Tom Durkin's call.

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Calling at Churchill is not easy... they run straight at you, literally. Its the horses shoulders and the jockey's sleeves for much of the stretch.

The crazy part about this Derby... there were three horses with the same silks (Winstar) and two others with the same silk (Bernie/Atomic).

All three Winstar horses had white caps. I'd have gone ballistic with the colors man!!

[ateamstupid]

To be fair, there's no way in hell any of you figured Mine That Bird would be exploding away from the pack. Durkin was probably too shocked to spit it out.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Yeah - imagine the embarassment of calling that horse en route to a runaway win when it turns out it was some remotely logical horse that wasn't out of contact with the rest of the field early on.

The candance of his call wasn't Durkin-esque smooth when that huge inside move was made to the lead ... I think he saw it - but either couldn't believe what he was seeing enough to say MTB's name or perhaps he simply didn't know which horse it was making the move.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

Yeah - imagine the embarassment of calling that horse en route to a runaway win when it turns out it was some remotely logical horse that wasn't out of contact with the rest of the field early on.

The candance of his call wasn't Durkin-esque smooth when that huge inside move was made to the lead ... I think he saw it - but either couldn't believe what he was seeing enough to say MTB's name or perhaps he simply didn't know which horse it was making the move.

covered in mud as they were, he probably had to refer to his notes-by then, the move was made.

[Suffolk Shippers]

I'm not gonna give him a hard time for this call. Who the fu*k expected Mine That Bird to come storming up the rail? It was equal to the day Denman missed Street Sense in the BC Juvy. I was only miffed at Trev that day because I bet SS with two hands and I have trouble picking the saddle towel numbers when they are all purple.

Tom was probably utterly stunned, as was I, sitting on my couch. I didn't have words either.

[CSC]

LOL I had to laugh, another thread about lousy announcers.

[copying]

I had to listen to the race on the radio. I had no idea what the hell was going on. The first time Durkin mentioned MTB, the field was entering the far turn - the next time was when he was 4 lengths in front nearing the wire. Please retire Durkin!

[westcoastinvader]

Originally Posted by Suffolk Shippers

I'm not gonna give him a hard time for this call. Who the fu*k expected Mine That Bird to come storming up the rail? It was equal to the day Denman missed Street Sense in the BC Juvy. I was only miffed at Trev that day because I bet SS with two hands and I have trouble picking the saddle towel numbers when they are all purple.

Tom was probably utterly stunned, as was I, sitting on my couch. I didn't have words either.

In the 1986 Kentucky Derby call, Ferdinand is not mentioned the entire race until he and Shoemaker make the lead just before the finish.

Trust me on this. It's one of my fave Kentucky Derby tapes and I've watched it scores of times.

All of ABC's 90 minutes.

:-)

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by westcoastinvader

In the 1986 Kentucky Derby call, Ferdinand is not mentioned the entire race until he and Shoemaker make the lead just before the finish.

Trust me on this. It's one of my fave Kentucky Derby tapes and I've watched it scores of times.

All of ABC's 90 minutes.

:-)

Here is the race. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuMp9AjKqf0

[PatCummings]

I'm convinced that catching that late move on the rail is one of the toughest things for an announcer - and almost every announcer is going to hesitate before calling the name of a rank outsider to take the lead inside the furlong marker of the Kentucky Derby - you literally want to make sure you are correct. Tough.

[westcoastinvader]

My miff on this year's telecast is more with NBC on the cameras.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think they had a single shot in the telecast that showed the vast difference between Mine That Bird and the rest of the field in the early going.

I understand no isolated camera, but there should have always been a broad shot available to catch the entire field.

[basement bob]

i love tom durkin, but it's time he retired, he just dosen't have it anymore.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by basement bob

i love tom durkin, but it's time he retired, he just dosen't have it anymore.

Isn't that a bit extreme? We all have bad days, he just happened to have his during the biggest race of the year.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

All three Winstar horses had white caps. I'd have gone ballistic with the colors man!!

Why does Zayat insist on putting the "Z" on the front of the jockey's cap? It isn't like you can't already pick out his silks 1,500 feet away without binoculars. Pilots landing at Bluegrass airport have been known to remark, "Hey, I see that Zayat has a horse running."

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

All three Winstar horses had white caps. I'd have gone ballistic with the colors man!!

This is so true. When race calling with the same silks, at least in my opinion, you can verify the horse by other markings, jockey style or in the worst case, by its saddle cloth. In the Derby, however, with three horses of the same silk and virtually no chance of seeing a saddle cloth... yikes. You're in the "look through the rest of the field for the other two first" territory. Brutal.

[PatCummings]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

This is so true. When race calling with the same silks, at least in my opinion, you can verify the horse by other markings, jockey style or in the worst case, by its saddle cloth. In the Derby, however, with three horses of the same silk and virtually no chance of seeing a saddle cloth... yikes. You're in the "look through the rest of the field for the other two first" territory. Brutal.

The only thing I noticed...

Mr Hot Stuff had a shadowroll, Advice had a white bridle with no shadowroll or blinkers, Hold Me Back had a dark bridle that was indistinguishable. Would have been the only way to tell them apart...well, except for the fact that you would have known if one of them was making an absurdly premature move, it had to be Hold Me Back because Desormeaux was riding.

[Riot]

Wasn't Durkin's finest hour at all. Mark Johnson did a great job. Wish I could have heard that on NBC.

I've listened a couple times, never heard him say "Darby", only "Derby' with his accent.

[PeteMugg]

Originally Posted by Riot

Wasn't Durkin's finest hour at all. Mark Johnson did a great job. Wish I could have heard that on NBC.

I've listened a couple times, never heard him say "Darby", only "Derby' with his accent.

Well said

I think Johnson did an excellent job, especially under such sloppy conditions.

[TheSpyder]

Yep, I'm on board with him. Did a fine job and like his calls

Originally Posted by PeteMugg

Well said

I think Johnson did an excellent job, especially under such sloppy conditions.

[copying]

I play the Japanese races and the Australian races where 20 horse fields are fairly common. Their calls are vastly superior to what Durkin subjected us to. "Spectacular, Spectacular" - hey tell me what's happening, who's in front, who's coming, is he pulling away? Is he hanging on? what duh????????