Stone Subbing for Wrona at Golden Gate

(from Golden Gate Fields release)

Travis Stone, a 24-year-old track announcer at Harrah's Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., will call the action at Golden Gate Fields Nov. 12-16.

Stone will be filling in for Golden Gate Fields track announcer Michael Wrona, who will be calling the races at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., this week.

Wrona and Stone are two of five "guest announcers" that Churchill Downs is employing during its 2008 fall meeting. Churchill Downs officials are seeking a replacement for the late Luke Kruytbosch, who died of a heart attack on July 14 at age 47. Kruytbosch was the voice of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) since 1999.

Stone arrives at Golden Gate Fields fresh off his week of calling the races at Churchill Downs. Golden Gate Fields is the second pinch-announcing assignment for Stone, who called the action at Calder Race Course in Florida from Oct. 26 through Nov. 2 while Calder announcer Bobby Neuman took his turn in the Churchill Downs' announcer's booth.

Stone's career in horse racing began in 2006 when he was named track announcer at Louisiana Downs, less that six months after the New York native graduated from State University of New York College at Oneonta.