US Racing Team
John Imbriale – Photo courtesy of Adam Coglianese / NYRA
Five years and two Triple Crown calls after joining the New York Racing Association, Larry Collmus has departed and 40-year NYRA veteran John Imbriale was promoted to race caller and track announcer at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga.
The “new” voice of NYRA is a familiar one as he follows a long line of well-known race callers including Tom Durkin, Marshall Cassidy, Chic Anderson, Dave Johnson and Fred Caposella.
Imbriale began working at NYRA in 1979, became Durkin’s backup in 1990, and has since remained part of the race-calling team at all three NYRA tracks.
“John Imbriale is a central part of the fabric of thoroughbred racing in New York,” said NYRA CEO & President Dave O’Rourke in a new release issued Wednesday. “Johnny I’s high level of professionalism and flawless delivery are well known to horseplayers and racing fans, and we congratulate him on becoming the voice of NYRA.
“We would like to thank Larry Collmus for his many contributions to NYRA and wish him the very best as he takes the next step in his career,” added O’Rourke.
Collmus’ departure comes after a new contract with NYRA was unable to be worked out.
Among his many roles at NYRA, Imbriale worked with Harvey Pack on the “Inside Racing” program, and also worked with NYRA TV, most recently as NYRA’s Director of Television Production.
“In a sense, this is a job for which I’ve been preparing for years,” said Imbriale. “I’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by incredible race callers during my career. I learned from all of them and these lessons live with me to this day. I’m humbled by the trust placed in me by NYRA and look forward to calling races for the best fans in the sport.”
Collmus joined NYRA in 2014 and called the last two Triple Crowns–American Pharoah in 2015, whose victory ended a 37-year drought, and Justify in 2018.
“I’d like to thank the New York Racing Association for five great years calling memorable races at these wonderful venues,” said Collmus in the NYRA news release. “I will certainly miss the people and places that make NYRA so special, especially the passionate racing fans at Saratoga, but it’s the right time for me to move on to the next challenge while continuing my work with NBC Sports.”
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
