"50 to 1"

The come-from-behind story, about a horse that won the Kentucky Derby against all odds, hits theaters this month

Calvin Borel’s dramatic 2009 Kentucky Derby come-from-behind win with Mine That Bird already looks like a clip from a movie—the horse moves from dead last to holding an insurmountable lead in the home stretch so quickly and seamlessly that the sportscaster doesn’t immediately realize what’s happened. In fact, if it had been a movie, the director might have been advised to tone down the drama in the interest of realism.

As it is, though, Mine That Bird’s momentous upset was just too good a story to pass up. Veteran Hollywood producer and horse lover Jim Wilson, of Dances with Wolves, The Bodyguard, and The Postman fame, has written, produced, and directed a film recounting how Mine That Bird came to enter and win the Derby. Starring Skeet Ulrich, star of teen slasher Scream and post-apocalyptic cult hit Jericho, as Mine That Bird’s trainer Chip Woolley; Louisiana native and legendary jockey Calvin Borel as his inimitable self; and introducing Sunday Rest as Mine That Bird, 50 to 1—named for Mine That Bird’s long-shot odds going into the race—opens in Baton Rouge, Bossier City, Covington, Harahan, and Harvey on April 4 (as of press time).

I was lucky enough to speak to Wilson, Borel, and Ulrich about 50 to 1. (Sunday Rest was too busy.) All three men made a point of telling me how realistic and true to life the movie is—especially Calvin Borel, who would know better than anybody. While every story has to be tweaked before it makes sense as a film, it’s clear that the key figures involved in making this movie really wanted to produce a faithful adaptation of the story. It’s also clear that they feel they achieved that goal.

As a director/producer, Jim Wilson, always on the lookout for a good horse story, is also attracted to the crazy, out-of-nowhere underdog narrative. He had watched the Derby the year that Mine That Bird shocked the world; and the visual of that little crooked horse charging past the pack, hooves all but grazing the rail, caught his filmmaker’s eye. In interviews, the owner and trainer “looked cool,” like interesting people he wanted to meet; and an idea began to take root.

I was especially curious about the potential pitfalls—or benefits—associated with writing for and acting the part of a real person—one, moreover, who’d become a friend, as was the case with Wilson, Ulrich, and Chip Woolley. How much do you invent a character, and how much do you stay true to the man you know? According to Wilson, it’s easier than you’d think. When you spend a long time around someone, as he did around Woolley in planning and writing the movie, you develop a sense of their voice and phrasing. His writing partner and co-producer, Faith Conroy, has “an ear for cowboys;” so Wilson reckons about two-thirds of the lines given to Woolley and the other cowboys are phrases they actually said, with the rest being faithful to the intentions and personalities of the cowboys as Wilson and Conroy came to know them.

Ulrich, for his part, said he felt indebted to Woolley for helping him deliver a faithful portrayal, but that this portrayal was more about conveying heart and determination than nailing the voice. He described Woolley as horse-like himself in his tendency to observe and hold himself apart and in his way of carrying his head and neck, which fascinated me. Was this “horsiness” innate, perhaps leading Woolley to work with these animals; or did these traits develop over long hours spent around horses, learning to communicate with them as best a person can? Woolley has yet to see the full performance, and Ulrich is looking forward, a little nervously, to his verdict.

Of course, a film about horse racing won’t only feature human actors. How do you cast a horse? Mine That Bird’s “person”ality and ability to win races despite not looking like a grade-A horse are obviously central to the story. Bird, as he’s called, apparently has unusual presence: Ulrich remarked on his clear air of intelligence, even compared to other thoroughbreds; and Borel opted to ride him in the Derby despite only working with him twice.

For the search, Jim Wilson spoke to a breeder and wound up with a pool of about four hundred horses from which to choose. The crew winnowed and winnowed the field, finally discovering a horse named Sunday Rest who was a dead ringer, physically, for Bird, and who also moved and behaved much like the “character” he would play.

Unlike in many animal movies, in which a number of horses are used to represent one horse character, nearly every shot of Mine That Bird in 50 to 1 is a shot of Sunday Rest. According to Wilson, the hardest part about working with Sunday Rest was teaching him to eat a doughnut. He just did not want to do it; and it took weeks of training, pleading, and bribes of peppermint (apparently a delicacy among horses) to finally get the pastry into the horse. Despite this bout of prima-donna attitude, Sunday Rest performed so well in the movie that he’s become something of a star and has more acting gigs lined up for the future.

Speaking of scene-stealers, no one can mention Calvin Borel without talking about how much they love him; and I’m no exception. I’ve had the privilege of interviewing some fascinating people for this magazine, and without exception they’ve been friendly, helpful, and forthcoming; but Calvin Borel takes the cake, decorates it, and offers everyone a big slice. He comes across as a sweet, friendly man in his media interviews, but actually speaking with him is another experience entirely. He told me everything I wanted to know in that amazing, ultra-Cajun voice, then told me “God bless” as we signed off. People hardly ever do that anymore, but he leaves you in no doubt that it’s genuine.

Wilson said that using non-actors often doesn’t work particularly well, but that Borel’s work in the movie was excellent, not least because of his enormous enthusiasm. By the end of the movie, everyone involved had partially adopted Borel’s speech patterns—“talking Calvin.” Ulrich added that Borel really shines when he’s in his element on the track and among the horses, practically stealing the movie.

To promote the movie, the core cast and crew are going on a whistlestop bus tour through the South and Southwest. This low-budget and personal approach to publicizing the movie has two clear benefits: first, and most obviously, any money saved on publicity can be put toward the movie; second, and perhaps more importantly, this is not a “Hollywood” movie. Wilson and Ulrich are big names, sure, but they’re not big egos; they were both incredibly friendly and forthcoming when I spoke to them and expressed a real and vivid enthusiasm for the project. So why shouldn’t the publicity for a movie about cowboys and horses focus on an area of the country that contains and likes cowboys and horses? This is a movie about real people doing big things, so cut the glitz and go tell real people about the movie, face to face. Red-carpet glamour won’t impress the people most likely to see and enjoy this movie, but an honest and creative approach, like the bus tour, probably will.

I haven’t been this excited about a movie in a long time, and not just because it gave me a chance to interview Skeet Ulrich, who was a teen idol when I was a teen. (Which is not to say that I’m done bragging about it, just that there’s much more to the movie.) Everyone I spoke with seemed to feel that this movie is special, that the story and talent really came together and made good cinema happen. It’s rare for people to feel in such strong creative sync with each other, and the results are always worth attention. I’m chomping at the bit to see 50 to 1; I hope you’ll forgive the pun and come see it too.

Details. Details. Details.

The cast and filmmakers of 50 to 1 will hit the road rock star-style on a cross-country tour beginning March 17 to promote the picture’s release.

They are scheduled to appear Saturday, March 29 at the Louisiana Derby at the Fairgrounds in New Orleans, April 1 in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, and April 2 in Shreveport. For updates or changes to this schedule, which was still in-the-making at press time, please first visit 50to1themovie.com/tourschedule.html.