Track announcer Pete Aiello has resigned his position with Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs to become the full-time announcer at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Terry Wallace spent 37 years as Oaklawn's announcer, but Oaklawn is now searching for its third announcer since Wallace was replaced by Frank Mirahmadi for the 2012 season.
Mirahmadi left Oaklawn to share announcing duties at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., in December. Aiello was hired shortly thereafter by Oaklawn from Hialeah Park in Hialeah, Fla.
Aiello, a native of South Florida, already was an announcer for Gulfstream's summer season and the fall meet at Gulfstream West when he agreed this week to serve as Gulfstream's winter-season announcer.
Larry Collmus, 49, the voice of the New York Racing Association tracks as well as the Breeders' Cup and the Triple Crown for NBC, resigned as Gulfstream's winter-season announcer June 29, opening the job for Aiello. Collmus had held the position for 10 years.
Aiello, 30, spoke highly of his season at Oaklawn but said the opportunity to work in a single market was irresistible for him.
"I just wanted to have a year-round home and not have to move," Aiello said. "This gives me some certainty for the first time in my life. To me, it's kind of like being a ride operator on a carnival circuit, and then being hired to be a ride operator at Disneyland. The job's really not much different, but the fact that you can have a house and try to start a family and live as close to a normal life as anyone in horse racing can, there's a lot to that."
Oaklawn director of racing David Longinotti said a committee to search for Aiello's replacement has been formed.
Aiello, speaking Friday during a break between the seventh and eighth races at Gulfstream, said he was pleased with how understanding Oaklawn officials were when he informed them of his decision.
"Oaklawn and David Longinotti couldn't have been any better about it," he said. "They understood that there's something to be said about calling someplace home year-round, and they were really happy for me that I'm getting this opportunity. David literally could not have been any better about it."
Aiello said he felt Oaklawn hired him because of the work he had done during the summer at Gulfstream and in the fall at Gulfstream West.
"It's interesting how it's all full circle, because I also don't think I would've ever gotten the winter job at Gulfstream if I hadn't had the job at Oaklawn," he said. "Gulfstream, when I was talking to them, kind of said that my being chosen to be the Oaklawn announcer, that that kind of legitimized me in announcing circles.
"I just hope that no one in Hot Springs or the state of Arkansas thinks that I wasn't in any way not fully committed to racing at Oaklawn. When I first got to Hot Springs, my plan was to be there until I was 75 or 80 years old. Being there this year, I made some lifelong friends. Whether they like it or not, they're stuck with me forever. It's a good feeling to have the opportunity I have here, but it's also a bittersweet feeling."
Sports on 07/16/2016