The Gospel Music Channel is airing two horse movies tonight on their Friday Family Movie Night:
Friday, April 30, 2010-
Ready to Run ... Gospel Music Channel ... 7 PM
Virginia's Run ... Gospel Music Channel ... 9 PM
Ready to Run is a Disney Channel Original Movie from 2000.
Plot from Wikipedia:
Ready to Run is the story of 14-year-old Corrie Ortiz, an energetic girl who dreams of becoming a jockey in the predominantly male sport of Thoroughbred horse racing. Although her father died in a racing-related accident, it's her spirited memory that drives her to try to achieve her goal, even though her mother is against it. She also has the gift her grandmother calls the "confidence of horses". It allows Corrie to communicate with her horse, Thunder Jam (TJ), who lives dispiritedly in his sire's shadow. Though TJ is an excellent runner, he has an immense fear of the starting gates. To conquer this fear, the team employs the strange tactic of placing headphones over TJ's ears. Surprisingly, the music works. TJ can now get through the gate with confidence. The headphones later become a trademark of Thunder Jam as he wins more and more races.
At the final race of the season their toughest opponent is doing everything he can to see that he wins. He takes it up with the judges that the headphones on TJ's ears are stimulating the horse in some rule breaking manner and should be disallowed. Dismayed, Corrie and TJ have to run the race without their signature item. It's a rough start, but Corrie and TJ's special relationship allows them to conquer their fears and win the fictional Gold Rush Derby.
Virginia's Run is a 2002 Canadian-American independent family drama/coming of age film. 
Plot from DVD cover:
Gabriel Byrne, Joanne Whalley and talented newcomer Lindze Letherman star in this inspiring tale about a girl, her family and the horse that brings them together again. Virginia's Run, shot in beautiful Nova Scotia, combines poignant drama and "thrilling" (Toronto Sun) horse-racing action in a coming-of-age adventure for the whole family.
When 13-year-old Virginia's (Letherman) mother dies in a riding accident, her father (Byrne) sells the horse and vows never to let his two daughters ride. Defying him, Virginia nurses the horse's new colt, Stormy, and secretly trains with him at night. But when Stormy is sold, Virginia's sister and a sympathetic trainer (Whalley) must help convince her father that a girl needs free rein to grow.
I'm sure these movies were chosen to air tonight in honor of the Kentucky Derby tomorrow. I haven't picked my favorite for the Derby, although, I am eyeing two horses at present. I always choose a favorite every year - just for fun. I'll post my favorite horse tomorrow on Derby Day.
