OZONE PARK, N.Y. - John Imbriale, who cut back on his announcing duties at the New York Racing Association in the fall of 2022, has now gone into full-blown retirement. Chris Griffin, who replaced Imbriale at Aqueduct in late 2022, will now be the full-time downstate announcer for the New York Racing Association, which will race at Aqueduct through the first quarter of 2026 before moving to a new Belmont Park. Frank Mirahmadi will call the Saratoga summer meet for a second consecutive year. It has not yet been finalized who will call the races during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga from June 6-9. Imbriale, 69, has been at NYRA since 1979 when he won a New York Daily News contest to call a race and work in the NYRA press office. In 1990, the Queens, N.Y., native became Tom Durkin's backup announcer. Along the way, he took on other responsibilities at NYRA, working with Harvey Pack on the popular Inside Racing television show, and in a variety of roles as NYRA expanded its television presence. Imbriale became NYRA’s full-time announcer in January 2020 before stepping away from full-time duties following the 2022 Saratoga meet. Imbriale called the Belmont Park meets, including the ones held at Aqueduct, through October 2023. :: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!  “I think I had gotten to the point I thought I’ve done what I could possibly do at NYRA,” Imbriale said in a phone interview. “I thought it was time. I found it a little more difficult to get up for every single day going to the track, which is not where you want to be if you’re the announcer. “From a very personal standpoint, I feel like we all lose our fastball at some point along the way,” Imbriale added. “I still think I was able to do the job at a decent level when I finished up last October. I didn’t want to go backwards.” In a press release, NYRA CEO and president Dave O’Rourke called Imbriale “an ambassador” for Thoroughbred racing. “John’s contributions went beyond an unwavering accuracy in calling the races,” O’Rourke said. “He conveyed excitement whether it was a Grade 1 at Saratoga or a mid-week claimer, and in doing so, helped fans learn about and better appreciate Thoroughbred racing. John is also one of the true gentlemen of racing and a role model and mentor to a generation of NYRA staff.”  Imbriale said he will split his time between Florida and New York. He said he already purchased tickets to attend the June 8 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. “I’m looking forward to attending Saratoga as a fan,” Imbriale said. Griffin, 43, takes on an expanded race-calling role at NYRA after taking over for Imbriale at Aqueduct in December 2022. “Thank you to John Imbriale for showing the way how to be a professional - the consummate professional-_ for a long period of time,” Griffin said. “I’m humbled and honored and I’m having a blast doing it. I love being in New York, happy to be a part of it.” In 2023, Griffin called the Monmouth Park summer meet, a job he had to give up to take on his added NYRA duties. On Wednesday, Matt Dinerman was named announcer at Monmouth Park. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.