Flashback: A brilliant call for Rachel Alexandra's Woodward

I still remember where I was when the fantastic 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra outran a quality field of older males to win the 2009 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

No, I wasn’t at the track. And I wasn’t watching on television, either. Nor did I have a livestream to watch online — this was 2009, remember, still the early days of internet racing simulcasts.

Instead, I listened to Rachel Alexandra’s historic victory via satellite radio. And while her courageous performance was unforgettable, I believe my greatest memory of the race is the brilliance of Tom Durkin’s race call.

The longtime New York Racing Association track announcer rose to the occasion and delivered a passionate call that surely ranks among the finest of his career. As the dramatic race unfolded, I could vividly picture every stride, every challenge, every nuance of the action-packed showdown at the Spa.

There in mind was Rachel Alexandra, sprinting to the front with Belmont Stakes winner Da’ Tara and the speedy Past the Point pressing her every step of the way. But anxiously I wondered, how fast was she going? Was she using her speed too early?

“Oh, the first quarter was twenty-two and four-fifth seconds!” Durkin’s voice burst forth from the radio. “There’ll be no free ride for Rachel Alexandra. They’re making her work for every step today. Da’ Tara has sent her through a punishing opening quarter-mile!”

Now I’m panicking. I was never been a big fan of Da’ Tara (he spoiled Big Brown’s Triple Crown bid, don’t forget), and here he was playing the villain again. Would the pace slow down? Would Rachel Alexandra get a chance to relax, or would she be hounded every step of the way?

“Forty-six and two was the half-mile. Calvin Borel was able to slow that pace down just a little bit, but they move into the far turn, there’s a half-mile to go!”

Half a mile to glory. Come on, Rachel! Durkin says she’s a length in front of Past the Point, a reassuring statement. Cool Coal Man is on the rail, and I don’t think he’s a threat… but then Durkin cries, with a warning tone to his voice...

“Asiatic Boy is launching a bid from the back of the pack, and Macho Again is firing too! They’re coming to the top of the stretch! It is still the filly in front! A dramatic stretch drive awaits in the Woodward Stakes!”

I’m on the edge of my seat.

“On the outside, here’s Bullsbay!”

In my mind, Rachel Alexandra is being swarmed by pursuers. She’s trying her best, clinging to the lead, but can she hang on down the stretch?

“Calvin Borel imploring his filly for more! And Rachel Alexandra holds onto the lead! Bullsbay is second!”

There’s desperation in Durkin’s voice, but somehow Rachel has turned back Bullsbay, and for a split second I’m led to believe she holds the upper hand.

Then my heart stops.

“Macho Again is making a tremendous run from the back of the pack!!”

I’ve never felt such excitement and anxiety over a horse race. In my mind, Macho Again is gobbling up ground with tremendous strides, roaring from off the pace, coming to swallow Rachel Alexandra in a matter of moments.

“Rachel Alexandra! Macho Again! They’re coming down to the finish! It’s going to be desperately close!! Here’s the wire!”

Durkin briefly pauses. I hold my breath, clutching the radio.

“Rachel won!!”

I collapse back into my seat, absolutely drained from the intensity of Rachel Alexandra’s gallant, historic and almost unfathomable performance. She had completed her undefeated season with a heart-pounding victory in a race no filly or mare had ever won. Tom Durkin’s call brought the race to life with such clarity I felt as though I’d seen it unfold before my own eyes.

Yet when I watched the replay later on, the Woodward — though still epic and unforgettable — wasn’t quite as dramatic as I’d pictured in my mind. Rachel Alexandra was still resilient, resolute, but the challenges of her rivals weren’t as menacing. Their rallies, which seemed so sweeping and powerful in my mind, were milder than I had imagined.

Sometimes I wonder if sports have been forever changed by the widespread expansion of live streaming, or — going back even further — the arrival of television. Sometimes I wonder if a skilled radio announcer, or a sportswriter, or an author, can distill the chaos of a sporting event down to its dramatic essence in a way the average layperson cannot.

It seems as though these skilled commentators and writers can cut through the noise and vividly describe the heart of what they’re seeing, leaving our imaginations to fill in the details.

Certainly Tom Durkin, through his passionate and dramatic race call, managed to elevate the 2009 Woodward Stakes to an entirely different level. For a young racing fan listening on satellite radio, it was even better than watching it live. 

J. Keeler Johnson is a writer, videographer, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite. You can follow him on Twitter at @J_Keelerman.