Episode
448: "A Life's Calling" - With Horse Racing Track Announcer Tom Durkin
- Podcast
- Good Seats Still Available
- Published
- Jun 1, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 5606
- Processing state
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- https://goodseatsstillavailable.libsyn.com/placeholder-387
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Summary
For more than four decades, Tom Durkin 's voice was synonymous with the biggest moments in horse racing. From the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes to the Breeders' Cup and Saratoga, his soaring calls helped transform great races into unforgettable theater. But as Durkin reveals in his new memoir, " A Life's Calling: The Voice Behind the World's Greatest Horse Races ," the story behind the microphone is every bit as compelling as the action on the track. In this wide-ranging conversation, Durkin reflects on an extraordinary journey that began as a horse-racing-obsessed kid riding Chicago's "L" train to Arlington Park and eventually led him to become the most recognizable race caller of his generation. Along the way, he recounts the unlikely lie that launched his career, the grind of the minor-league fair circuit, and the national breakthrough that put him on racing's biggest stages. But this episode goes beyond just racing history. Durkin offers a fascinating look inside the craft of live sports broadcasting, discussing the college theater training that shaped his style, the famous "Mayor Daley" notebook where he collected thousands of descriptive phrases, and the relentless preparation that fueled his success. He also speaks candidly about the fear of failure, self-doubt, and anxiety that shadowed his career — even at its highest peaks — and how those challenges ultimately became part of what drove him. Replete with stories about iconic races, vanished racetracks, broadcasting innovation, and a lifetime spent pursuing excellence, this conversation is both a celebration of one of sports' great voices and a revealing examination of the work, passion, and perseverance required to become one. + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee : https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavaila…