Gulfstream Park announcer Pete Aiello is headed west for a three-day race-calling excursion.
Aiello will take over in the Santa Anita Park announcer's booth June 6-8 as regular announcer Frank Mirahmadi will be at Saratoga Race Course to call its five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Filling in for Aiello at Gulfstream Park will be young up-and-comer Liam Molinaro, who previously called the Golden State Racing meet at Pleasanton.
Mirahmadi has been Santa Anita's track announcer since December 2018. In 2023, Mirahmadi was additionally hired by the New York Racing Association to serve as its announcer during the summer meet at Saratoga. Last year, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival was added to Mirahmadi's duties when it was moved to Saratoga from its traditional home at Belmont Park as that track undergoes a multiyear renovation project.
"I am beyond grateful to have the privilege of calling the Belmont Stakes again for NYRA and FOX," Mirahmadi said. "Santa Anita management once again kindly let me take the time off. Our fans will be delighted to welcome Pete Aiello from our sister track into the booth at 'The Great Race Place,' and they should get ready for some high-energy, fun calls from Pete!"
Aiello has served as Gulfstream's year-round announcer since 2016. A 39-year-old native of West Palm Beach, Fla., Aiello previously served as a guest racecaller at Santa Anita during the 2023 Breeders' Cup, calling the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) and Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), as well as the Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes (G3T) on the undercard. This will, however, mark his first full weekend foray at Santa Anita.
"It's exciting because this time I'll get to call every race and be able to get into a rhythm," Aiello said this week. "Everything about this job is rhythm."
Aiello acknowledged that there will be additional challenges anytime an announcer moves to a new track, most notably a lack of familiarity with the local horse population.
"Like with the silks. There are some I know as a fan, but others that I've never seen before, so it will be a little tricky," Aiello said. "But one good thing in the equation is Santa Anita isn't new to me, and I have great a resource in the sense I can call Frank anytime I have a question."
Mirahmadi's run at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be highlighted by the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes (G1). Among those expected to compete in the Belmont are Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism; plus fellow Santa Anita-based 3-year-olds Baeza, most recently third in the Kentucky Derby (G1); and Rodriguez, who won the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) in April prior to being scratched from the Kentucky Derby because of a foot issue. The post position draw for the Belmont is June 2.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
