New announcer Dinerman sees himself as a reporter and color commentator

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – It’s the Christmas gift that keeps giving.

The binoculars Matt Dinerman received from an aunt and uncle as a teenager are the same set he will be using Friday when he announces his first race at Oaklawn Park.

“They’re the ones I call the races with,” said the meet’s new voice.

Dinerman was most recently the announcer at Golden Gate Fields. He is taking over from Vic Stauffer, who parted ways with Oaklawn last March. Dinerman is a 31-year-old native of San Diego who holds a bachelor’s degree in communications studies from Chapman University in Orange, Calif.

“I’m very honored to be the next track announcer at such a distinguished track,” he said. “It means a lot.”

Dinerman attended the races with his father as a child and said he often would ask questions specific to the role of the announcer. His interest in racing continued to grow as he spent four summers working as a hotwalker for trainer John Sadler at Del Mar. He called races into a recorder in the afternoons and was encouraged by Trevor Denman. Dinerman nailed down his first announcing job in 2015 at Emerald Downs.

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“The number one thing for me is to be accurate,” Dinerman said. “I hope that my style is informative to the fans and the horseplayers. I like to note people’s accomplishments on the track. I try to be a reporter commingled with colorful entertainment along the way. I want to project my love for racing, my excitement as a fan.”

On the fan side, Dinerman said he recently met the Oaklawn-based Olivier, an unraced full brother to Sadler-trained Horse of the Year Flightline.

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