Veteran announcer Larry Collmus, who stepped as much as pinch-hit for Del Mar’s longtime caller Trevor Denman through the peak of the COVID-19 disaster in 2020, has been known as to the plate as soon as extra. He’ll take over this time for the just lately injured Denman for almost all of the observe’s upcoming fall race meet that begins Nov. 3.
Denman, 68, suffered a painful herniated disc in his again earlier this week at his residence in Minnesota when he slipped and tumbled down the steps of his deck which had been moist from early morning dew. He was readying to drive to Del Mar to comply with up his return to calling on the seaside observe this previous summer time, however his damage makes all of it however unattainable for him to journey.
Collmus, 55, was going to be at Del Mar anyway subsequent week for his common position as NBC’s caller for the Breeders’ Cup, which might be introduced for the second time at Del Mar Nov. 5-6. He is now agreed to tackle the Del Mar position from opening day proper by means of the season’s end Nov. 28, apart from three days (Nov. 12-14) when he’ll be on a beforehand deliberate vacation.
Collmus, who has known as races for 37 years and for the previous decade has been the voice of not solely the Breeders’ Cup but additionally the Triple Crown races on NBC, drew rave critiques for his Del Mar debut final 12 months at each its summer time and fall meets. He’ll be a busy man on the 2 Breeders’ Cup Days when he’ll name 5 undercard races and 5 Breeders’ Cup races Friday, then come again Saturday to be the voice for 3 extra undercard occasions and 9 Breeders’ Cup races, together with the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic (G1).
Denman had celebrated his fiftieth 12 months of race calling this previous summer time and he advised Del Mar’s CEO Joe Harper in his explanatory message that he was “devastated” by this newest flip of occasions.
“I’ve by no means missed a day’s racing in 50 years and now I’ve needed to miss racing two years in a row due to the virus and this freak accident,” he mentioned. “I’m devastated, however that is utterly out of my management.”
Del Mar will name upon its backup announcer John Lies to deal with the three days that Collmus might be away. Lies has known as at varied racetracks across the nation and has stuffed in well at Del Mar on a number of events beforehand.
This winter at Gulfstream Park, following the conclusion of the Del Mar meet, Collmus will tackle an expanded tv broadcasting position for TVG, the racing community introduced earlier this week.
