His father lived near Hollywood Park in Inglewood (now the site of SoFi Stadium, the $6 billion home of the Rams and Chargers). On the rare occasions his father would sober up enough to remember to pick him up for their time together, they’d go there.
Collins Jr. learned how to place a bet, but that was it. They wouldn’t go down to the paddock to get a closer look at the majestic thoroughbreds. All of what could have made these trips special was missing. His father mostly drank with his buddies.
“We’d walk from the trailer park to the liquor store, then across the street to Hollywood Park,” he told me last month. “That was my weekend with him.”
Collins also told me that he channeled the pain from those lost weekends — and from having a father who was always just out of reach — into his remarkable performance as Jackson Silva in the film “Jockey,” which is in theaters in select cities now…
More on Jockey from For the Win
from Sony Pictures: An aging jockey (Clifton Collins Jr.), hopes to win one last title for his longtime trainer (Molly Parker), who has acquired what appears to be a championship horse. But the years – and injuries – have taken a toll on his body, throwing into question his ability to continue his lifelong passion. And the arrival of a young rookie rider (Moises Arias), who claims to be his son, and whom he takes under his wing, further complicates the path to fulfilling his dream.
About Editor
Speak Your Mind