Jockeys Season 2
I finally watched the first episode of the new season of Jockeys on Animal Planet, and here is my review of the episode and assessment of this season.
I am hopeful about this season, because I was left feeling very excited at the end of this first episode. It seems the producers finally get who their audience is, how to educate and narrate to the general public and to build the true story-lines around track life.
Episode one focuses on Chantal Sutherland and Corey Nakatani, and introduces the Kentucky Derby. The goal this season is to build up to the Kentucky Derby. I found their story telling brilliant in how they explained claiming races and use "The Hat" to help explain common horseman knowledge.
Jockeys had a hook, with the claiming red tag before the commercial break, and then following the commercial break revealed the sinker. That commercial hook was brilliantly well done. Introducing the turbulent life of Corey Nakatani is definitely worthy of reality TV and will pose as their needed drama for the show.
Last season I was concerned with Jockeys focusing on the Breeders' Cup and didn't understand why they played the BC meet more than the Kentucky Derby. Though they will be at the Derby this year. Actually you may see me on the show this season, at the Kentucky Derby. I was around their cameras a lot while I was shooting video at events they were also shooting video at. Who knows...but another reason for you to watch I guess, just kidding.
Jockeys season 2 should hold better stories, and most importantly for me, a lot more in-depth education on the ins and outs of horse racing and the industry. The general fan will be drawn in. Hopefully they will see what has captured me over the past two and a half years.
To read my colleague Steve Haskin’s opinions about Season 2, check out Take Two – by Steve Haskin. Steve and Lenny may also discuss the season briefly on this weeks And They're Off.
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Thoroughbred Retirement.
There are a lot of amazing organizations out there helping the horse. Thoroughbreds definitely have their fair share of retirees and many people have wondered what can we do to help.
If you venture to the New York Times website, their featured video is on central Kentucky's Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement center. The video is worth a watch. Skip Dickstein, a great guy and awesome photographer, is also briefly in the piece, so see if you can spot him.
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/08/23/sports/1247464007774/where-do-racehorses-go-.html
There is also a correlating story:
"The Derby dreams of Tour of the Cat and his owner, Susan Gannon, ended in the spring of 2001 when he finished a well-beaten second in the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Park."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/sports/24tour.html?_r=1
There are hundreds of organizations that do a good job at tracking and helping our equine friends. Facebook holds a gathering place for many of these groups, our Blood-Horse Facebook page is friends or members with some of them. TheHorse.com is one of our publications and on their home page we have a free adoption service to help find good homes for horses. 185 horses have found new homes due to this service.
http://www.thehorse.com/Horses/Available.aspx?breed=thoroughbred
http://www.thehorse.com/Horses/Adopted.aspx
Titles featuring rehabilitated horses...
http://www.exclusivelyequine.com/ViewProduct.aspx?productID=B11-1151%28BHP%29
http://www.exclusivelyequine.com/ViewProduct.aspx?productID=B26-1933%28BHP%29
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Horse of Interest:
I have ran across a new name that was very clever and struck me as needing a mention. So N So is by Freud out of So Far So Good, by Distinctive Pro. He finished first in the Lucy Scribner Stakes August 24.
You can read the results and watch the race replay here.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/USA/SAR/2009/8/24/3
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