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NYRA Announcer John Imbriale Announces Retirement

Track announcer John Imbriale has announced that he will retire following a 44-year career with the New York Racing Association.

Imbriale's tenure with NYRA dates to 1979 when he won a New York Daily News contest, giving him the opportunity to call a race and work with the NYRA press office. In 1990, the Queens, New York native became Tom Durkin's backup and along the way, took on other responsibilities at NYRA by working with Harvey Pack on the Inside Racing program, and in a variety of roles within NYRA TV.

“When I think about all the things that I was fortunate to do at NYRA, the best part was being able to work with a lot of talented, wonderful people, from Harvey Pack and Charlsie Cantey to Tom Durkin and all the behind-the-scenes people in NYRA TV, simulcasting and the press office,” said Imbriale.

In January of 2020, Imbriale took over as NYRA's full-time track announcer, joining former New York race callers that include Durkin, Marshall Cassidy, Dave Johnson, Chic Anderson and Fred “Cappy” Capossela.

He said, “When I walked into the booth at Saratoga for the first time after taking over as the full-time announcer in 2020, I literally got goose bumps thinking of those who had gone before me, greats like Fred Capossela, Marshall Cassidy, Chic Anderson, Dave Johnson and Tom. I got to do just about everything I wanted to do at NYRA. That's how fortunate I was. I really feel that way.”

In 2023, Imbriale transitioned from full time to seasonal duties as the primary announcer at Belmont Park and the Belmont at the Big A fall meet. Imbriale handed the Saratoga baton to Frank Mirahmadi, who called his first Saratoga meet in 2023 and will return in 2024.

Chris Griffin, who joined NYRA in 2023 and served as the track announcer for the winter and spring meets at Aqueduct, will expand his role and handle all race calling duties at Aqueduct.

“John's contributions went beyond an unwavering accuracy in calling the races,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke. “He conveyed excitement whether it was a Grade 1 at Saratoga or a mid-week claimer, and in doing so, helped fans learn about and better appreciate thoroughbred racing. John is also one of the true gentlemen of racing and a role model and mentor to a generation of NYRA staff.”

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Sackatoga Stable Hosts Funny Cide’s Saratoga Send Off

Champion and dual classic winner Funny Cide (Distorted Humor), who passed away July 16 at age 23, will have his life and racing achievements celebrated with a Saratoga Send-Off party Aug. 16 at Siro's in Saratoga Springs. The event will be a tribute to “The Gutsy Gelding” who captured the hearts of racing fans and continued to be a fan favorite during his 15-year retirement at Kentucky Horse Park.

Presented by Sackatoga Stable, the evening will feature a tribute video and a panel discussion emceed by Retired Race Caller Tom Durkin who called Funny Cide's wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness S. The panel will also feature commentary by Sackatoga Stable Operating Manager and Funny Cide Owner, Jack Knowlton, Trainer Barclay Tagg, Assistant Trainer Robin Smullen and Hall of Fame Jockey José Santos.

“Funny Cide was really the people's horse,” Jack Knowlton said, “We know his loss is felt by many and we wanted to give his fans a chance to celebrate his life with us. We are grateful to everyone that is helping to make this event a reality and look forward to a night that will do his legacy justice.”

The evening's activities will also feature food including Funny Cide sliders, music by Blue Hand Luke, Funny Cide's trophies from his victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness S. and Jockey Club Gold Cup S. from Kentucky Horse Park and memorabilia from Jack Knowlton's private collection, some of which will be available to take home with a donation.

Tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com. General Admission tickets are $35 and include admission and food. A limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $100 and include admission, food, non-reserved seating, and a commemorative t-shirt.

All proceeds from the evening will be donated to Kentucky Horse Park toward their effort to commission a commemorative statue in honor of Funny Cide.

Doors open at 6pm. Siro's will be donating a portion of the bars' proceeds to Kentucky Horse Park.

Sackatoga Stable is grateful to all the event sponsors: Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Capital OTB, Fasig-Tipton, Finger Lakes Race Track, McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, NYRA, New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Performance Food Group, Pimlico Race Course, Saratoga County Chamber, US Foods and WinStar Farm.

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Tom Durkin Returns to Call the Belmont Stakes on Fox

Tom Durkin will return to the announcers booth to call the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 10, according to a press release from FOX Sports.

In addition to calling the Belmont Stakes, Durkin will announce all races aired during the network's Belmont Stakes Day coverage on FOX–scheduled for 4:00-7:30 p.m. Eastern. FOX Sports presents the Belmont Stakes for the first time in 2023 as part of the agreement establishing the network as the home of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival through 2030.

“This is yet another example of FOX' commitment to producing a dynamic broadcast of the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets,” said NYRA Chief Revenue Officer Tony Allevato. “Tom Durkin's calls are synonymous with the very biggest moments in the sport, and his return to the announcer's booth will be a thrill for sports fans around the country.”

One of the most respected announcers in the sport, Durkin called some 80,000 races during his storied 43-year career, the last 24 years of which he spent as the NYRA announcer before his retirement in 2014.

“The Belmont Stakes has been an iconic part of sports culture for more than 150 years, “said Durkin. “There is nothing like the energy and enthusiasm around Belmont Park with a Triple Crown on the line. It is the apotheosis of excitement.”

“We are honored to have the legendary Tom Durkin return for the Belmont Stakes this year,” said FOX Sports President of Production/Operations and Executive Producer Brad Zager. “When it became official that an iconic piece of the historic Triple Crown would air on FOX, we knew it could only be complete with Tom's voice as the soundtrack.”

Born in Chicago, Durkin studied theatre at St. Norbert College and began calling races at county fairs in Wisconsin in the summer of 1971. In 1975, he moved on to announce at a string of small Midwestern tracks, before landing the job at famed Hialeah Race Course in 1981. Three years later, Durkin became the announcer for the Breeders' Cup, a position he held until 2005, and gained further prominence calling the Triple Crown for a decade beginning in 2001.

“The stretch duel of the 1998 Belmont Stakes remains the most thrilling race I have ever had the privilege to call,” added Durkin. “Those are the kinds of races and individual moments that stay with us forever, and I can't wait to give it another go come June 10.” Victory Gallop got up for a narrow victory to deny Real Quiet the Triple Crown, with Durkin saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words. This photo is worth five million dollars,” referring to what would have been Real Quiet's bonus payout for winning the Triple Crown.

Just prior to his retirement, The New York Times referred to Durkin as “the man widely considered the greatest race caller in the history of thoroughbred racing.” In 2015, Durkin was honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit for a lifetime of outstanding achievement in the sport of thoroughbred racing.

This year's Belmont marks the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's Triple Crown and his track-record setting performance in the Belmont, which he won by 31 lengths.

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ERC Returns for Fourth Season

Officially kicking off its fourth season, the Empire Racing Club (ERC) will offer a reduced membership price of $400 through the official re-launch date of May 1. Membership dues for both new and returning members will be $475 beginning May 2, 2022. Membership is open to both licensed and unlicensed enthusiasts looking to enjoy the social and educational benefits of the Club.

The ERC will once again be managed by famed race-caller Tom Durkin. Training the current roster of runners for the 2022 season are Hall of Famer Mark Casse; two-time Hall of Fame nominee Christophe Clement; and four-time leading trainer in New York, Linda Rice. ERC team runners currently include stakes winner Proven Strategies (Sky Mesa), in addition to Community Adjusted (Summer Front) and Freedomofthepress (Mshawish), who is entered to run at Aqueduct Saturday, Apr. 16.

“AND WE'RE OFF!!!!!!! Once again, the Empire Racing Club is off and running for another new year of New York Thoroughbred racing,” said ERC Managing Partner Tom Durkin. “The Empire Racing Club makes possible to members the thrill of owning a racehorse and being part of the game with a behind the scenes experience. The Club will have a number of runners to follow this year. It's what we call 'action'. See you in the winner's circle!”

Similarly to last season, ERC members receive regular updates about their horses via conference call, email and social media. The Club will offer the opportunity to visit the backstretch for morning training and the paddock when the ERC horses run, and will host dedicated ERC events.

“The new season will continue to feature the ERC Educational ZOOM Series in addition to the popular Race Day Events at NYRA tracks,” said ERC Coordinator Christina Bossinakis. “New for this year, the ERC will craft initiatives to offer interested members the opportunity to dip their toe into various levels of ownership, including the claiming game. Whether the goal is to enjoy the social scene, take advantage of the educational aspects or to gain a stake in the game, there will be something for everyone.”

Spearheaded by the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) in 2019, the ERC is a non-profit organization designed to introduce new fans to racehorse ownership.

For more information, visit www.empireracingclubny.com

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