Sam McKee race call (video) Amazing

[Zippy Chippy]

So my road trip to the big M was a success. I absolutely loved it. Sam McKee even invited my girlfriend and I to watch him call 2 races. Definitely a thrill for me. What a great race caller, and an even better guy. Down to earth, nice, talented guy. The most amazing thing about him calling the races is that he memorizes the horses in the race. Never does he look down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10kDcC0DvMc

[Saratoga_Mike]

So my road trip to the big M was a success. I absolutely loved it. Sam McKee even invited my girlfriend and I to watch him call 2 races. Definitely a thrill for me. What a great race caller, and an even better guy. Down to earth, nice, talented guy. The most amazing thing about him calling the races is that he memorizes the horses in the race. Never does he look down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10kDcC0DvMc

Neat video Zip.

[PaceAdvantage]

That was a very cool video...thanks for putting up the link to that...I'm not a big harness guy by any means, but I've heard enough of his calls to realize that I take his skill and professionalism as a race caller very much for granted, as I never think of him when I think of the very best going today.

Watching that video, I realize this even more, and I will correct this error of mine from here on out... :ThmbUp:

[melman]

Zippy---I also thank you for posting that video. Sam the Man does a great job night in and night out. Zippy see if you can contact Larry Lederman at Freehold Raceway. He may try and outdo Sam. Those two are my favorite harness race callers.

[Zippy Chippy]

Another one. This one guest stars Zippy Chippy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20RDx_-dEGw

[LottaKash]

Hey Zippy, nice videos, thx for sharing them....I am glad that you had a good nite out with SM....

Up until back around 1990 or so I think, Tom Durkin did the calls at M1, and I was highly disappointed at first when he left....He took his famous "and down the stretch they come" with him to do the calls at NYRA....It didn't take long tho, to forget about TD, as SM was a most befitting replacement, as it turns out...I love his calls, and just as much as when he journeys to the Big "Grand-Circuit" races at other historic tracks, in late Summer and early Fall, that feature The Best young Stakes horses in action...

A bit jealous of you last nite, as the Big-M was my home track since it opened, and for many, many years after...

best,

[Zippy Chippy]

Ya the Big M is great. I will be back there soon!

[PaceAdvantage]

"down the stretch they come" is Dave Johnson's signature...I believe you are confusing him with TD.

Both Dave and Tom called for the Meadowlands....

[Saratoga_Mike]

And Tom Durkin is no Dave Johnson.....thank God.

[LottaKash]

"down the stretch they come" is Dave Johnson's signature...I believe you are confusing him with TD.

Both Dave and Tom called for the Meadowlands....

Quite right old Chap....I was thinking something about NYRA at the time, thus the "gaffe"......I knew that I had part of it right in any event...And, at my age that is a victory in and of itself....:jump:

Still, Tom Durkin did give great calls at M1...

Also, often when I am busy doing other things, such as "March Madness", I will often turn the tv sound off and continue to watch the game, and listen only to the unfolding of the race at M1, as called by Sam, and I get quite an accurate picure of the race in my mind, following his informative and lively calls..

dazed and confused in FLA...:cool:

[boomman]

Nice video Zippy! Sam McKee is an excellent race caller, and it was great of him to do this for you. I strongly believe that those of that work in the business can't do enough of this and that giving racing fans as much introduction as we can to the many different aspects of the press box, backside, etc.(and previously unseen spots at the track that the public doesn't usually have access to) can help to create new racing fans and make the track a fun place to visit for our "regulars".;)


Boomer

[Zippy Chippy]

Nice video Zippy! Sam McKee is an excellent race caller, and it was great of him to do this for you. I strongly believe that those of that work in the business can't do enough of this and that giving racing fans as much introduction as we can to the many different aspects of the press box, backside, etc.(and previously unseen spots at the track that the public doesn't usually have access to) can help to create new racing fans and make the track a fun place to visit for our "regulars".;)


Boomer

The best thing about it is that I think he was just as excited meeting us as we were meeting him. He loved meeting people that were into the sport

[Cubbymac26]

that was insane... how he memorizes that is beyond me...

every now and then i try to call a race and im not even close..

whatever he gets paid its not enough,,

[boomman]

that was insane... how he memorizes that is beyond me...

every now and then i try to call a race and im not even close..

whatever he gets paid its not enough,,

Can we hire you as a group to be our "agent"? :D

Boomer

[Zippy Chippy]

Can we hire you as a group to be our "agent"? :D

Boomer

I guess when you are young and you want to do something you can do whatever you want. He was telling me he sent fan letters to Roger Huston when he was a kid and Roger was instrumental in him being a race caller. Also said Roger let him do a race call when he was 14 years old. At some track that is now extinct. Think he said Ladbroke or something in Michigan i think.

[wilderness]

There was an article on Sam and his meeting with Roger in the Aug 1977 USTA Hoof Beats.

The following excerpt from that article:

The pen pals met for the first time a few minutes before post time in the infield at Delaware before the 1975 "Jug." And after Huston left Pompano Park to take The Meadows' job in early 1976, Sam spent five days in the Huston household the following July.

Sam called the qualifiers at The Meadows during that stay to prep for the autumn activity. During that stay he also learned how to memorize a field of horses' names in 30 seconds, and gained tips on how to get the best performance out of a P. A. system.

He was ready for the September Ohio-Pa. event. And with that credit in his back pocket, it was on to Delaware.

"When the 'Jug' people heard that I had arranged for Sam to call the night racing at Ashland Fair the week of Delaware, they asked me if he could handle a race on Wednesday afternoon - the day of the 'Juggette,"' Huston recalled.

[Zippy Chippy]

There was an article on Sam and his meeting with Roger in the Aug 1977 USTA Hoof Beats.

The following excerpt from that article:

The pen pals met for the first time a few minutes before post time in the infield at Delaware before the 1975 "Jug." And after Huston left Pompano Park to take The Meadows' job in early 1976, Sam spent five days in the Huston household the following July.

Sam called the qualifiers at The Meadows during that stay to prep for the autumn activity. During that stay he also learned how to memorize a field of horses' names in 30 seconds, and gained tips on how to get the best performance out of a P. A. system.

He was ready for the September Ohio-Pa. event. And with that credit in his back pocket, it was on to Delaware.

"When the 'Jug' people heard that I had arranged for Sam to call the night racing at Ashland Fair the week of Delaware, they asked me if he could handle a race on Wednesday afternoon - the day of the 'Juggette,"' Huston recalled.

GOOD STUFF

[joanied]

Hey Zippy...thanks for sharing...cool video, great race caller and no doubt you & your lady friend had a fantastic night!!
:) :) :)

[boomman]

Zippy: I can certainly relate to wanting to become a race caller, as I had that desire shortly after I was introduced to the sport at Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska in the late 1970's. I started calling races into a tape recorder on the roof at Turf Paradise in the early 1980's and the late Bob Weems of Turf Paradise, Monmouth Park and Atlantic City Racecourse became a mentor to me, even encouraging me to "stay after" the guys on The Arizona Fair circuit until I finally got my shot. The rest as they say "Is history";)

Although I haven't met Sam, I'm sure many race callers today have a similar story, as I certainly know a few that do............

Boomer

[Tape Reader]

Great call!

I can't say it enough, these Guys are really talented.