"Ace Blue will watch those two run away" - Vic Staufer

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

Also, Vic does show more enthusiasm for the sport than most do and I appreciate that, BUT I here he may be just as much of a prima dona as the rest of them...most of those guys are like jockeys...they are extraordinarily well paid (I believe they are overpaid) and most of them that I know are a little prima dona-ish....I like them, but they do make a lot of money for coming in to work late and never having to do any administrative type work or anything really sophisticated or brain-crunching...just my opinion

I've always felt the job took incredible skill. Getting a handle on 8-12 horse names in a single race and putting each name with the proper silks would be hard enough, but doing it 9-10 times a day seems extremely difficult to me. Of course, I can't remember the name of a person I met 30 seconds ago, so...

How much is "extraordinarily well paid"?

--Dunbar

[1st_Saturday_in_May]

Reminds me a lot of "Funny Cide has dropped out of it" (or something to that effect) from the 04 JCGC. I was watching the race and just thought to myself, what's this guy talking about, Santos hasnt asked Funny Cide for anything yet. I do appreciate Durkins short lines from big races such as "and Rock Hard Ten begins uncoiling that massive stride of his" and such...

[SCUDSBROTHER]

As far as the statement of "Ace Blue will watch those two run away" goes,I have heard Vic say many times that Lavaman is the best horse around etc.,and so a little "personal expectation" or "bias" towards that horse would probably be a factor.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by SCUDSBROTHER

As far as the statement of "Ace Blue will watch those two run away" goes,I have heard Vic say many times that Lavaman is the best horse around etc.,and so a little "personal expectation" or "bias" towards that horse would probably be a factor.

I don't think it had much to do with personal expectation. Lava Man blew by Ace Blue at the 3/8 pole. I doubt there was anyone watching the race that thought Ace Blue would come back on after being blown by. I bet even Jerrry Hollendorfer thought the horse was done.
With regard to favorite track announcers, for me it's no contest. My two favorites by far are Vic and Durkin.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by 1st_Saturday_in_May

I do appreciate Durkins short lines from big races such as "and Rock Hard Ten begins uncoiling that massive stride of his" and such...

Ah yes, from the '04 Preakness. Durkin was great in the entire Triple Crown that year.
"And Smarty Jones is ROUSED TO THE LEAD under journeyman jockey Stewart Elliot!"
"and Birdstone is going to make him it earn it today"

Durkin can be WAY over the top spmetimes (see "Invasor is AWESOME!!") but I'll take him over Vic any day. I guess it really just boils down to personal preference though.

[SentToStud]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Ah yes, from the '04 Preakness. Durkin was great in the entire Triple Crown that year.
"And Smarty Jones is ROUSED TO THE LEAD under journeyman jockey Stewart Elliot!"
"and Birdstone is going to make him it earn it today"

Durkin can be WAY over the top spmetimes (see "Invasor is AWESOME!!") but I'll take him over Vic any day. I guess it really just boils down to personal preference though.

I'd say the California guys are both overrated but also have it harder in some ways.

It's got to be far easier calling 5 and 6 horse fields than fields of 10-12. Stauffer's call was not good, but he was probably trying to come up with something to say in the short field. A better judge of talent, I think, is to compare announcers calling a 12 horse field race.

In any event, I really never listen to an announcer when I am on-track. At home, it is different, because I'm limited in what I can see. So, to me, the most important part of an announcers job, aside from quickly and accurately calling the start, is to let those watching on TV/Internet know what , if anythng, important is happening outside of camera range.

John dooley , Jim dooley , yeah ok if thats it , You know whom I speak of

[Gander]

Hey Tao: What are some of your favorite lines you have used while calling a race?

Wow favorite lines, I try not to script my call's but . Here are a few that I seem to utter sometime's



Clippity clop through the slop

Feel's the sting of the right handed wip

There coming home for the pay off

ONE FINAL SURGE

Closed shop early

I use upper and lower turn instead of clubhouse and final turn

Locked up and the key is gone

Farther outside than Danny Bonaducci of the partridge family

Thereeeeeeee COMING HOME NOW