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.

In honor of today’s Coaching Club American Oaks, we take a look back at the 2011 edition, which featured a small but star studded field including Plum Pretty, It’s Tricky, Joyful Victory, and Royal Delta.  Although all three Thorobros were all in attendance at Saratoga that day, I did not recall this being such a good stretch battle between Plum Pretty and It’s Tricky. In fairness, it was this Thorbro’s bachelor party and the effects of an aggressive Friday night at Gaffney’s had spilled over to Saturday.

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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.

“He’s 88 to 1!!!!”

Although he may have been slightly delayed on calling Slambino’s monster run down the lane (tough to blame him though given the unbelievable acceleration in the final sixteenth), Durkin more than salvaged the call with an epic declaration after they crossed the wire.

Here’s to an upset of Slambino-type proportions today at the Spa!

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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 Saratoga meet.

We begin with what Durkin has described as his most memorable Travers.  As Durkin said in a Q and A with DRF in 2011:

“One of the great performances I think I’ve ever seen from any horse was Holy Bull. Wayne Lukas sent out Commanche Trail as a rabbit for Tabasco Cat, and they went in 22 and change. Holy Bull was never meant to be a mile-and-a-quarter horse. By Great Above, out of Sharon Brown? Come on. People thought since he didn’t win the Derby he wasn’t a mile-and-a-quarter horse, and then he takes that punishment, and then here comes Concern, who goes on and wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Holy Bull beat him. That was one of the great Travers ever.”

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