6/30/2009 9:42:00 PM
Downs names Boomer racing director
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Courier File
Yavapai Downs named Greg "Boomer" Wry as its racing director on Tuesday. |
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PRESCOTT VALLEY - In its ongoing effort to revitalize recent hard times, Yavapai Downs at Prescott Valley on Tuesday night named former track announcer Greg "Boomer" Wry as its new director of racing.
Wry will return to his perch high above the track as public announcer behind the mic on race day as well. As director of racing, Wry replaces Randy Fozzard who held a similar post and is no longer with the track.
The track hosted live racing on Tuesday but now goes dark for its annual live shutdown during the Fourth of July week. Live racing will resume on Saturday, July 11.
"It's going to be a real challenge," Wry said Tuesday night. "I feel good about it. Obviously we want to make Yavapai as successful as possible. ... It's a challenge. We've got a lot of things to do."
The track last month replaced longtime General Manager Jim Grundy with Gary Spiker because of Grundy's health problems. The Yavapai County Fair Association, which owns the track, also is in the process of selling the track to a new association that is working to secure a loan to bring financial stability to the 8-year-old track.
"He knows what we're working on with the track," Spiker said of Wry Tuesday night. "Right now the horsemen have told me as of two days ago that the track's in the best shape it's ever been in. Not that it's just in good shape but it's in great shape. And we're putting a little sand on it at the request of some track people over the Fourth. So we'll have the track in good shape. We're doing a little cleaning and doing a little painting in the jockeys' area. Just little bit of stuff as money lets us do. Simple things, some labor-intensive things."
The dual role of racing director/announcer won't be a first for Wry. Known to racing fans as "Boomer" because of his distinctive call of races, Wry was both announcer and director of racing on the fair circuit in Montana in the early 1990s. He arrived at Yavapai Downs in 2001 and was a constant at the track before budget cuts downsized his position after the 2008 racing season.
As a horseplayer, Wry brings a unique perspective while also serving as racing director. A handicapper tied closely to the racing community, he is a member of the Horseplayers Association of North America (HANA), whose 1,100 members put $41 million through betting windows last year.
"I know what their concerns are," Wry said of the track personnel, some of whom complained earlier this year about past racing conditions at the Downs. "They understand that I can't go in there tomorrow and change everything. But they also understand that I know what the concerns are."
Spiker said Tuesday that he has no other immediate plans to shake up the track's management team.
"That's kind of the main one right now," he said of Wry's position. "The director of racing is a key slot. So I don't have any other plans for any other major spots at this time."
In addition to his roles as racing director and announcer, Wry also returns to his position as media relations director for the track.
"My challenge is to go in there and tell the community to give me a chance," he said. "I'm not going to be able to change everything overnight, and quite honestly with only a half a season to go, my arms are going to be tied behind my back a little bit."
After the break for the week of Fourth of July, live racing continues every weekend through Labor Day.
BOOMER'S RECENT WORK
Since leaving Yavapai Downs after the 2008 season, Boomer Wry hasn't been idle.
He has spent almost two years serving as general manager at an up-and-coming track in his home state of Florida, Hamilton Downs. Hamilton, located about 10 miles from the Georgia border, is still working toward opening for live racing but its status is in limbo as a result of the economic downturn, Wry said.
"Right now my total focus is Yavapai," he said, after the Prescott Valley-based Yavapai Downs announced Wry as its director of racing Tuesday night. "I'm not thinking about (Hamilton), don't know what's going to happen with that. My total focus is working with this track."
As for the local offseason, which begins when Yavapai Downs ends its live run in September, Wry says he's "probably staying" in Prescott Valley during the winter months.
Wry has also spent the past few months in Sacramento, Calif., consulting with the casino industry.
Nationwide, the horse racing industry has examined the idea of adding gaming for extra revenue. Though added gaming, such as slot machines, remains illegal at Arizona tracks, in Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a gambling expansion bill last month. With poker rooms and slots possibly appearing in Florida tracks soon, the revenue is expected to revitalize tracks like the historic Hialeah Park, a National Historic Landmark, which hasn't hosted a horse race since 2001 and was recently at risk of being torn down.
The idea has even heated up in Arizona. House Majority Whip Andy Tobin, R-Paulden, announced earlier this year that he is working on drafting gaming legislation for Arizona tracks.
"It's been talked about a lot, and I've got to give you a great big 'I don't know'," Wry said Tuesday night. "I've been watching legislatively the things that have been taking place in my home state (Florida) where slots were approved recently in South Florida. Obviously alternative gaming to adding revenue and making bigger purses and getting the best horses is obviously a thing that we always like to see in horse racing. How it applies to Arizona and what chances there are of getting it done in Arizona ... I honestly don't know."
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Posted: Thursday, July 02, 2009
Article comment by:
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Posted: Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Article comment by:
Steve May
A true advocate for racing and especially those that make the game survive, that being the horseplayer, Boomer will slide right into this new role and will only help to grow Yavapai far into the future.
Posted: Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Article comment by:
Michael Cusortelli
You won't find anybody more passionate about the racing industry than Boomer!
Posted: Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Article comment by:
ygganeno
The editor has removed this comment because it violates the Terms of Use
agreement for dCourier.com. The "Use of Service" portion states, "If you use
the Service, including the Messages Boards or Blogs, or submit essays,
e-mail messages or other information via www.courieraz.com or
www.prescottaz.com, you agree to abide by and be bound by the following:
1. You may not post, upload, or transmit any material or links to material
that is libelous, defamatory, false, misleading, obscene, indecent, lewd,
pornographic, violent, abusive, threatening, harassing, discriminatory,
racist, vulgar, invasive of anotheršs privacy, illegal, constitutes hate
speech, or harms minors in any way. You may not post content that degrades
others on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin,
religion, sexual preference, disability or other classification. Epithets
and other language intended to intimidate or to incite violence will not be
tolerated. Debate, but donšt attack. The Daily Courier encourages vibrant
discussions and welcomes active debate in its discussion forums. But
personal attacks are not tolerated, and are a direct violation of these
Terms of Use."
Posted: Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Article comment by:
Horse Lover and Racing Fan
Welcome back, Boomer! It is great to have you back and promoting Yavapai Downs. There is a lot of potential. Best wishes to your success.
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