Racecaller Luke Kruytbosch dead

Luke Kruytbosch, who called the last 10 runnings of the Kentucky Derby as the regular racecaller at Churchill Downs, was found dead Monday morning in the apartment he rented seasonally in Evansville, Ind. He was 45.

According to Churchill officials, Kruytbosch failed to show for an engagement at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., where he also was in his 10th year of calling. The cause of death as of Monday afternoon was not yet known.

Kruytbosch (pronounced KRITE-boss), who was born and raised in McLean, Va., was a graduate of the University of Arizona racetrack industry program. Using a deep baritone voice while developing his own style of calling, he began his career at smaller tracks, including the Arizona fair circuit, before succeeding Trevor Denman at Hollywood Park in 1996. Besides working at Churchill and Ellis, he had called races since 1993 at Turf Paradise in Arizona and in recent years at Kentucky Downs in south-central Kentucky.

Kruytbosch also formerly called at Ruidoso Downs, where he called six runnings of the rich All American Futurity for Quarter horses, as well as tracks in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Alberta, Canada.

Kruytbosch was single and had no children.

Kruytbosch said in April that his first Derby call, which came in 1999, when Charismatic won, remained his most memorable.

“It was overwhelming,” he said.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete Monday.