FORGOTTEN AT THE FINISH LINE

FORGOTTEN AT THE FINISH LINE (Jimmy Winkfield)

This documentary profiles the early days of thoroughbred racing when African Americans dominated the sport from the 1700’s and later flourished after the Civil War. Over the first 28 years that the Kentucky Derby was run, 15 of the winning riders were African Americans. The legacy has its roots in slavery when plantation owners left the care, training and racing of horses to slaves. You had jockeys who were literally riding for their freedom on many of the southern plantations. Unfortunately by 1900 their achievements were largely overlooked and today black jockeys and trainers are rare.

This feature pays homage to the forgotten contributions of those pioneers who played a huge role in the early history of the, "Sport of Kings"; figures such as Isaac Murphy, three-time winning Kentucky Derby rider; Jimmy Winkfield, two-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey and renowned horse trainer whose career and reputation extended to Europe; Lonnie Clayton and "Soup" Perkins who both won the Derby at age 15; Willie Sims, Ed Brown, William Walker, Jimmy Lee, Tony Hamilton and Marlon St. Julien who rode in the 2000 Kentucky Derby – the first African American to do so in 79 years!

A long overdue tribute to all the forgotten heroes; shot on location at racetracks in South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, California, Virginia, Maryland and New York.


(1 Hour)