Luke Kruytbosch, announcer for Ellis Park and the last 10 Kentucky Derbys, was found in his local apartment on July 14, 2008. Luke had passed away during the night of a corinary complication. Luke was a dear friend of News4U Managing Editor, Ashley Sollars. He spoke with N4U last year about his adventures on and off the racetrack. We remember Luke fondly. His infectious laugh, warm laugh and honest heart were only a few layers of this man. In honor of Luke's life, we are reposting his interview with N4U. We will miss you, Luke...

The Voice of Racing Voices Off

by Ashley West-Albin

A year ago, while bartending at a local Evansville dive, a famously important man waltzed in, sat down and ordered up a drink. I didn’t recognize his name but his occupation is the only one like it in the world… He seemed normal-his face hardly ever identified but his voice and quick eye is worth a million bucks. I’m talking about Luke Kruytbosch; the man who calls the Kentucky Derby and announces the races at our very own Ellis Park. I chatted with Luke at Churchill Downs.

How long have you been calling the Derby and how long have you been at Ellis?

Luke: Nine Derbys, including this year, and nine consecutive years at Ellis Park.

What’s Derby Day like?

It’s really amazing….the first Derby that I called was the first Derby I had been to live, so I didn’t know what to expect. I got there and it was way more than I expected as far as the crowds, the stands shaking, the emotion when they played “My Old Kentucky Home” and how many people show up there. I’d been to big events in horseracing, like The Breeders Cup, but to have 100,000 people show up on a weekday [Friday] to the Oaks and 150,000 for the Derby, it actually made me feel good to be involved with horseracing, that it attracts this many people. Of course, you know the Derby always has the highest television rating of the weekend. It’s a pleasure to be a part of an event that is so highly thought of and watched.

What do you drink while you are in Louisville? Any Mint Julips?

I usually have one Mint Julip to commemorate the weekend. I’ll have one if they have it Saturday night or Thursday during the press party, but I don’t go to nearly as many parties now as when I started here; I take it easy. I want to be very fresh because I’m here at 7 o’clock in the morning and the races aren’t over until 7 at night. I drink my bourbon on Saturday night because there isn’t another race until Wednesday.

Do you bet on the races or is it a conflict of interest?

I’m allowed to bet whatever I want, but I haven’t bet the Derby because it’s such a big deal. I don’t want to be looking at a horse that I bet and not pay attention to the race. Before I came here, I bet the Derby every year whether I liked the horse or not because it was the Derby. I almost always go down after the races and bet the simulcast from other tracks like California when all their races are still going on. Normally, I have a lot to do upstairs and I’m like the air traffic controller. The horses are coming on the track for the next race and you are memorizing the form, so it’s not in my capacity to do my best when I have bets on every race. When you do have bets on the race your day goes by a lot faster because you have personal action on the races. But, that’s not my way of doing it. It’s not a conflict of interest, and I really don’t think anyone can truly tell when I have a bet going on. Some people say they can tell when certain announcers are betting, but I really don’t think I show any bias. I don’t cheer my horse on, if anything I go the opposite direction. I’m more comfortable doing it the way I do it.

How did you get into horse racing?

I’ve always been a big horseracing fan (from a gambling aspect). I went to George Mason University, then transferred to Arizona. Arizona has a racetrack industry program and Todd Fletcher who just won the Belmont Stakes went there, as well. Some trainers and racing officials went to this school, but they don’t teach you how to announce. I just happened to a go to a little track. A friend of mine, who was in school with me, his dad had a racehorse and they would ship him around and I’d go with him. Well, one of these little tracks needed an announcer and my friend volunteered me to go up and announced. Luckily, I had listened and paid attention to the announcer so I knew how it went even though I had never done it and they asked me to do it again, Then, after I got out of school I planned on doing something else, but I got a call from Albuquerque. They said they heard tell I was a good announcer on the Arizona fairs, so I resigned the job I had lined up before I even started, and went to Albuquerque.

You move around a lot…what’s your favorite place to call home?

I call Phoenix home, but I have gotten a little spoiled from moving. I leave Phoenix in late April when it’s getting hot, and get to Churchill when all the Derby hoopla is beginning. I get back here (Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY] in late April and then when racing slows down here, the heats almost over and people are leaving town, then I get to go to Ellis where the people are excited about the races coming back in town. This year is really exciting because they are under new ownership, and the Flaming Crown on August 4^th is going be a really big day.

Do you take any pets or girlfriends with you?

No, I don’t! I’ve taken some pets and I’ve taken some girlfriends in the past, but none now!

You have a Wikipedia page…how does it feel to be a celebrity?

My dad is a bit perturbed that I have more Google hits than him.

What do you do for fun?

I like to play golf, watch sports and go watch the races too. People say, you’re sick you go to the track on your day off, but it’s not the same. You can look at the form and look at the horses and you don’t have to memorize the form or answer the phones or announce the changes and the national anthem. I can just sit and enjoy myself. Although, I do enjoy it anyway. If I had a regular job, I’d be trying to get out early to get the races. I really do miss my job when I have a couple of weeks off. It’s a great job for me.

When will you be coming to the Tri-State?

I’ll start calling on July 11^th until September 3^rd. This is the first year Ellis overlaps with Churchill so I will be a week late, finishing up the races here.