I feel crusty when I watch TV during the day, unless of course it’s the OTB channel, but I took a break from procrastinating to watch the Hennegan Brothers on Martha Stewart. I must say that there were the perfect foil for Martha!

The segment had them literally making a Derby pie with Martha, chatting about the film, the Derby in general and the importance of home made pie crust (which is what they lack in Dubai… link to segment when it’s available). If you missed it or didn’t DVR it, check for a re-run, you won’t be sorry!

Posted by dana on May 02 2008    
Filed Under: Racing in Pop Culture, 2008, I'm Procrastinating, First Saturday in May, TV, Kentucky Derby, Marketing, Derby Trail

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I’m “taking a break” this weekend again. I’m still playing catch up with a bunch of stuff and should probably start my taxes. Blah, blah, blah.

Last night I was watching American Gangster. It was pretty good, no Scarface or Goodfellas but a great entrepreneurial story about drug lord Frank Lucas, if you can look past the product. Very interesting subversion of power.

There’s a scene where a dirty cop answers the door to find a turkey in a cage (it’s thanksgiving) and then his fancy sports car blows up. Prior to opening the door he’s sitting in front of the TV and Trevor Denman is calling a race! His voice is so distinctive that I noticed because of his voice, not because of what he was saying. Note to Swifty, there’s a Samsonite attache prominently featured in this film!

I was going to handicap the Lane’s End given that the morning line favorite is 7-2, but then I noticed that Twinspires is only taking phone bets for Turfway. I would leave the house if I wanted to talk to anyone!

Posted by dana on Mar 22 2008    
Filed Under: Mainstream Media, 2008, Racing in Pop Culture, Film, Derby Trail, Trevor Denman, Racing

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File this under “learn something new every day”, I received this message from a friend on Facebook:

Thought of you at the Kerouac show at the 42nd street branch of the NYPL. He used to create these fantasy horse race newspaper reports. They’re very cool, cute little horse drawings and all. Now that you’re an aficionado thought you’d get a kick from them.

Really? I was never a Kerouac fan, however this sounds kind of promising. The exhibit is called Beatific Soul: Jack Kerouac on the Road and is on view in the main branch of the New York Public Library on 42nd street through March 16th.

Kerouac’s minutely detailed fantasy baseball and horse racing materials, which he created as a boy and played with throughout his life, will also be on display.

A quick touch of Googling uncovered this:

Leo also introduced his son to the world of horse racing which, just like baseball, would stimulate Kerouac’s young imagination.

In New York between now and March 16th? Then you might want to check this out.

Posted by dana on Jan 26 2008    
Filed Under: Racing in Pop Culture

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Two things I love unexpectedly join together. I was just laying in front of the idiot box, post pasta, thinking that I should get up and blog (feel free to laugh at me). It was back to back Law & Order episodes, which I can usually justify watching for hours on end if it’s episodes that I haven’t seen.

Fontana and Green had just figured out who their suspect was and went to his place of employment for questioning. He had been tipped off of by girlfriend and left work in the middle of his shift. Upon inspection of his locker they found The Form in his coat pocket with a few races circled.

Fontana: Belmont’s over an hour away
Green: But there’s an OTB right around the corner

[cut away to shot of TV in OTB showing the stretch run of a race, OTB regulars engaged in race. Fontana & Green make their suspect]

Suspect: C’mon, C’mon…. damn!
Green: Never bet the chalk bro
Suspect: I know, it’s not my lucky day
Fontana: You have no idea (cuffs suspect)

Thank you TV gods! Actually, there’s an episode about horse racing where a son inherits a father’s business and uses the company’s pension money to buy a race horse. I won’t ruin it in case you haven’t seen it and have to good fortune to do so.

Posted by dana on Oct 08 2007    
Filed Under: Racing in Pop Culture, Wooo!

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