Santa Anita hires Michael Wrona as track announcer

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Santa Anita has hired Michael Wrona as its full-time track announcer.

The Australian replaces Trevor Denman, who retired late last year. Wrona becomes the fourth main announcer since Santa Anita opened in 1934, although others have filled in over the years.

The track said Thursday that Wrona beat out finalists Frank Mirahmadi and international announcers Craig Evans and David Fitzgerald from more than three dozen candidates.

Wrona will continue to call the track's races through the end of the winter meet on April 10. He will begin his full-time position May 5 when Santa Anita opens its spring-summer meet.

He had been working at Golden Gate Fields in Northern California for the last 10 years, and has been in the U.S. for 25 years. Wrona began his announcing career at 17 in his homeland.