The Kentucky Derby Revisited: Follow The Circle And Ignore Tom Durkin

NBC's lead race caller Tom Durkin is getting hammered for his I-Am-Yelling-About-The-Wrong-Horses!-routine that annoyed many viewers, especially racing purists, those who had money on Pioneer of The Nile and blind people.

It was an honest mistake, one you can chalk up to Durkin, like most Americans watching, dismissing Mine That Bird once he lumbered out of the gate, was dead last for the first leg, and disappeared up until the last frenzied moments. For those who think that jockeys have no part in how a horse performs, on this version of the race, with a shadow-iso on Mine That Bird, you can see how expertly Calvin Borrel navigated the horse in and out of the pack to get to the rail.

Unfortunately, this also isolates how Durkin botched the final leg. I'm sure who's ever calling the Preakness will keep a closer eye on him.

This video was put together by Gawker video guru/genius/Godsend Mike Byhoff. Tough Day For Durkin (second graf) [NYT]