Really?..Ok I had no idea. So it's a track thing. Not the phrase of an individual announcer....Thanks

Maybe it's just a French thing. Perhaps Chamberlain will be allowed to start each race with his own French phrase.

Actually, guys, I will be saying "Ils Son Partis" for the 1st race every night at Evangeline Downs and then my usual "They Are Off". I think it's important to still honor the track's tradition and then do my own thing. Tomorrow is Opening Night and I am excited to get started in a new place.

I'm really having a tough time remembering to switch back to the live feed when I'm doing something else without "set for the start!" to alert me to the situation.

Good luck and enjoy! Its exciting whenever one is beginning "their new gig".

Welcome to Pace Advantage.:)

I always listened intently to what the EVD track announcers were saying and could never figure it out. I now know it is "Ils Son Partis" and what it means, the internet can be a wonderful thing.

Not wanting to start another thread is there a place to find track announcer history by track, my searches yield nothing. I am curious who the track announcer was at Los Alamitos in the late 70's and early 80's use to say "Their running" when the gates opened.

Also who was Dave Johnson's back up during that same period at Santa Anita.

"Ils Son Partis" = They are gone, in this case they are off.

I'm going to guess it was either Joe Alto or Roy Shudt, but those two were harness racing announcers at Los Al.......Ed Burgart has been the Q&T-bred announcer since 1981.

It wasn't Joe "There'ye coming home now" Alto, true he did the harness races at Los Alamitos and harness racing at Los Alamitos didn't start till they stopped pacing at Hollywood park in the early 80's. I know it wasn't Alto's voice.
This guy was just before Burgart, I can only say he went back to at least 1975 when I first went to Los Alamitos with my step-dad.

Bobby Doyle

Thanks Vic as you answered my question, my first interaction with a track announcer since I said hi to Trevor Denman on the way to buy a beer at the top of the Fairplex grandstands around 20 years ago. I am in poor health and starting to assemble a bucket list, would really like to hear Bobby Doyle say "Their running" one last time. I am having no luck searching You Tube. Once again you need to get back on the mic preferably at a track that favors speed.

Bobby has long since passed. RIP. Thanks for saying you'd like to see me back on the mic.

Curious though. Why must the track favor speed?

Whatever happened to Phil Salzman who used to call the Calder races? A very underrated announcer.

I agree, loved Phil as an announcer.

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Sorry to be self centered but I have a system that can pick front runners with reliability, and even though I have loved horse racing for over 40 years I enjoy it much more when I cash tickets.