Blue Grass (1938)

Blue Bloods and bluegrass a tradition of the American term in an area of comparatively few acres in Northern Kentucky are born and bred the finest and the fastest race horses in the world labeled in the field of sport this region is christened for the stubby bluish tone grass that provides pasturage and for us because its water is charged with the minerals that build bone and sinew the country produces the champions of thoroughbreds blood will tell the experts say and these Colts too young for saddle and here follow their heritage by instinct making early experiments with their legacy of flying horse throughout countless generations their ancestors have been aristocrats and champion possessing speed and stamina and best of all what horsemen call heart born to the sport of kings they must be initiated into the etiquette of racetrack royalty to be well-mannered at the barre yet giving free play to the spirit that surges up demanding them to run and to win the only in his performance trials the speed of the yelling thoroughbred forecast his future class among the race horse and the horses first time trial is a critical moment for the trainer the careers and fortunes of many men are dedicated to improving the freed of races the investments in time and money operate and the returns to the owner and to his employees are comparatively small but it matters little for to most of them it's a labor of love the routine of bringing the thoroughbred to the peak of physical fitness requires patience and understanding from the groom's and trainers more haphazard handling can make a selling fader of a truly classy youngster true lovers of horse flesh from owners to stable boys strive to develop not nearly big money winners but to provide racing with a super animal as a two-year-old the flour bread is ready to leave his apprenticeship in the meadows and the practice train and head for his first season at the races behind him are months of training in the pedigree of many generations and ahead his great adventure at the track he gets his first taste of the crowds who follow the sport of kings and from now on the jockey becomes an important part of his daily life although jockeys are usually referred to as boys most are in their twenties or even 30 in weight they range from 95 212 pounds and keeping downer this way is the jockeys eternal problem most of these little men were born among horse principally on the ranches of the west and the bugle blows for the horses to leave the product the proud lifts to the rare watch the most exciting spectacle an American sport has to offer the horse is operating to the post the race is about to begin so take it away Clem McCarthy I strong horses run and charge at the starting team making them hard to handle nerves on edge they sense the coming test at this end of the track they're all even and anxious to go set and the wrong inside fail there's a jam pickle on to the fast running favorite showing the way in a battle of the blue bloods breed and training come to trial on the proving ground the strategy is up to the peel general in the seven but its performance that counts as they go to the turn man and mount play for an advantage there's a scrape as they rush to the rail swinging into the first turn snug in the pad screwed jockeys ride awaking race counting on reserve power by others surge ahead to set the pace as they speak the end of the homes match the pacemaker is still out in front and here's where class shows for it's anybody's race until the final poof keep your eye on the third bus from the rail she's challenging leaders and running on her heart a big third leg comes from behind to prove her heritage and the trees another legend showing that blood will tell its 430am the top of a misty morning and the antlers and horses shake the sleep from their eyes for a tuning up turn on the track with a brief run in the dawn competing against the stopwatch they give an indication of their form in fitness I'll race horses like any other athlete requiring practice as well as performance to keep him in to him each horse is a creature of marked individuality and knowledge of his particular temperament is the trainer's problem that cannot be solved by textbook theories as an investment to be protected the thoroughbred must be cared for by attendants who understand and appreciate it veteran handlers gain experience and learn their trade by rubbing elbows with the horse as the season draws to a close at the southern tracks the horses move north and we follow joining flem McCarthy at the Saratoga track we're at the home of the earliest turbid classic in the United States hold this racing course in America before the race Chucky's are weighed in with their tank if under required weight lead weighted pads are placed under the Senate and now it's lighters up with the Chuckies in the saddle it's time to leave the path and as the bugle sounds they sparked the parade past the fan and head for the starting post this is the moment for expert and novice a light make their final selections the timer's assistant is ready the buses headed the stalls for the start Bastardo hates bottom the crayon it's a tense moment for random hardware there Seth and they're off as they take from the various Kentucky has a choice that ignoring they hope to scramble for positions waiting for his parts to settle into the strike or going to the whip and urging his mount to the coveted position well hardly get the first turn every junkie is intent on saving around the Chucky can do cuddles I could put our son after his job is to take advantage of other writers to state and to watch for retiring rival he was bored made his bodily movement with the rhythm of his losses drive what's the horse nearest the rail his jockey gives a perfect demonstration of handwriting in an effort to get the last ounces he with little resorting to the whip and he hand rides his month to the clean retired forever from racing manowar America's greatest thoroughbred champion frolics away the years in his native bluegrass long a legendary figure of the turf he passes along to his descendants the blood strain of centuries for the advancement of racing and the improvement of his brief his blue blood did tell and after 22 years still pounds to a fighting heart though man of war has never sired a horse greater than himself he has produced two horses who have shared the pinnacle reserved for the few great kings of the term the two horse match race in the contest between War Admiral and Seabiscuit we see the first match race of the century between horses of the same blood tell us about it Claire McCarthy he went off in one of the greatest places I ever saw before Admiralty famous of the paths Carter was filmed at his own game as chucky wolf went to the whip to drive Seabiscuit out in front in this couple of two great thoroughbred champions save us go amazed reactions by taking the track and it's no wonder he looked at those rippling muscles revealing the power that projected into the front american racing fans were seeing a super horse that they a husband's dream come true proving his blood the best of his three from the top of the stand I saw the lasing spectacle of the century unroll before my eyes here they have no charge who cut the flying Seabiscuit and again the battle of steve was on and down the backstretch they place like a team in harness but liquor jockey wolf told me that at this stage he was hitting severs a breather anticipating a first the reserve team from war admiral would have the race yet to be run it then became a test of stamina and endurance and it looked to me like either horses race a supreme test to prove that flood will tell them which singer went to the whip on War Admiral running on the outside as they came down the homestretch deepest view or down thoroughbred against thoroughbred but sea beast it would not be denied pellerin of 83 hard-fought places safest it was winning going away but it was more than a test of victor and fan fish that day it was the blood of Man O'War and the two biggest living exponents of the bluegrass finition theirs is the heritage of reading the heritage of thoroughbreds and champion and