Animal Planet has renewed its reality series Jockeys for a second season, and filming began Saturday at Santa Anita, according to track announcer Trevor Denman.
Spoiler alert: Joe Talamo's girlfriend Elizabeth Ellis watches on television as her 19-year-old beau wins the Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct on board I Want Revenge. Talamo has been a central character, and I Want Revenge could provide the series with a fresh plot line and timely link to the Derby.
I've only watched three or four episodes of Jockeys, but I've largely found it to be cookie-cutter reality television, complete with interviews and plot lines that come off as scripted, not to mention heavy editing that stretches the term reality.
The show's attempts to build up a rivalry between young Talamo and journeyman Aaron Gryder were laughible. Check out this great dialogue:
Gryder: "I hate losing, but I REALLY hate losing to Joe Talamo."
Talamo: "It would feel great to beat AARON GRYDER."
Random race fan: "My favorite rider today is Aaron Gryder. I can get about $200 if I win. [EDIT to new clip] He's a great rider."
As Gryder rides out through the tunnel, the fan yells, "It's that time of day. It's time for you to win and for me to grin."
If the intent was to show bettor indifference to jockeys, as long as they cash a ticket, the clip succeeded. If it was an attempt to portray that particular bettor as an Aaron Gryder fan, epic fail!
Other annoyances include Denman's overdubbed race calls, which repeat over and over the jockeys' names instead of the horses. Also, the cut-up race clips completely fail to demonstrate the story, drama, or rhythm of a horse race.
That being said, Jockeys is a show with considerable potential, as it gives viewers an educational glimpse into the not always glamorous life of its subjects. Many of the fans I talked to at Santa Anita on Saturday seemed to genuinely like the show.
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As a horseplayer, I agree with your analysis of the show. However, as an industry I think we need to support the popularity of the show. If it is good enough to get a second season, it shows that people are watching it. It hasn't done anything to really turn people away from the sport and the fact that people are at least talking about horseracing is a huge positive. Hopefully some fine-tuning can really invite more people into this. It has a lot of potential as a yearly staple of animal planet. Perhaps it can be parlayed into something much more exciting.
While there are a lot of little things that make me twinge, I feel generally positive toward the show.
There is an awful lot of reality schlock, but we've got to remember that the racing knowledge level of the average viewer begins and ends with Seabiscuit, the Kentucky Derby and whatever high-profile horse recently broke down during a big race. If they didn't plug the show with artificial storylines, people outside of the racing industry and fandom would quickly look elsewhere.
I don't feel great about it either, but it could be a lot worse. It's getting people talking about the sport that wouldn't otherwise, so that's something good to come out of it.
Just for the sake of curiosity, what would you like to see done differently for the next season?
You both make some good points.
I guess I was hoping for something more than reality schlock applied to horse racing.
But despite my critique of the show, I am happy it got a second season.
It will be interesting to see where the idea of jockeys as the sports' stars (instead of the horses) leads.
Michigan-bred claimer- the first thing I'd change is the editing of the race clips.
This show would never live up to the expectation of most people "in" the horse racing industry, but the idea here I would think is to bring MORE people into the industry and for more people to get excited and speak positively about the sport. This is a very complex sport and the show does a good job for the "unfamiliar". Not that I like reality tv shows but that spin of reality is what's popular on Tv nowadays. The previous posts I agree with, we should get behind this show and keep the buzz going as it WILL bring more into the sport! I won't miss an episode my PVR won't let me :)
-David Godin United Thoroughbreds
A lawyer friend of mine was having coffee with me on Saturday morning. The first thing he said was: "Did you catch last night's episode of Jockey's?" I said I did and he replied? "I thought so, do you realize it's the only tv that my wife, my daughter, my son and I watch together?" I said "no, so tell me what's so interesting?" His reply surprised me as well: "I had no idea, how exciting horse racing is. We never see it on tv, up close and personal like this show is. My kids like the fact that a young guy is making a mark and my wife likes the horses, I like the fact that its really a people business, isn't it?"
Yup. It really is.
All story telling (which tv, movies and books are) require making an emotional connection with audience. For whatever artificial means that are employed, people connect with this show. It tells a good story.Some of the people we watch are friends or have ridden our horses. We can sit and laugh at the fact that they screw up the order of races at the Breeders Cup, or that you constantly hear Trevor, but you cannot escape the fact that for tv, its better than watching pneumatic women fall all over themselves to catch a handsome nitwit.
i can't say that i grew up on the racetrack, but i can say that i came up through the ranks, from groom to exercise rider to apprentice jockey and i had high hopes when they announced that they were going to have this show. finally, i thought, here's an opportunity for the average person to see what actually goes into becoming a jockey. sure, most people realize how dangerous it is, but very few know what it takes and how much. and i have to say that this show does little or next to nothing in showing that. there is so much information that is left out. i agree with anonymous that people in the horse industry should support it, but i also think the people within the industry should insist on a lot more reality starting with the jockeys that are on the show. come on you guys! is this really how it is for a jockey? i don't think that there is one of you out there that can say yes with a straight face. you can educate and still be entertaining.
I would like to see more of the horses and a portrayal of the relationship that riders have with horses. That's the big part missing, especially since this show is on ANIMAL Planet. Let's get to know a couple of horses personally and follow them with their jockeys to the next big race. The viewers will be rooting for the horse to win as well as the jockey. Get some more backstretch footage and show what goes on behind the scene in the barn area, not just the jock's room. The barn area is a mystery to the public and is a fascinating place. "The First Saturday in May" had me so involved with the horses and connections that I wanted all of them to win, and I was rooting for them even though I already knew the outcome.
I was talking to Ron Ellis today (at the Barretts sale at Fairplex) about the show, and he said he thinks the use of jockey names instead of horses is a necessary evil to help novice race watchers follow the action.
Ron agreed about the cut-up race editing and camera changes. He dislikes it.
Ron said he thinks the show will improve in the second season as the producers become more familiar with racing.
A lot of intelligent comments on this thread. I almost feel bad for being the cranky critic.
Well How is this I have 2 High school age girls-They both watch it, love it, and the majority of their friends watch it--Now to be fair my 13 year old can read a form, ride and handicap.
Yes it is good news when our game is viewed in the positive by kids---We all too started as kids and ended up here.
My kids interest rose since the show began-They are young and like to feel connected this show as tacky as some of it is has done that---But shhhhh they do not realize the tacky parts-----
They look to enjoy it not be the shows critic..
pete
Don't feel bad for being a cranky critic.
I am sure doctors feel the same way about shows like "Greys Anatomy," and police feel the same way about shows like "CSI," etc. You can't help but notice the mistakes.
I do wish some of the scenes weren't so fake. Like when the jockey and the trainer's daughter were baking. That was a bit much.
However, if it brings in new fans, that is obviously a good thing!
Crime scene techs have a love/hate relationship with the CSI shows. Finally - kids see them as heroes. But crime scene techs don't question suspects. Let alone wear high heels, loose hair and tank tops on the job.
The same applies here. Racing needs "Jockeys," especially now. That's where the new fans with no prior connection to the sport will come from.
My husband, who wouldn't watch horse racing on TV if he weren't married to me, loves the show because it focuses on the people.
People like to watch people, especially people struggling to reach goals. It's the essence of good story telling. And people love a story.
Inaccurate to insiders or not, the show is great PR for racing at a time when it badly needs some.
I've NEVER had any interest in horse racing, but this show has turned me on to the sport. I think it's definitely one of the more interesting programs on TV. My husband was extremely reluctant to watch it, but I talked him into it, and now we both enjoy it greatly. I wish it went for a full hour.
I am one of the people you talk about, not knowing much more about horse racing than the Derby, Preakness, blah blah blah what ever has been in the news. My kids watch Animal Planet all the time and the previews caught the wife and my attention just in time to watch the entire season. Needless to say we didn't miss an episode and my wife looks forward to Fridays, as well as both Girls.
It has really opened our eyes to Horse Racing, and as ignorant as we are about we do understand that the horses are the 'Real Stars' but that wouldn't make a great show...they can't talk.
The wife and I found out they have a racetrack here in Phoenix and we are going to a race this weekend for the first time! We are very excited.
I am pumped that there is going to be another season! I am very much an internet junkie, spending tons of my time on cigar forums, football forums, and other interests...now I am investigating Horse Racing and look forward to becoming a more informed fan!
Great show! And I love the "And away they go!" at the beginning of each race, I have been looking for a sound byte that I can use for my PC lol I know I am a newb...laugh all you want ;)
That is very cool, I had not heard they had a second season coming. Thanks for the update!
Sounds like a cool show, wish it was on over here in New Zealand. I am a Jockey and would live to see it. http://www.getinvolvedinhorseracing.com
Does anyone know if there is going to be a 3rd season of Jockeys? I grew up with horses and used to show them. I really would like to see this show get another season.
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