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 point, his voice was heard at all of the tracks on the Southern California circuit, including Hollywood Park and the Fairplex meeting. He was the voice of Santa Anita until 2015 and he was atop the Del Mar grandstand each summer bar one since 1984.
Known for his uncanny ability to pick up winning moves at a very early juncture and for phrases such as “moving like a winner” and “they'd have to sprout wings,” Denman's story-telling style as opposed to the straight recitation of positions in running, revolutionized how horse racing was heard in the United States.
Among Denman's most celebrated calls are the epic stretch battle in the 1989 GI Preakness Stakes between arch-rivals Sunday Silence and Easy Goer and, while serving as the voice of the Breeders' Cup, the 2010 GI Breeders' Cup Classic. With Zenyatta bearing down on Blame in an attempt to close her career with a perfect record from 20 starts, the tension in Denman's stretch call was palpable as Zenyatta closed from as many as 15 lengths behind to drop a head decision.
“We knew this would eventually come with Trevor, and now it is here,” added Del Mar CEO Joe Harper. “We've been so lucky to have the best in the business in our booth for all these years, and now all we can do is wish him and his wife Robin the very best on their road ahead.”
In 2020 with the country in the throes of COVID, Denman stood down from his duties at the so-called Bing Crosby meeting at Del Mar in November, electing to spend the time with his wife Robin on his 500-acre farm in Minnesota. Larry Collmus has been in the booth in the fall for the last five years and has been named Denman's full-time replacement.
Collmus, 58, has called races all over the world, beginning at the Birmingham Turf Club at the age of 20. He was at the mic for American Pharoah's run to the Triple Crown in 2015 and has been the voice of the Breeders' Cup since 2012.
“I grew up listening to Trevor and have loved his unforgettable calls for decades,” Collmus said. “It is an absolute honor to follow him at Del Mar. Calling the races there in the fall the last five years has been a great experience and I'm thrilled to be the new full-time voice of Del Mar.”
Added Del Mar President Josh Rubenstein: “Del Mar racing fans have been so fortunate to have Trevor as the announcer here and we're excited that someone of Larry's stature and experience can succeed him. Just as we've been lucky to have Trevor in the booth all these years, we're lucky now to have Larry here.”
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