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Week of July 17 – July 23, 2015
The
Starting Gate
Collmus Filling Gigantic Shoes by Neil Benjamin Jr. Saratoga TODAY SARATOGA SPRINGS — Larry Collmus has been in the horse racing industry since he was 18 years old, giving the 48-year-old a total of 30 years’ experience in the thoroughbred industry as an announcer of some sorts. But heading into the upcoming Saratoga Race Course meet, Collmus knows he’s about to embark on the biggest and most visible job of his career to this point. After 20 years at Monmouth, time at Golden Gate Fields, Suffolk Downs, Gulfstream and Churchill Downs, Collmus is
stepping up to the microphone to take over race calling duties from the legendary Tom Durkin, who retired at the end of last year after 24 years on the New York Racing Association’s circuit. “I am thrilled,” Collmus said last week. “Especially to come here to Saratoga, which is very special to me. I have been coming here as a fan for years. Not just the track, but the city, and it’s going to be great to be a part of it all.” Collmus is no stranger to the big stage, as he has been calling Triple Crown races for NBC since 2011 and the Breeder’s Cup World Championships since 2010, and famously called American
Breakfast at The Porch Please join NY-RTCA and Saratoga Springs Mayor, Honorable Joanne Yepsen, for a continental breakfast on The Porch of Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, July 18, at 8a.m. Meet multiple Grade 1 Stakes winning trainer Nick Zito during morning training as we learn about the NY Race Track Chaplaincy Summer Programs. Cost is $30.
Pharoah’s Triple Crown victory this season. It was the first Triple Crown win since Affirmed breezed three fields in 1978. Collmus said he not only holds Durkin in high regard, but is also influenced by him. “He’s called races at the highest level since I got involved in the business,” Collmus said. “It’s hard not to be influenced by him, and he absolutely played a role in my development. Dave Johnson and Trevor Denman, those are two more announcers who do it at the highest level. Over the years, I have developed my own style. You take some, you make some, and it all becomes yours.” Back on April 1, Collmus officially took over as the NYRA announcer, a decision that was announced on August 13 of last year. And while he’s already a known commodity in the horse racing world, Collmus still wants to appeal to the Saratoga fans, calling the meet his favorite. In 2001, Collmus filled in for Durkin for a brief period at Saratoga. “I just hope people grow to like me here,” he said. “I was really taken aback by how Tom was sent off by the fans, and it would be nice to be embraced in a way such as that.” The easiest way he sees himself succeeding here is through rigorous preparation, a skill he has honed
over the years at the various other tracks he’s called at. Because Saratoga is a different animal from all other tracks in the country, Collmus said he cannot make any mistakes. He’s being a bit hard on himself, because the scope of the meet is certainly not lost on him. “It’s all about preparation, especially so in the bigger races,” Collmus said. “Take the Kentucky Derby, where there were 20 horses. Accuracy is the most important thing, but I think at Saratoga there’s more of an element of having fun, too. However, you still need to be and act like a professional at all times.” Though he’s replacing Durkin, Collmus said he is going to keep some of the same traditions alive, namely on Opening Day, when he will invite all the fans in attendance to collectively say “ … and they’re off,” when the first race starts. “That is absolutely a tradition worth keeping,” he said, adding that involving fans in his job is a fun perk. He will also be announcing the scratches to start the day, and said that will allow him to interact with fans on a face-to-face level. Collmus vaulted into the public eye in 2010, when he called a race at Monmouth involving two horses named Mywifenoseeverything and Thewifedoesntknow, making for a
Collmus
hilarious call that has amassed more than 1 million views on YouTube. With a laugh, Collmus said: “In that specific case, my only goal was to get through it without messing up. Having those two horses with those names in the same race was the craziest thing. But I enjoyed it, but am surprised by the amount of attention it has received.” Collmus resides on the Jersey Shore, but is renting a house not far from Broadway for the summer. While many people come to vacation in the area for the summer, Collmus said his excursion here will be mainly for work, but added he will try to fit in as much golf as he can during his one day off a week. “I’m not very good, but I enjoy playing very much,” he said.