The Young Voice Of Will Rogers Downs

Somehow it doesn't feel like horse racing weather, but they are running at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore.  The News On 6's Rick Wells reports the voice of Will Rogers Downs, the track announcer, is making quite a name for himself in racing circles. That despite the fact he's too young to bet at many tracks.

It's the first race at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, and it's not the racing, but the announcer who was the focus of attention on Tuesday.

The track announcer is 19-year-old Jesse Ullery.  He says he has just always loved racing.

His grandfather is a horse trainer.  So, he's been around tracks since he was a little kid, but there aren't a lot of opportunities to build an announcing resume at the age of 19.

"A lot of credit goes to my friends in grade school," said Jesse Ullery.

Jesse was the play by play voice of all their playground football games, and then he moved on to be the play by play voice of the video games they played.

He's up in the booth on race days from noon to at least five, calling eleven races.

Between races he's handicapping the favorites in the next race for 400 simulcast facilities around the world that take a satellite feed from Will Rogers Downs. 

He's a college student when not track announcing and has all on-line classes this semester.  He is studying communications and political science with greater expectations.

"Hopefully one day I'll get a law degree," said Jesse Ullery.

The race meet at Will Rogers Downs runs 44 days.  After that, Jesse will serve as track announcer at Fair Meadows in Tulsa.