An Interview with Vic Stauffer, Hollywood Park Track Announcer

Vic Stauffer has been Hollywood Park's track announcer since April, 2001. In more than 20 years as a track announcer, Stauffer has called races at Detroit Race Course, Gulfstream Park, Hialeah Park, Hawthorne Race Course, The Woodlands, Aksarban, Golden Gate Fields, and the Northern California fairs.

Stauffer is a native of Southern California, no doubt an influence in his unique, relaxed style of race calling. He manages to sound cool and calm, while at the same time emotionally invested in each race -- no easy feat for someone who must call up to 9 or 10 races a day, and more on big stakes days.

During a race, the track announcer has to be able to quickly identify each entrant, having memorized the names of each of the horses and jockeys in the few minutes of the post parade. In addition, he is responsible for a number of various other announcements informing patrons of such things as scratches, rider changes, and special equipment. In this video interview, Stauffer discusses his particular method.

Also in this video, Stauffer reflects on what has become one of racing's best known race calls -- during an earthquake that hit Southern California during Hollywood Park's second race on June 16, 2005. Amazingly, Stauffer never skipped a beat or lost his cool during the race, which ended with, "Pleasant Thunder, Dark Beauty, these two come to the wire in a shaker!" Enjoy!

Vic Stauffer Now Agent for Jockey Joel Rosario

Hollywood Park track announcer, Vic Stauffer, in his booth during Friday night racing.
In addition to his job as Hollywood Park track announcer, Vic Stauffer has taken on the role of agent for talented Southern California-based jockey Joel Rosario. According to Stauffer, who took Rosario's book as of Thursday, he has the potential to become a leading rider.

Stauffer was Rosario'a agent for several months at Bay Meadows in Northern California two winters ago, just before Rosario made the move to Southern California.

"He's 23 years old, people like him, he has tremendous ability on the back of the horses, and has a really good work ethic," said Stauffer. "He has the whole package, and a chance to be truly great." Stauffer added, "It's a tremendous opportunity for me."

Stauffer says he's not doing "barnstorming" anymore, preferring to settle down in Southern California. "When I asked Hollywood Park about this opportunity," he said, "I made it clear that, regardless of what they said, as long as they will allow me to call races, I will be at Hollywood Park."