HTRV has won the 2010 Media Eclipse Award in the Television Feature
programming category for its documentary “Inside Information: Swale,” about the
1984 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont S. (G1) winner, the National Thoroughbred
Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf
Writers and Broadcasters announced Tuesday. The documentary aired February 28.
This is the third Media Eclipse Award won by HTRV, but its first for a
program that it wrote and produced. HRTV received the Media Eclipse Feature
award in 2006 for the Pony Highway production of “On the Muscle” and in 2008 for
the Hennegan Brothers’ documentary “The First Saturday in May.”
“Swale,” written and produced by Amy J. Zimmerman, recounts the glorious and
tragic story of the Claiborne Farm’s talented three-year-old, who achieved the
farm’s elusive dream of winning its first Kentucky Derby. The documentary
concludes with his shocking and unexplained death just eight days after winning
the Belmont. The story is told through the eyes of owners Seth and his sister
Dell Hancock of Claiborne Farm, and includes interviews with Phil Gleaves and
Sandy Bruno, assistants to Swale’s trainer, the late Woody Stephens; Swale’s
jockey, Laffit Pincay, Jr. and retired Claiborne Farm manager John Sosby.
“I’m absolutely thrilled for everyone at HRTV involved with this project,”
said Zimmerman, who is also Executive Producer of HRTV, based in Arcadia, Calif.
“I have wanted to tell this story for a long time. The year 1984 is remembered
for the first Breeders’ Cup and the victories by John Henry, but for five weeks
that year there was nothing greater than Swale. We are thankful to Seth and Dell
Hancock for letting us tell his story.”
In addition to Zimmerman, Phil Kubel was supervising producer of “Swale.” The
program was edited by Steve Scheidler. Joan Ciampi was the field producer.
Laffit Pincay III was the narrator.
Honorable mention in the Television Feature programming category went to CBS
News’ “60 Minutes” for its feature “Zenyatta,” which aired on October 31
and to WIPB in Muncie, Indiana, for its documentary “Sculpting the Wind,” about
the creation of the Barbaro statue at Churchill Downs, which aired on July 10.
Judges in the National Television – Features category were Stu Kirschenbaum
of Oak Street Productions; Dave Johnson, television producer, host and longtime
racing voice of the Triple Crown and award winning television producer Toni
Slotkin.