“The horse that changed my life would have to be American Pharoah. He gave me the opportunity to call the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. It happened 30 years and one day after my first ever race call at age 18 at Bowie Race Course in Maryland.
My fondest memory of him away from the racetrack was only a few yards away. It was the morning before the Travers at Saratoga. He just had galloped over the track in front of more than 15,000 people. When it was over I went back to the barn and after he cooled out, Bob Baffert handed me his lead and let me hold the Triple Crown winner in front of a sea of photographers, while his wife Jill snapped photos on my iPhone. It was the thrill of a lifetime. Despite his incredible ability on the track, he was and is so kind to people and was perfectly happy to hang out with me for a few minutes.
When I think of him, the first thing that comes to mind was the euphoria he brought me and racing fans all over the world on that day at Belmont Park. It was a moment the people who were lucky enough to be in attendance, and those who watched on TV, will never forget.”
By Larry Collmus, for Ontario Racing
(C) Ontario Racing 2016. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without permission.
More For The Love of Racing