No hurry to hire replacement for Durkin
Chris Kay, the New York Racing Association’s president and chief executive, said he is not in any rush to name a replacement for Tom Durkin, NYRA’s illustrious announcer who will retire from his position Aug. 31.
Kay on Wednesday said NYRA is in the middle of the interview process but said he doesn’t plan on having the new hire in place by Sept. 6, the opening day of the Belmont fall meet. Kay said John Imbriale, who calls the Aqueduct winter meet, likely will be the announcer at the start of the Belmont fall meet.
“I’m not even planning to announce something with the idea of somebody coming on board by Sept. 6,” Kay said. “We’re in the middle of the process, we’re going to make the right decision, and we’re not going to be driven by a time line because we do have John on board.”
The Saratoga meet will be Durkin’s swan song. He will call the races five days a week. Imbriale will call the races at Saratoga on Mondays.
NYRA plans to honor Durkin on his final day, Aug. 31, though details of those plans have yet to be released.
On Wednesday night, at a pre-Saratoga event at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Kay said Durkin will be honored at Belmont Park on Sept. 27, Jockey Club Gold Day, which will include a Durkin bobblehead.