Imbriale to Keep Belmont Announcing Duties; Mirahmadi To Take Over at Saratoga, Griffin at Aqueduct

While retaining announcing duties at Belmont Park, John Imbriale will retire as the full-time announcer at the New York Racing Association at the end of 2022, the organization announced Sunday. Frank Mirahmadi will take over the race calling duties at Saratoga Race Course and Chris Griffin will become the primary track announcer at Aqueduct Racetrack beginning in 2023.

Imbriale's 43-year tenure with NYRA dates to 1979 when he won a New York Daily News contest, which gave him the opportunity to call a race and work with the NYRA press office.  He has served as NYRA's full-time track announcer since January 2020.

“NYRA is the pinnacle of this wonderful sport, and these last three years have been filled with incredible moments and races that I will never forget,” said Imbriale. “I'd like to thank the fans at Saratoga for truly embracing me, and I look forward to being in the booth the rest of the year and at Belmont Park moving forward.”

Mirahmadi has been the track announcer at Santa Anita Park since 2018 and Monmouth Park since 2015.

“I felt the history and tradition of Saratoga Race Course the moment I entered the gates for the first time 25 years ago,” said Mirahmadi. “It is a magical place, and I am beyond grateful to follow in the footsteps of John Imbriale next summer at the Spa.”

Griffin has served as track announcer at Parx Racing since 2021. He previously worked as track announcer at Sam Houston Race Park, Gulfstream Park West and Portland Meadows. A native of Santa Monica, California, Griffin was backup announcer to Imbriale at the 2021/22 Aqueduct winter meet.

“Aqueduct Racetrack plays a central role in New York's Thoroughbred racing ecosystem, and it was a privilege to be able to call races there last winter,” said Griffin. “I thank NYRA for this opportunity and can't wait to get back to the Big A to begin this new role.”

The post Imbriale to Keep Belmont Announcing Duties; Mirahmadi To Take Over at Saratoga, Griffin at Aqueduct appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Chris Griffin ‘Humbled’ By Opportunity As New Voice Of Pennsylvania Derby Day

When Keith Jones retired last December, he wrapped up a career that spanned 34 years as a track announcer. His voice became synonymous with racing at Parx after calling over 60,000 races and 32 Pennsylvania Derbies since his first day in the booth at what was then Philadelphia Park in 1987.

Saturday, Chris Griffin will call his first Pennsylvania Derby as the new voice of Parx Racing. He was hired on March 24.

“Trying to replace a legend like Keith Jones and coming here, it's been a seven-year ride for me,” Griffin said. “I have to pinch myself a little bit because I take a look at the rundown of the fields and these are serious racehorses that we have. It takes a lot of memorizing and a lot of studying, and just trying to stay relaxed. With two one-million-dollar races, it's just exciting, and it's a good time to be here.”

“Keith Jones is still texting me and giving me a shout,” he said. “He's like, “are you excited? Are you nervous?” I'm pretty much like all of that Keith. You try to relax the best you can. It's going to feel like a different day no matter what, but were excited. Its big racing, big horses with 13 races on the card. You look at a race like this (Pennsylvania Derby), and these are the best horses in the country, and to be here for these races I'm humbled by it because I get to call the action,” added Griffin.

As a fresh face among those who ply their trade announcing races from atop racetracks in what is considered one of the toughest jobs in racing, the Santa Monica, Calif. native's journey to the booth began far west of Bensalem, Penn.

“I started out at the Humboldt County Fair and got an opportunity there to call races after my stint being the voice of the Harlem Globetrotters,” said Griffin. “Sam Houston was a great experience for me to try and catch some Grade 3 races and try to build up the resume a little bit. Then when this opportunity came up, I got lucky. I popped in and here we are.”

Saturday will be the biggest day of racing at this point in Griffin's young career. The work and preparation that announcers put into a long, stakes filled day can vary depending on the experience as well as the certain challenges that can arise.

“I don't try and change the mechanics too much,” Griffin said. “I think if you start thinking about it a little too much you kind of psyche yourself out a little bit. I looked at the fields, and the two-year-old races are a little tougher because there's first time starters, and you don't really know them.”

“There are silks that I'm familiar with from the local connections, and that'll help me color in the program. I like to color in the program the night before the big race. You pretty much know now who's in what post position and who is where, but the only thing I can't prepare for is what happens during a race. The unexpected can always happen. You have to be prepared for it, but you can't prepare for it … if that makes sense.”

[Story Continues Below]

Griffin went on to say, “We haven't run a ton of mile and an eighth (Pennsylvania Derby distance) races on the main track since I've been here so that will be a little bit different. We definitely didn't have a mile and a half here like the Greenwood Cup, so some of the distances will be a little bit different, but other than that I treat it as another racing day here at Parx. We have a tremendous TV crew and staff and everybody is working hard to put things in place. At that point I want to be done by 9 am on Saturday morning and just jump in the booth and be like alright here we go.”

Racing can be a small world at times, and on Saturday, Griffin and Trainer Doug O'Neill, who will saddle 8-5 morning-line favorite Hot Rod Charlie in the Pennsylvania Derby, share a common bond which began 2,735 miles from Bensalem.

“It's so funny, Doug and I go way back,” said Griffin. “I was probably in my twenties running around and somebody told me that Doug O'Neill went to St. Monica's. I said, 'I went to St. Monica's,' which is a high school in Santa Monica, a private school, maybe six-hundred students or something like that.

“Doug had gone there before me. I went and tapped him on the shoulder, and was like, 'hey Doug O'Neill, I heard you went to St. Monica's, I'm Chris Griffin, I went there.' He was like 'Oh I know you. You were the quarterback with the championship football team.' It was the 1998 season. I graduated in 1999. We won our (California Interscholastic Federation) football championship. He knew all about it.

“Ever since then, we've been connected and when we see each other we say, 'Oh yeah, what's going on with St. Monica's?” said Griffin. “It's just one of those things. We're connected in a weird way for life. It's a cool little back story. It's nice to see him and hang out with him. It's fun to see Doug here on site.”

The post Chris Griffin ‘Humbled’ By Opportunity As New Voice Of Pennsylvania Derby Day appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

NYRA Announcer John Imbriale Tests Positive For COVID, To Miss Start Of Belmont Meet

Patrick McKenna, the senior director of communications for the New York Racing Association, released the following statement to the Paulick Report on Tuesday:

“Following the conclusion of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, NYRA track announcer John Imbriale received a positive COVID-19 test result after experiencing mild symptoms. As a result of the mandatory 10-day isolation period, Imbriale will miss the opening weekend of the fall meet (at Belmont Park) and is scheduled to return on Thursday, Sept. 23.

“In his absence, Frank Mirahmadi will handle the race calling duties on Thursday, September 16. Chris Griffin, who was named the lead race caller at Parx in March, will call Friday-Sunday.

“Imbriale is fully vaccinated, doing well, and looking forward to returning to Belmont next week.”

The post NYRA Announcer John Imbriale Tests Positive For COVID, To Miss Start Of Belmont Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jessica Paquette To Join Parx Broadcast Team On Pennsylvania Derby Day

Racing analyst Jessica Paquette will join the Parx Racing broadcast team on Saturday, Sept. 25 to cover the star-studded Pennsylvania Derby Day card featuring the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) alongside seven additional stakes races on both turf and dirt.

“The Pennsylvania Derby is shaping up to be one of the most exciting races of the year,” said Paquette. “I am thrilled to come on board and can't wait to get to share the experience with fans through a great broadcast and social media.”

Paquette, a native of Massachusetts, recently finished up the summer at Colonial Downs as the paddock host and handicapper. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, she previously has worked as the paddock handicapper at Suffolk Downs and as a racing analyst at Sam Houston. In June, she also took to the announcer's booth for a weekend of Quarter Horse racing at Sam Houston.

Entries will be taken for the Pennsylvania Derby Day card on Monday, Sept. 20.

“Jessica is a star and will be a tremendous addition to our coverage on PA Derby and Cotillion day” said Parx Track Announcer, Chris Griffin.

The post Jessica Paquette To Join Parx Broadcast Team On Pennsylvania Derby Day appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights