Splashtastic (the winning horse on a wet track)
Tom Durkin, a track announcer for the New York Racing Association from 1990 until his retirement in 2014, called his last race at Saratoga’s Spinaway Stakes in August 2014:
“Condo Commando is splish-splashing down the stretch in the Spa, and she’s all alone for the final furlong of the Spinaway…Condo Commando was splash-tastic!”
“Splashtastic” (splash + fantastic) means a horse that wins on a wet track. The “splashtastic” term was used again by others to describe American Pharoah’s Preakness Stakes win in May 2015 on another muddy track.
Wikipedia: Tom Durkin
Tom Durkin (born November 30, 1950) is a retired American sportscaster and public address announcer specializing in Thoroughbred horse racing. He was the race caller for NBC Sports from 1984 through 2010, and served as the announcer for the New York Racing Association from 1990 until his retirement in 2014. For his career-long dedication, he was awarded the Eclipse Award of Merit in January 2015.
Twitter
NYRA
@TheNYRA
Condo Commando was “splashtastic,” Durkin was fantastic! 3-1 in the #Spinaway for Dubb, Bethlehem, Elkstone, @bravoace, Rodriguez. 1-4-2-5
4:54 PM - 31 Aug 2014
NYRA
Condo Commando “splashtastic” in G1 Spinaway; Tom Durkin goes out in style
By Sean Morris | 08/31/2014 07:49 PM ET
“Condo Commando was splashtastic!” belted NYRA race caller Tom Durkin as his illustrious career came to a close with Condo Commando’s win in the 123rd running of the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway in a driving rainstorm on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course.
New York (NY) Times
And He’s Off: A Track Legend Calls It a Career
Tom Durkin, the Voice of New York Horse Racing, Retires
By JOE DRAPE AUG. 31, 2014
(...)
On Sunday, after the 10th race here (Saratoga—ed.) at the oldest racetrack in the United States, Durkin walked out of the cramped, splintered crow’s nest that is his office and into the uncertain life of a retiree. His last call of the 123rd running of the Spinaway Stakes was, of course, a beauty, mustering all his showmanship to brighten a bittersweet afternoon punctuated by showers.
“Condo Commando is splish-splashing down the stretch in the Spa, and she’s all alone for the final furlong of the Spinaway,” Durkin roared before putting his binoculars down and leaning into a final flourish of a distinguished career. “Condo Commando was splash-tastic.”
Twitter
Zenyatta John
@Pick4win
Moment of the Year, one word #Splashtastic Tom Durkin’s Last Call 8/31/2014 | Videos | http://bloodhorse.com http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/videos/13386/tom-durkins-last-call-8-31-2014 …
4:23 PM - 16 Dec 2014
Sports on Earth
May 17, 2015
TWO DOWN FOR AMERICAN PHAROAH
By Gene Menez
(...)
But neither slop nor rain nor seven top three-year-olds could stop American Pharoah. The horse regarded by some as the next Seattle Slew was, to borrow a term coined by former race caller Tom Durkin, splashtastic in winning the second leg of the Triple Crown, cruising wire-to-wire and crushing the field by seven easy lengths.