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.

As the final day of Durkin approaches, we give you the call that many consider the the highlight of two of the most impressive careers in horse racing. The 2009 Woodward brought together Rachel Alexandra, a fan favorite filly taking on the boys for the 3rd time in her 3 year old season, and Tom Durkin who was about to call one of the most important and best races of his life.

Both Durkin and Rachel were already considered champions. Rachel had decimated the Kentucky Oaks, came back to win the Preakness against the boys two weeks later and beat the boys again in the Haskell. Durkin had called many big races, Derbys and Breeders Cups before this Woodward, but never had a horse in recent memory with  a nationwide following come to the races with so much to prove.

Rachel Alexandra, a 3 year old filly, had proven herself against 3 year old males already, a sign of a champion filly and making her a strong candidate for horse of the year. But her connections were not satisfied, they wanted to prove that she was without a doubt the best horse in he country and the only way to do that was to take on older males.

Rachel’s followers backed her strongly at the window, but any savvy horse fan knew that her 1-4 odds were by no means a lock. At the break she took her usual place at the front of the pack, but as Durkin noted the field gave her “no free ride”, forcing her to go :22 4/5 for the first quarter.

Rachel maintained her lead throughout the backstretch, with each horse giving her a run. As she made the top of the stretch she had already turned back three runners best efforts, but Macho Again and Bullsbay, that year’s Whitney and Stephen Foster winners respectively, still had shots to take at the big filly.

Bullsbay came first, making a move in mid-stretch. However Rachel repulsed it. But Macho Again, who benefitted from the fast fractions, was making a huge run from last. He approached Rachel just outside the 1/16th pole. Calvin Borel implored Rachel for her best run and she responded. You can hear the desperation in Durkin’s voice, as he and the crowd held their collective breath all wanting to see the great filly do the impossible.

At the line “it was going to be desperately close” as Macho Again was relentless but Rachel proved her champion status. She held off Macho Again in a dramatic stretch drive for the ages. It was the loudest crowd and applause I had ever heard at Saratoga. Bigger than any Travers winner, it did indeed “raise the rafters at the Spa”. The applause continued throughout the winner’s circle presentation, and did not end she was well down the stretch on her way to her barn.

The race, visually impressive, allowed Durkin to display all of his dramatic talents. Watch it, enjoy the race. But to truly appreciate all that is Durkin, just listen to the call. Don’t watch the race. Let him paint you the picture. His voice tells the whole story.

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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.

In many ways, it’s almost unfair to designate the 1987 Breeders’ Cup Classic as one of Durkin’s greatest calls. The plot lines were obvious and dramatic.  The race involved the last two Kentucky Derby winners, Alysheba and Ferdinand. The latter was ridden by the legendary Bill Shoemaker, 56 years old at the time of the race, and in the twilight of his career.   At stake was the world’s richest purse.  More importantly, the race far exceeded the storylines as Ferdinand finally assumed the lead in the final sixteenth but had to hold off the younger Derby winner, Alysheba, who was closing with every stride as they reached the shadow of the wire.

As Durkin admitted in an article with DRF,  “There was a lot to work with in that race, but that stretch drive! That stretch drive! No announcer could have ever had it fall into his lap any better than when you get to say…’two Derby winners hit the wire together.’”

While it may be true that Durkin had the perfect set up for this race (similar to being lone speed in a six furlong sprint at Calder), he still had to deliver.  And true to form, he did, with arguably the most iconic one liner in the sport’s history (with apologies to “He’s moving like a tremendous machine.”).

“Ferdinand has the lead.  Alysheba, a final surge! And the two Derby winners, hit the wire togetherrr!”

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Only three days left in Durkin’s historic career.  We encourage everyone to visit the Spa or tune in remotely to watch these final 30 plus calls.

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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.

We hope everyone enjoyed yesterday’s epic renewal of the Travers.  In watching the two Jimmy Jerkens’ entrants hit the wire together, we couldn’t help but recall another instance where two stable mates dueled to a tantalizingly close finish in a Grade 1 stakes at Saratoga–the 1997 Go For Wand.

Durkin has crowned the battle between John Kimmel’s champion Hidden Lake and Flat Fleet Feet as “the most exciting race I’ve ever called.”

Hidden Lake entered the 1997 Go For Wand as a heavy favorite and considered by many to be the star of the Filly and Mare division.  However, as they entered the stretch of the 1997 Go For Wand, Hidden Lake was passed by Flat Fleet Feet, not once, but twice.

As Durkin recalls:

Hidden Lake did something that I’d never seen before and have never seen since − she lost the lead twice in the stretch and came back to beat Flat Fleet Feet, who was a great filly, a Grade 1 filly. And they were both trained by John Kimmel. It was a very close photo finish, but I could tell that Hidden Lake won, and so did [Richard] Migliore. It was an incredible display of gameness. She extended herself so much that she couldn’t make it back to the winner’s circle. Migliore had to get off her, and they had to hose her down in front of the clubhouse. They finally revived her, and she came back to the winner’s circle to tremendous, crazy applause.

The scene following the race was filled with potentially tragic ironies. Hidden Lake had just expended an incredibly courageous effort, the likes of which had not been seen since the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, where the namesake of the race Hidden Lake had just captured, Go For Wand, gallantly fought to finish the race despite suffering a catastrophic injury in the final 1/16th.  As an even further reminder, Go For Wand was laid to rest in the Saratoga infield, just yards away from where Hidden Lake appeared to be in distress.  Fortunately, Hidden Lake was revived, and as Durkin notes, returned to a champion’s reception before the appreciative Saratoga crowd.

For those of us lucky to be there that day, it was an unbelievable scene which was undoubtedly enhanced by yet another classic Durkin call.

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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.

Dramatic stretch drives have been a huge part of this list, and today’s feature race is among the most dramatic in recent memory. Although the finish of the 2004 Belmont was not “desperately close” (don’t worry that one’s coming), the on-track drama of waiting to see if the undefeated Smarty Jones could become the first Triple Crown Winner since Affirmed made the the 122,000 fans in attendance hold their collective breath.

Smarty Jones took the lead on the backstretch, and the crowd roared.  Tom Durkin noted the history of the moment at every instance. He made reference to Secretariat’s time, and how much longer Smarty had to hold on to the lead for when he hit the 5/8ths pole. Durkin noted the 26 years that had elapsed since the last Triple Crown winner, as Smarty entered the stretch with the lead.

However, Birdstone’s sustained run that began on the far turn was not lost on Durkin in the face of history. Although 4 lengths behind at the top of the stretch, Birdstone was going to make Smarty Jones “earn it”.

Smarty Jones continued to run, but obviously tired. You can hear the desperation in Durkin’s voice, as he too must have been hopeful to call a Triple Crown. But Birdstone was too strong, and passed Smarty Jones to end the historical run.

Those in attendance, including this Thorobro, were deflated. (You can read about my experience here: http://thorobros.com/?p=108)

But Durkin’s call perfectly summed up the experience. A beautiful effort from a tremendous horse to complete the nearly impossible. And Birdstone went on to prove he was a worthy adversary, as he continued his career by winning the Travers later that summer.

Could history repeat itself on Saturday, as Tonalist brings his talents to the Spa after ending Cali Chrome’s Triple Crown bid? We will be there to find out, and no matter what Tom Durkin will be there to provide a voice to what is sure to be a great and historical running of the Mid-Summer Derby.

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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.

The Sport of Kings boasts numerous iconic moments, such as Ron Turcotte gazing back 31 lengths, searching for any other horses in the same area code; Carl Nafzger describing Unbridled’s 1990 Kentucky Derby win for 90 year old owner Frances Geneter; and Chris Antley, kneeling on the Belmont dirt, clutching Charismatic’s leg, just moments after a disappointing Triple Crown loss.

Equally deserving of inclusion on this list, in our opinion, is the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Classic.  Dubbed the Midnight Classic, it was held in the rain and under complete darkness beneath Churchill Downs’ fabled twin spires.  Flashbulbs were popping as the horses ran into the night. In the end, Alysheba, literally and figuratively, emerged from the darkness and ran into the national spotlight, crossing the wire victorious.

Of course, in addition to this dramatic backdrop, there was Tom Durkin, who provided the vivid narrative for yet another iconic racing moment.

Alysheba entered the 1988 Breeder’s Cup Classic as the winner of the 1987 Kentucky Derby and tough luck runner up of the 1987 Classic (more on that race soon).  He had already reeled off 5 Grade 1 victories during his four year old campaign and looked to clinch horse of the year honors.  The betting public made him a heavy 3/2 favorite.  The victory was far from easy. Alysheba, piloted for the 16^th consecutive time by Chris McCarron, assumed the lead halfway through the stretch, but around the 1/8^th pole, it appeared as though Seeking the Gold (this Thorobro’s first ever horse crush-I was 6 years old) and Pat Day had Alysheba measured.

“Alysheba with a short lead.  He’s unyielding! Seeking the Gold, a final move as they come to the wire! And…Alysheba, America’s horse, has done it!”

“Alysheba wins the world’s richest horse race, and he’s now the world’s richest horse.”

It was a surreal moment, nearly impossible to reduce to words; unless, of course, you’re the greatest race caller of our generation.

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