I watched the first episode of Jockeys on Animal Planet Saturday night. Actually, it turned out I wasn’t receiving Animal Planet among the 400 odd channels I do get on my digital transmitter. Yeah, I get 14 versions of CBC National News, but not the Animal Planet. Well, I called Rogers and within three minutes ( for the minimal charge of $2.59) I was able to watch on channel 428 ( if you, like me, are from the 50s, you’ll understand how absurd this is!).
Anyway, here’s my review…not bad. The show was one of several episodes covering jockeys in California; among those involved are Joe Talamo, his rival Aaron Gryder, Jon Court, Mike Smith and his girlfriend, Brampton’s Chantal Sutherland.
Another lady jockey, Kayla Stra tells us that riding horses is “better than sex.”
The series is very well shot and edited. The voice over is a little intentional and designed for those who don’t know much about the game. One piece of fabrication did not sit well with me. The producers had race caller Trevor Denman re-do one of his races, so as to emphasize the jockeys over the horses. Anyone who has been to the track more than three times could tell how phoney that was.
And while the jockeys are happy that the documentary is steering itself away from the eating disorders that plague these athletes, the show repeatedly shows horses falling and jockeys being tossed to the dirt like bags of flour. Yes, this is a dangerous game, but Animal Planet Jockeys could give you the impression that horses go down every other race.
Judging from the first episode, Chantal Sutherland is a centre piece of this series. She has recently decided to move west to live with boyfriend Mike Smith a hall of fame rider 10 years her senior ( Sutherland is 33). Let’s get this out of the way. Chantal Sutherland is the most photogenic of all jockeys and the producers know that. She is seen cheering Smith on, pushing his clothes aside to make room for hers in his apartment and almost tearing up as the two discuss their future plans. Sutherland would like to ride at Woodbine this summer – in 2008, she did some wonderful things at the Rexdale track.
The best moment is when Sutherland, after watching Smith ride on a monitor at Woodbine (he was riding a horse, not a monitor) , calls her partner to talk about the race. There is a camera on Chantal in Toronto and simultaneously one on Mike at Santa Anita.
It’s all brilliantly cut and dramatically paced. I expect to get my $2.59 worth in ensuing weeks.
Meanwhile, you’ll forgive the Woodbine faithful if they’re hearing voices…many voices. Regular harness race caller Ken Middleton pooled all his leftover vacation days from 2008 and took the better part of a month off. Woodbine conscripted thoroughbred announcer Dan Loiselle to cover some of the days and nights – not a bad choice – Loiselle started out as a harness caller. But also in the booth, we’ve heard the ever competent Greg Blanchard as well as aspiring race callers Chaz Rozema and Chris Roberts.
I’m hurt that no one asked me.
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