In his third year as NBC’S voice of the Triple Crown Larry Collmus talks about tomorrow’s Kentucky Derby favorites, potential surprises and why he was relieved when I’ll Have Another scratched out of last year’s Belmont with The Post’s Justin Terranova.
Q: Anything you look out for before the race to help with preparation?
A: It’s a terrific Derby, you have so many possibilities. The big story is the undefeated horse, Verrazano, and he certainly has to be considered the one to beat along with Orb and Goldencents. You kind of focus on the favorites, but usually in the Derby something else happens.
Q: Any horse that’s not getting a lot of attention you think could stun folks?
A: The horse that might be a little underrated is Itsmyluckyday, who won one of the big races in Florida where I call races at Gulfstream — The Fountain of Youth, and he finished second to Orb in the Florida Derby. That horse has been training really well. The one advantage he has is that he’s been training down at Calder and that’s a deep, sandy surface, which helps the horse’s fitness level and that’s going to help him with the 1 1/4-mile distance.
Q: This is your third year calling the Triple Crown. What’s the experience been like?
A: Fantastic. Since I have been calling races as a kid it’s what you inspire to do. And everything is as I hoped it would be. … Being part of history and calling these races has been amazing.
Q: Last year, I’ll Have Another went to the Belmont Stakes with a chance at the Triple Crown before being scratched. What was your reaction to that news?
A: There was a sense of a disappointment, but at the same time it was a sense of relief that I didn’t have to call a horse going for the Triple Crown. I think it’s mostly because it was my second year and you want to get real comfortable. Now I feel I am ready if and when that situation happens. Not that I wasn’t ready then, but you get the feeling that, well I will be around for awhile and I’ll get another chance eventually.
Q: What’s the difference between a race like tomorrow’s and one where a horse would be going for the Triple Crown?
A: It’s a tremendous difference with the Triple Crown on the line at the Belmont Stakes then without. Your call becomes a part of history. It’s the event that hasn’t happened in 34, now 35, years. Not that the Belmont Stakes isn’t a big deal by itself. It’s just a 100 fold when the Triple Crown is on the line.
