Frank Mirahmadi to take over as Santa Anita race caller

Published Nov. 26, 2018 1:23 p.m. ET

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Frank Mirahmadi will become Santa Anita's new race caller when the winter meet begins Dec. 26, replacing Michael Wrona who was let go after two years.

Mirahmadi recently completed his fourth season as track announcer at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. He will conclude his race calling duties at Aqueduct in New York on Dec. 16. The 51-year-old caller has also worked at Florida's Hialeah, Oaklawn in Arkansas, Golden Gate Fields in Northern California and Louisiana Downs. He had brief stints at Santa Anita in 2014 and 2016.

Wrona was informed Saturday that he would not return by Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer for The Stronach Group, which owns Santa Anita. Wrona had the job since spring 2016, when he won it after competing with three other announcers, including Mirahmadi.

Ritvo said Monday that Mirahmadi would perform promotional duties in addition to calling races. He said Mirahmadi is a "very engaging, funny guy."

Mirahmadi, who was born in Los Angeles, played the role of Santa Anita track announcer in the 2003 movie "Seabiscuit."