Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Jan 21, 2014 8:22:58 GMT -6
MGM has acquired the screen rights to The Eighty-Dollar Champion, which recounts the exploits of Snowman, a former plow horse who gained fame after winning the 1958 show horse triple crown.
The 2011 book by Elizabeth Letts, a former competitive rider in show horse events, made The New York Times bestseller list.
The book traces the story of rider and trainer Harry De Leyer, who saw show potential in Snowman and purchased the horse for $80.
MGM had already acquired the rights to Leyer's life story.
A blurb on the front cover of the paperback version of Champion compared the story with that of Seabiscuit, the horse who bested War Admiral for victory to win the 1935 Triple Crown.
Seabiscuit's story was the subject of a bestselling book by Laura Hillenbrand that was adapted into a 2003 film by Universal and DreamWorks that starred Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges and grossed $120 million domestically.
Letts is repped by APA and Folio Literary Management in New York.
The 2011 book by Elizabeth Letts, a former competitive rider in show horse events, made The New York Times bestseller list.
The book traces the story of rider and trainer Harry De Leyer, who saw show potential in Snowman and purchased the horse for $80.
MGM had already acquired the rights to Leyer's life story.
A blurb on the front cover of the paperback version of Champion compared the story with that of Seabiscuit, the horse who bested War Admiral for victory to win the 1935 Triple Crown.
Seabiscuit's story was the subject of a bestselling book by Laura Hillenbrand that was adapted into a 2003 film by Universal and DreamWorks that starred Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges and grossed $120 million domestically.
Letts is repped by APA and Folio Literary Management in New York.