Trevor Denman Took a Risk

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

dan — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:30:30 GMT

Being a "cred" photographer and shooting that race was GREAT. But I disagree about the announcing. Nothing about "Zen", but one has to call the race as it is---not what one hopes it to be. Just like this year when it was "Zenyatta" is 17 lenghts from the front". Others are concerned about their horse also, we call this a "BIAS" or "HOMER". I like "Zen", but that is not how a race should be called...sorry, poor article, very, very poor...

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

sweet terchi — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:46:58 GMT

Thanks for the article Becky, you made me laugh. I also heard a bunch of garble and only had ears for Zenyatta!

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Rachel — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:38:52 GMT

i think trevor did an amazing job! I hope zenyatta gets HOY

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

LAZMANNICK — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:31:18 GMT

Who Zenyatta beat was tons better than anything Rachel beat this year.......And even though many fillies/mares have beaten males in the big races on turf, it is much rarer or maybe more difficult to do on dirt (or maybe I should say non-turf).

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Smarie — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:32:03 GMT

I think racetrack announcers have been focusing on Zenyatta for most of the year. How can you not? I don't remember even watching the other horses during the BC Classic. My eyes were glued to Zenyatta and so were most people's I think. Even Bob Baffert's. Trevor was as caught up in the magic of Zenyatta as anyone else. I am amazed that he could even concentrate on the race as it unfolded up front. It isn't often that we are treated to something like this and it may be a long time before it ever happens again. Zenyatta is more than Horse Of The Year - she goes beyond superlatives.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

TexSpect — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:05:22 GMT

It seems these blogs are always more emotional rather than horse facts. The reason Trevoe keeps emphasizing Z was last was because of the pace of the race. It would seem that she would have to be closer than usual against this field. Zenyatta, if you notice her always checks out the horses she is racing against. Other horses may look around at the crowd when racing, but Z checks out her competition. Look for yourself.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Judy from Burbank CA — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:29:27 GMT

The only thing that annoys me is Trevor's accent when the horse's name ends with an 'A'. He doesn't always pronounce Zenyatt-ahhhhhhh, he ends it with "eeeer". Please say "ahhhhhhhhh" Trevor!

As for the BC Classic - I only had eyes for Queen Zenyatta. I couldn't hear the call of the race because of the cheers, but that's okay! I witnessed GREATNESS and HISTORY!

:-)

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

buckpasser — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:46:27 GMT

Zenyatta's run and the 'call for the ages' swept me up, in excitement for days and then I began to think that Goldikova does this with some regularity,ie. beat the 'best' of the Euro turf males. Those of you who know the Euro's better than I can attest, are there not several other Euro mares that have beaten males and 2 BC Turf Miles, like Miesque? Perhaps, a second thought of tempered reality should be considered, after all Gio Ponti ok, no QR, no RvW, bad foot and washy, two moulted birds, 'ol Einstein, who did she Zenyatta really beat?

A lovely race and a great 'stage presence' call, love Zenyatta but it is relative, isn't it. She deserves better than Zensational, surely...

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Joani — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:02:59 GMT

1st off, I love Trevor Denman! He is great and so is Tom Durkin. As far as calling Zenyatta last..she has never come out of the gate so slowly and usually drops back to last rather than coming out of the gate last. Besides she WAS the one everybody was there to see. Could she or couldn't she was the big question. I never doubted she could, having watched her throughout her racing career. Being a sensible mare, she has never done more than she had to to win. And if you would please recall, she did run on the dirt, beat the 2007 Eclipse Award Champion Best Older mare and Breeders Cup Distaff winner Ginger Punch..ON DIRT. This year she not only beat the Ladies Classic winner 3 times, she beat the best the world had to offer. I felt she should have had HOY last year, she deserves it this year. Sure I love Rachel too, but she has only beaten mostly what I consider B grade horses and I don't really care to see a horse humiliating her rivals when there is no cause for it. Lastly I would like to add that she was what I call gutted in that Woodward, and I have yet to see if she comes back the same racehorse that she was.As far as her owner not wanting to run her on synthetics, was a good excuse only in my mind since she had won easily on a synthetic track already. They just won't admit they bottomed her out in the Woodward. I only hope all that beating down the stretch didn't ruin her forever. Time will tell. She had plenty of time to be ready for the Breeders Cup..maybe they don't want to run against the BIG Z to find out. Another point to keep in mind is the 129 pounds That Big Z was weighted with in one of her races..and she still won. Rachel carried a lot less against the boys and equal weight with the girls. Actually I was hoping the two would show up at Belmont..don't ya just know how Big Z would have loved that 1/4 mile stretch???!!!!

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

LAZMANNICK — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:39:43 GMT

GreyK

If you only heard the buzz and not Trevor's call, it sounds like you were there. Hope you had a good one.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

el — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:11:41 GMT

Too bad none of the other champions mattered in the race except one. And how can we ever forget the huge letdown after Big Brown's loss when the media got us all hyped up for weeks. Yeah, great job, guys.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Becky Johnston — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:05:38 GMT

In regards to Trevor calling Zenyatta "dead" last. I've seen all 14 of her races including the first one 11/22/07 as it happened. I have never seen her look more "dead" last than when she broke from the gate on this day. When Mike had to jerk on her to get her on the correct lead, I thought maybe not today. She didn't just look last, she looked just like Trevor called it, dead last.

I actually thought she spotted the guy laying on the turf course too.

I understood what he meant.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Winner — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:21:40 GMT

lexxi123, Rachel ran faster than Ruffian in the mother Goose, and won it by more UNDER RAPS!!!Let's NEVER include Zenyatta in the same breath as Personal Ensign or Ruffian.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Winner — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:17:26 GMT

Rachel Rules!!!!!

How did Zenyatta win the Breeders cup easy Mike Smith even said in one interview that as they passed the grandstand she slowed down and he had to ask her to dig in. For all of you who say that rachel has never won over the classic distance, but Zenyatta hadn't run at it till Saturday. Also if you fault Rachel for only winning by a head to macho again lets see Zenyatta sprint a mile and 1/8th and win. Plus Zenyatta has won by less than a head against horses who should be running in allowance races.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Lost in the Fog — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:43:44 GMT

Vic Stauffer is my favorite announcer. He is just so enthusiastic and gets the whole crowd going. I've always been disappointed that he never got to call the BC. I think that he would be great!

Also, Tom Durkin used the unbelievable phrase just after Rachel won the Oaks by 20 lengths. I think Trevor may have gotten the idea from that.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

The Rock — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:20:12 GMT

Eric,

Tony Calo? Really? Yikes!! Timeout for you! lol jk. I grew up hearing that guy come up through the ranks after Paul Allen left for Minnesota from the Bay Area. Thank goodness Michael Wrona replaced him in the Bay. I couldn't stand another one of those "And there they go/Here they come"

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

lexxi123 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:43:44 GMT

Lets NEVER include Rachael Alexander in the same breath as Ruffian or Personal Ensign.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

GreyK — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:34:14 GMT

Lazmannick, I think you need to read all the posts before singling out Sunday Silence for censure. And I'm not just saying that because I agree with what he said about the choice for HOY. These posts aren't all about the race call, and why do you care if they are? And now to fit your rigid definition of a "proper" post: I like Denman well enough, although he seems to miss a lot that changes in the final furlongs, but I didn't even hear the race call except as a small buzzing noise. I only saw Zenyatta flowing like a mighty river. One of the best races ever. Maybe the race of the year. But not all there was this year. Oops, there I go again, wrong-blogging.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

michellllp — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:17:33 GMT

I would love to here Sam McKee call the BC races sometime. www.oddsonracing.com/.../SamMcKeeNov04.cfm

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Matthew — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:09:40 GMT

Hey guys, about Trevor Denman talked about the fact that he was leaving Santa Anita, the truth is that he was just kidding. What he meant by saying " I am not the best man" which means he will stay and he is not leaving Santa Anita. If you guys did not know it was a joke, stop saying that he is leaving Santa Anita, he is not, he is still the track announcer from Santa Anita. Please!

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

MDFANOFRACING — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:44:26 GMT

Sainbury, I read the article before I came in here to check recent posts and I agree, the lunge whip was unessesary. However at that point they had tried several times to get him in the gate where all the other horses were waiting. QR's behavior outside the gate was having a very negative effect on the other horses, making it necessary to eventually backed them all out. QR is a RACEHORSE and as such should have had enough gate training that the starter would be aware of his dislike for the gate or that he required special handling. Possible loading him last, which I believe was the case, or leaving the front portion of the gate open until he was safely inside.

Quality Road's antics took place on the racings largest stage with millions of people watching and I would hazard a guess that most of them saw what I saw, which was a fiasco anyway you look at it. The horse and the assistant starters are EXTREMELY lucky to be in one piece.

Lets hope that when QR gets back to New York and has healed from his injuries, they give him some intensive gate training so that he can show the world what he is really capable of on the track, because he cannot race if he cant get in the gate.

My own horse was a tough loader. Your right in some cases it only requires patiance, but each horse is different. Some of them you just have to manhandle to get them in the trailer. Usually these are the ones that have not had proper training.

When I first picked up my colt, he was having none of it and we had to load his dam in first, then he went right in. He was very unhappy when we took mommy off but he never once bucked, kicked or reared up. I have spent weeks loading him & unloading him, not because I plan on trailering him but so he knows what is expected of him and his attitude has improved dramatically. I am sure we could argue this subject till the cows come home, but I still think Quality Road should have known what was expected of him.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Horseman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:25:45 GMT

Also the NTRA should require that any blindfold placed on a horse for loading into the starting gate have a lanyard so that it could be removed immediatly if the horse breaks free. If Quality Road had broken free with the blindfold it would have been a disaster.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

mthbwu — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:16:07 GMT

Trevor called a great race, he was prepared as durkin always is for the big one. Durkin remains the best in my book as I always criticize Trevor for lack of fraction calling. Yes Durkin had a rough Derby, and rebounded during the summer.

Trevor has had a few rough cup calls as well but rebounded big time for Zenyatta.

Durkin will always be tied to Cigar, and trevor to Zenyatta.

Kudos to the two best announcers in our lifetime. Thank you tom and trevor.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Horseman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:51:55 GMT

Those guys laoding Quality Road should never be allowed a starting gate, never! What a pitiful display of incometence. A national television audience witnessed this travasty. Santa Anita, NTRA, and all concerned cannot allow this to be neglected. Godspeed to Quality Road and his connections.

re: Trevor Denman Took a Risk

Jock_Talk — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:45:00 GMT

Please bring back Tom Durkin! I can not handle another year of Denmin and his repetitive calls. I have not had a memorable memory of a Breeders Cup race in the last 3 years thanks to Denmin. They get lost in the shuffle because none of them are unique. Somebody do something! Bring back the Breeders Cup I used to love.