The legend of Trevor Denman began more than four decades ago in the area behind the top of the stretch at Santa Anita where all the executive offices sit. This unassuming, slightly built 31-year-old from South Africa was able to work his way into the office of Frank (Jimmy) Kilroe, the senior vice president at, arguably, the best horse racing track in the country. Or at least west of the Mississippi.
The request was simple. He wanted to call a race at Santa Anita.
Yes, he had the credentials. He had called races in South Africa for 12 years at three different tracks. He wasn’t asking for much, just a chance.
Kilroe, being the veteran executive he was, did the obvious: He pawned the request onto someone else.
At that time, no one was aware of how big Denman would become in the race-calling world in California and nationally. Or how he would change the face of calling horse races in this country. Denman, 72, announced on Thursday that he is retiring from Del Mar, his final stop in a lifetime devoted to telling people what happens during a race.
Read more: Inside California horse racing’s complex problems that could hurt the sport nationwide
Back to Santa Anita. The task with what to do with this uninvited guest with big ambitions was lateraled to Alan Balch, who, also in his 30s and head of marketing and public relations at Santa Anita, made a decision that would change the face of how races are called in the United States.
“I said, ‘What? This is Santa Anita,’” Balch, currently the executive director of the California Thoroughbred Trainers, recalled when meeting Denman for the first time.
“I would like to call a race,” Denman said.
“This isn’t just any place,” Balch said.
“I know, that’s why I want to call a race at Santa Anita. I call the races in Durbin and it would be an honor if I could call a race here,” Denman retorted.
“We don’t let just anyone call a race here,” Balch said before sending Denman outside his office for a few minutes.
Balch called Bill Kolberg, who was an assistant in the press box who handled notes and quotes. Balch knew Kolberg had just been to Africa and had visited a few race tracks, including Durbin.
“Alan, you’ve got to have this guy,” Kolberg said. “For sure there’s no down side. Let him call a race.”
Balch did and the rest is … well, you know the rest.
The race, the ninth and last on the card, was not easy. It was a 12-horse field, it was raining and the track was sloppy.
Read more: Legendary horse race caller Trevor Denman announces his retirement
Dave Johnson was the regular race caller at the time and he was never adverse to skipping the last race on the card to avoid the traffic to get home.
“Trevor called the race like it was the Epsom Derby,” Balch remembered. “He called every horse a couple of times. The press box, full of the usual cynics, started saying ‘Who is this guy?’ And as we know those guys are not prone to compliment anyone, especially someone brand new.”
After the race, Balch was escorting Denman downstairs and walked past a customer relations booth.
“The woman working it stopped me and asked who was the race caller,” Balch said. “I said, ‘He’s right here.’”
This is where things could go either way especially as the woman held up a stack of customer complaint sheets. Except they weren’t complaints.
“Who is this guy? You have to hire him was what the feedback was all about,” Balch said.
Balch then booked Denman to call the fifth race the next day and suddenly Johnson was heading toward the end of a contract that was not renewed.
Denman called races at Fairplex Park and the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita before assuming the full-time role at Santa Anita in 1984. He later called Hollywood Park and Golden Gate Fields. He kept that role at Santa Anita until 2016 when he reduced his schedule to just call Del Mar. He called every season there, barring the COVID-19 year, until this year.
Denman, somewhat media shy but always friendly, told the Del Mar media relations department: “This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. But my soul is telling me that now is the time.”
Even though Denman had one of the best jobs in racing at Santa Anita and Del Mar, he still had some work to do.
“He had a very strong South African accent,” Balch said. “He would say things like ‘Santer Aniter’ and ‘Bull Shoemaker.’ He knew he had some changes to make. [Director of publicity] Jane [Goldstein] and I called Universal seeking some help.
“Robert Easton, a legendary dialogue coach, had a meeting with Trevor, who was polite but reluctant. The coach asked ‘How do you want him to sound?’”
Within 30 days, Denman sounded just like he did until he retired.
There isn’t a race caller today who hasn’t been influenced by Denman.
“I’m not exaggerating when saying that during my high school years, I would rather listen to Trevor call a race with no video than watch a race with no audio,” said Frank Mirahmadi, who currently calls races at Santa Anita and Saratoga.
Larry Collmus, who will succeed Denman at Del Mar’s summer season, was equally as complimentary.
“Growing up in Maryland I listened to different race callers from around the country,” Collmus said. “I realized he’s different and he’s great. I have completely enjoyed his work over the years.
“The one thing he did that no one before him did is paint a picture of what is going to happen. He could pick up a winner early in the race. He had that horse sense about him and how horses are traveling and what they should have left in the tank. I was amazed by that.”
Collmus, who was also hired by Balch to work Golden Gate Fields, worked part-time with Denman in 1988 in Northern California.
“I learned so much from him,” Collmus said. “He taught me part of his craft and how he picks up those moves in a race.”
Read more: Santa Anita race caller’s dream job turns dark after learning of death threats
Balch, who brushes off hiring two of the game’s best race callers as just part of the job, could not compliment Denman enough.
“Trevor revolutionized American race calling and that’s not an overstatement,” Balch said. “Up until Trevor everyone called the horses in the order with not a lot of foreshadowing.
“Trevor would call the names of jockeys and the lengths from the first to last horse. He paints a picture. You can see the race developing. One of his greatest assets is at the half-mile pole you could tell from the tenor in his voice if he spotted a horse that was up in the bridle had a big chance. That was double-edged sword. Some fans did not like that when he would say ‘The favorite is all through.’”
Denman is noted for several signature phrases, such as “they will need wings to catch him” or “coming like an express train” or “scraping the paint” when a horse was on the rail. But everyone remembers his first words as the horses came out of the gate: “And away they go.”
Santa Anita was legendary for its race callers. Denman was following in the voice-steps of Joe Hernandez, whose signature “There they go,” started every race. Hernandez collapsed while calling a race at Santa Anita after being kicked by a horse earlier in the day across-town at Hollywood Park. He died several days later despite reports that he died while calling a race.
Santa Anita went through a couple of big names in Chic Anderson and Johnson before Denman became the voice of the track.
But there was one thing he needed to do, almost in tribute to Hernandez. He needed a phrase to start the race. Balch discussed it with him and Denman offered up “And away they go.” It was a phrase that he used tens of thousands of times.
Perhaps Denman’s fondness for singling out jockeys comes from his childhood desire to be one. But, he outgrew his dreams but never forgot the men and women riding the horse. He was especially conscious of when jockeys would gently hand-ride a horse to victory.
Collmus, who as the voice of NBC’s Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Breeders’ Cup coverage, is certainly no newcomer to the landscape as Denman was when he assumed the top spot at Santa Anita and Del Mar. He was the voice of New York racing for several years and has spent the last five years calling the fall meeting at Del Mar. He also serves as an analyst for FanDuel TV.
Read more: Will California ever approve Historical Horse Racing machines to help save the sport?
It’s not the first time Collmus has been asked to replace a legend. He succeeded Tom Durkin in 2015 in New York.
“It’s a daunting task that I’m looking forward to again,” Collmus said. “I had to win over the fans at Saratoga and I’m hoping to do the same at Del Mar. “The fall meet is a different atmosphere. I’m looking forward to experience that opening day feeling.
“Trevor would talk about the roar of the crowd when the meeting would start. Durkin would also get the crowd stirred up. Trevor could turn the crowd up to an 11. Hopefully I can engage the crowd and enjoy that opening day roar.”
It may seem strange for Del Mar to have a packed house without Trevor Denman. But, happily ensconced on his 500-acre farm in Minnesota, he will one day grasp the impact he had on horse racing and how he revolutionized the art of race calling.
Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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