NEWSLETTERS

Newsletter dated March 27, 2008

NTWA Newsletter from President Tom Law
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Greetings fellow Turf writers. I hope this early spring note finds everyone well and ready for the busy Triple Crown season that will be upon us all before we know it. There are several areas to cover and I hopefully can provide an adequate amount of information so everyone is up to speed.

ELECTIONS: The makeup of the National Turf Writers Association board of directors and team of officers could be in for major changes after our semi-annual meeting on May 1 at Churchill Downs. Several positions on the board and the three officer terms will expire at the May meeting.
The two-year terms for the positions of President (Tom Law), Vice President (Tom Pedulla), and Secretary/Treasurer (Jill Williams) all expire, along with the two-year terms for board members Hank Wesch, Dave Johnson, and Brad Telias.
Obviously any and all of those individuals are welcome to be nominated and throw their hats into the ring to run for election again. At the same time, other members in good standing are more than welcome and urged to step up to serve the organization in a positive way. For anyone either interested themselves, or interested in nominating a fellow member, please feel free to contact me (TLaw@thoroughbredtimes.com) or Jill Williams (Jill@turfwriters.org).

In other news, Tom Pedulla and I have participated in a pair of Eclipse Awards steering committee teleconferences along with representatives of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Daily Racing Form to discuss matters pertaining to the annual awards, specifically the possibility of online voting being brought into the mix for the future and future locations of the actual awards dinner. I will keep everyone informed as decisions are finalized in this area.
As always, I would greatly appreciate some feedback from the membership about the possibility of online voting, which may not completely do away with the traditional paper ballot voting procedure, but certainly provide an alternative option.

ECLIPSE AWARDS: Speaking of Eclipse Awards, a complete rundown of how the members of the NTWA voted is included in this newsletter as an attachment.

DUES: Thank you to the following members who have paid their 2008 dues: Alfarano Allen Arrington Austin Bailey (L) Bailey (R) Bearse Belfiore Beyer Biles Bisher Black Blake Bossert Bossinakis Bowen Brunker Christine Clancy (J) Clancy (S) Conley Cooke Jr. Correll Crist Crossley Cusano Cushny Daley DeMartini Deckard Demling DeSantis Deubler Didato Doolittle Dougherty Downey Downs Duckworth Duke Eberhardt-Keogh Ehalt Eng Farley Farrell Fierro Finley Free Gantz Giauque Greene Grisham Groothedde (L) Groothedde (R) Gruender Hale Hall (G) Hall (T) Hallett Hammonds Harris Harzmann Haskin Hebel-Osborne Heller Henwood Herbert Hilts-Gossett Hovdey Hoyt Ike Ireland Jerardi Johnson Joyce Kane Kerrison Kieckhefer Klein Kling Korotkin LaMarra Liebman MacDonald Mandel Marr Marshall Marten McEvoy McGee McKee McMillen McNamara Milbert Mitchell (E) Mitchell (R) Modesti Mooney Myrick Nack Nicoletti Novak Oppenheim Owens Palmisano Parker (E) Parker (R) Patterson Pedulla Peters Platz Prather Pricci Privman Rak Rees Rodenas Rodriguez Rolfes Ross Sarno Scheinman Schmitz Schuelein Scott (A) Scott (D) Scott (L) Senzell Shandler Shinar Shulman Siraco Smith (B) Smith (P) Snider Sowers Stevens Stogel Stone Stumes Summers Telias Thornton van Dyke Veitch Volponi Watchmaker Wesch West White Williams Wilson Wincze Wolff Wolski Yates Zamarelli Zast Ziegel

OTHER NOTES:
** Longtime Breeders’ Cup media relations point man Jim Gluckson passed along new contact information: Jim Gluckson, Breeders' Cup Ltd., One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 885 Second Avenue 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017, 212-230-9512 (Office), 646-335-6835 (Cell), jgluckson@breederscup.com.
** Biographer Rudolph Alvarado passed along a note about his recently released book about longtime Santa Anita Park announcer Joe Hernandez. His note is pasted below.
** Innerview Entertainment passed along a press release about an upcoming documentary about female jockeys that is pasted below.
** Elisabeth Jensen of The Race For Education passed along a note about Jennifer MacDonald, the 2006 recipient of the NTWA/Youbet.com Journalism Scholarship. Jennifer attended the 2006 NTWA dinner in Louisville and is currently working for a news station in Chico, California. She sent an entertaining DVD to The Race For Education that shows some of her televised segments.

Thanks for all your attention and here’s wishing you an enjoyable spring season. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or complaints, 859-260-9800 ext. 125, or tlaw@thoroughbredtimes.com.
Take care,
Tom Law
NTWA President
March 27, 2008

 

Alvarado note:
Dear Turf Writers Official,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Rudolph Alvarado and I am a biographer. I recently completed the life story of Joe Hernandez, the legendary and beloved voice of Santa Anita. The book comes out on March 21. I was writing to see if you would do me the favor of forwarding the attached press release and book cover photo to your members. If this is not possible will you please send me a directory of e-mail addresses for members so I can send the press release directly to them. A website accompanying the book can be found at www.voiceofsantaanita.com.
Reviews of advanced copies of the book were overwhelmingly positive and I've been invited to a book signing at Santa Anita on April 5 and 6. On the 6th the track will also be playing Joe's voice over the track's loudspeakers, this will be first time in over thirty-four years that Joe's voice has been heard over the track's speakers. In closing, I want to thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully yours,
Rudy

 

Female jockey documentary:
A Documentary Film about “The Weaker Sex”
Press Release
For Immediate Release
February 28, 2008
Contact: Linda Ellman
323 860-8500
info@jockthemovie.com   
Female Jockey Documentary Commences Production and Launches Website in conjunction with Women’s History Month, March 2008.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – Innerview Entertainment in association with Ellman Entertainment announce commencement of production of JOCK, a feature length documentary from Director/Producer Jason Neff and Emmy Award-winning Producer Linda Ellman. “It’s appropriate to announce this documentary in conjunction with Women’s History month because many firsts for the female jockeys took place during the month of March. These stories have never been told. They deserve attention,” said Producer Ellman. Ellman Directed and Produced “On Native Soil: The Documentary of the the 911 Commission Report,” which made the short list for an Oscar nomination.
According to Director Jason Neff, JOCK will peel back the brightly colored silks and race day pageantry of the Sport of Kings, revealing the dangerous world of thoroughbred horse racing by telling the story of the female jockeys who waged a gallant fight for the right to ride.” The film will feature pioneers including: Mary Bacon, the brash beauty who broke more than 50 bones, posed nude in Playboy, and was a KKK sympathizer; Robyn Smith, the Hollywood starlet turned jockey, who rode for Alfred Vanderbilt and later married Fred Astaire; and Barbara Joe Rubin, the first woman to win against men who was victorious in 50% of her first 22 races. From race-wining thrills to career-ending spills, JOCK is the story of the courageous female athletes who used passion as a weapon in the sexual revolution, and paid a price with their lives. The second all time leading female jockey, Patti “P.J.” Cooksey stated, “This documentary will go a long way in teaching young women perseverance in the face of adversity.”
The documentary’s website, www.Jockthemovie.com launches today with a goal greater than describing the film. According to Neff, “We’re hoping to create an online internet community where anybody associated with these historic events can share their stories and help us locate female jockeys that haven’t been heard from in decades.” The production team is searching for any photographs, film, video, and other memorabilia that may pertain. A list of these women is available on the website. If you can assist in the search, please email info@jockthemovie.com.
Director Neff is no stranger to the horse racing world. He grew up on a horse farm and at the racetrack. His uncle (Don MacBeth) and father (Myles Neff) were both jockeys and both of his grandfathers were horse trainers. Says Neff, “It’s always been my desire to recognize these women for what they accomplished and what they had to go through to get there. It’s a classic underdog story that’s historically significant beyond the racetrack.”
JOCK is targeted for release in 2009 in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of women earning the right to ride. JOCK has received fiscal sponsorship by the International Documentary Association (IDA) and is being funded by tax deductible donations made at www.jockthemovie.com/donations.html

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