Just got back from attending the premiere of The First Saturday in May, the documentary by John and Brad Hennegan about the road to the 2005 Derby, featuring Lawyer Ron, Barbaro, Jazil, Brother Derek, Achilles of Troy, and Sharp Humor. The film officially opens next Friday, but tonight was a cast and crew showing, and while I fit into neither of those categories, Brad and John were kind enough to invite some local friends and supporters, and I attended with Railbird and Dana.
I saw the movie for the first time last May at the Tribeca Film Festival, and it was as fresh, meaningful, and alive tonight as it was then, when I wrote a full review. That said, two years on from the filming, I was struck by some changes in the racing landscape, such as seeing a rank front-running Lawyer Ron, trained by Bob Holthus, in the days before he became a more patient Pletcher trainee, and watching the then-unknown Fernando Jara get his big break on Jazil. In the film, we learn that after the victory in the Wood, Jara will retain the mount for the Derby, and he went on in the next year to win the Belmont, Suburban, Whitney, Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Dubai World Cup, before burning bridges, heading south, west, and south again to Panama, where he’s currently riding.
It practically goes without saying that most of the three-year-olds in the film are no longer in training. The exception is Brother Derek; Jazil and Lawyer Ron did come back to race as four-year-olds (the latter successfully, finishing second in the Salvator Mile at Monmouth and winning the Whitney and Woodward). Sharp Humor was injured in the Derby and retired in November of that year; I don’t recall whether he ever made it back to the racetrack.
The First Saturday in May gets its first nationwide, limited release next Friday, April 18th. If the film does big office in its first few days, theaters will extend the run for a second week…so GO! Check the list of cities in which the film is showing; 25% of the opening week box office will go to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, “committed to the advancement of research to enhance the health and soundness of horses of all breeds.” So you can have a fun night out, see a great movie, enjoy the thrill of horse racing, and donate to a good cause all at the same time.
This is a wonderful movie, featuring quirky, interesting characters; formidable racehorses; and the drama of sports, which is the best reality show there is. OK, so we know how the race turned out…and if you’re a Barbaro fan, that’s good news. If you were rooting for Jazil…well, enjoy the replay of the Wood, and think about the horses running this weekend in the final major Derby preps. Catch them on your local horse-racing channel, pick someone to back (financially or otherwise), and tune in again on Derby Day, May 3rd. Horse racing needs all the fans it can get, and this movie superbly shows us why this terrific sport deserves much more attention than it currently garners.
The film shows us that in the winter and spring each year, hopes rise at farms and racetracks big and small across the country, as horses, trainers, owners, and jockeys watch promising young colts develop into Derby horses. If there’s a racetrack near you, pick a Saturday and head over to spend the day…you might not see a Derby horse, but I guarantee that you’ll see something to stir your blood, spark your imagination, and maybe increase your bankroll. Not many afternoon diversions can deliver all three, especially for an entry fee of a couple of bucks.
I’m preaching to the choir; if you weren’t already a racing fan, you wouldn’t be here, so I probably don’t need to exhort you to get to the track. But I do exhort you to get thee to this movie; its release is limited, and without your support, it leaves the theaters. Support the Hennegans, support the movie, support the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, and support the sport. You won’t regret a minute that you spend in the theater.
(Postscript: I wrote much of this before going to sleep Thursday night…and dreamt about The First Saturday in May.)
Brooklyn Backstretch 
Can’t wait.
Rah Rah and a stirring call to arms…It’s amazing for those of us who follow the sport so closely how much has changed in two years, particularly the departure of Jara. The horses are fleet and their presence fleeting. Get ’em while their hot. That said, it makes you appreciate even more a horse like Evening Attire, who finally appeared mortal in his most recent start after so many weekends of delivering his patented punch at the New York tracks. Anyway, again, I agree about the movie: It’s a helluva calling card for the sport. You’d think the NTRA would maybe put some muscle behind it. Isn’t its wide distribution in the best interest of everyone in the game?- J.S.
Great review. Can’t wait to see the film.