Triple Crown announcer Durkin won't call races

Horse racing's Triple Crown is looking for a new voice. Longtime announcer Tom Durkin said Tuesday he is stepping away from his gig calling the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes for network television.

"It's just the stress got to be too much," Durkin told the Daily Racing Form of his decision. "When you're walking around with a pit in your stomach for three months a year, just a general bad feeling and nervousness. You look up stress in the dictionary or online, and I'm a classic case of it. ... This is a bad professional decision and a good personal one."

Durkin has called the last 30 Triple Crown races for various networks and the last 13 Kentucky Derbys.

"I'm disappointed in myself; it was a battle of nerves that I lost," Durkin also told the Daily Racing Form. "And at the racetrack, you don't like to lose."

NBC spokesman Adam Freifeld said a replacement will be named shortly. Durkin will continue to serve as track announcer for Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga.

This story was originally published April 27, 2011 at 6:02 AM.