Travis Stone Set for Third Derby Call

Travis Stone was part of Classic Empire's entourage when the Eclipse Award winner rebounded to win the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 15 at Oaklawn Park.

That won't be the case May 6 at Churchill Downs, where Classic Empire will run in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

It will be strictly business for Stone, 33, Churchill's track announcer since the 2015 spring/summer meeting.

"I've had lots of friends in racing that I've had to call their horses before," Stone said, stressing the importance of objectivity. "You put your professional hat on and call a horse race."

Stone's connection to Classic Empire began shortly after he started calling races at Churchill, when social media and an unabashed love of a classic television sitcom sparked a friendship with Norman Casse, the son and assistant of Mark Casse, who trains the Pioneerof the Nile   colt.

"On Twitter, we'd make 'Seinfeld' references," Stone said. "We're both big 'Seinfeld' fans. I probably know every episode backward and forward. We just knew each other, literally, through Twitter."

Stone said he later sent Casse a note when a horse trained by his father, Danzig Moon, was euthanized after breaking down in the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes in June of 2015 at Woodbine.

Stone called Danzig Moon's fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby just six weeks earlier.

"I said, 'Let's go get a beer,'" Stone said. "We met at Hooters in Louisville and literally sat there for three hours. We've been friends ever since."

The 2017 Derby will be the third for Stone, whose first job as a track announcer was in 2006 at Louisiana Downs.

Stone's Kentucky Derby timing couldn't have been better, since the 2015 edition featured American Pharoah  , the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

"It's pretty special when you think about it," said Stone, who was raised in upstate New York. "I had never been to the Derby—ever. The first time I go to the Kentucky Derby, I have to call it, and then on top of that, the horse goes on to win a Triple Crown. I would put that into the category of just very lucky in how my career has shaken out. Very fortunate and thankful. Pretty cool."

Stone said he began putting together a scouting report on this year's 1 1/4-mile race in late April, jotting down thoughts, ideas and any potential words, phrases or outcomes that may shape his race call.

For example, Stone said he will have words or phrases in mind to describe the running style of a closer like McCraken or a horse who races much closer to the lead like Irap.

Stone noted the compelling storyline involving Classic Empire's "tumultuous winter," which included a third-place finish in his 3-year-old debut, the $350,000 Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (G2) Feb. 4 at Gulfstream Park, a foot abscess, back issue, and refusing to work at Palm Meadows Training Center in south Florida.

Yet Classic Empire may have stamped himself the Kentucky Derby betting favorite with his half-length victory in the Arkansas Derby.

"I would just not put that much preparation into a random race on a Thursday," Stone said. "My objective is to know the 20 horses in the Kentucky Derby like I would know 20 of my own kids—if I had 20 kids, God forbid. Whereas for the sixth race on Thursday, I need to know those horses for 10 minutes, I want to know these horses for two weeks straight. The whole focus and the preparation behind the Derby is much, much larger than any other day."

Stone doesn't downplay the significance of calling the country's most famous race, but tries to temper his excitement as much as possible.

"If I let my adrenaline go for two weeks straight, I'm going to be in a world of trouble when they open the gates next Saturday," Stone said.

"It's like on Derby Day itself. I literally bring the iPad and I watch old episodes of 'Seinfeld' to kind of keep calm. When 'My Old Kentucky Home' comes on, I turn off my headset. I don't want to hear that. I don't want to get caught up in the emotion, because I want to be focused on calling the race."