Wednesday, June 06, 2007

'Ruffian' airs Saturday; Lawsuit, trainer dispute story

Another northwest Louisiana-made project, "Ruffian," is getting ready for its small screen release. "Ruffian" airs 8 p.m. Saturday on ABC.

There's a very interesting story in Thoroughbred Times today regarding a legal dispute about the truth of "Ruffian." The trainer Frank Whiteley, who is played by actor Sam Shepard in the made-for-TV movie, sounds like he's an unhappy camper.

Click the following to read: Ruffian hearing postponed; movie will air

Here's an excerpt: "Trainer Frank Whiteley Jr., jockey Jacinto Vasquez, and Thoroughbred Legends LLC filed a lawsuit in United States District Court in Atlanta against Walt Disney Co., ESPN, American Broadcasting Co. Inc. (ABC), and Orly Adelson Productions, alleging copyright infringement.

"The lawsuit asks for monetary damages in excess of $10-million and sought to block broadcast of the movie unless it carries a disclaimer stating it contains fictional content. The two sides were negotiating on Wednesday and another meeting has been scheduled for next week. ...

"ESPN released a statement on Tuesday afternoon stating that the claims of the lawsuit were without merit and that the movie would be televised as planned. A second showing is planned for ESPN at a later date."

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