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Tampa Announcer Richard Grunder to Retire

Richard Grunder, the track announcer at Tampa Bay Downs for the past 37 years, is hanging up his binoculars after the May 2 card.

Citing health concerns, the 68-year-old has chosen to retire after a lifetime spent in the sport. He is believed to have called in the vicinity of 37,000 races at Tampa Bay Downs and is currently the longest-tenured announcer at any racetrack in the country.

“My goal a few years back was to try to go until I was 70, but I've got a medical situation I need to stay on top of and some related stress issues that led me to realize it's time,” Grunder said. “I was in the hospital a few weeks ago on a Wednesday and barely got out in time to call the first race, and I don't get up those stairs to the press box as fast as I used to.

“I am going to miss the camaraderie and the people, especially the three stewards who work next door to my booth. It's been a great environment to work in. But I have no regrets at all. My father [the late Dean Grunder, a railroad worker and owner-trainer in Nebraska and New Mexico] told me once I would be a really rich man if I was able to go to a job I liked every day.

“By that account, I'm a millionaire many times over.”

Grunder will remain active in the sport, working as a jockey's agent at Canterbury Park in Minnesota this spring and summer for Alonso Quinonez and Israel Hernandez. He plans to travel extensively with his wife of 48 years, Diana, visit other racetracks and spend more time with son Chad and his wife Erica, who live in El Dorado, Kan.

“I love to fish, and we're 100 miles from Lake Okeechobee. I've never been a bass fisherman, but that's something I plan to get into,” Grunder said. “And I'm looking forward to returning to Oaklawn Park. I haven't been there since I worked rubbing horses for [trainer] Red Payne in 1974.”

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Tampa Bay’s Veteran Announcer Richard Grunder Retires After 37 Years

For the past 37 years, announcer Richard Grunder's enthusiasm for horse racing has left an enduring impact on countless visitors to Tampa Bay Downs.

“There is no one on the planet who is more passionate about horse racing. Period,” said Pete Aiello, the announcer for Gulfstream Park. “Nobody eats, sleeps and breathes horse racing more than he does.”

Jockey Scott Stevens, the recipient of the 2019 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award and Grunder's long-time friend, suggests fans listen to Grunder with their eyes closed to better appreciate his descriptive style of race-calling.

“It's like he is painting a picture. He'll tell you a horse is 3 lengths behind and full of run, or a horse is boxed in with nowhere to go,” Stevens said from his home in Phoenix. “You can visualize how the race is setting up just listening to his call, and I think that is what makes a great announcer. And he brings a lot of excitement to every race, whether it's a cheap claiming race or a graded stakes.”

Sadly, for two generations of Oldsmar oval fans and simulcast bettors who have grown accustomed to Grunder's trademark stretch call “. … in the clear and strictly the one to catch,” the 68-year-old Dodge City, Kan., product is hanging up his binoculars after the May 2 card at Tampa Bay Downs.

Citing health concerns, Grunder has chosen to retire from announcing after a lifetime spent in the sport. He is believed to have called in the vicinity of 37,000 races at Tampa Bay Downs and is currently the longest-tenured announcer at any racetrack in the country.

“I am going to miss the camaraderie and the people, especially the three stewards who work next door to my booth. It's been a great environment to work in. But I have no regrets at all. My father (the late Dean Grunder, a railroad worker and owner-trainer in Nebraska and New Mexico) told me once I would be a really rich man if I was able to go to a job I liked every day.

“By that account, I'm a millionaire many times over.”

Grunder has contacted his close friends, Tampa Bay Downs trainers Bernell Rhone and David Van Winkle, about returning to a favorite summer haunt in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada, where they rent a cabin without electricity, fish for walleye and escape from civilization. Their trip last year was cancelled because of COVID-19.

“We try not to talk horses, but once in a while it comes back to that,” Rhone said. “We'll rib each other, but we've got each other's back. I've been at Richard and Diana's house for Thanksgiving, and they've come over to eat with my family. I know if I ever need help, he'll be there for me, just like I will be for him.”

Grunder's departure will leave a void that will be difficult to fill. He has documented most of the major moments in the history of the track, which had a reputation as a sleepy backwater until current owner Stella F. Thayer gained control at the start of the 1986-1987 meeting and instituted a series of gradual, fan-friendly changes, starting with the introduction of Sunday racing that season and hitting a high note with the debut of the acclaimed turf course on May 2, 1998.

“Tampa Bay Downs has been incredibly fortunate that Richard has spent most of his career with us – an amazing 37 years,” Thayer said. “His voice and his style embody his enthusiasm and love for Thoroughbred racing.

“We will never forget his contributions. Fortunately, his voice will live on through his calls of Tampa's signature races. We are grateful for his many wonderful years at Tampa Bay Downs and wish him the best.”

The thrilling 2007 edition of the Tampa Bay Derby, in which Street Sense and Calvin Borel edged Any Given Saturday and John Velazquez by a nose, stands foremost among Grunder's Oldsmar memories. “When they hit the wire together, I said 'Too close to call, it might have been Street Sense.' Then I said to myself, 'Whoa,' because it was like this,” he recalled, holding his thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “Fortunately, I got it right.”

Other unforgettable races included the dramatic come-from-behind victory by the Woody Stephens-trained Cefis in the 1988 Tampa Bay Derby and Tepin's victory in the 2016 Hillsborough Stakes, in which she gobbled up an 18-length deficit on the backstretch to defeat pace-setter Isabella Sings in the Grade II turf event.

“Tepin was so far back, I was worried for a moment she might have broken down,” Grunder said. “(Julien) Leparoux rode her with so much confidence. At the quarter pole she still looked hopelessly beaten, and she came on so fast he turned down his stick before they hit the wire. She was a special, special horse.”

Grunder lived to help fans enjoy the sport as much as he does. He was the emcee for the track's “Morning Glory Club,” which invited race-goers to enjoy coffee and donuts on winter Saturday mornings and listen to Grunder interview jockeys, trainers and track officials. His guests over the years included Carl Nafzger, Ken McPeek, Kent Desormeaux, Edgar Prado, Ramon Dominguez and Michael Trombetta, as well as handicapper and author Steve Crist.

Preaching the gospel of racing came naturally to Grunder, who got his first job at a racetrack 60 years ago at the now-defunct La Mesa Park in Raton, N.M., as a photo-finish runner – the guy who would post the developed photographs of a tight finish under glass for spectators to observe.

“People would be shouting 'Here comes photo boy,' and I felt like I was King Tut. I got paid $3 a day, and sometimes people would ask what they did with the old photos after the next race. I said 'They like to file them, but they're for sale for 50 cents,' and that became one of my side gigs,” he said, laughing.

More valuable, though, was the chance to hang around racing officials and the track announcer, absorbing their insights into all the behind-the-scenes workings at a racetrack. “I'd go home at night and run around our living room re-creating races out of the monthly chart books. I couldn't get enough,” he said.

From his first announcing job in 1973 at age 20 at recently-shuttered Marquis Downs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to the present, Grunder has worked at numerous racetracks (see timeline below story). He is quick to credit Diana for her patience and understanding in enabling him to pursue his dream.

“She is the trooper of all troopers. I was rubbing horses at Oaklawn Park when we got married, and we had a two-day honeymoon in Denver before I went to West Virginia to work at Waterford Park (now Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort) while she worked at a soda fountain back home in Dodge City.

“We did a lot of moving in those days. We figured it out and one time we lived in six different apartments in 12 months,” he said.

His years as a jockeys' agent helped him develop a keen appreciation for the skills and courage of the athletes on horseback. “I've gotten aggravated with them just like everybody does,” Grunder said. “But they are unbelievable athletes who have to prove it every day. Football and basketball players sign multi-million dollar contracts, but when it comes to getting paid, jockeys are only as good as what they did last week.”

Stevens, who is recuperating from injuries suffered on Feb. 24 in an accident at Turf Paradise, says jockeys appreciate the depth of knowledge Grunder brings to his calls. “He knows every part of that backside, from the racing office to the trainers to the exercise riders. That kind of understanding is a big thing to bringing new fans in,” Stevens said.

The stories of Grunder's generosity are many. In 2010 at Canterbury, he organized fund-raising efforts to assist Stevens and two other jockeys injured in a multi-horse spill. On New Year's Eve in 2005, he turned the microphone over for one race to an aspiring young announcer whose previous experience consisted of calling races on the Arizona county fair circuit.

“I think about him giving me that shot all the time,” said Aiello. “You make so many connections in this business, but only time will tell how many people Richard has touched over the course of his career.”

Grunder's voice became so recognizable that when Sega Corporation was looking for someone to perform voiceovers for its Derby Owners Club horse racing simulation arcade game in 2010, it hired him to travel to Tokyo for a week to assist in the production.

“It was a lot of fun and an amazing experience. After a couple of days, I thought to myself 'I'm not in Kansas anymore,' ” he said. “They needed me to voice about 150 phrases, and they must have had me do 'And they're off' about 35 or 40 times.

“A few years later, I was driving to Canterbury after Tampa's season had ended, and I saw a bunch of people playing the game at a truck stop in Des Moines. I told a woman sitting there, 'Hey, that's me. I'm the announcer.' She looked at me like I was from outer space and said 'Get out of here. I'm playing this game.' ”

Moving forward, the good news for Grunder is that racing always needs new fans looking in from the outside. It is a major adjustment, but one he is confident he can handle with the cherished support of his family, racetrack friends and the thousands of fans who have welcomed him into their homes.

“He has been such a good ambassador for racing, promoting Tampa Bay Downs and encouraging people to come to the races. Now he wants to slow down and spend more time with his family,” Rhone said.

“I think he will be a little bit lost next year, but he'll be fine because he is so upbeat and great with people. Richard can talk to older folks, little kids and people who know nothing about racing, and find something in common.”

Regardless of where his path is next directed, Richard Grunder – his voice, his kindness, his encyclopedic knowledge of horse racing – will be remembered for a long time.

RICHARD GRUNDER'S JOBS IN HORSE RACING THROUGH THE YEARS

Aug. 4, 1973—Called his first race at Marquis Downs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

1974—Racing office, backup race-caller, Waterford Park, W.V.

1974—Announcer, Marquis Downs and Regina Exhibition Park (Sept.-Oct.)

1974-77—Placing judge, backup race-caller, Delta Downs, La.

1975—Announcer, Assiniboia Downs, Winnipeg, Manitoba

1976—79—Announcer, Marquis Downs and Regina Exhibition Park (May-Oct.)

1977-84—Announcer, assistant racing secretary, Portland Meadows, Ore.

1980-82—Announcer, Assiniboia Downs (summer)

1983—Racing office, backup race-caller, Ak-Sar-Ben, Neb.

1984—Announcer, Arapahoe Park, Colo.

1984—present—Announcer, Tampa Bay Downs

1990—Announcer, Canterbury Park, Minn.

1991-92—Announcer, Ak-Sar-Ben

1993—Announcer, Prairie Meadows, Iowa

1996-97—Announcer, Ag Park, Nebraska State Fair, Atokad Park, Neb.

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Frank Mirahmadi Returns As Voice Of Santa Anita Park On Opening Day Dec. 26

The multi-talented Frank Mirahmadi will be back as the Voice of Santa Anita Park as the iconic track opens for its 84^th Winter/Spring Meeting on Saturday, December 26. A Los Angeles native who has worked at tracks across the nation, Mirahmadi brings incredible wit, intellect and passion to his position, which for him has become a dream come true.

In addition to his ability to call races in an entertaining, accurate and cogent fashion, Mirahmadi is in keen demand as an emcee, where he vows audiences with his comedic talent and impersonations. At age 53, he's been calling races full time for the past 24 years and will soon embark upon his third season as Santa Anita's Track Announcer. The following is an in-depth conversation that took place on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Q. Frank, you've obviously got tremendous passion for our sport and your profession. What are your first memories of going to the track with your parents?

A. I've been attending the races since before I can even remember. The earliest recollections include picnics, walking a lot on the apron, and getting jockey autographs. At Santa Anita, we often sat in the old clubhouse restaurant just above the gift shop. We had a great table in the corner most weekends, where we could see the horses on their way to the tunnel.

Q. As a youngster, did you see yourself as being a track announcer one day? If so, what memories do you have of guys like Harry Henson, etc.?

A. I don't really think I planned on being a track announcer, though I was certainly drawn to them and admired their work. We would get to the races early, so I knew the way Harry would do the changes. Things like “The condition of the track as usual is fast, and the condition of the turf course firm.” Also, he used the term “You are reminded…” frequently, and always called Shoemaker by William as opposed to Bill. I loved his voice and style and am sorry I never met him. A very pleasant lifetime memory is that his late son Gary was in the booth with me when I called my first two races at Hollywood Park on closing day of the 1992 fall meet. I asked how he felt about me imitating his father, and he gave me the green light. He also liked it. My announcing career was inspired by the brilliance of Trevor Denman. I'm fortunate to call him a good friend now. During his time in the booth, I visited him very infrequently, because he was (and still is) on a pedestal and I didn't want to bother him. Trevor has been incredibly gracious with his time and wisdom and gave me some great advice – he called them helpful hints – when I got the job at Santa Anita.

Q. Who were some of your favorite horses, jocks, trainers?

A. There are so many! Spectacular Bid, John Henry, Super Star Vincent, Track Robbery and Champagne Bid to name a few.Shoemaker was my all-time favorite, and I also was very much into Chris McCarron and then Gary Stevens once he got here. We had so many great jockeys in the colony, but those were my favorites. I really enjoyed D. Wayne Lukas and he was my favorite trainer. Charlie Whittingham, of course, has to be on the list.

Q. You're obviously a tremendously talented person, with great comedic sense and the ability to imitate people. Comedians, actors, musicians, etc., feed off of their audiences in an immediate sense. As a track announcer, you are for the most part totally isolated throughout each racing day. That said, are there certain people that you rely upon for feedback?

A. I have emceed many events and done a few parties doing impressions, etc., and there is no question that I feed off the crowd in those circumstances. Calling races, however, is very different for me. I enjoy being isolated during the day when calling. I know how special it was for me when I met Trevor Denman in 1990, so I've done a lot of hosting in the booth to let others enjoy that experience. In recent years, however, I've preferred being solo while working.

Q. You became a dedicated handicapper at a young age. What is your general advice to new fans who would like to bet on the races?

A. Winners win. It's simple but true. For the most part, stick with successful trainers and jockeys. The best way to handicap, in my opinion, is to watch replays and make notes. That doesn't necessarily mean one has to look for troubled trips. A winner can be very impressive and ready to move up in class and win again. Also, try to identify trainer intent. For example, I much prefer claiming horses going up in class versus those dropping. If a successful trainer claims one for $16,000 and then double-jumps to $25,000, that's a very positive sign. On the other hand, if the horse drops to $10,000, I'll typically pass, even though there are some trainers who like that move to pile up the wins.

Q. In terms of your work experience, the old Hank Snow song, “I've been Everywhere” comes to mind. Although the road to your current position wasn't always labeled “fast,” it seems as if the totality of your experience at a number of tracks in various geographic regions has helped to make you the comfortable, self-confident announcer that you now are. Would you agree with that?

A. Certainly. My first job, in 1996, was at Hialeah Park, so that was an amazing break. From there, in my first year, I kept getting work, going directly to The Downs at Santa Fe, then Players Bluegrass Downs and Atokad Park. In 1999, I was called in to fill-in at Ruidoso Downs and called the All American Futurity. Mr. Hubbard, who gave me my first chances to call as a guest at Hollywood Park, was a big fan of the impressions, and he gave me such a warm welcome in his suite with many of his friends in there. I'll always remember that day. He then hooked me up as the fill-in at Turf Paradise during the dates when Luke Kruytbosch was at Hollywood Park. That was big for me. When the Louisiana Downs job came open the following year, that was an enormous break, because it was a perfect fit schedule-wise with Hialeah. Unfortunately, Hialeah closed in 2001, but other doors kept opening. In 2006 I got the job on the Northern California Fair circuit, and a year later was given an opportunity on TVG, where I worked for nine years. When Terry Wallace retired and Oaklawn hired me in 2012, it gave me a chance to prove that I could call big races, and that I was more than the guy who could imitate other announcers. That, without a doubt, helped me get to Santa Anita.

Q. In addition to your tremendous broadcast skills, you've also got an extensive resume in sales which has served you very well. One very high profile example is your relationship with James McIngvale, aka Mattress Mack, the owner of Runhappy. How did you meet and tell us what he's like on a personal level.

A. I met Mack while working at the Fair Grounds. I had become friends with Bob Baffert after meeting him while recruiting horses for the Fair Grounds and feel that I really sold Bob on bringing Kafwain. I had met Bob at Clocker's Corner and he was about to blow me off, but I told him I was the guy who did the D. Wayne Lukas impression and we hit it off. He brought me around to entertain, so he invited me to hang out with Mack when Wimbledon was in the Louisiana Derby. Mack also loved the impressions, and he still does. I can't imagine a harder worker than Mack. It never stops with him. He sells mattresses but rarely rests on one. He is very tough but incredibly kind. He has strong beliefs and tries to teach his employees and everyone around him to be good and work hard. While working for TVG, I sold Mack the Runhappy sponsorship, making him the biggest advertiser on the network. Fittingly, I had the privilege of calling Runhappy's Malibu win. Sometimes, things are meant to be. That was one example. When I had serious health issues, Mack flew me to Houston, invited me to his home, and then took me to the top doctors at MD Anderson to get tests done. While I ended up going to Memorial Sloan Kettering for the second surgery (after the emergency surgery in New Jersey), the genetic testing done at MD Anderson helped me make a very difficult decision. Mack's generosity, known world-wide now due to his help with people during hurricanes and the pandemic, goes back to what his parents taught him – “the essence of living is giving.” The man is a legend. Period.

Q. We've added a new turf chute for the upcoming Winter/Spring Meet, Del Mar is coming off a recording breaking Fall meeting, and racing in Southern California appears very much on the rebound. Your thoughts?

A. It is very exciting to see the response to the new turf chute. We are all in this together, so it was imperative that Del Mar have a great meet. People love to race in Southern California, and the record of California horses in big races such as the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic speaks for itself. It's nice that we are turning things around and I'm very fortunate to be here during this time.

Q. Frank, you're very close to your mother and often speak about your late dad. Can you describe what your dad might say if he knew you were in fact the Voice of Santa Anita?

A. My dad would be very happy for me and proud as well. We lost him to cancer in 1997, but by then I was already calling at Hialeah, so he knew I was announcing races. The fact is, he would still tell me I should have gone to college and gotten my degree (s), but all he wanted was for me to be happy. He was a brilliant man, an electrical engineer who accomplished many things including doing the electrical design on the TRON building at Epcot Center in Florida. When he was helping me with math during high school, I could sense his frustration because he knew I wasn't giving it my all. Same with chess. I didn't have the patience for chess, and he was a borderline master. But our bonding was clearly at the racetrack, where we went nearly every weekend. So for him to see me call races at Santa Anita, he'd be smiling.

Q. Everyone is looking forward to seeing you and Tom Quigley doing the pre-race handicapping seminar on opening day via santaanita.com. In addition to winners, what can fans look forward to?

A. Tom knows I don't want any advance notice whatsoever on questions, and therefore the first 10 minutes can go in many directions. He's not afraid to ask tough questions or toss a jab. That makes it fun. We are good friends having a wonderful time at work. People get bored easily, so we try to enjoy ourselves and offer insights other than what's obvious. We both do the prep work, and the feedback has been terrific, which motivates both of us to bring our A game every day. We both understand the significance of representing THE GREATEST RACE PLACE.

Q. Finally, the current pandemic has been extremely hard on everyone. You've faced down Stage 3 cancer in the past couple of years and you approach each race day with incredible passion and attention to detail. How are you feeling and as we angle towards 2021, what are your expectations in general?

A. I am very fortunate to be alive. When Chadwick Boseman passed away this year, I read that he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer in 2016, the same year I was. That is sobering and very sad. I've been incredibly fortunate to have great medical care and my tests are clean and cancer-free. I go in for blood tests every six months and scans once a year, which I did in September. Those pictures give new meaning to sweating out a photo! Every day is a holiday, and every day in the announcer's booth at Santa Anita Park, I feel a very high level of gratitude. I'm feeling good and am committed, as with every day at every track I've worked at, to give my best effort to celebrate the winners with a goal of offering accurate, exciting, unbiased calls.

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Parx Announcer Keith Jones Retires

After more than three decades as the voice of Parx Racing, announcer Keith Jones will be stepping away from the microphone at the end of the year. Since 1987, Jones has been the voice of Philadelphia Park/Parx, making him the second longest tenured announcer after Tampa Bay Downs’ Richard Grunder. Jones began his career at Garden State Park before moving permanently to Philadelphia Park.

“I’ll be forever grateful to the management at Greenwood for affording me an opportunity to pursue a career doing something I’ve thoroughly enjoyed,” said Jones. “As much pleasure as I’ve gotten from calling the races, what I’ll always treasure most are the relationships–the friendships–that have been so rewarding over the past 34 years. From fellow staff to the many members of our PTHA to our passionate and supportive racing fans, I’ve had the good fortune to cross paths with an amazing group of people. This track, this job, these people–have been my professional life for a long time and I will miss all of it.”

“The voice of Keith Jones more than any single entity is synonymous with Parx Racing,” said Joe Wilson, Parx Racing’s COO. “He has always called the races with a dignity and professionalism worthy of the sport. It’s hard to imagine someone else calling the Pennsylvania Derby or the Cotillion or even a Tuesday afternoon claiming race.”

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