Michael Wrona fired
 

Was he doing a poor job ? He seemed to being doing a good job. The Churchill stewards should be fired after yesterday’s incompetence/ corruption.

Seemed to going a good job to me, looks like SA cleaned a few more on the in house feeds and AV from XBTV

"It has nothing to do with money," Wrona said. "My first contract had expired, and I thought I was meeting to kick on, but I was kicked out. (Ritvo) said it was nothing personal."

Multiple sources at The Stronach Group also said Santa Anita simulcast host Megan Devine has been dismissed, along with XBTV's Aaron Vercruysse and Richard Migliore

https://www.drf.com/news/michael-wro...nita-announcer

Frank Mirahmadi...perhaps???

I think Frank is the front runner.

They have **** Pizza in California;)

Frank is Iranian, not Italian. But he does love pizza.

If you think I made my statement without knowing that he is obsessed with East Coast pizza you would be incorrect. His nationality never and would ever factor into my statement.

Wrona deserved better. Especially given the protracted process he had to go through to get the job. He is an excellent race caller and and a very nice man.

My guess is they go with Matt Dinnerman next. He already works for the company and would be less expensive. Plus, they may want to lock him up before another circuit lures him away. He is very good as well.

Paul

Plus Matt is active on twitter, periscope, house handicapping and Stronach pick 5

Frank will get the job. Expect to hear the announcement soon.

Some of the most entertaining Saratoga Live/Belmont Live broadcasts this year came about when handicapping discussions came up with Frank. He was able to combine his Monmouth Park work with NYRA broadcasts when needed and was very solid in the booth since moving to Aqueduct.

Perhaps there is a financial component here that none of us will see, but it would seem strange to go back to a job for which you ran second unless you really wanted the job and had a financial incentive to take it. While Frank has been back and forth across the country, he always seemed to be an East Coast announcer from a style perspective - and a New Yorker at heart. After his health issues a time back, I thought he would be a permanent fixture here.

If this worst kept secret in horse racing this weekend is true, we should wish Frank nothing but good health and good luck in this new role.

So if you ran second to one of the premier jobs in the country in your field you would not peruse it in the future if it became available again because you didn't get it the first time?

Frank is better, so there is that. I will miss Frank with Andy on the NYRA shows not because is gave out winners or was so inciteful, but because he was funny and entertained me

I'm honestly going to miss Frank's banter with Andy more than him calling the actual races. Those talking horses/live shows were extremely entertaining. I just wonder if it will be Johnny I or they go in another direction.

I would clearly want to understand why the "new direction" was not identified the first time 'round. Frank clearly does not need career advice from me, but the first day in the Santa Anita booth is one day closer to being fired based on the next new direction. There are surely parameters in play of which we do not have knowledge. Best wishes to Frank in this new move and he will be missed here on the East Coast.

Frank's from California and grew up going to SA.

Johnny I has been sharing the Winter duties with Frank and Travis over the past four years. That was always the plan this Winter, as was Larry calling some as well.

Nobody will miss Frank more than me but I am thrilled he has landed his dream job.

Mirahmadi Named Santa Anita Track Announcer
 

Frank Mirahmadi, a well-known figure in racing circles from coast to coast, has been named Santa Anita Park's permanent announcer and will assume his duties beginning opening day, Dec. 26.

Having just completed his fourth season as the track announcer at Monmouth Park, Mirahmadi is currently calling races at Aqueduct Racetrack and will conclude his duties in New York Dec. 16. Mirahmadi has also served over the last 22 years, with his first .....


https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...rack-announcer

He wasn't fired. His contract wasn't renewed.
Big difference imo

i heard Frank will continue to be the track announcer at Monmouth. I guess there is a few weeks of overlap with Santa Anita so he will miss the first few weeks of Monmouth.

A good example of why Frank Miramadi got that job in the 4th at Aqeduct. Good stretch duel with the winner not a part of it . Frank saw the 2 coming strong outside while everyone else focused on the 1 & 10. Good race call there .

Frank anticipates as well, if not better, than any announcer in the game.

I remember back in the mid-late 1970's I won a drawing at Delaware park to call a race. The caller tried to coach me. It was a 6F race and halfway down the backstretch I just got lost. I just started calling numbers after that. "in the lead it's the 1 with the 7 coming up on the outside". "And it's 7,1 3,4 at the line".

The announcer told me I did good since nobody has names on their tickets, only numbers. (I think they were appalled)

It's a hard job. I admire all those guys. You have to realize there is only so many of these jobs out there. And these people all work very hard to get these jobs. If you look at the PP's for these guys they all did time at obscure tracks to get going, sometimes for years. Often they could have made much more money doing something else.

Yes, I like some callers more than others. It's a personal preference.

A guy at the OTB told me he hated Frank. I said "Why ?" He didn't have an answer. It's crazy.

The race callers in this country are the cream of the crop.

I like F.M. but not when he does his "shtick" with bad impersonations.

Stick to the calls, this is a serious busine$$.

What is the need for a race caller? For one who bets races from a simulcast venue, the TV is on mute for the most part and bettors can pretty much tell where every horse is with trackus etc.

Race callers were originally used for broadcasting races over the radio. Detail and accuracy was a supreme requirement for such times but today it's just an added ambience for daily races. Nationally televised races, just like other sports, should have one but for the most part its a moot necessity for everyday races. Do NFL and NBA games have a play by play announcer in the arena broadcasting to the fans? No they do not.

Do I really need a track announcer handicapping races and posting his pick 4 tickets? Not really. We already have handicappers selecting 5 horses they like in a 6 horse field. We do not need another to do the same.