Contact Information:
Bob Roberts (216-662-8600)
March 6, 2008
www.thistledown.com
Documentary 'The First Saturday In May" In Cleveland Film Festival Spotlight
"The First Saturday in May," a gripping (even though most know the ending) and entertaining documentary that chronicles the efforts of six trainers and their horses as they attempt to make the starting gate for the 2006 Kentucky Derby, will be showcased during the 32nd Cleveland International Film Festival at Tower City Cinema.
The 97-minute film, produced and directed by brothers John and Brad Hennegan, sons of a New York racetrack official, can be seen Friday, March 14 at 6:45 p.m. and Saturday, March 15 at 4:45 p.m. It is being sponsored in Cleveland by Judi and Tom Embrescia, Amanda and Kevin Flynn, Chastity and Matthew Embrescia, and Megan and Scott Peckham.
An indicator of how well-crafted the video is, is that it finished second among 180 films at last year's Tribeca Film Festival in New York when audiences were asked to pick their favorite.
"The First Saturday in May" follows Brother Derek (trained by Dan Hendricks), Achilles of Troy (Frank Amonte Jr.), Jazil (Kiaran McLaughlin), Lawyer Ron (Bob Holthus), Sharp Humor (Dale Romans), and Barbaro (Michael Matz). Five of the six horses make the Derby, won by Barbaro. Jazil and Brother Derek dead-heated for fourth, Lawyer Ron finished 12th, and Sharp Humor was 19th.
What makes the film so entertaining is how it is shot (in digital video) and how the Hennegans captured the stories of McLaughlin who is living with Multiple Sclerosis, Hendricks, paralyzed from the chest down after a motocross accident, Amonte as a rookie first trainer, Holthus with his best horse ever, Romans with a good horse and a young son who loves to bet, and Matz and the Derby winner, Barbaro.
Another good reason to see or purchase a copy of the video is that 25 percent of box office revenues and a portion of DVD sales has been pledged to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation for equine research.
While the video reports on the death of Barbaro following the Derby champion's long struggle following his injury in the Preakness, it ends on a positive note with a shot of runner-in-waiting, Barbaro's kid brother.
There is another interesting shot, at least for regulars at Thistledown. As McLaughlin watches on closed-circuit television as Jazil runs in a prep race at Gulfstream Park, next to him is longtime Ohio horse owner Al Corrado of Shaker Heights. At the time, McLaughlin was training horses for Corrado.
MAIDEN VICTORY BOMBER --- Jeff Radosevich, Thistledown's winningest trainer last year with 94 scores, lit up the Gulfstream Park tote board Sunday when he sent out Bruno Schickedanz' Gold Chrysanthemum to win the fourth race. The three-year-old filly, in winning a $12,500 claiming run of a mile, paid $111 for a $2 wager. The triumph was Radosevich's first winner in 30 tries after posting a pair of seconds and a pair of thirds.
"I actually thought she was the best of the bunch I have down there," said Radosevich, who is also training a stable at Mountaineer Park. "She didn't make it back to the winner's circle because the heat got to her. She nearly suffered heat stroke, but she's fine now."
Radosevich, who is training 11 horses at Gulfstream, said most of them will be heading north to run at either Thistledown, Mountaineer or Presque Isle Downs.
"I'll leave a few down there because they need to run on the turf," he said.
Radosevich watched Gold Chrysanthemum win at home on satellite television.
PROMISING DEBUT --- Owner-trainer Tim Hamm brought out Got Bling at Gulfstream Park for her three-year-old debut Sunday and the sophomore daughter of Langfuhr, a half-sister to 2006 Ohio Horse of the Year Too Much Bling, ran big to finish second in allowance company. Got Bling broke her maiden last July 5 at Thistledown by 13 1/2 lengths, then shipped to River Downs where she finished second in the July 29 Tah Dah Stakes.