Preakness
How Kelly began a string of 15-straight years calling the horses to the post for The Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Maryland is one of those "horse stories."
Pimlico Race Course General Manager Chick Lang, Jr. called Thayer requesting Kelly trumpet the horses to The Preakness for the second leg of racing's Triple Crown, but Kelly says Thayer told him, "you send me two $5,000 claimers and I'll give you Joe!"
That's their story anyway, and they're sticking to it.
"He's the end of another era," says Thayer. "He was the first to ever 'jazz up" the call to the post. Other's have tried to imitate him, but Joe's an original."
What music and horse racing lovers in the crowd always saw in Kelly was the upbeat, positive fun-loving performer, whose sincere chatter with fans from every stage was part of the scenery. Without him putting smiles on a fan who lost a close one, or a jockey who worked a long one, the scenery would be a less creative one.
Read more about this topic: Joe Kelly (musician)