Uh, Wrona was just fired

[sweettalk]

https://twitter.com/Michael_Wrona/statu ... 4358036480

wtf.

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/the- ... direction/

i'm not happy with this situation at all, but i hope their "new direction", whatever the hell that means,

[Northport]

Well, that is a pretty frank, though unnecessary, tweet.

I don't mind his calls. Though I know one person who will be thrilled with this announcement.

[Sparrow Castle]

Hmmm, maybe they don't want to share with Kentucky Downs???

Wrona let go at Santa Anita, replacement to be named soon, per Ritvo

...Ritvo said the new announcer "will be more involved."

"We want him to be a face and figure around the facility," Ritvo said.

Asked if Wrona was asked to perform those tasks, Ritvo said, "No."

"We thought the other person was better able to do this," he said.

"We're going in a different direction. Michael's a very good guy, a very fine person."

More: http://live.drf.com/nuggets/46235-wrona ... -per-ritvo

[sweettalk]

Asked if Wrona was asked to perform those tasks, Ritvo said, "No."

ritvo's kinda scummy isn't he...

[Sparrow Castle]

"It's a business" sometimes doesn't come with kindness.

Privman updated his story with Wrona's reaction.

Wrona let go at Santa Anita, replacement to be named soon, per Ritvo; Wrona "devastated to the core"
http://live.drf.com/nuggets/46235-wrona ... o-the-core

[Mylute]

Wonder what "face and figure around facility" exactly means.

[Plenilune]

Hmmm, maybe they don't want to share with Kentucky Downs???

However, KY Downs doesn't race at the same time as Santa Anita. And there are other callers that call at more than one track during the year.
Our 2019 race dates are as follows:
Saturday, August 31st
Thursday, September 5th
Saturday, September 7th
Sunday, September 8th
Thursday, September 12th

The thing that gets me is that Ritvo didn't even ask Wrona to "be a face and figure around the facility." Why not? Guess in this line of work the race caller doesn't get employee performance reviews and allowed to discuss how the employee can contribute more. Strictly business, nothing personal. Tough.

I'm sad to see him go. I loved his calls and his wit and knowledge that he threw in those calls. Looking forward to hearing him call at another track.

[mariasmon]

Wow. They fired Megan Devine, Aaron Vercruysse and Richard Migliore, too.

[Sparrow Castle]

Yep, it looks like it. Wow is right. Might help if they'd announce simultaneously what/how they are planning to replace these folks...but nope.

Jeremy Balan Verified account @BH_JBalan
7m7 minutes ago
Along with Michael Wrona's ousting at Santa Anita, simulcast host Megan Devine has also been dismissed, along with XBTV's Aaron Vercruysse and Richard Migliore. Confirmed with multiple sources at The Stronach Group.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... ium=social

[Diver52]

I'm not a huge Wrona fan but what the heck did he do wrong, and if you don't ask him to be more visible, how can you criticize him if he wasn't? I bet they want someone to hand out freebies before trotting up to the announcer's station for the first race!

[Catalina]

Yep, it looks like it. Wow is right. Might help if they'd announce simultaneously what/how they are planning to replace these folks...but nope.

Jeremy Balan Verified account @BH_JBalan
7m7 minutes ago
Along with Michael Wrona's ousting at Santa Anita, simulcast host Megan Devine has also been dismissed, along with XBTV's Aaron Vercruysse and Richard Migliore. Confirmed with multiple sources at The Stronach Group.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... ium=social

That is bizarre. Are they shutting down Santa Anita??? Is this whole thing a reaction to the court case or to Stronach feeling unappreciated?

[Starine]

Someone in the comments section insists that he is being ousted in favor of Mirahmadi.

[Sparrow Castle]

Yep, it looks like it. Wow is right. Might help if they'd announce simultaneously what/how they are planning to replace these folks...but nope.

Jeremy Balan Verified account @BH_JBalan
7m7 minutes ago
Along with Michael Wrona's ousting at Santa Anita, simulcast host Megan Devine has also been dismissed, along with XBTV's Aaron Vercruysse and Richard Migliore. Confirmed with multiple sources at The Stronach Group.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... ium=social

That is bizarre. Are they shutting down Santa Anita??? Is this whole thing a reaction to the court case or to Stronach feeling unappreciated?

I doubt they're shutting it down, but I do wonder what their "grand" plan is going forward. The court feuds have got to have everyone on edge, especially Ritvo.

No, Plenilune, the race dates don't conflict. But if they want the track announcer to be the public "face" of the track, they might not want him to be associated with any other tracks.

I wonder if Matt Dinerman is in the mix this time. He certainly was the public "face" of Emerald Downs and now Golden Gate, an up and coming who's mastered use of social media.

[Catalina]

Yep, it looks like it. Wow is right. Might help if they'd announce simultaneously what/how they are planning to replace these folks...but nope.

Jeremy Balan Verified account @BH_JBalan
7m7 minutes ago
Along with Michael Wrona's ousting at Santa Anita, simulcast host Megan Devine has also been dismissed, along with XBTV's Aaron Vercruysse and Richard Migliore. Confirmed with multiple sources at The Stronach Group.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... ium=social

That is bizarre. Are they shutting down Santa Anita??? Is this whole thing a reaction to the court case or to Stronach feeling unappreciated?

I doubt they're shutting it down, but I do wonder what their "grand" plan is going forward. The court feuds have got to have everyone on edge, especially Ritvo.

No, Plenilune, the race dates don't conflict. But if they want the track announcer to be the public "face" of the track, they might not want him to be associated with any other tracks.

I wonder if Matt Dinerman is in the mix this time. He certainly was the public "face" of Emerald Downs and now Golden Gate, an up and coming who's mastered use of social media.

Well, if they want the new people as the "face of Santa Anita", they would have to up their pay quite a bit, I would think, to cover the dark periods. Or, are they planning to race the whole year? I can see where driving Del Mar and Los Alamitos out of business would appeal to Stronach.

[WaquoitNBroadBrush]

Yep, it looks like it. Wow is right. Might help if they'd announce simultaneously what/how they are planning to replace these folks...but nope.

Jeremy Balan Verified account @BH_JBalan
7m7 minutes ago
Along with Michael Wrona's ousting at Santa Anita, simulcast host Megan Devine has also been dismissed, along with XBTV's Aaron Vercruysse and Richard Migliore. Confirmed with multiple sources at The Stronach Group.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... ium=social

That is bizarre. Are they shutting down Santa Anita??? Is this whole thing a reaction to the court case or to Stronach feeling unappreciated?

I don't know if it would work with simulcasting, but many of the major radio chains save money by importing their morning shows (and occasionally other times of the day) from one of their properties. The hosts/DJs play the same music for all the stations that carry the show, but record drop-in comments mentioning the specific cities -- nothing that only a native would know, more like stuff anyone could find on Wikipedia. It may actually be easier to make this doable for racing. Guy and gal sit in a generic studio in Maryland, Florida, wherever and pre-record race previews for every Stronach track running that day. They don't even have to pretend they're at the track, because they can always get info fed to them from the track and work it into their commentary.

The next step would be one announcer calling races at all tracks while watching a TV monitor, as American sports networks often do with far-off international events. But if Santa Anita wants a caller who'll mingle with the fans more (before and after the races, I assume), that's not happening at SA.

[Retrospectiv]

Well, that is a pretty frank, though unnecessary, tweet.

I don't mind his calls. Though I know one person who will be thrilled with this announcement.

Seriously......that was the 1st thing I thought of sadly.

Here's your big chance MHRC!!

[WaquoitNBroadBrush]

Well, that is a pretty frank, though unnecessary, tweet.

I don't mind his calls. Though I know one person who will be thrilled with this announcement.

Seriously......that was the 1st thing I thought of sadly.

Here's your big chance MHRC!!

Magnahorseracecall ... I like it. But would Frank allow him to call every other track's big races from Sofa Downs as well?

[Starine]

Well, that is a pretty frank, though unnecessary, tweet.

I don't mind his calls. Though I know one person who will be thrilled with this announcement.

Seriously......that was the 1st thing I thought of sadly.

Here's your big chance MHRC!!

Is it wrong that this made me laugh?

[Squeaky]

Wonder why Richard Migliore was let go? I always found his comments inciteful and interesting. Wonder what his plans are now?

[stark]

Frank Mirahmadi....

https://www.drf.com/news/frank-mirahmad ... -announcer