Racecaller

After 40 years on the mic, predominantly at Santa Anita and Del Mar, but also for a time as the voice of the Breeders' Cup and Triple Crown races, track announcer Trevor Denman has announced his retirement. "This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made," Denman said. "But my soul is telling me that now is the time." Denman, 72, began calling races in 1971 in his native South Africa and came to America in time to assume racecalling duties at Santa Anita in 1983. At one...

How did we get hooked on this sport? We all have stories about how our love affair developed and blossomed. The TDN will be reaching out to numerous notable people in the industry to get their stories to find out how they got hooked and stayed hooked on the sport. Dave Johnson, Racecaller & Radio Host My mom and dad and then my grandparents on both sides, they all went to Fairmount Park just for fun when I was growing up in St. Louis. Mostly it was just for holidays...

Nick Tammaro has been known in public handicapping and tournament circles for nearly a decade now, but he took on what he calls the "biggest professional challenge" of his life earlier this year at his hometown track, Sam Houston Race Park, when he started his first job as a full-time racecaller. He caught up with Joe Bianca on the third episode of Bettor Things with Joe Bianca.

An Appreciation, by T.D. Thornton The phrase "larger than life" doesn't do justice to describing Jim Hannon, the Runyonesque race caller known for his booming bass voice, charismatic showmanship, and roaring, motorboat-like laugh that resonated through the press boxes of New England racetracks since 1953. He died on Aug. 28 from natural causes at a hospice facility in Danvers, Massachusetts, after having recently suffered a fall. At age 92, he was believed to have been the nation's oldest retired Thoroughbred announcer. An entire generation of fans has evolved since "Big...