Saratoga Race Course announcer reflects on memorable Travers call

Larry Collmus admits he was rooting for American Pharoah, but was excited by Keen Ice's dramatic victory

Larry Collmus, the voice of American Pharoah's run to the Triple Crown, never figured the following words would come out of his mouth during the stretch run of the $1.6 million Travers Stakes this past Saturday.

Working his first Travers as the race caller for the New York Racing Association, Collmus was as stunned as the sellout crowd that stood beneath his perch at Saratoga Race Course.

Donegal Racing president Jerry Crawford, whose partnership owns Keen Ice, praised Collmus for being objective with his call.

[...] the way it happened made up for it, because I just thought it was a tremendous performance by him, by Keen Ice and by (third-place finisher) Frosted.

Collmus said he's run into Durkin at the track, and they had a long conversation during the Whitney draw at Sperry's Restaurant in Saratoga on Aug. 4.

Collmus will head back to his home in New Jersey and return to calling races at Belmont Park, where the quality is still strong but the crowds aren't anywhere near as large as Saratoga.

Baffert handed him American Pharoah's lead in front of a crowd of media and fans.