Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Odds On Racing's

Personality
of the Month
for August 2005

Peter Galassi

Peter Galassi is well known throughout North America as the full-time announcer at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Illinois. For years Peter has called races for both the harness horses and thoroughbreds at "Historic Hawthorne," as well as at Balmoral, Maywood and Sportsman's Parks.

"I was always into sports announcing, and I was introduced to harness racing by the parents of a high school friend," Peter, 52, noted. "They were fans and they got me interested, and one thing led to another."

Peter Galassi

Peter is a native of Joliet, Illinois and is now a Chicago resident. He has one daughter, Christine and a long-time partner, Janet. Every since childhood, Peter had loved the atmosphere of the racetrack.

"I always liked sports broadcasting and after visiting the tracks, I really found that I liked the atmosphere there," Peter said.

Peter's first stint at the microphone came at at the small county fair track in Aledo, Illinois, and from there he graduated to his first pari-mutuel race calls at Quad City Downs as the replacement for Tom Durkin back in 1979. Peter's first time in front of the mike was a tough one.

"There was an absolute downpour and you could hardly see a thing. It was quite a way to start out, and I guess you could say that's my most memorable race," Peter recalled.

Peter was the back-up announcer at Balmoral Park before taking over those duties in 1982. He spent 20 years at that Crete oval before taking his mike to Hawthorne in the late 2001.

Peter says that some of his fondest memories are of "Super Nights past" that were once contested at the now defunct Sportsman's Park.

"It would be one big race after another, and it was great to be part of programs that featured so much quality and generated so much excitement," he said. "Now, when I announce, I'm always waiting for that next track, stake or world record."

"Over the years, the speed factor in harness racing has probably intrigued me the most," Peter noted. "I remember in 1979 we had a horse pace under 2:00 and that was really something then. Of course watching the top horses race is always exciting. My favorites used to be Rambling Willie and Mr Dalrae."

Peter says he has no plans to change professions anytime soon, and hopes to continue calling races at Hawthorne for many more seasons.

"It would be nice to see the harness horsemen get more dates next year," he added.