Haskell 2015: How Monmouth Park's track announcer got to know American Pharoah

OCEANPORT — Three weeks after he won the Belmont Stakes to claim thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown in 1977, Seattle Slew was back on the track at Hollywood Park. Frank Mirahmadi wanted desperately to watch the race, but his father wouldn't take him to the Swaps Stakes.

"I'm 9-years-old and I can remember being just devastated that my dad wouldn't take me because there were going to be 70,000 people and he didn't want to fight all the traffic,'' Monmouth Park's track announcer recalled. "I sat in my room and I can remember just staring at my old clock radio, the old-style one where the number would kind of twirl when the next minute came. And I'm crying that night when Seattle Slew lost. I couldn't go, I wasn't there. I didn't eat dinner that night I was so sad.''

Mirahmadi won't miss out on the action as American Pharoah — the 12th Triple Crown winner in the sport's history and first since Affirmed followed Seattle Slew's feat the following year — returns to the oval for his first race since his triumphant Belmont Stakes effort six weeks ago.

Ridden by jockey Victor Espinoza and saddled by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, the Zayat Stables' homebred is the 1-5 favorite in an eight-horse field in the 48th running of the $1.75 million William Hill Haskell Invitational.

Post-time is Sunday, 5:52 p.m. (get the TV info HERE). Calling all of the action from his perch atop the Monmouth Park grandstands will be Mirahmadi, 47, who has strong ties to American Pharoah-owner Ahmed Zayat (whose 200-horse business operation is based in Hackensack) and Baffert (who gave him his big break in the profession).

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"It's been an absolute blessing for me, to have the privilege of calling American Pharoah,'' Mirahmadi said on the eve of arguably the most anticipated race in Monmouth Park's history. "I'm very excited. I think everybody is overwhelmed by the response of the fans. Even to watch him gallop, I think, is extraordinary. He's a magnificent horse. He's done everything so easily.

"But now it's a return to Triple Crown glory. So even though we all think it's going to be a cakewalk, he's gotta come out here and do it. This is a track that Bob Baffert has dominated, and he knows what it takes to win the Haskell. This horse would never be here if he wasn't ready to fire an A-game. There's no way that they're looking for anything other than another authoritative victory for him.''

Come Sunday evening, Mirahmadi will have the distinction of calling half of American Pharoah's last six races, including both of the 3-year-old bay colt's Kentucky Derby-prep triumphs.

On the road to winning the Kentucky Derby, American Pharoah prepped last winter at Oaklawn Park, where Mirahmadi worked as the track announcer before being hired for the same post at Monmouth Park. Mirahmadi was on the call for Pharoah's 6 1/4-lengths win in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and for his 8-lengths victory in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.

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"I don't have anything fancy prepared,'' he said. "I think one of the things I'd like to do at some point is pause to acknowledge the crowd and this track. I'd like to acknowledge Monmouth Park for sure. I've thought about things to say, but I think at this point it's pretty clear what he is. To try to get extra fancy, I just think it's going to be a little over the top at this point. He's already done it.

"A lot of announcers will give you the quote, it's not about me, it's about the horse, which is a very accurate statement. But sometimes people say that and they don't really understand the meaning of that because they get carried away. But I think in this circumstance, the two big ones were the Derby and the Belmont. One of the things I like about Larry Collmus is he's extremely accurate and he's not going to go over the top with too many things. So at this point, you obviously have to be a little more excited than your usual race, but what more can we say, man? He's a freak.''

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Prior to American Pharoah's Arkansas Derby romp, Mirahmadi said he received a text message from Baffert that read: "The world is watching. I want a great call here.''

Did the legendary trainer give Mirahmadi any advice prior to the Haskell?

"He texted me a little over a week ago and said, 'Get ready for another similar performance,' '' Mirahmadi said. "Basically he gave me the stamp of approval. For the Arkansas Derby he said it best. He wanted an epic call, 'The world is watching.' And that's basically the same for this race as well.

"The world is watching so 'get ready.' ''

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Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ.

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