Horse racing is set to join Netflix’s steady stream of sports documentaries as Racing Post understands the streaming service has launched a series based on this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1).
It is the latest attempt to emulate the success of the hugely popular Formula 1 documentary series Drive To Survive which is credited with boosting the sport’s popularity, especially in the US.
Filming is understood to be a four-part series on “Race to the Kentucky Derby” that will begin next month and casting has begun, with the series aiming to tell the stories behind the owners. , trainers, breeders, and jockeys participate.
It is set to focus on five major tests for the top American classics, the Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 25, the Florida Derby (G1) on April 1 and the Blue Grass Stakes ( G1), Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), and Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 8, before culminating with the Kentucky Derby on May 6.
It is understood that Netflix may also consider expanding the series to include the remaining two legs of the Triple Crown—Preakness Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1)—and the Breeders’ Cup.
The Racing Post first revealed in November 2021 that Box To Box Films, the media company behind Drive To Survive, was in talks about a horse racing version with Sky Sports Racing and Netflix.
Members of the Los Angeles-based Netflix team and representatives from Box To Box and Sky Sports Racing met with racecourse executives, owners, coaches and race managers from both the United States and the United States. United States and Europe to discuss the project at that year’s Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar.
It was later reported that filming had taken place at the stables of Joseph O’Brien in Ireland and Francis-Henri Graffard in France and that other yards in the UK and US would also be involved, albeit at that stage. Netflix has yet to agree to a trusteeship. a series.
Although plans for the series have been made with a focus on the Kentucky Derby and the USA, Racing Post understands that Sky Sports Racing is still involved, acting as a bridge between Netflix and Box To Box on the one hand. and racing on the other, especially due to the broadcaster’s existing relationships with the relevant racecourse groups and the Breeders’ Cup.
Sky Sports Racing said it could not comment when approached by the Racing Post, while Box To Box has been contacted for comment.
Drive To Survive’s fifth series will be released on February 24, while Box To Box also joins Break Point, the tennis series whose first episode was released on Netflix last month and Full Swing, an eight-episode series based on golf’s PGA Tour kicks off next week. Series based on last year’s FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar, Rugby’s Tour de France and Six Nations are also said to be in the works.
The British racing series has been featured on the rival’s streaming service via Amazon Prime Video’s Horsepower, following the fortunes of jockey Oisin Murphy and coach Andrew Balding from autumn 2020 to summer. 2021. The 2018 Kentucky Derby also appeared in an episode of the previous Netflix series 7 Days Out.
