Movie Review

The First Saturday in May (2008)

Reviewed by Sean Howe | Apr 17, 2008

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EW's GRADE

Details Limited Release: Apr 18, 2008; Rated: Unrated; Length: 100 Minutes; Genre: Documentary

$RUN FOR THE ROSES The First Saturday in May bets you\'ll be captivated by the stories of six horse trainers...$

Image credit: Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

RUN FOR THE ROSES The First Saturday in May bets you'll be captivated by the stories of six horse trainers chasing their Kentucky Derby dreams

When this ambling doc — about aspirants to the 2006 Kentucky Derby — opens to the musical strains of Stephen Foster, viewers may expect a lazy ode to mint juleps and pie. But The First Saturday in May soon digs in its heels with acute portraits of six trainers, including a paralyzed ex-cyclist in California and an MS-stricken Lexington native who works for the royal family of Dubai. Unlike the contenders in Spellbound and most other tourney-charting films, these men can only watch from the stands, adding a sting of helplessness to the pressures of winning and losing. B

Originally posted Apr 17, 2008 Published in issue #988-989 Apr 25, 2008 Order article reprints

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