About a year ago the great Vin Scully passed away at the age of 94. For those that don’t follow Major League Baseball, he was the iconic voice of the Brooklyn and later the Los Angeles Dodgers. Also a national presence throughout his career, he is in my opinion the gold standard for which other sports broadcasters can be measured. A native of New York, Scully combined preparation with a great voice and flawless delivery to deliver the on-field action to those listening from afar. He knew when to speak or when to let the crowd noise and visuals do the talking. Never was Scully’s excellent timing more apparent than his call of Kirk Gibson’s game-winning home run in the 1988 World Series. The pause after the big moment was perfection and when he did speak the words were very appropriate. Despite the fact that some are still very much active in their professions, people like Bob Costas (MLB), John Madden (NFL), Phil Rizzuto (MLB), John Sterling (MLB) and others from the sports world are voices that remind me of my youth. There is something calming about reminiscing about the past to remember special moments from perhaps a simpler time in life. While harness racing didn’t enter my realm until later in the teen years, the voices of the sport hold an equally special place in my heart. Interestingly enough, like Vin Scully, it was another native New Yorker who never sounded like an Empire State native which introduced me to the sport in many respects. Bob Meyer started calling races at Monticello in 1970 but caught my ear for the first time in the early 1980s when I would watch Racing from Yonkers on a local TV network. When I started getting more interested from a betting standpoint, maybe 10 years later, I had only faint memories of the show and Meyer’s calls, but his distinct voice saying certain catch-phrases will forever be ingrained in my memory: “The Marshall calls the pacers, two minutes remain until post time.” “This field is in the hands of the starter. This field is in motion.” “Scenic Regal in front and drawing away.” While he was the track announcer at The Meadowlands from 1982 to 1990, I have no memory of Tom Durkin on the mic at the East Rutherford oval. Of course I’ve heard his historic dead-heat call in the 1989 Hambletonian between Park Avenue Joe and Probe, but Durkin never hit my radar until the mid-1990s when I started following Thoroughbred racing casually.   When I was perhaps half-heartedly pursuing being a track announcer, Durkin was my idol. When he announced, every race seemed like a short story and we all sat on the edge of our seats awaiting the exciting conclusion. There is nothing but fond memories in my mind of Durkin behind the mic as he uttered: “The incomparable, invincible, unbeatable Cigar.” “But it is Holy Bull, as game as a racehorse can be.” Practically side-by-side with Durkin on the page of announcers that bring about nostalgic memories for me is Trevor Denman. As I was more of a New York racing guy in terms of Thoroughbred racing, many of his calls don’t jump off the tip of my tongue, but Zenyatta’s 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic win sure does: “Zenyatta, if she wins this she’ll be a super horse…Zenyatta is flying on the grandstand side…this is unbelievable.” Recently I watched some races from Del Mar, well, just because it is Del Mar, the same way I might watch some races from Saratoga. I don’t handicap Thoroughbreds much anymore, though I’ll make some blind bets based on odds, on-track looks or analysis that seems insightful. Anyway, I had no idea Trevor Denman was still calling races and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing him say “and away they go,” a phrase I uttered many times imitating him when I practiced announcing. I may’ve even used it once during my guest appearances at Yonkers a couple of months back. It was certainly fun to be back behind the mic! ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter I have really enjoyed listening to Frank Mirahmadi from Saratoga and didn’t even realize that’s where he landed. His style is perhaps different than some but I find him entertaining and enjoyed the races I watched. There are many announcers with fabulous voices in both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing but there are very few I would tune in solely to hear them call a race. We could argue whether the announcer is supposed to be in the background or take center stage, but for me they have always been a reason to listen to a race or a broadcast. Perhaps no announcer fit that bill more than Larry Lederman. It was always a treat when Garden State was racing in the early 1990s and I could hear him on one of my OTB jaunts…or on the occasions I was in Atlantic City and the races would be simulcast into the casinos. With Lederman on the mic, you would not only be informed but entertained at the same time. One of my favorite lines (allow me some liberty because it is off memory) was: “Scrape off the crumbs and spread on the butter because Burnt Toast is a winner.” We all want to think back on good times and special moments. I’ll remember all of the above and so many more. What are some of your favorite calls and announcers? By all means, let me know (DGiwner@DRF.com). For now, here is what some industry participants shared with us as their favorites. Jeff Gural: Fred Capossela was calling racing at Aqueduct and Belmont when I was a kid. I remember he used to say before every race: ‘The fans are moving closer to the rail, which can mean only one thing. It is now post time.’ That was his signature call and he said it for every race. I used to practice saying it at home. There was something about that call rather than just saying ‘It’s post time’. Back in the day they got 30,000 or 40,000 people. There was no OTB or simulcasting, so he was right, the people did go to the rail. Jack E. Lee at Roosevelt was great. Marty Glickman at Yonkers. Sam [McKee} was great and Ken [Warkentin] is good too. Moira Fanning: I would say Roger Huston is the most recognizable and iconic announcer. For me his Falcon Seelster call sticks out, only because it is repeated so much. Two of mine are Campbell ones. One of them is ‘What a horse, what a driver’ when Mack Lobell won the Elitloppet and then the [Tom] Durkin Hambletonian dead-heat call – ‘Too close to call’. I say that sometimes when I’m driving. Dave Weaver: Trevor Denman, because I’m a southern California guy. I grew up at Santa Anita and he was there, Hollywood Park and Del Mar. He is still calling Del Mar. Also the recently retired Ed Burgart. Listening to him will always be a lasting memory for me. Bob Boni: It has to be Sam [McKee] because he was here for so long. Before that it has to be [Tom] Durkin. He was phenomenal. I grew up with other voices. Marty Glickman was at Yonkers. He was a terrific race caller and a great athlete, an Olympic sprinter. He was supposed to be on the 4x4 team with Jesse Owens. He also did Giant football games. There was also Jack E. Lee at Roosevelt. He was a very good race caller. Paula Campbell: The one call that strikes me is when John [Campbell] had been hurt and went back to racing. The very first race he had a broken line and I didn’t go to the track that night. Sam [McKee] was announcing and I was watching from home. Chills ran up my spine because no other announcer would’ve caught the broken line as quick as he did. He said ‘Campbell has a broken line, everybody get to the outside’. He was telling the drivers in the race what to do. It was amazing. Anneli Svensson: When my horse Captain Primeau would win at The Meadowlands or Freehold Ken Warkentin would always say ‘Captain Primeau scores’. I really liked that. My other favorite call was by Larry Lederman at Freehold when my other horse Brind’Amour won. He took off in the last turn and he said ‘They are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Brind’Amour but it doesn’t matter’.