Kentucky Downs announces broadcast team; Wrona back as announcer

Published 9:14 am Monday, August 4, 2025

Jess Stafford interviewS Kentucky Downs co-managing partner Ron Winchell at Royal Ascot. (FANDUEL TV)

NBC Sports’ Britney Eurton and British-based racing presenter Jess Stafford will join analyst Caton Bredar for an all-star broadcast team that includes Michael Wrona returning to the announcer’s booth for Kentucky Downs’ 2025 race meet.

Britain’s Nick Luck — arguably international horse racing’s best-known broadcaster — also will be at Kentucky Downs for NBC’s live coverage on Aug. 30. That two-hour telecast (3-5 p.m.) on NBC’s flagship network will include the $3.5 million, Grade 3 DK Horse Nashville Derby, America’s richest race for 3-year-olds on turf.

Those at Kentucky Downs and the simulcast audience will enjoy an enhanced video production with the addition of a drone camera as well as a cable cam running the length of the stretch. Kentucky Downs runs Aug. 28, 30, 31 and Sept. 4, 6, 7 and 10 over America’s only European-style turf course.

Eurton, Stafford and Bredar will provide analysis and paddock interviews throughout the meet on the Kentucky Downs’ broadcast, with Luck contributing on opening day and Aug. 31. Each day’s DK Horse simulcast feed will begin with the Race Lens Angle of the Day, providing a betting perspective using the interactive past-performance product from Equibase, the industry’s official statistician. Eurton also will be on NBC’s Aug. 30 broadcast.

“Our managing partners Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone challenge us each year to find new ways to improve the experience for our horsemen, guests and horseplayers, and this is part of that mission,” said Ted Nicholson, vice president for racing for ECL Entertainment, Kentucky Downs’ parent company. “We’ve put together an all-star international cast that will make our simulcast feed must-watch viewing for racing fans while also appealing to a much broader audience, both geographically and as far as horse-racing knowledge.

“Bringing in Nick and Jess is a logical extension of entrenching our seven days on the international racing calendar. Caton is among the best in the business, and Britney is a rising star for NBC Sports who already had a strong fandom in racing from her years working for TVG and FanDuel TV. With our drone camera and cable cam, we’ll also have racing video befitting the strongest broadcast team of any racetrack in the country.”

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Wrona returns as Kentucky Downs’ announcer

Michael Wrona called the races at Kentucky Downs in 2019 and split duties in 2020 with Larry Collmus after Wrona was named year-round announcer for Los Alamitos in California’s Orange County. Now, with Collmus taking over the mic for Del Mar’s summer meet, Wrona will be back at Kentucky Downs.

The 59-year-old Australian-born Wrona, who has called races in six countries, has earned a reputation as one of the sport’s most colorful and entertaining announcers, weaving humor into precise calls. Wrona’s simple proclamation of “Racing!” as the horses spring from the gate is among the best-known race-call signatures in the industry.

“I’m delighted to be returning to Kentucky Downs for the first time since 2020,” Wrona said. “I have watched with interest and admiration as the track’s racing product and profile continue to grow and am extremely grateful to Los Alamitos for releasing me to come to Kentucky Downs.”

Said Nicholson: “We’ve been blessed to go from one iconic announcer to another and back. His Australian accent fits well with our increasing presence of international horses, and we look forward to many memorable race calls.”