Assiniboia Downs track announcer and director of operations Darren Dunn will reach an important milestone Friday night in his race-calling career by calling his 15,000th race.
He’s been calling the races full-time since 1989 when he was 21, save three years in the late 1990’s when he was furthering his administrative career at the Downs and returned to the backup role. The Winnipeg native actually began as the backup in 1985 and called his first race when he was only 17 years old.
“I’m surprised to be still doing it but it’s still fun,” he said. “I’m a race fan first and foremost. I love the animal, I love the unknown before the gate pops open.
“I am also very proud of announcing more races than anyone else at this track since it opened. Calling at least one race every year since 1985 boggles my mind.”
Although he’s regarded as being one of the top race-callers in North America, not all calls have gone smoothly. He recalls the time when he stopped calling a race as the horses crossed the finish line only to realize the race was a long one and the horses had to go around the track one more time.
“My favorite race call was my first Manitoba Derby in 1989. Local connections had not won the race since the mid seventies and when Rough Catch went wire to wire to win the race, the place just exploded. It was actually very hard to hear anything in the stretch drive with the overflow crowd cheering so loud.”
Race call #15,000 is expected to come in the 5th race of an eight-race card. Post time Friday is 7:00 p.m.
Oother Milestones Expected Soon at Addiniboia Dows:
– Jockey Rohan Singh, a three-time leading rider, is close to his 1,000th career win at Assiniboia Downs. He’s now at 991.
– All-time leading trainer Gary Danelson is closing in on 1,100 wins at the local oval. He currently is at 1,091. He’s been training since 1959, the second year of Assiniboia Downs’ operation.
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