Tom Durkin to retire August 31st

I was standing about six feet away from Tom in the booth at CD when Arazi made his move in the BC Juvenile. Frankly any of us would have seen the move Arazi was making. The Red, White and Blue of Allen Paulson's silks literally passing a horse every stride. He caught it perfectly on time and made the proper passionate call. Many of us would have well handled that. It's what he said AFTER the huge move that set him apart.

"Bertrando is a stunned second" What? Are you kidding me? Who the hell thinks to say that? That's what blew me away. Therein lies the genius.

He seamlessly makes calls I wouldn't even think of to try.

"Mike Smith let's the Bull roll but there's cause for Concern"

"Sunday Silence braces for the oncoming power of Easy Goes"

" 28 years in the waiting comes down to a fateful final furlong"

And hundreds more.

When I was evolving as a race caller people would occasionally say I sounded a little like Durkin. Was that my intention? No, Id say. My intention is to sound EXACTLY like him. But I'll never be good enough.

Later I'll post a TD story about the Sunshine Millions at GP that offers insight into the man not just the announcer.