Animal Planet's "Jockeys" Reality Show Repeats Tonight If You Missed It!

Jockey Alex Solis studies the facts and figures on his competition in the next race. (Animal Planet Photo)

Barns, shedrows, vet clinics and tack shops across the USA are buzzing this morning as horse people dissect their opinions on last night's premiere of the new reality show Jockeys on the cable network Animal Planet.

Jockeys follows six--or is it seven?--jockeys through the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita racetrack outside Los Angeles, California. Oak Tree is the four-week race meet in October that culminated last year in the 2009 Breeders Cup. Among the jockeys featured were Mike Smith, Chantal Sutherland, Aaron Gryder, Corey Nakatini (briefly, he was injured in the first race), Garret Gomez, Joe Talamo and others.



I was front and center and watched the two back-to-back episodes aired last night. Except for the fact that I kept wondering who that horseshoer was who could often be seen working in the background at Santa Anita, I thought it was well done, and better than I had feared. The repeats of the spills and crashes were disturbing, but I think they could have been portrayed more graphically or sensationally. The directors and producers showed some restraint.

The wrecks were worse--a LOT worse--in the "home video" special that aired right after the show. Untamed & Uncut: Trouble at the Track isolated some of the worst wrecks and runaway horses from around the world and even re-created them using high-tech slo-mo animation.

The highlight of Jockeys for me was the end of the second episode, which showed some great tape of Mike Smith riding 2008's champion filly Zenyatta as she defeated Hysterical Lady.

What surprised me is that there was no mention of the fact that the jockeys were riding for the first time on Santa Anita's revamped (and untested) Pro Ride artificial racing surface.

For hoof lovers, there were lots of ground level shots of flying hooves. For racing plate manufacturers, there was plenty of flashing aluminum in the California sunlight.

The music on the show is well-done too; kudos to the post-production editor who wove rock and hip-hop music seamlessly with the fast-cut action, especially during the actual race footage.

If you missed it and you have cable access, Jockeys repeats tonight at 10 p.m. (eastern US time); crash lovers can see Trouble at the Track at 9 p.m. tonight. Click here for Animal Planet's schedule, as the show may be repeated again. The next new episodes of Jockeys air on Friday, February 13, at 9 p.m and continue for six weeks.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask. Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.

Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital to Provide Services for 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Test Events

posted by Fran Jurga 4 February 2009 Fran Jurga' Hoof Blog

(received via press release)

LEXINGTON, KY—Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital will provide veterinary services for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games test events, as announced today by the World Games 2010 Foundation, Inc.

As the Official Equine Hospital and Veterinary Partner for 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Rood and Riddle has extended its partnership with the Games to provide veterinary services for a series of test events beginning in 2009. The test events, each called The Kentucky Cup, will allow the World Games 2010 Foundation, Inc. to prepare for the world championships coming to the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010.

“Rood and Riddle is very pleased to provide the veterinary services for The Kentucky Cup test events,” said Dr. Tom Riddle. “Our entire staff of veterinarians looks forward with great excitement to serving the sport horse industry, both at the test events and the 2010 Games.”

Lexington-based Rood & Riddle is a full-service equine hospital established in 1986 as a referral center for horses requiring specialized medical and surgical care. Today, Rood & Riddle is known and respected throughout the world for its innovative and highly skilled treatment of horses. The hospital facility offers a full range of services including surgery, internal medicine, advanced diagnostic imaging, a focused Podiatry Center and a specialized Reproductive Center.

The practice also provides ambulatory services (on-site care) for breeding farms, sport horse facilities, horse shows and events, with a variety of services, including emergency and preventative care, general reproduction, lameness, radiography, podiatry, and internal medicine.


“We are very fortunate to extend our partnership with Rood and Riddle through the test events for the 2010 Games, and to have the services of such a high-caliber equine hospital available to our equine athletes,” said Competition Director Kate Jackson.

The competitions will begin in 2009 and run through the 2010 Rolex Three-Day Event. All events will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park. Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital will manage the veterinary needs for all test events. A complete schedule of all Kentucky Cup test events is available at www.feigames2010.org.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask.

Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page).

To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found.

Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.

Scotch Bottom Toe Grabs? Budweiser Clydesdale Ads Go to Great Lengths to Lead the Pack of Commercials for 2009 Super Bowl

by Fran Jurga | 1 February 2009 | Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog/Hoofcare & Lameness Journal

It looks like the racing segment of the new Budweiser Clydesdale ad was filmed on Polytrack or ProRide or some sort of artificial surface, perhaps at Del Mar or Santa Anita racetracks in California. For years, they pulled the starting gate off and onto the track for each race at Santa Anita.

As promised, here are some special clips from Budweiser, showing just a few highlights of the three or possibly four Budweiser Clydesdales ads aired on tonight's Super Bowl. I've seen two of them so far, in the first half of the game.

Here's a clip from the "generations" commercial, honoring the 75th Anniversary of the Budweiser Clydesdales. It was filmed partly right on the streets of New York City. The narrator sounds like my friend James Ferrie, who shoes Clydesdales in Ayr, Scotland. Could it be?



And how about that lovestruck Clydesdale? How on earth, though, did they film that Clydesdale jumping over the canyon! That Clyde really had good form! And what a Hollywood ending!



And don't forget the Dalmatian:



Did you ever wonder how the commercials are made? Here's a video clip that goes behind the scenes for the racetrack segments, and you'll meet director Joe Pytka:

These commercials are the highlights of the Super Bowl each year for many people, thanks to our friends, human and equine, at

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask. Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.

Super Sunday Video Humor: Sneak Previews of Racing Clydesdales and Charging Ostriches on Tonight's Fun Commercials

by Fran Jurga | 1 February 2009 | Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog

The Budweiser Clydesdales at the track? You have to see this!

It's Super Sunday across America and all through the land, we all waited for half time and Bruce Springsteen's band...

And what from our wondrous eyes could not hide, but three brand new commercials about a Budweiser Clyde.

But I soon was laughing, like a February Fool, about a dog food commercial called simply "Dogs Rule"

You can watch it too, you'll catch the vibe, and pronounce to the world, "I think that's my tribe!"

Today's a tossup, not between Arizona and Pittsburgh, but between Bruce Sprinsteen and the Budweiser Clydesdales. Is there another reason for 50 million people to plant themselves in front of the television tonight?

Pedigree dog food just might give the Clydes and the Boss a run for their money. The new commercial and web site "Dogs Rule" will be a hoot to those of us who work around animals and the people who love them. Pedigree thought it was making an outrageous takeoff on exotic pets, but, ummmmm, actually, I think they are pretty close to capturing some of the "unique" people and pets I've met along the way.

Pedigree is doing their Super Bowl ads (at how much for 30 seconds? $3 million?) as a public service to encourage pet adoption. If you go to the new web site (www.dogsrule.com) you can download an .app for your iPhone and the company will donate dog food to animal shelters every time someone watches a video on the site.



The best part is that they have made it possible for you to watch four character development videos that give you some insight into the individual pets and their quirky owners featured in the commercial: Rusty the rhino, Bruno the ostrich, The Boar, and Max the Water Buffalo. It's a great laugh.

This is all in good fun. I hope you will watch the original commericial here, go to dogsrule.com and click around so some dog food flows to the needy ones. I wish someone would do this for horses in need of homes.

And don't forget to watch for the Clydesdales! One commercial has a lovesick Clyde and another honors the hitch on its 75th anniversary year. Later today I will post some sneak-peek footage from Budweiser about how (and where!) they shot this year's great commercials.

In the meantime, have a laugh with Pedigree...and don't forget to consider giving a shelter dog a good home, right next to you on the couch on Super Sunday.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask. Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.

Hoofcare and Lameness Journal is often published under the cover of fog amidst the comings and goings and launchings and sinkings and leakings of the old industrial waterfront in Gloucester, Massachusetts. If you come to visit, bring your life jacket...and you'd better like fish.

Ontario Farriers Association 2009 Convention to Feature Ian McKinlay and Dr. Jeff Thomason

by Fran Jurga | 30 January 2009 | Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog

Ian McKinlay spoke at a Hoofcare@Saratoga event at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York in August 2008, sponsored by Life Data Labs.

You have two months to find your passport.

Today the Ontario Farrier's Association announced the program for its 29th Annual Convention, to be held Friday March 27th and Saturday March 28th at Woodbine Racetrack, near Toronto, Ontario.

“Understanding Equine Lameness” brings together two unique experts on the horse's foot--two professionals whose paths would normally not cross.

Ontario native Ian McKinlay of Tenderhoof Solutions and Jeff Thomason PhD, anatomy researcher in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Guelph will be guest speakers.

McKinlay has over 30 years in the equine industry and is known for his innovative techniques and products to successfully treat and prevent hoof lameness. Ian is one of the foremost specialists on hoof care in North American racing and is the man who cares for the valuable feet of racing superstars such as Big Brown, the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.

Interestingly, Thomason was co-author of the research paper "Modelling horse hoof cracking with artificial neural networks", published in Canadian Biosystems Engineering/Le génie des biosystèmes au Canada (43: 7.15-7.22). In the study, the relationships between data on horse hoof crack damage and a number of other variables were modeled with artificial neural networks (ANNs), and a system for categorizing cracks on real horses was developed.

Dr. Thomason is a leader in the study of equine biomechanics and equine locomotion. "For us to fully understand lameness issues it is important to understand the science of the equine hoof and Dr. Jeff Thomason is our guide," says the OFA in its announcement.

To learn more about these seminars and other important farrier-related information from Ontario, please visit the Ontario Farrier's Association website at www.ontariofarriers.com

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask.

Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page).

To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found.

Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.

Favorite Video: Nicanor, Brother of Barbaro, Will Race for the First Time on Saturday, Two Years After Barbaro's Death

by Fran Jurga | 29 January 2009 | Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog


Nicanor video courtesy of CBS Evening News with Katie Couric

Two years ago today, veterinarians at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center euthanized 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro when they were unable to help him overcome complications of laminitis that resulted from his hind leg injury in the Preakness Stakes.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon, and do a double-take: a 3-year-old full brother to Barbaro named Nicanor will make his racing debut in Saturday’s eighth race at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida.

As was the case with Barbaro, Nicanor is owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson in the name of Lael Stables, and he is trained by Michael Matz and ridden by Edgar Prado, just as his brother was.

Saturday’s eighth race is a maiden event at one mile on the dirt. Nicanor is by Dynaformer, out of the mare La Ville Rouge. Nicanor is named based on a painting of foxhounds that the Jacksons own. One of the foxhounds depicted in the portrait is named Barbaro. Another is named Nicanor.

Nicanor's debut race will be run on Saturday’s momentous Gulfstream card between the Grade I, $500,000 Donn Handicap for older horses and the Grade III, $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Barbaro is gone, but not forgotten. His legacy has included the donation of what probably totals millions of dollars for laminitis and veterinary research. Following his up and down battle at New Bolton Center captured the attention and affection of thousands of people who might never give a thought to horses or racing. His Fans of Barbaro (FOB) internet group continues to raise funds and awareness about the plight of discarded racehorses.

This blog's readership soared far beyond the subscribership of Hoofcare and Lameness Journal during the eight months of Barbaro's struggle. Many new people became aware of the community trying to help horses with laminitis and hoof problems through our coverage of Barbaro.

The whole world watched that horse struggle. On Saturday, curiosity will get the best of most of us and we'll check the race results from Gulfstream. You never know.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask. Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.