Johnson and Durkin

[Patrick333]

Please not Denman. I feel sorry for you if he's the poster boy for California race calling. But to each his own..

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Being from the New York, I just pray to God that when Durkin does retire Denman comes nowhere near the East coast. I could give you a list of guys I would rather have doing the NYRA races AD (after Durkin).
I respect you opinion, but I personally think Denman is very overated and I also find him very annoying. As far as I'm concerned he isn't even the best caller on the left coast.

kurt becker..denman blew it when he started voice overs for 'jockeys'

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by copying

Tom Durkin is very old school. That style left SoCal 20 years ago when Trevor came to town. Vic and the new crop have all adopted Trevor's style of commentary. They are very good, but I'm partial to Trevor because he introduced the style of letting you know how the race is being run to this country. Watching international racing, I see they all call races in this style overseas.

That's mighty hard to do when you've never read a fraction in your life.

[copying]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

That's mighty hard to do when you've never read a fraction in your life.

You clearly don't understand. That is exactly what I'm trying to say. If you rely on Durkin to tell you "Oh! the half in '46" - that doesn't tell you a damn thing - maidens may run the half in 46; the track plays differently day to day.
You need to know who is right behind, tugging on the reins, looking for room, full of run etc. Who's running easily, who is being pushed, who is all out. Telling you what happened is useless. Tell me what's about to happen.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by copying

You need to know who is right behind, tugging on the reins, looking for room, full of run etc. Who's running easily, who is being pushed, who is all out. Telling you what happened is useless. Tell me what's about to happen.

You forgot to mention that we also need to know who.....would....have....to.....sprout......WINGS. ....to catch so and so.


In my opinion, Denman is one of the worst announcers in the sport.

Durkin was fantastic in the 80s and 90s, and I still like him, but he has lost a bit over the last ten years or so. I like Dooley the best now, but the CD guy is really good too.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by copying

You clearly don't understand. That is exactly what I'm trying to say. If you rely on Durkin to tell you "Oh! the half in '46" - that doesn't tell you a damn thing - maidens may run the half in 46; the track plays differently day to day.
You need to know who is right behind, tugging on the reins, looking for room, full of run etc. Who's running easily, who is being pushed, who is all out. Telling you what happened is useless. Tell me what's about to happen.

So if you bet on a frontrunner in a claiming race and the quarter has gone 21 flat and the half 43, you don't want to know that your horse is almost certain to back up in the stretch? Or if you bet the closer in the same race, you don't want to know that the same fractions are setting your horse up for a big run?

We can see a horse during a race and whether the rider is sitting still or pushing the horse or whether the horse is getting a bad trip, but we can't always see the fractions. I suppose that information is useful when you are for some reason only hearing the race without watching it, but where does that really happen other than ATR or when TVG is on Sirius. While time is not everything, it can certainly give clues as to who is getting the best and worst of it that many, including me wish to know.

BTW, personally, I leave the east coast, west coast thing to Rappers.

[the_fat_man]

Originally Posted by copying

Trevor Denman is heads and shoulders above anyone else in the business if you want insight into how a race is being run, who's in trouble, where the danger is coming from.

This is correct. Denman is absolutely the best MUMBLER in the business presently. I can never understand what the **** he's saying, especially during the loading period where he low-talks in combination with the mumbling. I almost always mute the idiot. Johnson is another one that I mute. And it's not just about the accent, as I appreciate Wrona's calls very much.

Denman, Durkin, Johnson: these ****ers need to be out of the game. The present day race caller at least needs to have a clue about setups. These guys are about as bad as it gets when it comes to understanding races and moves within them.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

This is correct. Denman is absolutely the best MUMBLER in the business presently. I can never understand what the **** he's saying, especially during the loading period where he low-talks in combination with the mumbling. I almost always mute the idiot. Johnson is another one that I mute. And it's not just about the accent, as I appreciate Wrona's calls very much.

Denman, Durkin, Johnson: these ****ers need to be out of the game. The present day race caller at least needs to have a clue about setups. These guys are about as bad as it gets when it comes to understanding races and moves within them.

I too have trouble understanding what the hell Denman is saying half the time. The good news for him is that when he is done as a track announcer he is ideally suited to be a strip club announcer. No one really cares what the f**K they are saying anyway.

[Fulla Sheets]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwhcS1VPccA

[copying]

I think the people who like Durkin like him because he sounds as American as apple pie. I've made it clear that the best race callers I like are all foreigners or foreign born. Although their accents make it more difficult to understand, their style is far superior.
As far as down home American racecallers go, I loved Cawood Legford's Kentucky Derby calls for CBS radio.

[Kingturf]

Vic Stauffer is a great race caller, we miss him in Florida. I think the funniest call I ever heard was; his race call at Hollywood Park a few years ago during the middle of an earthquake.....Priceless! I still believe he should've gotten the Churchill Downs job a few years ago.

Tom Durkin is pretty good and I love it when I am betting a bombshot and he wins because; Durkin would add to the enjoyment either saying the horse odds or he won at a big, big price.

Dave Johnson just did not have anymore flare to his call because it was just " And down the stretch they come"

I think it's only a matter of time before Dave Rodman of the Maryland/ Colonial Down track should get a top track. Go to the Pimlico replay of this year Preakness and notice the difference.

From past race callers, I loved Phil Georgeff of the Chicago area tracks...btw I am still waiting for the photo finish of the Arlington Million. How in the hell did John Henry catch The Bart?