Kurt Becker, Keeneland’s renowned track announcer, recently took time out of his schedule to speak to my alma mater’s Horse Racing Club. Being immersed in a non-racing job since finishing my BloodHorse internship, it was good to be surrounded by people with similar interests again. It was even better to hear Becker speak of his life and career, though it seemed out of place at first to hear him speaking when a race wasn’t being called!

He told us about the beginning of becoming Keeneland’s first track announcer in 1997 and how they wanted a voice that wasn’t heard everywhere. Becker grew up with a father who was a track announcer, mainly for harness racing, and had called races himself starting in his teen years, so he was well-suited to take the role of track announcer for Keeneland, and to become the voice that is synonmous with it.

He told us how he prepares in the five minutes before the race to memorize silks and pair them up with horse names, and tough race calls he’s had, including one where he wasn’t able to identify a horse whose silks had become covered in dirt and rendered practially unidentifiable, meaning the only time her name was mentioned was right when she hit the wire. But “missteps” like those seem to be few and far between. Astounding to me is that a track announcer can memorize silks and names in such a short span of time and then routinely call them accurately, up to 10 times a day. Sure, it’s his career, but still seems astounding. Becker did admit he still feels pressure each race day but like any top professional, it doesn’t show outwardly, at least to my ears.

He also mentioned he announces at the Keeneland sales, broadcasts for Horse Racing Radio Network, and announces for NASCAR, as well as going back home to Illinois occasionally and calling the county fair races. I know Keeneland only races six weeks a year, roughly, and that does leave a lot of time to pursue other occupational endeavors, but I never knew he is involved in so many other roles. It is always interesting to hear the path someone has taken through the horse industry and the calling they have, especially when someone presents it in an entertaining and relevant way like Becker did.

All the while, his love of the sport and the horse shone through, like when he felt compelled to go to the horse whose name he had called only on the wire of her winning effort. She was up for auction at Keeneland, and he said he does believe animals understand us. I agree – while the words may not mean a lot to them, intent and tone can. He apologized to her for calling her name only once during the race, and wished her well going forward. Other people may have thought him crazy, as he was told that day, but regard for the horses who drive this sport can’t be underestimated.

He also spoke about getting bitten by the bug when he watched Karen’s Look win a race almost every year for six years at the local county fair, which he talked about in greater depth on the website This is Horse Racing, in a series they run called “The Horse Who Changed Everything.”

He also talked about calling Pharoah’s last race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic last fall, and how that was the only race he ever scripted. He did that knowing it was the horse’s swan song, and that by then people knew how great he was, making his victory a likely outcome. He wanted to honor all that Pharoah had been to the sport and incorporated “Grand Slam” and even a bit of Keeneland’s manifesto when they began racing as reminded by racing journalist Bill Mooney. He wrapped up the race call of Pharoah’s final victory by resoundingly describing him as an “everlasting credit to the sport.” Indeed, he was, and how lucky we all were to see him.

Becker also said seeing the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland and the throngs of people that were gathered around the rail four and five deep was like the old days as seen in photos. History and the new seem to always juxtapose at Keeneland like that, in a unique blend that always strikes me, one of timelessness and also innovation.

Becker also spoke of people who helped guide his career to what it is today, from his father to a speech teacher, and of his observations of people and horses in the sport. It was great to hear the stories of his life and career beyond the announcing of races. He absolutely is a great speaker both in and out of the announcer booth, and I do hope one day his schedule allows him to write a book about his life and career.

A perfect autumn Saturday, as Oct. 15 was, couldn’t have been spent in a better way than at Keeneland, I realized as I went outside during work on my lunch break that day and then later found it good for my soul to be out in the sun and near horses.

I was there for the feature, the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on the turf. I came to see Catch a Glimpse, whose chestnut coat caught the sun and almost reflected it back. But after setting the pace early, the finish and the win belonged to Time and Motion.

As I drove away from the track once the card ended, I was thinking how Keeneland has gone on for generations of horsemen and patrons, fans and bettors, and will after I’m gone too. This was not a morbid thought, it was more along the lines of being grateful that I got to be part of it all as many before me were and many after me will be.

Later, I read that this was actually the anniversary of Keeneland’s first day of racing, on Oct. 15, 1936, and it made it seem even more fortuitous that I had taken part of the afternoon off work to be present, and even the feeling that came over me as I left of being grateful to be part of it all.

A horse named Time and Motion winning that day’s feature also seemed fitting – the blur of speed, the rhythm of the race day, and the time and history that encompasses it all through the decades.

Keeneland also tweeted a photo of two men presenting the trophy for the first race ever held there. They were dressed formally and didn’t smile, which was probably common for the era and the occasion.

Yet I still wondered if they, a century ago, were as glad to be there as I was today? Whoever they were, did they realize they were helping usher in the start of a truly grand stage for racing? Some part of me thinks they must have, there at the beginning for a track built out of the passion for the horse and the sport in a region where so many greats are bred and raced. All of this was going on in a country still trying to find its footing after the Great Depression, but that didn’t stop the people who envisioned Keeneland and “racing as it was meant to be,” a tradition that continues to this day.

I read recently in the Paulick Report about how tracks launched in the 1980s fared, especially finding it of interest that Canterbury Park had a formula that focused more on hopefully creating a lifelong interest in racing among attendees, rather than primarily or solely attracting bettors.

According to the article, the track was “one of the first to innovate now-common approaches to bringing young people and families to the races – petting zoos, pony rides, fireworks, concerts…”

I believe that can be key to drawing people in, particularly those who may never have thought that they were interested in racing. Get them in the door, and then let them see the sport and be drawn in by the beauty of the horses, their athleticism, the pageantry of a day at the races, and an all-around fun day that includes but is not strictly limited to racing.

I also read this article with interest because it reminded me of the day of racing the Curragh provided on day 2 of Irish Champions Weekend on Sept. 11 this year.

Admittedly, the Curragh has a greater history of racing than Canterbury Park. But its premise to Canterbury’s formula that day was similar.

As much as I attended for the racing, making sure my visit to Ireland coincided with that weekend of championship racing and the beach racing at Laytown a few days later, I also greatly enjoyed the Curragh’s partnership with Moyglare Stud.

Moyglare Stud provided free chocolates, ice cream, cotton candy, drinks – soda, water, espressos- and popcorn. They also set up kids’ activities – a carousel, ponies to pet, equicizers and jockey silks to dress in. All of this greatly enhanced the day’s experience and made the day feel extra special. It gave it a bit of a carnival feel and made it an even more memorable occasion. I especially appreciate when horse farms take time to reach out to the next generation or make visitors feel especially welcome. The reception received lingers in the mind, as Moyglare Stud’s generosity that day lingers in mine. And a favorable impression can not only bring people back to the track again and again, it just may mean that one child or young adult there that day remembers Moyglare Stud if they are ever drawn to work in the racing industry, and feel it would be a welcome and inviting place to launch a career.

In Ireland, racing is a much bigger entity and part of life than in the U.S.. Bookmakers’ shops are in most towns and racing is on the front pages of newspapers quite often. There are also several newspapers devoted just to horse racing. Yet even in a country where the racing is a bigger part of life than here, especially when you consider how many racetracks are in a country of its size, I would think Moyglare Stud being involved at Irish Champions Weekend as they were went a long way to making that day a must on the calendars of families whose kids will probably grow up to bring their own kids years down the line.

And speaking of hospitality, I began the second day of Irish Champions Weekend on the Thoroughbred Trail, visiting Dermot Weld on the Curragh as his horses trained, and then branching out around the Curragh to visit two steeplechase trainers’ yards as their horses trained. Every Thoroughbred Trail attendee was given a gift bag, coffee and pastries, but best of all was of course the access to the training hours and seeing some excellent horses and being as welcomed as we were. Training, even on the Curragh and especially not at trainers’ yards, is not open to the public like it is in the U.S. so it feels like a privilege each time to be present. But even beyond that was how gracious the trainers were about letting us walk through their barns, leading their horses out for photos, and letting us get acquainted with them. It’s a hospitality I have greatly grown to appreciate throughout the country, both times I have visited. It is a hospitality that I know will keep me coming back.

And naturally, the racing was top notch too. I got to see Harzand, Found, Minding, and Hawkbill run in the Irish Champions Stakes at Leopardstown on Sept. 10. I got to see the very unique beach racing, held one day a year, at Laytown.

This was also my first time traveling overseas by myself. Ireland has become a part of me, indelibly imprinted in my mind. I know I’ll be back.

Below are a few photos from the racing I attended.

The incredible-looking Harzand in the paddock at Leopardstown prior to the Irish Champions Stakes

Eventual Irish Champions Stakes winner Almanzor

Almanzor, jubilant jockey Christophe Soumillon, and other connections after the Champions Stakes victory

Frankie Dettori and Wicklow Brave upset Order of St. George in the Palmerstown House Estate Irish St. Leger at the Curragh Sept. 11. Order of St. George was described to me as the best miler in the world somewhere along the way, if I remember correctly.

Frankie Dettori after the Irish St. Leger victory

Nearing the wire, racing at Laytown

The racecourse and sea at Laytown

Horses and ocean after the race at Laytown