NEWS
Guest announcers to audition at Churchill
Posted: Thursday, October 02, 2008 6:52 PM
Five guest announcers will audition to become Churchill Downs’s new race caller during the Louisville track's 26-day fall meeting, which opens on October 26.
Larry Collmus, Mark Johnson, Bobby Neuman, Travis Stone, and Michael Wrona all are finalists to replace the late Luke Kruytbosch, Churchill’s announcer since 1999. Kruytbosch, who died on July 14 from an apparent heart attack, was the fifth announcer in the history of the Louisville track, which is home to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).
A Churchill selection committee chose the five potential finalists from nearly two-dozen applicants.
“This showcase of talent is a unique and mutually beneficial way for us to introduce some of the outstanding worldwide candidates to Churchill Downs, our horse racing fans, and the city of Louisville,” said Jim Gates, Churchill’s general manager. “Our committee will reconvene at season’s end and, based on positive reviews, I think there’s a good chance that our next announcer will come from this group. I would expect a final decision before year’s end.”
Neuman, the track announcer at Calder Race Course, will call at Churchill from October 26-November 2. Stone, who calls at Louisiana Downs, will announce from November 5-9 and will be followed by Wrona, the voice of Golden Gate Fields, who will announce from November 12-16.
Collmus, the announcer at Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park, Suffolk Downs, and the Meadowlands, will call races at Churchill from November 19-23. England-based announcer Johnson will call the races from November 26-29.
“Our worldwide search for a successor to the late Luke Kruytbosch as only the sixth voice in the history of Churchill Downs has been diligent and far-reaching,” Gates said. “Each of these five individuals is greatly respected and they are considered to be some of the top announcers anywhere in the world. They’ve generously agreed to assist us through this difficult situation, and we truly appreciate their cooperation and the support of their respective employers, including Magna Entertainment Corp. and Harrah’s Louisiana Downs.”
