So You Think (foaled 10 November 2006)^[4] is a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, now majority owned by Coolmore Stud of Ireland. So You Think came to prominence through winning the 2009 and 2010 Cox Plates,^[5] Australia's premier weight for age race. His second Cox Plate win came at just his tenth career start. He started as favourite for the 2010 Melbourne Cup but finished third, in his first race past 2,040 metres.

He was bred by M J Moran & Piper Farm Ltd and foaled at the Windsor Park Stud in Cambridge, New Zealand.

Racing career[link]

So You Think was purchased for $NZ110,000 at the 2008 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale on behalf of Malaysian billionaire Dato Tan Chin Nam and Tunku Ahmad Yahaya and was trained by Bart Cummings.

Two and three year old seasons: 2008-2010[link]

So You Think had won two of his four starts before the 2009 Cox Plate, including a Group 3 against his fellow three-year-olds, and earned a start in the Cox Plate with a solid finish for fifth in the Caulfield Guineas. There was some debate on whether the horse had achieved enough to warrant a start in the Cox Plate, but the Moonee Valley Racing Club decided that he was up to the challenge. He won the Cox Plate in convincing style, leading all the way^[6] to win by 2½ lengths in a fast time of 2:03.98. So You Think followed up his Cox Plate win with a second in the Emirates Stakes two weeks later, in his last race as a three-year-old.

Four year old season: 2010-2011[link]

The horse resumed racing as a four-year-old in August 2010 with a win in the Memsie Stakes, beating several of Australia's top gallopers and making him the early favourite for the 2010 Cox Plate. Group One wins in the Underwood Stakes and the Yalumba Stakes meant he started odds-on for the Cox Plate, with many people labeling him as one of the best horses to ever race in Australia. He won the 2010 Cox Plate in convincing style with Steven Arnold as jockey. A week later the horse was untroubled in winning the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes. He came third in the Melbourne Cup behind Maluckyday and winner Americain. After the race Coolmore Stud reportedly paid A$25 million for a majority interest in So You Think deciding to race the horse in Europe and to be trained by Aidan O'Brien.^[7][7]

So You Think made his European debut in the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh Racecourse on 2 May 2011, winning by 12 lengths in a field of five.^[8] He made it two from two with victory in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on 21 May. Trainer Aidan O'Brien said of his four-and-a-half-length success: "He's incredible - a different creature to what we've ever seen before." ^[9] He was clear favourite in The Prince of Wales at Ascot 2011, with Willie Carson famously claiming you should 'bet your house' on him five minutes before the race. However, he was pipped by Rewilding, ridden by Frankie Dettori. Dettori was later suspended for nine days for excessive use of the whip on Rewilding.^[10] Huge bets had been placed on So You Think, with one punter putting on ninety thousand pounds on the morning of the race. He bounced back on his next outing, in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, winning by a half length from 2010 Derby and Arc winner Workforce.^[11]

Five year old season: 2011-2012[link]

Following an eight week spell, So You Think resumed racing again in the Irish Champion Stakes, where he gained a half-length victory over multiple Group One winner Snow Fairy.^[12] A month later he ran fourth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe behind the German filly Danedream, who won in track record time. ^[13] So You Think's third run as a five year old was in the British Champion Stakes at Ascot on the 15th October. He started the race as favourite and went to the front with 400 metres to run but finished second when the French horse Cirrus des Aigles stormed home to win a neck to neck run. ^[14] He then contested the Breeders' Cup Classic, where he ran sixth in his first race on dirt. Following a spell of five months, he returned to racing in the Dubai World Cup, where he came fourth in his first run on Tapeta

Race record[link]

Honours[link]

So You Think was rated equal Champion Intermediate (Middle Distance) Turf Performer in the 2010 World Thoroughbred Rankings along with Rip Van Winkle and Cape Blanco, by the International Federation of Horse Authorities. He was also rated Champion Extended Distance Performer for his 3rd in the 2010 Melbourne Cup. ^[15]

Pedigree[link]

References[link]

Kenny Ortega
Ortega at This Is It launch in HMV London, February 22, 2010
Born	Kenneth John Ortega (1950-04-18) April 18, 1950 (age 62) Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Occupation	Television and film director, producer, choreographer
Years active	1980–present
Website
Official site

Kenneth John "Kenny" Ortega (born April 18, 1950) is an American producer, director, and choreographer. He is known for directing the High School Musical trilogy and Michael Jackson's This Is It concert tour.^[1]

Life and career[link]

Ortega was born in Palo Alto, California, the son of Madeline, a waitress, and Octavio (Tibby) Ortega, a factory worker from Redwood City.^[2] His grandparents were from Spain.^[3] Initially known for working with dancer and choreographer Gene Kelly on the film Xanadu, Ortega went on to choreographing the dance for the Menudo video "Hold Me", as well as the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, and has won awards for choreography in music videos, such as Madonna's "Material Girl".

Ortega directed Billy Squier's "Rock Me Tonite" video, which is often cited as the worst music promo clip ever made and has been blamed by Squier for killing his career. Together with Michael Jackson, he created and designed the Dangerous World Tour 1992-1993 and the HIStory World Tour 1996-1997. He has also choreographed events ranging from Super Bowl XXX, the 72nd Academy Awards, the 1996 Summer Olympics (Atlanta) and the 2002 Winter Olympics (Salt Lake City).^[4]

In addition, Ortega has directed and choreographed High School Musical, High School Musical 2, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, and was choreographer of the The Cheetah Girls 2.

In May 2009, Ortega began work on the scheduled Michael Jackson 50-date This Is It concert tour, which was cancelled subsequent to Jackson's sudden death.^[5] He directed the concert film Michael Jackson's This Is It which was put together from rehearsal footage recorded at the Los Angeles Forum and the Staples Center. The film was released on October 28.

Ortega directed the Michael Jackson Public Memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which was broadcast live on several networks on July 7, 2009. It reached a television audience of 31 million in America, and more than 1 billion worldwide and via the internet.^[6] At the end of the service, he introduced a rendition of Jackson's 1985 charity single "We Are the World" created for the This Is It concerts, featuring Jackson's backing singers on lead vocals with his dancers performing around them.

He was set to direct the 2011 Footloose remake, but dropped out in October 2009.^[7] Ortega is now set to direct the upcoming movie adaptation of the Broadway musical In the Heights.^[8]

On August 9, 2011, it was announced that Ortega will direct the remake of Dirty Dancing, which he choreographed in 1987. Lionsgate Films has yet to announce the release date. ^[9]

Filmography and concerts[link]

Awards[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site
• Kenny Ortega at the Internet Broadway Database
• Kenny Ortega at the Internet Movie Database

Anna Kendrick
Kendrick at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
Born	(1985-08-09) August 9, 1985 (age 26) Portland, Maine, United States
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1998–present
Partner	Edgar Wright (2009–present)

Anna Kendrick (born August 9, 1985) is an American actress. She rose to fame after her performance as Natalie Keener in Up in the Air, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her other work includes The Twilight Saga, Camp, Rocket Science, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 50/50, and the Broadway musical High Society.

Career[link]

Kendrick "caught the [acting] bug" at the age of 10, when she caught a bus from Portland, Maine, to New York City so that she could attend auditions.^[1] Kendrick's first acting role was as Dinah in the Broadway musical High Society in August 1998 when she was 12 years old, a performance for which she earned Theatre World Award, Drama Desk Award, and Tony Award nominations,^[2] making her the third-youngest Tony Award nominee.^[3]

Kendrick went on to appear in a number of other theater productions, including the musical A Little Night Music, before making her film debut in the 2003 musical comedy Camp,^[2] for which she was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category at the 2004 Chlotrudis Awards and Best Debut Performance Independent Spirit Award for her portrayal of Fritzi Wagner.

In 2007, she appeared in her next film, Rocket Science, in which she portrayed Ginny Ryerson, a fast-talking high school debater. Although she says she found the role intimidating and challenging after watching an actual national collegiate championship debate, her performance was praised by critics^[2] and she was nominated for a 2007 Independent Spirit Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress.^[4]

In late 2007, she auditioned for the role of Jessica Stanley in Twilight, a 2008 film adapted from the first book of the novel series by Stephenie Meyer.^[5] She had intended to do a mix-and-match audition with various actors, but was too ill and had to leave; she was, however, brought in for a later session where she was given the role.^[1] Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg said that the characters Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory from the book were combined to create the role.^[6] Kendrick reprised her role as Jessica in the Twilight sequel, New Moon.^[7]

Kendrick's theater singing experience gave her the opportunity to star in her next project, 2009's The Marc Pease Experience, where she appears opposite Jason Schwartzman and Ben Stiller as a high school senior involved in musical theater.^[2][8]

She appeared in the 2009 films Elsewhere, in which she plays her first lead character, a girl whose best friend (played by Tania Raymonde) goes missing,^[2] and in director Jason Reitman's Up in the Air, based on Walter Kirn's 2001 novel of the same name, alongside George Clooney and Vera Farmiga.^[9] For her role in Up in the Air, the National Board of Review named her Best Supporting Actress^[10] and she has also picked up nominations from numerous critics awards and The Golden Globes^[11] and The Screen Actors Guild^[12] and the Academy Awards.

Kendrick at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2010

She reprised her role as Jessica Stanley in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg devised a graduation speech for her character that was not part of the novel.^[13] She appeared in Edgar Wright's adaptation of the graphic novel Scott Pilgrim, titled Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.^[14] Kendrick played Stacey Pilgrim, the sister of the lead character.

In 2010, Kendrick appeared in LCD Soundsystem's music video "Pow Pow" as a "shape-shifter" who collects "the souls of wicked men".^[15] In October 2010, she attended the 2010 Top Glamour Awards in Mexico where she won for "Best International Actress".^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, she starred in the dramatic comedy 50/50, alongside Joseph Gordon Levitt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Seth Rogen. She also reprised her role as Jessica Stanley in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.

In 2012, she plays the part of Rosie in the screen adaptation of the consummate baby guide, What To Expect When You're Expecting.

It has been reported that in 2012 she will star opposite John Francis Daley in Rapturepalooza,^[16] that she has been cast in The Archivist,^[17] to be directed by Robin Wright, and that she will voice a character in the stop-motion animated feature, ParaNorman.^[18] She also will star in Pitch Perfect, where she plays a rebellious and goth-like college student who discovers her voice in her school’s female a cappella group and in a political thriller called The Company You Keep starring Shia LaBeouf.

Personal life[link]

Kendrick was born in Portland, Maine, the daughter of Janice, an accountant, and William Kendrick, a history teacher.^[19] Kendrick and her older brother, actor Michael Cooke Kendrick, who appeared in the 2000 film Looking for an Echo, both attended Longfellow Elementary School, Lincoln Middle School and Deering High School in Portland.^[20]

As of 2009^[update], she is in a relationship with director Edgar Wright, whom she met during the production of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.^[21][22]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Anna Kendrick

• Anna Kendrick at the Internet Movie Database
• Anna Kendrick at the Internet Broadway Database