a fan favorite after calling here for more than 25 years. His classy, assured voice, absent from this circuit for the past three months, got the crowd excited with anticipation as the field neared the gate for the start of the first race, run at one mile on Polytrack, right in front of the grandstand. Moments later, when the field was dispatched by starter Gary Brinson, a loud cheer went up.

"There's the roar from the crowd," Denman shouted, emphasizing the word "roar." "The 2009 Del Mar meeting is underway.""

NT

Don't think that Calracing.com is gunna have that replay up. Compound fracture seems an awfully tame name for that ugly mess.

They really need to get with the TRAKUS NORTH (WO) program and show the numbers around the track. This would allow those not interested in hearing THE MUMBLER to mute the audio.

When you listen to Stauffer for a while, you get a full appreciation of how bad Denman and Durkin are.

The game is hard enough to beat, do we really need to put up with these buffoons just to watch a race?

Take the marbles out of your mouth Trevor. And, try speaking up occasionally. And, Tom, put the damn danish down.

He does it every year. one year he put that Trevor was "sorely missed on this circuit since april" i think it's more of a cheap shot at Vic than him loving Trevor. don't get me wrong everyone loves Trevor, me included, but that once sentence he puts in every year, and it serves no purpose.

I'm not a huge fan of either, but I'd MUCH rather listen to Vic than Trevor.

The last time I was in Del Mar for racing a couple years back many of the locals who knew very little about racing could readily tell me how many horses had broken down so far at the meet.

ugh, jaw, nose, orbital bone.... thats awful, he's gonna be on the shelf for a while

-bt-

Bashing race callers is on par with tripping handicap people. They are easy targets. I'm betting the 'ol fat man has done zip in his life that required any talent....thus the easy shot (from his living room, in his boxers, mind you) at those that do have said talent.

It comes with the territory, but we all know that going in. jballscalls bashes me daily on his "Beem Me Up" radio show or whatever he's calling it.

I wonder if O'Neill feels an ounce of remorse for what happened to Bejarano.

I'm just trying to get you back for snapping my pocket aces with 38 offsuit and that other garbage you play!!

Of course he feels bad. I mean I don't know either party personally, but every trainer i've ever known thats had a horse go down has felt awful about the horse, the grooms, the owners and the riders. It's a no win situation and it sucks for everyone.

You know this could be turned into an endless cycle. Like I could take your post and turn it around on you and ask what color s&k tie are you wearing and whatnot.

This is one race I missed watching(no replay), judging by the reactions maybe that is a good thing. Sounds like a Go For Wand or Joe Theisman type of injury, certainly not for the squimish.

From Mullins to O'Neill, 8 years old, still winning, was just a matter of time.

Why Bejarano rides these pigs on a daily basis is beyond me. He clearly doesn't have to.

I like when track announcers call close finishes. Denman and Vic both do this all the time. Durkin wont call something unless its over a half length. He simply leaves it as too close to call or a head bob either way or simply a close finish that could have gone either way. Denman and Vic also both go out of their ways to correctly say the names of the horses too. Thats neat.

Doubt it. Poly won't save horses who shouldn't be racing.

I agree it's good to call a photo if you are pretty sure you saw it right, but missing one is never a good thing.

It depends greatly on where the announcers booth is. Some tracks its right on the wire, and some are far away from the line. River Downs was right on the line and i think i maybe didn't call 3 photos in 3 years. Portland Meadows i'm atleast 50 or 60 feet up the track from the wire, thus i call a lot more "photos" or "too close to call" as you say.

I mean Keeneland's booth is halfway between the 1/16th pole and finish line, so you'll hear becker call photo finish on races that on TV look pretty clear.

My booth is on the wrong side of the building. I use a large set of strategically placed mirrors to call the race. Similar to those vertical mirror devices used at golf tournaments.

Honestly, I thought that Bejarano might have been dead. He looked like he got kicked in the head. I was surprised to see him up. Then, he seemed to slowly pass out again(as they were putting the neck brace on.) Maybe there was so much pain that he wished he was dead. A beak like that? Hitting the ground real hard must have been incredible pain.

If the booth is in that bad a location, I think its time to move it. I am not talking about the very tight head bobs that one would have to guess on. Talking about the real easy ones that are obvious. Tom to use to call those no problem, but lately he doesnt go out of his way to try and make the call.
Still the greatest "voice" out there and will be missed when he soon retires.

Moving announcer booth's in terms of potential racetrack capital projects is probably on page 25 of the list of things to do.

he might have been dead on real dirt, its much softer on the plastic

I hope you're being sarcastic.

Jocks will tell you hitting Poly/Rubber is much harder than dirt. There is no bounce and you just stick. Seems like it would be the other way around, but it isn't

what about "cushion ":rolleyes:

I was being sarcastic. I'm sure the location of his booth has zero to do with him not being able or wanting to call the winner of a close finish. He use to all the time. Maybe he got one wrong and decided to play it safe. I've heard Vic get one wrong but it didnt faze him.

That matches that it's designed to prevent the uncontrolled "slide" of the hoof when meeting the track that contributes to injury.

you should try it, jump of a horse running full speed on dirt and than do it on the poly...the dirt will kick your butt, the poly you only be mildly hurt.

I wonder if this is the stupidest most unfeeling post I've ever read. Or only #2?

Bite him.

Exactly!

do you think trainers really care about the riders, in general. He probably cares because it was his horse but as Lukas said "these guys are paid well for the choices they make" (i paraphrase)

of course they do. they work day in and day out with these guys

Go for it Vic!