OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Zachary Jacobson Joins Buddy from Brooklyn as Executive Consulting Producer

The artist, entertainer, movie producer, musician and racehorse owner brings a century of family racing history and a direct connection to Howard “Buddy” Jacobson.

NEW YORK CITY - August 7, 2026 — Gural & Jacobson, LLC has announced that Zachary “Zack” Jacobson has officially joined the upcoming motion picture Buddy from Brooklyn as Executive Consulting Producer.

The appointment brings an important family voice to the production. Zack is the grandson of Howard “Buddy” Jacobson, the celebrated and controversial New York horse trainer whose extraordinary life inspired the film. His participation will give the project access to personal insight, family history and a deeper understanding of the racing world in which Buddy rose to prominence.

A Horse-Racing Lineage More Than a Century in the Making

Zack comes from one of the most storied families in American Thoroughbred racing. His great-great-uncle Hirsch Jacobs is remembered as one of the most influential trainers, breeders and owners in the history of the sport. A member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, Hirsch established records, developed champion horses and helped shape modern American racing.

Hirsch’s brothers Sidney and Eugene Jacobs were also prominent horsemen, creating a family racing tradition that stretched across generations. Zack’s grandfather, Howard “Buddy” Jacobson, continued that legacy by becoming one of New York racing’s most successful and recognizable trainers during the 1960s and 1970s. Zack’s father carried the tradition forward and is regarded by many within the racing world as a legend in his own right.

This history gives Zack a personal connection not only to Buddy’s story, but also to the people, horses, racetracks and family relationships that formed the world surrounding him.

A Natural Creative Partnership

Zack and Buddy from Brooklyn writer and Executive Producer Jay Shapiro share interests extending far beyond horse racing. Both are artists, entertainers and movie producers with an appreciation for visual storytelling, Indian culture, art galleries and events that bring together creative people from different backgrounds.

Their shared creative outlook provides a strong foundation for collaboration as the film continues through development. Zack’s background as an artist and musician adds another perspective to a production built around the atmosphere, personalities and cultural energy of New York during Buddy Jacobson’s era.

Bringing Family History to the Screen

As Executive Consulting Producer, Zack will contribute family perspective, horse-racing knowledge and creative insight to the production. His involvement will help the filmmakers preserve the authenticity of Buddy’s world while developing a motion picture intended for a broad international audience.

The addition of Buddy Jacobson’s grandson represents a major step forward for the project. It connects the production directly to the family at the center of the story and strengthens the film’s commitment to portraying the racing dynasty, personal relationships and dramatic events that shaped Buddy’s remarkable life.

Buddy from Brooklyn is an American period crime epic inspired by the life of Howard “Buddy” Jacobson and the extraordinary path that carried him from Brooklyn and the New York racetracks into Manhattan nightlife, the modeling world, organized crime, scandal, murder, prison and one of the most unusual fugitive stories of his era.