Originally Posted by Travis Stone

I'm 40 feet before the wire or so, often a tough angle, but you get used to it. I never go out on a limb though and say whether or not it was Jess Toast to Cash, AKG Longsideshot, Dashing Bye In First or Rocking Rocky Dash during the Q's.

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Oh yeah. I forgot that one. I forgot that nobody is allowed to make a mistake. You have to call over 1000 races a year and you better not make a mistake. I would love to hear all of those that criticize him try to do it once. Then if they get through that one race, let's see how they handle a full card. Not one of those cards with four and five horse fields but full ones. With jockeys wearing the silks of owners that they aren't all that familiar with. It's not as easy as people seem to think it is. I think that's part of why you never see the announcers that are on here criticizing any others. Because they know how hard it is. I bet most of you that criticize them couldn't do it even if you were watching a replay and knew the results already.

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

It's the freaking Breeders' Cup and he misidentifies a 10-length winner until the horse is draped in flowers. Pretty inexcusable for a guy who's supposed to be the best. Then he completely fails to mention the breakdown of Pine Island during the Distaff. And I don't want to hear the nonsense about how he didn't want to upset the fans. He had no idea that it happened.

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Dominguez pumped his fist right after the wire as well. About as much emotion as I've ever seen from him.

I couldn't tell if Gio Ponti won when they showed the finish in slow motion - but Denman called him, Dominguez was certain he had won, and the camera guy was showing him and not Ventura ...

It really seemed like they were all just setting me up for another meltdown when they would inevitably put Ventura's number up. The part delmation part something else mutt that I got from the pound gets spooked out and starts to cry when I melt ... like I'm blaming him for it or something.

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Oh yeah. I forgot that one. I forgot that nobody is allowed to make a mistake. You have to call over 1000 races a year and you better not make a mistake. I would love to hear all of those that criticize him try to do it once. Then if they get through that one race, let's see how they handle a full card. Not one of those cards with four and five horse fields but full ones. With jockeys wearing the silks of owners that they aren't all that familiar with. It's not as easy as people seem to think it is. I think that's part of why you never see the announcers that are on here criticizing any others. Because they know how hard it is. I bet most of you that criticize them couldn't do it even if you were watching a replay and knew the results already.

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Nope. That's a blunder of epic proportions. Like Webber, Buckner, and Leon Lett proportions. And making excuses for him not knowing the silks? He had MONTHS leading up to the BC to memorize unfamiliar silks. Come on, that's the man's job.

I also find the "you shouldn't comment because you couldn't do it better" defense when discussing announcers, jockeys, or trainers particularly idiotic. Did I say anything about being better at it? No, I simply offered my opinion regarding the topic. You don't like it? Cool, no problem, it certainly isn't the first time you and I have disagreed. I doubt it will be the last also.

NT

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I don't believe that I said if you can't do it better that you shouldn't comment.

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I would love to hear all of those that criticize him try to do it once. Then if they get through that one race, let's see how they handle a full card. Not one of those cards with four and five horse fields but full ones. With jockeys wearing the silks of owners that they aren't all that familiar with. It's not as easy as people seem to think it is. I think that's part of why you never see the announcers that are on here criticizing any others. Because they know how hard it is.

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

That's pretty similar to saying we shouldn't comment. It's suggesting that we're out of line by criticizing him since we're not racecallers.

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I don't think so. You're talking to a guy that constantly second guesses and criticizes trainers and owners for decisions they make. Comment all you want. Just seems that some think it's so easy and mistakes can't be made and I think that's unrealistic. To take a guy that's calling over 1000 races a year for over 20 years and harp on his mistakes and say "he's no good because he made this mistake", that seems like a bit much to me. Like I said, I love the guy. Think he's the best in the business but even I criticized his blown call on Street Sense. That was horrible. I've heard him make other horrible calls over the years too. But they don't overshadow what I think have been many, many brilliant ones.

Originally Posted by Danzig

i don't care for denman, but would rather listen to him than battaglia.
out of the callers lately, i think fairgrounds has the best one. not oaklawns for sure! terry wallace seems to bungle a lot of names.

Originally Posted by Danzig

i don't care for denman, but would rather listen to him than battaglia.
out of the callers lately, i think fairgrounds has the best one. not oaklawns for sure! terry wallace seems to bungle a lot of names.

Originally Posted by Danzig

now if he would only have the ballocks to call out fractions.

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

I'd rather listen to Fran Drescher on a megaphone than Battaglia. He's unbearable.

Originally Posted by eajinabi

He is the only announcer I figure who doesnt call fractions but he will give a sense of how fast or slow the race is going.

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

Most of us watch on a tv screen, so the fractions aren't that important unless you are there at Santa Anita looking at the race in person. But otherwise, we can all read what it says on the upper right or left hand corner.

Originally Posted by Left Bank

If you want to see/hear an announcer make good calls on the wire,tune in to Ed Burgart at Los Alamitos.He is almost better than shuttercam.

Originally Posted by TitanSooner

please don't bring logic into this discussion