The Saratoga Conversation: Frank Mirahmadi

All Frank Mirahmadi has ever wanted to do was be at the racetrack, so he is living his best life as the track announcer at Saratoga Race Course. He is also the main man at Santa Anita in California. He has called big names and has called races as big names. One time he called a race using 23 different voices. Oh, and he was once on “The Price is Right.” And he loves pizza. Here is The Saratoga Conversation.

TDN: I've heard talk about the sightlines at Saratoga not being the easiest for the announcer.

FM: It's certainly true. And the reason for that is this booth is a lot lower than usual. But as with anything, you just have to adapt. So, I think that it has been a very common question. And there are certainly some challenges with the sightlines, but in my profession my job is to figure it out and to report it accurately. There is no excuse for anything in this booth. The job here that the people expect is excellence.

TDN: Were you nervous when you got the gig at Saratoga?

FM: Sure. I think anyone would be very nervous here. This is storied history. Amazing racetrack. Top-notch racing. So anytime the stage is bigger, the nerves will certainly go up. For sure.

TDN: When you are calling a race like the Belmont or the Travers or the Santa Anita Derby, is it more pressure? Or do you treat it just like any other race?

FM: There are definitely nerves for bigger races. My first Grade I, I still remember a lot of the details. It was the Tiznow at Louisiana Downs winning the (2000) Super Derby. And that was the first call that was actually on ESPN. I had the earpiece in and the producers were giving instructions to other members of the team as the horses were loading. And there were like two horses left to load. I remember hearing the producers say, 'roll the Commendable piece.' Not to me, but to someone else. I said, ' roll the Commendable piece?' I took that thing out of my ear, and I throw it across the room, because I knew it was just about time to call the race and that they would figure out when to turn the volume up. But I remember specifically that distraction and the nerves. That race went very well for me, but I'm just saying it was something that I definitely remember to this day.

TDN: Do you hear the crowd?

FM: Oh, certainly. When the Belmont Stakes was happening here and (NYRA/FOX Analyst) Maggie (Wolfendale) put her microphone to let the crowd hear themselves, I knew that was a great moment in my life and in racing because of the history of it being here at Saratoga. I felt emotional because you could hear that crowd and it was such a big moment.

TDN: There is a horse running in California named for you. Mirahmadi. He just ran the other day.

FM: (laughs) Yeah, he got beat again.

TDN: You have called one of his races, right?

FM: I called his debut.

TDN: When you called that race, did you find yourself watching him more?

FM: Of course. I was very excited to see him. He was never a factor in that race. It was over out of the gate. Bob (trainer Baffert who has Mirahmadi) ran Muth that same weekend, and he ran him in a maiden race and he ran Mirahmadi in a stake. If he would have flip-flopped them, Mirahmadi might not still be turning into a professional maiden!

TDN: Is it unfair to ask you which place you like better, Santa Anita or here?

FM: Santa Anita is my favorite place on earth. It's well-documented. It's not only my favorite racetrack, it's my favorite place. I grew up there. It's home. I wouldn't want to insult the East Coast audience or the national audience by saying that this isn't my favorite, but I don't think anything will ever top Santa Anita for me.

TDN: It's important to have fun with your job.

FM: It is. I'm not a chart caller. There is an element of entertainment. But there is a line to be drawn, especially at the bigger venues like Santa Anita or Saratoga.

TDN: Speaking of that, there was a race you did many years ago. You did 23 voices–impersonations–during a race call. Who are the favorite impersonations that you do?

FM: I don't do them in race calls anymore. But, sure, I do them from time to time.  Some of my best ones are of people no one would know.

TDN: Who are some of the ones people would know. You did (Rodney) Dangerfield, right?

FM: Dangerfield is one of my best. Marv Albert is one of my best.  Trevor Denman I would say is one of my best. I did a call at Louisiana Downs once, and there was a horse called Di Niro's delight. And I called the race as Dangerfield and Di Niro. De Niro's Delight won at a big price.

(Watch Mirahmadi's race-call impressions below)

TDN: If you could announce a different sport for a day or two, what would it be?

FM: I would say probably baseball. I love baseball, big baseball fan.

TDN: Are you a Dodgers guy?

FM: I was when I was a little kid. I'm really more of a fan of the game itself. And pitchers in particular, I love great pitching. So, wherever the great pitchers are, I love watching, you know, phenomenal pitchers. I'm more focused on the pitchers in the actual teams. I know it sounds weird.

TDN: There are two questions I ask everyone. First, if you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be?

FM: My late father, George, who was my No. 1 racetrack partner. Rodney Dangerfield. And Tom Petty. That's a very good question.

TDN: Here is the other one. If there is a movie made about your life, and you can pick the actor to play you, who are you going with?

FM: Who would play me? I would hope it would be someone very good. I would say De Niro. He is my favorite actor, so I would say him. But he would have to alter his appearance. He did that, in the mobster movie (“The Untouchables) and “Raging Bull.” Can't go wrong with him.

TDN: OK, you were on the “Price Is Right.” Were you a fan?

Mirahmadi on The Price Is Right | Tony Valazza photo

FM: I 've loved “The Price Is Right” since I was a little kid. I always watched it.

TDN: When you got the “Frank Mirahmadi, Come On Down,” what was that like?

FM: That was a stunning situation. They had said before that to make sure your energy is high; have fun, go wild. They want that.

TDN: Did you?

FM: I did. I definitely did. I thought I might have gone over the top.

TDN: You were wearing red sweats, right?

FM: I think the color would be more like brick red, like magenta. White tennis shoes, and a t-shirt. I had gone on a walk that morning with the husband of my girlfriend's girlfriend. So those two went to the show, too. My girlfriend got tickets a long time back and told me we're gonna go.

TDN: When you got the call, were you, like, 'Whoa!'

FM: I was excited. I was surprised and excited at the same time.

TDN: How far back in the audience were you?

FM: Second or third to the last row.

TDN: You had to do a little running.

FM: Oh yeah. High fives the whole way.

TDN: And you won a trip to Hawaii.

FM: First, I won a dishwasher and that got me on stage. And then I played a game called “Flip Flop” and I want to trip to Hawaii, it was pretty easy. Because to me, there were two choices. It was either $7,900 and something or $9,700 and something. I said 'no way is this trip almost $10,000.' No chance. I know things are getting expensive, but ten grand is a little high 10 grands a lot. So I decided for sure it's $7,900. Then, the choice was between 13 and 31. I'm a Baskin-Robbins guy. So, I mean 31 was a natural choice for me. was a natural choice but when I watched the replay, I realized that that Drew (host Carey) said this is not the price and it was sitting on $7,913. I always thought later that I picked 31 because it was Baskin-Robbins. But in listening back to it, he said, 'This is not the price.' So, it's either going to be at that point is going to be $7,931, $9,713 or $9,731. If the $9,700 was out, there was an easy decision for me to make as to what it was. Fortunately, I was right.

TDN: Good time.

FM: It was fun. Once you're on there, you certainly want to make sure you win. That makes it so much more fun. You would hate to tell people, 'hey watch me on 'The Price is Right.' I lost!' It was really so much fun.

TDN: Now that “The Price is Right” is in your rear-view window, if you could be on another game show, which one you picking?

FM: I would say “Wheel of Fortune.” I could be very dangerous on “Wheel of Fortune.” I'm a great speller, I love that game and I'm pretty good at it at home. But it's very different when you're at home versus when you're in the studio. It's very, very loud and everything's different. I tried out for teenage “Card Sharks” when I was a teenager. I won the audition, but I didn't get picked.

TDN: You are a pizza aficionado. Your ideal pizza with three toppings. What are they?

FM: Zero. Light cheese. No topping whatsoever. All I request is light cheese. I am like a car. But instead of the oil light going on the cheese light is on. I've got to watch the cheese. The bread and the sauce is the top priority and then the cheese. You've got to have good cheese. If the cheese isn't great, it's no good at all. I'm very picky about pizza but that is all I eat.

TDN: Best pizza you have ever had.

FM: There are two that are very close to each other. Both on the East Coast. One is New Park Pizza, which is about five minutes from Aqueduct in Howard Beach. Insanely good. And Federici's in Freehold in New Jersey. Those are probably the two best. There is a place in New Orleans called Venezia, which I like a lot. And De Lorenzo's in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Ralph's Pizzeria in Nutley, New Jersey is great.

TDN: You've been around a few pizza places.

FM: I would have to say that New York and New Jersey are the leaders of the pizza division.

TDN: Not into Chicago pies?

FM: I do like Chicago pizza. I like Gino's East and Lou Malnati's.

TDN: You know them all!

FM: Of course. I'm not kidding you. That's all I eat. I don't eat meat, chicken or fish. There is another place I should mention, Valentino's in Manhattan Beach in California. That would be very rough if I didn't mention them.

TDN: You don't get sick of it?

FM: That's what's crazy.

TDN: Before anyone gets nervous, you must eat some good stuff too, right?

FM: I don't like fancy restaurants. I love fresh fruit. I eat it every day. I usually have melon every morning, I like nuts, cereals, fresh fruit. I am a vegetarian who eats very few vegetables. Some very strange eating habits, but pizza is in a league of its own.

TDN: If you could be a superhero for one day, who would it be?

FM: Ironman. Loved Ironman as a kid. I have only seen one of the movies. You would think I would have seen all the movies and been fascinated by them. As a kid, the comic book? Loved Ironman. He was my man.

TDN: Watch much TV?

FM: Very little. Almost no TV shows. I don't even know what's on. I haven't watched TV since I was a kid, watching “Happy Days” and “Welcome Back Kotter.”

TDN: What do you like doing in your spare time?

FM: That's a great question. I am a pretty boring guy outside of work. That's what I tell people. When I was a kid, I really had no interests other than going to the track. And now I have to be at the track! It's all I ever wanted to do.