Trevor Denman

[The Bid]

I would say a casual fan is someone who flips back and forth from College football. Maybe someone who watched gameday and sparked an interest. Someones girlfriend who never goes to the track and comes over on Saturdays. Little kids having a piece of pizza around a room full of adults watching the races. The cat? Those are casuals, and probably none of those people understand a big beautiful animal breaking her leg in the biggest race of her career.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by The Bid

You guys are crazy, he called a great Breeders Cup. I would like to see each of you call one race, let alone 8 nationally televised grade 1s. He didnt miss Pine Island breaking down, hes probably not as stupid as half of you and realized calling it would hurt racing. Maybe he should have said "Pine Island is down, shes snapped off her leg right by her ankle, undoubtedly she will need to be euthanized". "Probably on track since she cant walk, in front of 75 thousand fans" Then would he have called a good race? So what, he missed Calvin slipping up the rail for a moment, big deal. He called a good day of racing, hes a fantastic racecaller, period

Who are you, Denman's little brother? You cannot possibly be serious with any of this. Completely missing a horse BREAKING DOWN in a BC race, especially one of the favorites, is absolutely, totally inexcusable. As is not calling Street Sense until he was back in the barn cooling out. As is mispronouncing name after name after name like a novice. As is somehow defending this guy after he does one of the worst announcing jobs you'll ever hear in your life. He's just like Lava Man. A lot of hype in California, but on the big day, he's nowhere to be found.

[Danzig]

he murdered 'miesques approval'. said mystique....ah well, he's got the job at any rate. he did ok.

but this board will have a lot less postings on it if we can only critique a performance after attempting it ourselves!!!

[Danzig]

and i just caught the 'stupid as half of you' remark after seeing it in ateams post above.

handle was an all time high at churchill yesterday, this after ruffian killing the sport, landseer, go for wand, barbaro--oops, tom durkin kept us advised on him throughout that race, it's a wonder anyone bought tix to yesterdays event after that....this sport has been dead and buried how many times now?? i think that horse racing is far too resilient, and has far too much time and money invested in it to go tits up based on a horse breaking down.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Completely missing Street Sense was pretty disgraceful.

Say what you want but Tom would not have missed him.

He didn't miss her all the way but just last year, Durkin didn't catch Pleasant Home's winning move until she had hit the front in the Distaff. He was totally taken by surprise by her.

Originally Posted by Danzig188

thanks bid, for reminding me of her injury yesterday in your two posts like that. just what i really wanted to read this morning...




and you know, after reading posts here and in other threads, does anyone REALLY give a damn about the casual fans? casual fans aren't going to save this or any sport. it'd be nice if the sport would cater to the real fans, their base and the ones who keep it going.

At one time, you were a "casual fan" too, until it hooked you. It might have taken 10 second of the first race you ever watched, or it might have taken years. Either way, put yourself in the shoes of a first time viewer. Would you have so easily taken to racing with such a catastrophic break down? Im sure it turned off a lot of viewers... hell, look how much it affected the REAL and seasoned fans.

[King Glorious]

I was watching the race and I missed Pine Island going down. Trevor was going through the complete field for ALL of those listening to know where their horse was and soon as he got to the end, he switched his attention immediately back to the front and in that exact moment is when it happened. It wasn't hard to miss it. Should he have caught it, yes. But that doesn't make his day horrible. With the exception of missing Street Sense, I thought Denman did his job and did it well. I could have closed my eyes and listened and known what was going on. That's what I want.

"And i'm gonna have to stop gambling to notice street sense winning the race. This race was brought to you by Nasonex. A wise choice!"

[Danzig]

in no way did i say that denman should have been graphic, or that they should have zoomed in on pine island. i just felt he could have said something about the fave being out, pulled up, lost her jock, took a mis-step, whatever
i do think however that too much focus is placed on what a casual viewer would think, while those of us who know the sport are ignored.
also, IF espns intention was to sugarcoat, than why show the entire replay of pine island going down?? and more than once at that?

and i was a huge horse fan before discovering racing, and that after i already knew about ruffian and her sad tale. non fans know horses break down, so casual fans would as well...it's not as tho all those writing to barbaro have rose colored glasses on, and think all stories like his have a happy ending.

[copying]

Denman's the best -- has been for last 25 years. If anyone else was even close, we could argue...
All those Durkin lovers have never heard a REAL race call before, so it will take them some time to get use to one.

[Charismatic1]

I think Denman missed the Pine Island tragedy because the field was on the backstretch. At that point, he's using his binoculars to see the horses, which I'm assuming gives him a very narrow look at the field. He had just finished calling the 14th place horse and had gone back to the front of the pack. She was about a dozen lengths back at that point. He's probably not going to see her. Obviously, many were left wondering "where's Pine Island", but when you're calling a 14-horse championship race, you don't have time to ask yourself that question. In contrast, Fleet Indian was near the front and in his frame of vision.

I think Denman is a fine caller, but I was worried he wouldn't raise his game. The fact is that the BC is not a state-bred claimer and deserves to be called as such. I think he did an okay job. Sure, he missed a few spots (Street Sense being the notable one), but I kind of expected that for his first time. Like someone else mentioned, it seemed he did pay attention to the favorites a little too much in a couple races.

I don't envy Denman's position. I was pissed that Durkin wasn't going to call this year's Cup. He's THE voice of the Cup. That's what happens when one guy calls it for 22 years. Durkin became as much of the Breeders' Cup's identity as the races. His race calls make those commercials the NTRA was airing pretty neat. It's not going to be easy to get used to the change, but Denman represented himself well for his first time. And this is coming from a guy who initially thought Denaman would be absolutely terrible for the Breeders' Cup.

[Byebyemermaid]

As i said on a thread that i had started is that i don't think Denman prepared the same way as Durkin.Durkin would of had been prepared for certain instances in races in advance.Example Ferdinand and Alysheba where he stated the 2 derby winners hit the wire together.I think that he put that in his mind days before.No matter how long he calls the cup races i don't think you'll ever get any catch phrases from Trevor.the difference as i stated on the other thread,Durkin,race caller/entertainer.Denman,race caller.

[Danzig]

durkin said he planned ahead for things. i remember him talking about it before smartys belmont.

really, missing pine island was my only real beef with denman, so i don't understand why my comments generated to much flak. all in all i guess he did pretty well.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by copying

Denman's the best -- has been for last 25 years. If anyone else was even close, we could argue...
All those Durkin lovers have never heard a REAL race call before, so it will take them some time to get use to one.

So I guess a "real" race call entails missing the breakdown of a BC Distaff favorite, mispronouncing name after name and not even mentioning a winner until he's 8 lengths clear at the 1/16th pole?

If this is the case, I'll take a phony race call any day of the week.

[GenuineRisk]

I thought Denman did an okay job, Street Sense notwithstanding. I like that he frequently gives the jockey silks colors during the races-- it makes it easier to quickly find who he's talking about. I like Durkin best because I think no one calls races with as much dramatic flair as he, but I was fine with the calling yesterday.

I just came back from 45 minutes of watching the New York Marathon, trying to spot my two friends running in it, and boy, do I have a raging headache now. Fortunately they saw me! Yet another reason I could never have been a race caller... I can't find my friends who are running barely six miles an hour, coming straight at me!

[2Hot4TV]

I was at otb and couldn't hear the calls from Trevor. The local radio shows in LA are all saying he chocked on the big stage, but in his defense you got to change the saddle cloth colors to help spot the horses. When you have 14 horses its like a Easter Egg hunt to call them by the racing silks. You have 25 minutes between races to memorize the jockeys colors because you aren't going to see the # on the saddle cloth. After you listen to him call the races, most are not as good. Trever not only calls the position, he tells you what kind of trip the horses are having. Just my thought after 35 years of race watching.

[Crown@club]

Luke Kruytbosch started the day with the first 2 races. The change was definitely heard. It was not for the better either.

[Danzig]

i really don't think when it all comes down to it that the race caller will make or break the show.
i was more peeved at lack of split times being shown on screen.
analysts were good, i think only real room for improvement is they need to show more of the horses before each race. all in all, a good day. really, it was a very good day, a good showing and a good effort from espn.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Danzig188

i really don't think when it all comes down to it that the race caller will make or break the show.
i was more peeved at lack of split times being shown on screen.
analysts were good, i think only real room for improvement is they need to show more of the horses before each race. all in all, a good day. really, it was a very good day, a good showing and a good effort from espn.

The lack of split times annoyed me, too. Some of the races they didn't post them until the first half mile- and then once or twice they flashed up and went away before I could read them. Made me very cranky.

But I was overall pretty satisfied. Especially with all the praise lavished on Ouija Board before and after the race. And the cameraman being sure to catch Dettori's antics.

[pmayjr]

Beyond missing Street Sense completely he did ok... I just miss Durkin for the emotion and tone he puts into his calls. Durkin was put on this planet to call those races. It's too bad they couldn't work it out with NBC to get him on.