Wrona adjusting to quirks of Kentucky Downs

FRANKLIN, Ky. – Michael Wrona has seen – and said – a lot in more than 35 years of calling horse races. So if he pauses or misspeaks ever so slightly in one of his Kentucky Downs calls, it’s not for lack of expertise nor experience.

“This is the hardest job I’ve ever had,” a smiling Wrona said between calls last weekend at Kentucky Downs, where on Thursday he will end his first meet at this spacious turf-only track. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be here, but it’s a challenge and a half.”

He is too modest. By all accounts, Wrona is coming through loud and clear with his customary flair, wit, and professionalism. Over the winter, officials at Kentucky Downs, in its first year under the new ownership of Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone, were ecstatic to get such a name brand to be the voice of their up-and-coming track. Since his first calls at age 17 at Kilcoy in his native Australia, Wrona, now 53, has called at a dozen or more North American tracks, including high-profile gigs at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita. He arrived in the U.S. in 1990.

But Kentucky Downs presents its own set of issues. With its 1 5/16-mile circumference, the undulating surface, the distorting head-on stretch run, and bright sunshine at eye level, the variables in play make this no spot for an amateur. Indeed, his predecessors atop the wooden stand on the Kentucky Downs finish line – including John Asher, Luke Kruytbosch, and John Lies – often shook their heads at just how tough it can be.

“The deal with the upper stretch, the lack of depth perspective, being so low and head-on to them, that’s problematic,” said Wrona. “But the most difficult spot is from the three-quarter pole to the five-eighths.” Then, with a laugh: “Hopefully I’ll have it right by the last race on closing day.”

Sharp leads into finale

Tuesday marked a significant anniversary for Joe Sharp, who holds a slim lead atop the trainer standings into the closing-day program Thursday.

It was on Sept. 10, 2014, at Kentucky Downs that Sharp saddled his first starter and winner – Holiday Drama, ridden by Rosie Napravnik, now his wife and the mother of their two sons.

Five years later, Sharp has saddled four winners through the first four days of the 2019 meet, all of them ridden by Adam Beschizza. Just behind Sharp is a trio of trainers with three wins apiece: Mike Maker, Ian Wilkes, and Wesley Ward.

Maker, the all-time leading trainer here, has entries in eight Thursday races. Sharp has four.

◗ Entries are to be drawn Wednesday for the first big stakes card of the September meet at Churchill Downs. The 11-day meet opens Friday.

Twin 2-year-old stakes, the Grade 2 Pocahontas and Grade 3 Iroquois, will anchor a program that also includes a pair of filly-mare races, the Grade 3 Locust Grove and Open Mind. Both the Pocahontas and Iroquois are Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In events and the first qualifying-points races toward the 2020 Kentucky Oaks and Derby.

First post at a meet that runs through Sept. 29 is 12:45 p.m. Eastern, except for Sept. 19 and 26 (5 p.m.) and Sept. 28 (6 p.m.).