Page 10 - The Game June 2006

10 The Game, June 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Born to be a race-caller: Daryl Ezra
By Harlan Abbey
Opening day at Fort Erie was a bit of a disappointment for Daryl Ezra in his debut as the new "voice" of the race track.
A trainer for 11 years (and the only one to have two successive Horse of the Year honorees), Ezra admitted he was hoping that Inspired Ruckus would win the first race of the year so he could -- modestly announce "Daryl Ezra now is Fort Erie's leading trainer" and then, also humbly, declare "Daryl Ezra is now Fort Erie's leading owner."
Alas, that didn't happen.
But after five days, the 41-year-old was able to unveil one of his patented calls from his "encyclopedia of adjectives," his "wowww (stretched out)" call. "That's when the winner puts the field away by about ten lengths at the top of the stretch," he explained. "I'd like it to become well-known, for racing fans to say "The horse got the wowww call." Maybe it'll happen 55 times over the 105 day season."
To say Daryl Ezra was born to be a race track announcer is no cliche. His father, the late Jerry Ezra, named him for the longtime Woodbine and Fort Erie race caller Daryl Wells Sr. His uncles -- Ben, Davie, Abie, and "Pineapple" Abromowitz -- had the concession to sell Daily Racing Forms at Woodbine and he began working there at age 11, as did his brothers Brad and Morrie. And he won a "Call A Race" contest at age 16.
He had a host of "front side" jobs while calling races at minor tracks all over Ontario, including Barrie, Bellevue, Elmira, Kawartha Downs, and Windsor, and the annual steeplechase meet at Geneseo, NY, and at Finger Lakes.
"The closest to a regular stint was five programs a week (two on Sunday) at Windsor, and then Tuesdays and Saturdays at Kawartha and Friday at Quinte Downs
in Belleville," he recalled.
He began training in 1992 and in 2003
he claimed Ashagio on opening day from Don MacRae and joked that the horse's success that year (Horse of the Year, Claimer of the Year, Male Distance Horse of the Year and winner of $128,583 " without running in a stakes") was off MacRae's training. When the horse went downhill in 2005, "My training methods kicked in," he said. Lucky Tec, owned by his brother Brad, was 2004's Horse of the Year, Sprinter of the Year and winner of three stakes.
Ezra still has Ashagio, which he co-owns with groom Evelyn Mercier, and 11-year-old Red Dragon in his six-horse barn, along with Inspired Ruckus, Executive Celtic, Islendingur (who won on the second weekend of racing), and an Afleet's Dancer 2-year-old, Impressive Dancer, "who'll be all right if he runs to his name."
Assistant Kevin Honsberger saddles them while Ezra is in the announcer's booth.
When Islendingur won, many Fort Erie fans complimented Ezra on his dispassion- ate professionalism announcing the race:
"I try not to show any bias -- even unconsciously -- to any horse, which is why I won't even bet on the days I announce. The horses I train and own are just 'another horse' until the race is over.
"I'm not the only racetrack announcer who owns or trains horses, by the way. Marty Adler is an owner-trainer at Windsor and Vic Stauffer in California is an owner.
"The major difference between calling harness and Thoroughbred races mainly is the speed, the faster pace, and of course the varying distances and having three or four horses all in a line, where the trots usually are strung out one behind the other -- anyone could call them then -- until the
quarter pole, then they bunch up.
"The one thing Daryl
Wells Jr. (the Fort's race
caller for 29 years) didn't
tell me is that a glare hits
the track at about 4:30
p.m. and it's like driving a
car on a sunny day. The
reds, orange and yellow
silks all look the same. A
drying-out track with
moisture in the
atmosphere can be harder
too. You wish there was
one gray horse in every
race -- that would be one less you'd have to memorize. But of course if there are three grays in a race... You'd have to hope their silks are different colors.
"When you see the same horses often, you soon learn to know what they look like. So if there are three or four horses in a race you've seen before, you have less to memorize.
"But there's always pressure, you're always challenged. A horse can stumble, the office phone can ring when they turn for home... but after 15 years I still enjoy it. There's a saying 'This is the song, but sing it your way.'"
Ezra says he has collected his adjectives from hockey, other sports and news announcers and writes them down and reads them over. He's not looking for humor, but to be a professional, with some distinction. So he calls Francine Villeneuve "The Queen of Fort Erie," and Christopher Robinson becomes "K-Rob," Mike Quong becomes "King Quong, and its "Shem" lin Montoute and "Sweet Marie" Richards. And the names and phrases don't apply only to the jockeys. When the horse Peek N Seek took the lead in a race, Ezra wondered aloud "He can run, but can he
hide?" and 13-year-old Major Zee is "the senior citizen."
"Be informative, be entertaining but above all be accurate," Ezra. "For instance, I don't use the phrase 'They're at the post,' because while in the old days there was a 'starting post' now there's a starting gate. So I say 'They're in the gate.'"
Red Dragon and trainer and Fort Erie track announcer, Daryl Ezra
20 Cent Superfecta at Fort Erie
Fort Erie Racetrack introduced the 20 cent superfecta in May after the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency granted the racetrack permission for the inexpensive exotic wager.
The 20 cent wager is available at the track’s self-serve terminals and in Canadian funds only. The wager will be offered on two races during an eight card day and three races during a ten card day.
Red Oak Training Centre
• Consideration given to Multiple Bookings
• Customized Programs • Trainer Les Baker -
Over 40 Years of Experience
Located One Hour from Woodbine
Call Today for More Information
905-473-6584
Training Rate $40/day Lay-Up Rate $20/day
P.J. (BOSCO) BUTTIGIEG
Thoroughbred Trainer with 40+ years Thoroughbred Racing Experience
Accepting New Clients
for 2006 Racing Season at Woodbine
705-770-4524
Track Record Holder - Retired
Ten-year-old track record holder (Fort Erie 5/8 turf 2002) Oh Mar, was retired in 2005 and has since been retrained as a stable pony for trainer Campbell Wilson. Campbell’s wife Melanie has been riding Oh Mar as a pony since April and says that although he was a little aggressive at first, he has settled in now.
“He’s amazing. He deserves a good retirement.” said Melanie, “and Campbell loves him.”
Oh Mar retired with a race record of 13-15-8 and $221,163 in 69 career starts.
Oh Mar and Melanie Wilson
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