Larry Collmus © Benoit Photo
Top race caller Larry Collmus once again will be Del Mar’s announcer for its fall race meeting, dubbed the Bing Crosby Season in honor of the iconic track’s founder. This will be the 11th consecutive autumn session – which this time runs from October 31 to December 1 – for the seaside track and the fifth straight one for Collmus, who has ascended to be one of the nation’s top racing voices.
The Baltimore native has called races at virtually every major racetrack in the United States over the past 39 years and also has been NBC’s caller for both the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup races since 2011. The Breeders’ Cup will have its 41st edition at Del Mar during the Crosby meet so it will be an easy transition for the 58-year-old maestro of the mic to slide over and put on his NBC cap.
Besides his run of fall seasons at Del Mar, Collmus additionally stepped up and stepped in to call the track’s limited 2020 COVID summer stand when regular announcer Trevor Denman was grounded at his Minnesota farm because of the pandemic.
“We’re getting an ace when Larry fills our announcer’s booth,” said Josh Rubinstein, Del Mar’s president and COO. “He’s such an energetic guy, both behind the mic and on the social media scene, and Del Mar gets a pinch-hitter deluxe when he shows up. Del Mar loves Larry and Larry loves Del Mar; it’s a delightful marriage.”
This will be the third Breeders’ Cup held at Del Mar when it unfolds on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2, with 14 Grade I races worth approximately $34 million in purses and awards. Earlier BC sessions were conducted locally in 2021 and 2017. Further, the BC folks have already announced that they’ll be back at the seaside oval for their 42nd edition in 2025.
Del Mar will bookend this year’s Breeders’ Cup days with its regular racing on Thursday, October 31 and then Sunday, November 3. Subsequently, for the next four weekends, the track will be open for business on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. First post throughout the meeting will be 12:30 p.m. with eight races planned for weekdays and nine for weekends.