Tom Morrow
06-06-2007, 04:16 PM
Jockey, trainer sue Disney over Ruffian movie
Whiteley, Vasquez Sue Disney Over Ruffian Movie (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=39231&source=rss)
Bloodhorse News
Trainer Frank Whiteley Jr., jockey Jacinto Vasquez, and Thoroughbred Legends LLC have filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries, ABC and ESPN, over Ruffian, a television movie that is scheduled to air Saturday, June 9, on ABC.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, takes issue with the filmmakers portraying their Ruffian film as a true story of the events surrounding her breakdown and subsequent death during and after a match race with Foolish Pleasure July 6, 1975. "The claims of the lawsuit are without merit," ESPN said in a statement.
According to attorney A. Lee Parks, who filed the suit, ESPN approached Whiteley and Vasquez, Ruffian?s trainer and regular jockey, respectively, several years ago to obtain the rights to use their stories in the film. Negotiations were unsuccessful.
complete article (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=39231&source=rss)
Sent from Ezra (http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/z/Ezra/)
Whiteley, Vasquez Sue Disney Over Ruffian Movie (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=39231&source=rss)
Bloodhorse News
Trainer Frank Whiteley Jr., jockey Jacinto Vasquez, and Thoroughbred Legends LLC have filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries, ABC and ESPN, over Ruffian, a television movie that is scheduled to air Saturday, June 9, on ABC.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, takes issue with the filmmakers portraying their Ruffian film as a true story of the events surrounding her breakdown and subsequent death during and after a match race with Foolish Pleasure July 6, 1975. "The claims of the lawsuit are without merit," ESPN said in a statement.
According to attorney A. Lee Parks, who filed the suit, ESPN approached Whiteley and Vasquez, Ruffian?s trainer and regular jockey, respectively, several years ago to obtain the rights to use their stories in the film. Negotiations were unsuccessful.
complete article (http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=39231&source=rss)
Sent from Ezra (http://www.visionsfantastic.com/forum/z/Ezra/)