What are The Best Race Calls of All Time?
 

What are the best race calls of all time. I can't find a good list out there so I thought Derby Trailers would be able to come up with one.

Here's the best race calls I've heard:

1973 Belmont Stakes
1978 Belmont Stakes
2007 Belmont Stakes
1989 Preakness Stakes
2009 Preakness Stakes
2009 Breeders Cup Classic
2001 Breeders Cup Classic
2003 Kentucky Derby
2004 Belmont Stakes

What are the best race calls of all time in your opinion?

1998 Breeders' Cup Classic

1987 classic

1994 Travers

2001 BC Classic handily IMO.

NT

I am not a huge Denman fan but the 2009 Breeders Cup Classic was an awesome call.

Paul

My favorite...

http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/r...2005&raceno=07

"... but Silent Witness... I'll never see anything again like thiis in my life!

17 straight!

Stand, cheer... applaud the best because he just got better..."

"... but Silent Witness... I'll never see anything again like thiis in my life!

17 straight!

Stand, cheer... applaud the best because he just got better..."[/quote]

He should show up at Hollywood Park in a couple of weeks.

1987 bc classic, when Durkin calls the two derby winners hit the wire together. The races which Ferdinand was involved were very good also. I think 87 Big Cap with Broad Brush and another race 88 race with Alysheba and Good Taste. I remember when Vic Stauffer called races at DRC he made a couple of Michigan Mile races exciting. When I think of his calls the 2001 Fla. Derby also stands out.

Okay I'll bite...

Why?

(As an aside he's retired and living the good life at Living Legends). :tro:

edit - Re the nice pm... no I'm not a complete moron, yes I know what's in a few weeks but my point was what's he gonna do... run with the girls? Root for her? Geez...:D

"and Smarty Jones enters the stretch to the roar of 120,000, but Birdstone is going to make him earn it today.............Birdstone surges past, Birdstone wins the Belmont Stakes." :mad:

What a great call, but damn, it still hurts.

Yeah I know, it does. :(

No Vic? I refuse to vote.

1976 Marlboro Cup

Forego gets up to nip Honest Pleasure on the wire...

What a stretch run and call !!!!

Mark Johnson of CD

1994 Woodward.

......was at the wire mid level, remember all those "go smarty go " ping pong paddle things they gave out, went flying.......i laughed and said to myself, i love new york. great day.

I'd listen to Tom Durkin read the phonebook, so not only is he the best, he's my favorite... I think his call of the 1988 Distaff is amazing. While there was no drama, his call of 'Zapper's Met Mile is awesome... "there he is, your horse of the year"... and let's not forget his calls of Cigar and Tiznow's B/C Classics. I am not a big Trevor fan, and I really hope that we get to hear Tom call one of Zenyatta's races. Vic's the best they've got west of the Hudson.

I was a huge Denman fan.

That call was among his worst ever.

Easy one for me. 2001 Breeders Cup Classic call by Tom Durkin.

"Tiznow fights on.....desperately close....Tiznow wins it for America"

It was an awesome race and a very masterful call,, especially considering everything that had just happened. :tro:

While I think Tom Durkin has made the greatest race calls from # 2 to #32. # 1 Has to go to Chic Anderson and his call of Secretariat's Belmont. We racecallers go over in our minds many different scenarios so usually very little catches us off guard. I doubt if Chic had prepared for a 31 length win. A 2:24 mile and a half. Sham finally giving up and the racing world being stood on it's head. Even with all his experience he'd never faced anything remotely close to what Big Red did. He described it all with wonderful verbage, accuracy and sense of the moment. His call is part of the legend of that feat. IMO the greatest racecall ever made.

Oh yeah, there is many a late night I pull Chic Anderson's call of Secretariat's Belmont up on YouTube.

"He is moving like a tremendous machine!"


And of course, there is always the 19th win of Peppers Pride...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDXLni_aKYo

It may not be a race as important as the Triple Crown or Breeders Cup Classic, but honorable mention at least HAS to go to Durkin's call of the 2002 Test Stakes between You and Carson Hollow.

That was a hell of a race, and Tom really did it justice!

The 1980 Woodward, The Walkover

Sharp post.

Trever Denman's best call is the 93 beverly hills with Flawlessly and Jolypha.

I also liked the 93 hollywood gold cup with betrando and best pal. Look at that field!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PclPR4_hIPw

I thought Tom's call of last year's Woodward was tremendous. His line as they were readying to turn for home " a dramatic stretch drive awaits " was spectacular.

i note that trevor denman hasn't got a vote yet. so, i see i'm not alone on that particular score. his growl of 'and away they go' imo is akin to fingernails on a chalkboard.

two worst are mike battaglia and terry wallace. worst on a big day-dave johnson calling the derby. you could have a huge move being made, and he'll forsake talking about it because he just HAS TO get in that 'and down the stretch they come'. he had his hands full one derby in particular with a lot of horses needing discussed at the top of the lane, but cut himself off to get that trademark phrase in. god forbid it get left out, cause it's waaaay more exciting than the race itself.

When Easy Goer goes past Houston late on the far turn of the 1989 Preakness, Johnson actually calls Easy Goer "Dansil."

As a race caller, I listen to calls differently, thinking from a mechanics perspective and how the dynamics of a race are unfolding relating directly to the call.

In that regard, I thought the 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic with Tiznow was the nuts. Every move was nailed, the excitement of the stretch drive, Tiznow fighting back, announcing the finish with an appropriate description, "Tiznow wins it for America!"

The 1989 Breeders' Cup Classic also gets a mention, and as Vic said, Secretariat's Belmont too.

Taking the 'race caller hat' off, from a capturing the moment perspective, I thought Birdstone and Smarty Jones' Belmont Stakes was well done. Let's face it, even though you might have bet Birdstone, part of you wants to see Smarty Jones win, and he almost did, after running so hard. There was no catchy phrase, goofy line, funny script... "Birdstone wins the Belmont Stakes" was appropriately stated and sounded. It recognized Birdstone, while also capturing the emotion of a stunned nation.

Oh my God.

I love Trevor but had to vote "other".

I don't remember Him calling a race.:confused:

:tro:

How Bill Gahr (Garr?) didn't make this list is beyond me.

Really? I'm suprised you say that Charlie. What makes that call among his "worst ever" in your opinion?

Alysheba, I'm confused... are you saying you thought Smarty Jones loseing the Belmont was a "great day"?

It was a great day.

It was certainly the most exciting day I've spent at Belmont.

About 8-9 years ago Tom Durkin called a neck and neck stretch duel between Congomambo and Kyungbokkung. He nhever stuttered over either name. Average race, great call.

I love Vic's "earthquake" race and of course, "..moving like a tremendous machine" is part of racing history.

So it was a great day to see a horse lose the triple crown.... why?