Larry Collmus. (Benoit Photo)
Larry Collmus Set To Call 12th Breeders’ Cup On NBC
By Mike Willman
Born Oct. 13, 1966, in Baltimore, MD, Larry Collmus knew what he wanted to be early in life—a racetrack announcer. Calling his first race at age 18 in 1985 at Bowie Racecourse, the then-fledgling Collmus would become Assistant Announcer the following year at four Maryland tracks—Laurel Park, Pimlico, Bowie and Timonium.
In 1987, at age 20, he became America’s youngest full-time announcer at the newly minted Birmingham Turf Club in Birmingham, AL. One year later, he was on the West Coast, plying his trade at Golden Gate Fields and solidifying his well-earned reputation as a man who performed his duties with the clarity and prowess of someone many years his senior.
Having now called races full time at Monmouth Park, Saratoga, Belmont Park, Aqueduct, Gulfstream Park, Del Mar and for the first time, the Dubai World Cup this past March, Collmus approaches the 40th annual Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita on Friday and Saturday as NBC’s Voice of both the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the past 13 years.
With Santa Anita set to host racing’s Super Bowl for a record 11th time, we caught up with Larry on Wednesday during morning workouts.
Q. How different is your approach to the two-day Breeders’ Cup as opposed to working as an everyday announcer?
A. It’s incredibly different because you need to know all these horses and all of these races and you need to know them like the back of your hand. For the Kentucky Derby, it’s one race. And I put in as much effort for the Derby as I do for these Breeders’ Cup races, but you have to do it 14 times. I make flash cards, and I just keep putting them in front of me with the silks of all the horses and I just try to remember, remember, remember and get those names in my head.
Q. Operationally, how does working at Santa Anita compare to some of the many venues you’ve worked at around the U.S. and around the world?
A. The view I have is pretty good here at Santa Anita. I have a smaller room right next to the Announcer’s Booth and it gives me the opportunity to have an angle close to the finish line and you can’t beat the background when you’re looking out at the mountains and the beauty of this place. There are so many different places around the country where I’ve called races and Santa Anita is definitely one of my favorites.
Q. Larry, fans should know that when the Breeders’ Cup wraps up on Sunday, you’re not going too far away, as you’ll again be the full-time announcer at Del Mar beginning next Friday for their Bing Crosby Meet.
A. I’m looking forward to that for sure. As soon as the races are over Saturday, I’m going to take a plane back home to New Jersey, do my laundry for a couple days and then turn around and go right back to Del Mar. I can’t wait to be back there for the fall.
