In June of 1999 an unlikely chestnut colt named Charismatic, with jockey Chris Antley aboard, headed down the stretch at the Belmont Stakes, just seconds away from becoming the first Triple Crown winner in nearly 21 years. Thoroughbred racing was desperate for this story of deliverance—track attendance was in steep decline, stars like Seattle Slew and Secretariat were distant memories, drug abuse and bulimia were becoming issues in the jockey colony, and America’s love affair with the Sport of Kings was waning. Into this void stepped Charismatic and Antley, both thought to be lost causes. The racing community had such a low opinion of Charismatic that he had been entered into claiming races just months prior to the Triple Crown races. As for Antley, he was considered a washed-up, anorexic, former drug addict who should have stayed retired from racing. Together, they became the biggest long shots in 59 years to win the Kentucky Derby, and then followed that up with another underdog win at the Preakness. The two may have been denied their Hollywood ending, but their story of redemption lives on.

Personal Statement

In 1998, Antley was a washed-up, anorexic, recovering drug addict. He was out of racing and on a downward spiral that threatened his very life. The horse-racing community had left him behind as had almost everyone else he knew. But Chris, in a moment of inspiration, decided to fight back and mount one of the most unlikely comebacks in sports history. He would need an ally and found one in renowned trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

For all of his brilliance, Lukas had reached almost every milestone in the sport except winning the Triple Crown. Lukas saw in Antley a forgotten little man with the passion of a young rider on the make. Lukas paired Antley with the little regarded Charismatic in 1999, and when they won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, only the Belmont stood between Lukas and the elusive Triple Crown.

Charismatic had the lead coming down the stretch at the Belmont, but as the horse approached the wire, Antley knew something was wrong and made a seemingly unthinkable choice. He eased up and gently coaxed the injured colt across the finish line having sacrificed the triple crown and ultimately his career. Moments later, Chris Antley sat in the dirt cradling Charismatic’s foreleg in full view of 85,000 fans. His actions saved the horse’s life.

Years later, Lukas would blame Antley for Charismatic’s loss and decried the “canonization” of the jockey by the press for saving the horse’s life. Eighteen months later, after the Belmont, Antley would be dead from a drug overdose, but not before showing the world his true greatness.

Steven Michaels, Joel Surnow, Jonathan Koch Bio

Asylum Entertainment was founded in 2001 by Steve Michaels and Eric M. Johnson. Since its inception the company has been counted among the most elite television documentary makers. The foundation of the company was built on the 100-episode sports documentary series “Beyond the Glory,” which was nominated for 10 Emmys along the way. To date, the two-hour Mike Tyson episode of the BTG series is considered one of the greatest sports docs of all time.

Emmy and Peabody Award winner Steve Michaels, began his career working with some of Hollywood’s most prestigious filmmakers including James Cameron, David Frankel and Jon Avnet. Steve’s versatility has lead Asylum to a leading position in the world of unscripted/reality television. Since forming the company, Steve has produced over 500 hours of television including most notably the multiple Emmy nominated series “Fearless,” “American Gangster,” “The Locator” and “Maui Fever”. Earlier, Michaels served as a production executive for DreamWorks Television overseeing such well-known television projects as “Spin City,” “High Incident,” and the Academy Award-winning short “Dear Diary.” Michaels has also worked in production on several feature films including “True Lies,” “Up Close & Personal,” “Homeward Bound II” and “Miami Rhapsody.”

Asylum Entertainment’s scripted television efforts are headed up by its newest partner and Emmy Award winner, Joel Surnow, best known for creating, executive producing, and writing the worldwide television phenomenon “24” which is in its eighth season on Fox. Joel began his career writing for “Miami Vice.”

Rounding out Asylum’s executive producing ranks is Jonathan Koch, a partner in the company since 2003 and the creative architect responsible for creating, developing and exploiting the company’s assets. Prior to joining Asylum, Jonathan’s career included successful stints in diverse areas of the entertainment industry. In the mid-1990s, he was one of the founding partners in Celebrity Sightings, LLC, an Internet-based media company that produced and distributed proprietary interactive celebrity based content. In 1999 Celebrity Sightings was acquired by Alloy Online. Jonathan also founded Gravy Train Productions, a marketing, licensing and promotional company specializing in the development and implementation of entertainment-based programs and events. Quill Driver books released Jonathan’s first book, “Pitching Hollywood,” which is now in its second edition.