Congrats to Vic Stauffer for Last Call

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

Jay Hovdey was not a fan


Announcer Vic Stauffer, who to that point had refrained from sloppy sentimentality and presented the card with class, lapsed into a baffling recitation of great horses in Hollywood history midway through the race, even as the earnest dozen runners going for a $50,000 starter-allowance pot were out there putting their lives on the line.

Jay Hovdey loses out for not realizing that there is room in this game even for sappy sentimentality.

Even the most hardened gamblers have realized that this game is about more than just dollars and cents.

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Jay Hovdey loses out for not realizing that there is room in this game even for sappy sentimentality.

Even the most hardened gamblers have realized that this game is about more than just dollars and cents.

He felt "offended" that Vic "offended" the horses who were actually racing on the track in that very race. Of course, never offered an opinion on what SHOULD have been done instead, just a hit piece from a writer who probably has eaten more free doughnuts in American racing press boxes than Dollars hes wagered thru the windows.

[Mineshaft]

Hovdey is a freakin tool


whats his email addy I want to send him a nice email

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Jay Hovdey loses out for not realizing that there is room in this game even for sappy sentimentality.

Even the most hardened gamblers have realized that this game is about more than just dollars and cents.

Agreed.

I had action on the race, and wanted a proper race call.
When they hit the far side, and we got a brief history of some of the greats to come out of the nearby stabling area,
I thought "oh no, this is going to go downhill".

It didn't - the race was called just right.
This was not a normal horse race.
It deserved a special call in addition to following the action.

Vic Stauffer got it just right.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

Thanks to you all for the very kind words.

Tough day yesterday.

The horses put on a GREAT show.

Huge honor to be allowed to report it.

Happy Holidays

VJS

You are right about the horses. No injuries, and they gave you an exciting stretch drive and photo finish in the finale. Couldn't have asked for more.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Jay Hovdey loses out for not realizing that there is room in this game even for sappy sentimentality.

Even the most hardened gamblers have realized that this game is about more than just dollars and cents.

It's a sensitive issue. Obviously, we want race callers calling the races. I laughed at the Conan O'Brien call, for instance, but if you were in the Santa Anita paddock and not near a television screen, you want the announcer to be telling you where your horse is running, not cracking jokes.

One I did not like from way back when was Trevor Denman's call of Shoemaker's last ride. He said "come on Shoe!" in the stretch-- the problem is, there were plenty of people who bet other horses in the race and don't need the announcer rooting for them to lose their money.

But I don't think Vic was over the top yesterday. He called the race. He made sure that he ran down the field all the way through before he started the editorial, and he stopped with the editorial and called the finish straight. I assume that had something important happened in the middle of the race (such as a spill or something) he was ready to bail out of the stuff about Hollywood Park's closing and tell the fans what was happening.

He struck the right balance, and delivered an extremely memorable call. I don't see how he can be criticized.

[hopbet]

I just watched and listen (final at Hollywood Park )> I missed it (live call ) I went to the Lions game . Piggy backing off of Vic's final call. Lions put a RAP ON IT (LOL )

[Knowclew]

Great call Vic.

[098poi]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

Jay Hovdey was not a fan


Announcer Vic Stauffer, who to that point had refrained from sloppy sentimentality and presented the card with class, lapsed into a baffling recitation of great horses in Hollywood history midway through the race, even as the earnest dozen runners going for a $50,000 starter-allowance pot were out there putting their lives on the line.

That sounds like something SRU would say. Wow, as the kids would say, SMH!

[tanner12oz]

This wasn't just another race nor should have it been called like one

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by tanner12oz

This wasn't just another race nor should have it been called like one

I wouldn't go THAT far. There would have been nothing wrong with a straight call either. Or no call at all (which is what Gary Henson did when Longacres closed).

A racetrack PA announcer has a fair amount of discretion. They aren't supposed to do certain things, like openly root, call a jockey a bum, etc. And they are required to do some other things, like announce when the horses are at the gate / a certain number of minutes to post time, and announce scratches and changes. But within those bounds, he or she has a lot of options.

Vic chose a valid option, and he executed it perfectly. But we trust him to make that decision-- if he had gone a different direction, that could have been fine too.

[kinznk]

It was an awesome call. I've listened to it a few times.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

I wouldn't go THAT far. There would have been nothing wrong with a straight call either. Or no call at all (which is what Gary Henson did when Longacres closed).

A racetrack PA announcer has a fair amount of discretion. They aren't supposed to do certain things, like openly root, call a jockey a bum, etc. And they are required to do some other things, like announce when the horses are at the gate / a certain number of minutes to post time, and announce scratches and changes. But within those bounds, he or she has a lot of options.

Vic chose a valid option, and he executed it perfectly. But we trust him to make that decision-- if he had gone a different direction, that could have been fine too.

Now that you mention it...a silent final race might have been more profound.

[Exotic1]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Now that you mention it...a silent final race might have been more profound.

Interesting.

But the people that didn't "hear" it live would look it up on Youtube only to think their audio was broken.

[Exotic1]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

He felt "offended" that Vic "offended" the horses who were actually racing on the track in that very race. Of course, never offered an opinion on what SHOULD have been done instead, just a hit piece from a writer who probably has eaten more free doughnuts in American racing press boxes than Dollars hes wagered thru the windows.

More free doughnuts than dollars wagered, love it.