In honor of Tom Durkin’s retirement from race calling on August 31, we are taking a look back at 40 of his most memorable calls–one for each day of the 2014 Saratoga meet.
On the morning of November 5, 1988, Personal Ensign had started 12 times, and hit the wire first every single time. That afternoon would bring the greatest test of her life, however. She was due to face the Derby winner, Winning Colors, on a sloppy track in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. In a race for the ages, Personal Ensign would show just why she was one of the greatest champions the sport has seen. She would retire with 13 wins in 13 starts — but she would need every inch of the 1 1/8 miles in order to get it done.
Tom Durkin’s call was characteristically spectacular. From his prerace monologue, in which he set the stage for the clash between these two great fillies, to his closing exclamation that “in those final 110 courageous yards she certainly proved herself a champion this afternoon,” his call matched the high drama of the confrontation.
The feature race at Saratoga today, the Personal Ensign Handicap (GI), also features an epic clash between Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar. The race promises to be a fitting tribute to its namesake, who retired undefeated but, as the video below shows, not unchallenged.
