"In Training: The Sales" will air approximately 10 times over the course of the next several months.
After a substantial absence, TVG is back in the feature-story business. On Sunday, Feb. 16, the network will air the first installment of a two-part series titled "In Training: The Sales," which will conclude the following evening. Airtime both nights is 8-8:30 p.m. ET. Written, produced, and directed by TVG feature producer Scott Eberly, the program gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at a pair of Florida 2-year-old sales from a year ago, the Fasig-Tipton auction from Calder Race Course in Miami, and the OBS sale in Ocala. The first part concentrates on one buyer and one seller. The camera follows Terry Oliver as he tries to sell a Seattle Slew colt. The nervousness is etched on Oliver's face as the moment of truth draws near and his business for the year clearly is dependent on how high the bidding goes.Also featured in the first part is Terry Finley, head of ownership syndicate West Point Thoroughbreds, as he attempts to purchase horses at the right price for his group. The second installment centers on trainer Scott Lake as he bids for stock both successfully and unsuccessfully. The program offers a valuable peek behind the scenes as trainers, bloodstock agents, buyers, and sellers struggle to make sure they're bidding on the right horses at fair prices. It makes for interesting viewing for both industry insiders and beginners.The hour-long show is narrated by Jim Forbes, the voice behind VH-1's Behind the Music series. "We'd like to brand this as a series," Eberly noted. "As TVG grows we'd look to do more of these features."