Mirahmadi: The Announcer With 23 Voices
Apr 16, 2014 15:21:32 GMT -5
Post by cait on Apr 16, 2014 15:21:32 GMT -5
good caller - hey wiz - 3rd from last ? - the reason you'd like pimlico lol
The Announcer With 23 Voices
by Natalie Voss
PR
Frank Mirahmadi has worked as an announcer at tracks across the country, including the Northern California fair circuit and Oaklawn Park. Mirahmadi began calling races at Hollywood Park in 1992. He also serves as an occasional racing analyst for TVG, and has appeared in a number of racing films, including ‘Seabiscuit,’ where he was the track announcer for races set at Santa Anita Park.
What’s the most unusual or difficult race call you’ve ever done?
It had to be the Hasta La Vista Handicap in 2009 at Turf Paradise. I called the race in 23 different voices. It was the last race I ever called at Turf Paradise. I put in as many voices as I possibly could, and paid tribute to the late Turf Paradise announcer, Luke Kruytbosch.
You do quite a range of impressions. What are some of the most popular?
I think my best impression is that of sports announcer Marv Albert. The most popular is Rodney Dangerfield. And then in the racing industry, by far is D. Wayne Lukas. I do all the racing announcers as well, and my best is Trevor Denman for sure.
How do you prepare for a race?
Like most announcers, I look at the horses for about five to six minutes after they come out onto the track. I don’t prepare beforehand. I color the silks into my program, and that really helps the memorization process. That’s about what it takes—I’d say about five minutes.
What makes for a difficult day at work?
There are very few days over my whole career that I didn’t enjoy my work, which is awesome. To me, misidentification creates an enormous amount of stress. Announcers are their own worst critics, and I’m extremely critical, especially if I make a mistake, I’m just really not happy about that. I probably take it too seriously, but you have to. It really is stressful, especially at a place like Oaklawn. You know so many people are watching and tuned in, that you always want to be at the top of your game and it’s not always going to work out that way.
What do you do when you’re not at the track?
I spend a lot of time doing work for TVG, selling ads for them. I’m always working. I’ve never really had a lot of interests, so therefore I’m so thankful to be able to work in an industry that I love so much. As a youngster, all I ever really wanted to do was to go to the track. It’s incredible that I get to do that now.
What’s on your bucket list?
I need to travel more. One of my goals right now is to start visiting other racetracks that I haven’t been to, and there are many of them, particularly on the East Coast. I’d like to take some time and make the theme of that travel visiting tracks. I’ve met a lot of fans who express how much they enjoy going to new tracks, and I just haven’t done enough of that. I’ve never been to Belmont Park, I’ve never been to Aqueduct—that’s inexcusable.
What was the last thing you Googled?
Tony Danza, because of the Arkansas Derby.
What’s the best racetrack meal in America?
Cardinali Pizza at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton. They were also at Barretts. I was very impressed with the pizza at Pimlico last year, too. I’m a pizzaholic.
Is technology your friend or your enemy?
Bitter enemy. I have no clue how to use those things. I really don’t. I have a new car I just bought, where you can set it up to tell you what songs are playing, and I have no idea how to handle any of that. I can open a browser, that’s about it.
What’s the best advice you ever received?
To always pursue your dreams. That’s the best advice. I would tell anybody the same thing. That’s what I was told to do at a time where I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I’m so glad that I did. Sometimes it’s difficult to imagine what can happen if you pursue something, but you have to just keep going after it.
The Announcer With 23 Voices
by Natalie Voss
PR
Frank Mirahmadi has worked as an announcer at tracks across the country, including the Northern California fair circuit and Oaklawn Park. Mirahmadi began calling races at Hollywood Park in 1992. He also serves as an occasional racing analyst for TVG, and has appeared in a number of racing films, including ‘Seabiscuit,’ where he was the track announcer for races set at Santa Anita Park.
What’s the most unusual or difficult race call you’ve ever done?
It had to be the Hasta La Vista Handicap in 2009 at Turf Paradise. I called the race in 23 different voices. It was the last race I ever called at Turf Paradise. I put in as many voices as I possibly could, and paid tribute to the late Turf Paradise announcer, Luke Kruytbosch.
You do quite a range of impressions. What are some of the most popular?
I think my best impression is that of sports announcer Marv Albert. The most popular is Rodney Dangerfield. And then in the racing industry, by far is D. Wayne Lukas. I do all the racing announcers as well, and my best is Trevor Denman for sure.
How do you prepare for a race?
Like most announcers, I look at the horses for about five to six minutes after they come out onto the track. I don’t prepare beforehand. I color the silks into my program, and that really helps the memorization process. That’s about what it takes—I’d say about five minutes.
What makes for a difficult day at work?
There are very few days over my whole career that I didn’t enjoy my work, which is awesome. To me, misidentification creates an enormous amount of stress. Announcers are their own worst critics, and I’m extremely critical, especially if I make a mistake, I’m just really not happy about that. I probably take it too seriously, but you have to. It really is stressful, especially at a place like Oaklawn. You know so many people are watching and tuned in, that you always want to be at the top of your game and it’s not always going to work out that way.
What do you do when you’re not at the track?
I spend a lot of time doing work for TVG, selling ads for them. I’m always working. I’ve never really had a lot of interests, so therefore I’m so thankful to be able to work in an industry that I love so much. As a youngster, all I ever really wanted to do was to go to the track. It’s incredible that I get to do that now.
What’s on your bucket list?
I need to travel more. One of my goals right now is to start visiting other racetracks that I haven’t been to, and there are many of them, particularly on the East Coast. I’d like to take some time and make the theme of that travel visiting tracks. I’ve met a lot of fans who express how much they enjoy going to new tracks, and I just haven’t done enough of that. I’ve never been to Belmont Park, I’ve never been to Aqueduct—that’s inexcusable.
What was the last thing you Googled?
Tony Danza, because of the Arkansas Derby.
What’s the best racetrack meal in America?
Cardinali Pizza at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton. They were also at Barretts. I was very impressed with the pizza at Pimlico last year, too. I’m a pizzaholic.
Is technology your friend or your enemy?
Bitter enemy. I have no clue how to use those things. I really don’t. I have a new car I just bought, where you can set it up to tell you what songs are playing, and I have no idea how to handle any of that. I can open a browser, that’s about it.
What’s the best advice you ever received?
To always pursue your dreams. That’s the best advice. I would tell anybody the same thing. That’s what I was told to do at a time where I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I’m so glad that I did. Sometimes it’s difficult to imagine what can happen if you pursue something, but you have to just keep going after it.
