A Loser Finds Path To Fame
It’s Oscar season and while I’ve only seen a couple of the films nominated for best picture the story behind one should make for good Oscar night party fodder. Welcome to Open Range I’m Susan Allen back after the break. So besides horses what does the movies Seabiscuit and War Horse have in common? Actually racing. It was at Los Alamitos Race track in Orange County California that set three year old Thoroughbred Finders Key on his eventual path to fame. After four $2500 claiming races in which he never finished higher then fifth the gelding that hated racing was discovered by Rusty Hendrikson the trainer for the movie Sea Biscuit who happened on Finders barn looking for Sea Biscuit look alikes. While he was urged by Finders Key's trainer to pass on the unruly horse, he said he wouldn’t buy any of the fellows other horses unless Finders was included as part of the $4500 three horse package. Finder made his screen debut in Sea Biscuit in 2003, and has appeared in The Legend of Zorro and now as one of the lead horses that plays Joey in War Horse. Finder has been called brilliant and versatile even playing the part of his mother in War Horse giving birth to Joey. Like a good actress, and unlike many horses, his face is expressive and camera friendly . After filming War Horse Finder headed off to Canada to shoot the Snow White movie Mirror Mirror starring Julia Roberts in Theaters this March. The thirteen year old off track thoroughbred once considered a loser in horse racing now has his own facebook page with nearly 1,300 likes.
