Aiello Named to Replace Collmus as Championship Meet Announcer

Gulfstream Park has named Pete Aiello track announcer for its upcoming Championship Meet.

Aiello, who calls races during Gulfstream's spring and summer meets, will replace Larry Collmus, who recently resigned.

"I'd like to thank the entire staff and management of Gulfstream Park for sticking with me and allowing me the opportunity to take part in the Championship Meet," said Aiello, 30, a native of West Palm Beach. "I'd also like to thank Larry Collmus for helping me get my foot in the door.

"I'm extremely happy to be part of the Gulfstream Park team. Again, I want to thank the management and The Stronach Group for this opportunity."

Aiello, who spent last winter as the track announcer at Oaklawn Park, first called races at Rillito Park in Arizona in 2005. He has also  announced Thoroughbred races at River Downs and quarter horses at Hialeah Park.

Apprentice Luzzi Prepares to Return

Apprentice jockey Lane Luzzi, who fractured his collarbone in a riding accident June 9, has been cleared to begin galloping horses Monday.

Luzzi, who had just moved his tack from Maryland to Florida in May, had won with three of his first nine mounts before he went down in the third race June 9 while racing in tight company down the stretch.

"I had surgery because I was told if I didn't it may bother me as I got older," said Luzzi, who returned to South Florida from New York over the weekend. "The surgery went well. I flew to New York the same night I went down and had the surgery."

Said Luzzi of the accident, "You live and learn.

"Sometimes you do things in a race you wouldn't do again," he said. "If I could go back and ride that race again, I probably would have done something different. Like I said, it was a learning experience. It's too bad because I got off to a great start. The highs are high and the lows are low."

Luzzi was planning on galloping his first horse Monday morning.

"We don't have a set date when I will ride, but I can get on horses beginning Monday," he said. "I think we'll take a few days, see how I feel, and take it from there."

Source: Gulfstream Park