The Bottom Line
Pros
- A great behind-the-scenes look at throroughbred horse racing.
- Shows the real-life relationship between trainers and throughbreds.
- Shows that the horses have such wonderfully different personalities.
Cons
- It would be great to see more of Barbaro.
Description
- Combines the best of Seabiscuit and Horse Whisperer, and it's all real life footage of thoroughbreds and their trainers.
- The close-ups of Barbaro looking right into the camera and snorting are really wonderful and endearing.
- Dan Hendricks trains the ornery Brother Derek from the confines of a wheelchair, feeding the horse carrots mouth to mouth.
- Bob Holthus is 73 years old and near retirement when he gets his first shot at the Derby with Lawyer Ron.
Guide Review - The First Saturday in May (2007) - Movie Review
Using actual footage from the 132nd Annual Kentucky Derby (2006), The First Saturday in May captures the rush of the horserace that's been called "the most exciting two minutes in sports." But the film's biggest achievement is its revaluation of behind-the-scenes stories of trainers and their thoroughbreds.Directors John and Brad Hennegan (they're brothers, and this is their first film) follow six very different trainers who, for the first time in their careers, are in charge of horses that keep winning the stakes races that will qualify them for the Kentucky Derby. You witness their excitement mount as they strive for their chance to compete for the racing world's holy grail.
The thoroughbreds are absolutely amazing creatures: beautiful and spirited, with decidedly different personalities. The trainers, too, are very different in circumstance and style. It's fascinating to see how the men and beasts develop such personal relationships with each other. The trainers seem to treat the thoroughbreds almost like their children.
Of the 40,000 horses born each year, only 20 make it to the Kentucky Derby starting gate. The horses that run in the Kentucky Derby are three-year-olds, and this is their one chance to compete in this race. To decide which of them to feature, the Hennegans tracked track records leading up to the Derby, then chose horses being trained by a very interesting assortment of men. They're all terrifically appealing. When it comes time for the race, you simply don't know which trainer-horse pair to root for.
Then, there's the heartbreaking story of Barbaro. Two weeks after winning the Derby, this champion had a tragic accident while running in the Preakness, the second race in America's Triple Crown. Barbaro's story is well-known, but the fall and the results still come as a shock.
You'll love this film.
