From Central Kentucky to Dubai, THOROUGHBRED captures the beauty of the breed,
reveals the people whose lives revolve around this legendary creature, and
explores the history and traditions of the Thoroughbred world. These majestic
animals are more than just a pretty face; even those outside the inner-circle
of racing respect the breed’s amazing strength and stamina. The primetime
PBS documentary is a production of Kentucky Educational Television (KET),
produced and directed by Academy Award® Winner, Paul Wagner. THOROUGHBRED will premiere on PBS Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 9:00 pm
ET (check local listings) – just two days prior to the 137th
running of the Kentucky Derby.
THOROUGHBRED will explore Aqueduct’s
“backside,” where viewers are introduced to an eclectic community
of grooms, jockeys, trainers and owners as they prepare for the races. These
charismatic characters are joined by gamblers, breeders and journalists, who
give viewers a glimpse into the fascinating, intense and sometimes
heartbreaking world of Thoroughbred racing. The excitement at Aqueduct reaches
a fever-pitch with a thrilling come-from-behind win for I Want Revenge at the 2009 Wood Memorial Stakes.
“The
film takes you into the hidden world of the Thoroughbred –– the
places, the people, the history and culture of America’s oldest
sport,” says producer/director Paul
Wagner. “Although THOROUGHBRED
focuses on a year of racing,
breeding and sales leading up to the 2009 Kentucky Derby, our hope is that
we’ve created a timeless film, as relevant in ten years as it is
today.”
THOROUGHBRED also reveals the serene quiet of the picturesque
Three Chimneys Farm located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass region. Breeder
Arthur Hancock introduces a promising brown mare named Cerise and discusses his
storied family history of breeding and racing Thoroughbreds, including the 1989
Kentucky Derby winner, Sunday Silence.
From
Kentucky, viewers are transported to the Arabian desert, where the origins of
the Thoroughbred are explored and one of the industry’s titans
–– Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai
–– oversees extravagant stables and the richest series of horse
races in the world.
THOROUGHBRED culminates at Louisville’s
Churchill Downs for the 2009 Kentucky Derby. During the preparations and
celebrations of Derby
week, owners share their hopes and disappointments, and horses seem to revel in
the spotlight as everything comes down to who stands in the winner’s
circle. As the excitement of the Derby
passes, the program ends with a new beginning and new potential: the birth and
wobbly first steps of Cerise’s foal.