SARATOGA SPRINGS— Tom Durkin, the distinguished and prominent voice at the track, is in the midst of his final meet.
From the days of finding his passion for the sport of thoroughbred racing as a young teenager in Chicago, to professionally announcing the likes of Holy Bull at the Travers Stakes, Cigar at the Breeders’ Cup and Rachel Alexandra at the Woodward Stakes, Durkin has made a lasting impact in a career that has taken him above and beyond his wildest dreams.
The esteemed Durkin takes a look back at his career as a racecaller and life with the sport in this week’s Q&A.
Was there a time you remember telling yourself you wanted a career in horse racing or announcing?
I don’t know if I have any moment of epiphany. When I was a kid growing up in Chicago we used to go to the track and I fell in love with the sport at that point. I was totally enamored with the track announcer there. A guy by the name of Phil Georgeff. I started doing Phil Georgeff imitation and I thought, “You know, I’d like to be Phil Georgeff,” so probably when I was around 13 or 14.
You studied theatre at St. Norbert College (Wisconsin). Did that experience help your career?
Absolutely, at many levels. Most importantly, getting up in front of people, speaking and performing. Also, I had a great teacher in college named Kelly Collum. He just drilled into me these three words: energy, energy, energy. That still rattles around in my subconscious all the time and it’s very important to what I do every time I turn on that mic. Also, the creative process. I don’t know if there’s any particular way to describe a creative process because it’s totally subjective and not in any kind of construct. It’s a process that I can’t really explain. In any play, there is plot and narrative. In race calling, what I try to do is introduce plot and narrative. Plot would be, “Rags to Riches is front at the top of the stretch.” If you were to add to that, “Rags to Riches, the first filly in 100 years who could win the Belmont,” that becomes narrative. All race calls have plot and narrative.
What did you take away from your early career, calling races at county fairs in Wisconsin?
Making mistakes and making sure they don’t happen again. That was very important in developing my career. It’s better that you make a mistake at the county fair than at the Saratoga Race Course.
You called the Breeders’ Cup since its inception to 2005 and the Triple Crown through 2010. Do you feel a difference announcing a big stage race as opposed to say today at Saratoga?
Yes. There is no getting around that. The genesis of that is the fact that I’m a fan too. Fans get jacked up for the big races and so do I. It’s the fan in me that has a lot to do with that.
As far as the New York state venues—Aqueduct, Belmont, Saratoga—do you have any favorite aspects of each?
Saratoga, the list is too long. The one thing I like about Saratoga is that when you walk around the place, everybody is smiling (chuckles). You walk around and everyone is happy. The thing about Belmont is that it’s a purist’s delight, the way the track is set up. It’s a place where horses can be tested and luck does not play into it as much. It’s a true classic test. In one word, Belmont is majestic. Aqueduct is underrated. It’s a good place to call races. Of all the places I’ve called races, it probably has the best sightlines.
You’ve been to six countries through the sport of racing (United States, Canada, England, Ireland, France, Austria). Did you ever think this would be something that could take you around the globe?
Not in my wildest imagination. I always kind of had a dream that maybe I could have been a racetrack announcer, but never did I ever dream that my career would take me where it has taken me.
After such a long career, why now? Why did you feel 2014 should be Tom Durkin’s final meet?
I didn’t want to go a year, or one day, longer. I know at some point my skills are going to be diminished. I’m pretty sure I could have done this for a few more years, but I didn’t want to have one day in which I felt I stayed one day too long. Far, far better a year too short.
Is there anything that goes on behind the scenes of a job that many people would consider a dream job?
The only one problem I’ve ever had is stress. Everybody has some sort of stress. I wish it could be stressless, but it’s not, so deal with it Tom, deal with it.
Your voice—the one we hear over the loudspeakers—does that come naturally to you or is it something you really had to work at and develop?
Taking acting and speaking was something that you had to do quite distinctly because on the stage you have no microphone. You have to speak with good pronunciation. It’s not as important now as it used to be because of microphones. But my voice, luckily I was born in the Midwest and I had a bit of a Chicago accent. If you listen to my tapes 25 years ago, my voice was a lot brighter then. But I actually prefer the way it sounds right now. It’s just mellowed out a little bit.
What do you plan to do with your first day off on Labor Day?
I will be doing a meet and greet at the track. I’ll have an autograph and picture site with anybody who would care to stop by.
Three dinner guests all time…
Allen Jerkens, I’ve had dinner with him and he’s a fascinating person. Angelina Jolie. And my mom [Betty].
