Horse Racing Movies for the Holidays
Rather than rank the best or my favorite racing movies, because of their diversity let’s just break them down in categories to cater to people’s tastes and what they are looking for, whether it’s movies about racing in general, a famous horse, or betting. You have gut-wrenching, heartwarming, comedic, and gritty films and it’s difficult lumping them together and ranking them. So, whatever your pleasure, here are the movies I recommend, although many are hard to find. ~ Steve Haskin
Horse Racing Movies for the Holidays
By Steve Haskin
If you thought it was tough finding Cabbage Patch Kids and Tickle Me Elmo dolls back in the ‘80s and ‘90s good luck trying to find horse racing movies. Once in the proverbial blue moon they’ll show up on TCM or some offbeat channel, so you will have to search Amazon and hope you find what you’re looking for.
With the holidays coming up, if you know a racing fan you want to surprise with a good racing movie here is a list you can choose from, depending on where their interest lies. Let’s start with the broadest category of them all.
ENTERTAINING:
50-1 – This should go in the horse bio category, but I am taking it one step farther because of its characters and pure entertainment value. I have been critical of most modern racing movies, and this film did take a few liberties. But having lived through and chronicled the story of Mine That Bird, I feel this film captured the amazing journey of the second-biggest longshot to ever win the Kentucky Derby at the time, and did it in an entertaining manner, combining actual footage of the Derby with recreations, and using a horse who looked exactly like Mine That Bird. Many times, you can’t tell the actual footage from the footage shot for the movie. Although they used Bob Baffert as the heavy or the foil, which was just a bit over the top, the actor who played Baffert had his mannerisms (and his hair) down pat. And the colt’s jockey, Calvin Borel, who played himself, was a pure joy. The biggest deviation from the truth was using a female exercise rider to accompany Chip Woolley on his trek across the country instead of Charlie Figueroa, who was in reality the exercise rider and his travel companion. But it actually worked, and I enjoyed the platonic and at times hostile relationship between the two, which helped make the journey more interesting and bring out Woolley’s character. This film should have received bigger exposure, but it is well worth looking for and once in a while can be found on TV. While this movie would rank no higher than No. 3 or 4 in the horse bio category behind two or three extremely well-made and beautifully filmed movies I always watch it when it’s on TV and it’s just as enjoyable every time.
KENTUCKY — This is the granddaddy of all horse racing movies, the formula that was used in many of the films that followed. It even resembles the story of Secretariat — girl (played here by Loretta Young) returns home to save the family farm and wins the Kentucky Derby. Centered around a longstanding family feud, the opening scenes during the Civil War are gut-wrenching. But that is followed by magnificent color footage of greats such as Man o’War, Gallant Fox, Fair Play and other top stallions at stud that look as if they were shot today. It brought those horses to life. One of the great racing characters of any racing film was portrayed by Walter Brennan, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as a crotchety old hardboot, even though, in reality, he was only in his 30s. One of the classic scenes was when the manager of the rival farm was trying to hide their top prospect from Brennan, who was there to collect on a wager, in which he could pick out any 2-year-old he wanted. We see a black groom dancing down the shed row singing, “Postman worked in :48, goin’ to the races, goin’ to the races.” Brennan dancing alongside him, goes, “Where’s he at? Where’s he at?” And the groom sings back, “Over in the tack shed, over in the tack shed.” You’ll have to get past the black stereotypes and the equine star Bluegrass’ improbable and implausible path to the Derby, but have to remember the film was made in 1938 when the entertainment value usually overshadowed reality and political correctness. All in all, this was great fun and includes footage of Lawrin winning the Kentucky Derby, which was Eddie Arcaro’s first Derby winner.
IT AIN’T HAY – You can purchase this with one of Abbott and Costello collection packages. It is without a doubt the funniest racing movie ever made, starring Bud and Lou, who unleash a barrage of racing bits that are hysterical, especially one that takes place in a betting parlor that is a classic. I won’t ruin it for you. The movie has an assortment of characters, including several Damon Runyon characters (it was based on a Damon Runyon story), and shows you brief scenes of old Saratoga in front of the majestic Grand Union Hotel and has a star racehorse named Teabiscuit. It also has a botched horsenapping due to mistaken identity, as Abbott and Costello steal Teabiscuit by mistake, and even throws in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It’s just crazy fun, with a feel of Saratoga and Runyonesque characters, and with a gripping emotional scene that really tugs at the heartstrings and ignites the main plot of the film. I never get tired of watching this movie, as it makes me laugh every time.
CASEY’S SHADOW – I’m venturing away from Thoroughbred racing to include this well-made film that takes place in the world of Quarter-Horse racing. It stars Walter Matthau and is loosely based on the Romero brothers (Randy and Gerald). It is an extremely realistic look at the Quarter-Horse world, well acted, and beautifully photographed, especially the sequences of Casey’s Shadow growing from foal to full-grown racehorse that can easily induce goosebumps. The plot got a little too formulated in the second half of the film, with the obligatory gangsters. But all in all it was a wonderfully made and highly entertaining movie.
NATIONAL VELVET – This is the movie that has created more female horse lovers than any in history. It is the story, beautifully told and photographed, of a 14-year-old horse-crazy Velvet Brown, who falls in love with a wild horse named The Pie, and winds up substituting for his regular jockey and riding him to victory in the Grand National, only to be disqualified. But that doesn’t matter. This film, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney, is the standard by which all movies and books about young girls who love horses is measured. So many young girls have aspired to be jockeys after having watched this film. Yes it is a typical Hollywood plot for its time, but who cares. As mentioned it earlier, it hits you on an emotional level, and is well-written, well-acted, and beautifully photographed.
GLORY – Don’t confuse this 1956 film with the more modern Civil War film. The plot is totally far-fetched about a filly who was born during an electrical storm and somehow makes it to the Kentucky Derby off one six-furlong claiming race. But the reasons to watch it include the excellent acting and biting dialogue between Walter Brennan and Charlotte Greenwood and the film footage of Swaps defeating Nashua in the Derby. It portrays racing in general in an intelligent way, but you just have look past the crazy plot.
HORSE BIOGRAPHY:
PHAR LAP – Although I haven’t seen it in ages, having taped it on VHS, which is long gone, it is simply the most faithful biography of a racehorse of all time; beautifully told and beautifully filmed, and extremely well acted. To add to the realism, the horse who played Phar Lap was the splitting image of the legendary Australian champion. The film even used actual newspaper pages reporting his controversial death in California. It is visually stunning, portrays no stereotypes, and is not afraid to expose the human frailties of its main characters. The only noticeable flaw is the film’s insinuation that Phar Lap was killed by mobsters, while failing to offer the alternative possibility that he was accidentally poisoned by ingesting pesticides sprayed on a field where he was grazing. But if you love horses and racing, this is a must see.
CHAMPIONS – Jockey battles back from cancer and is reunited with his horse, who has simultaneously returned from a serious career-threatening injury, and the pair team up to win the Grand National Steeplechase. Had the story of Bob Champion and Aldaniti not been true, it would have been considered too unrealistic and too Hollywood. But it was true, and what separated Champions from other equine biographies was Aldaniti playing himself. That was a stroke of genius and you kept thinking of that as you watched him re-enact the events of his life. Many objected to the depiction of Champion’s battle with cancer in agonizing detail, taking up a great deal of the film, and while it was tough getting through it, its candor only helped to enhance the story’s emotional, fairy tale ending. And the filming of the Grand National was nothing short of spectacular.
DREAM HORSE – Made in 2020 it is to me the best racing film made in several decades and shows that you can still make a great one without any noticeable deviation from the facts. It depicts the people and the place as well as any racing film and having established actors such as Toni Collette and Damian Lewis who fit right in with a collection of actors makes it look as if they were taken right out of the small Welsh town where the story takes place.
This is an inspiring story of Dream Alliance and bartender Janet Vokes (Collette), who became interested in bloodlines and decided to buy a potential broodmare named Rewbell, who had been injured on a barbed wire fence and had a bad disposition, for 350 pounds. When she produced a colt by American-bred stallion Bien Bien in partnership with a racing breeder from the town, Collette sets off on her quest to have the townsfolk chip in their meager earnings to help raise the colt. With opposition from many of the spouses she succeeds to get 23 people who put up 10 pounds a week to help raise the colt and pay his training bills. Bottom line is that Dream Alliance suffers a serious tendon injury that required stem cell treatment, which was new at the time. He recovers and goes on to win the Welsh Grand National. This is a heartwarming, well acted, and magnificently filmed move that is a must for all racing fans.
SEABISCUIT – This was a relatively high-budget film that was very well made and filmed in dramatic fashion, from the bush track match races to the match race with War Admiral. The movie focused quite a bit on the back stories of the humans behind the horse and the struggles during the Depression. But as a pure horse racing movie and biography it took a very long time before Seabiscuit was even introduced. And to make up for lost time, they turned him into a national celebrity after only a few victories in lesser stakes, and then embellished the David vs. Goliath theme by making War Admiral some 18-hands behemoth (which was a joke) when he was actually the same size as the much smaller Seabiscuit who measured 15.2 hands. They did a super job filming the match race, Gary Stevens was excellent, and all in all it was a good movie, even if it did take forever to get to Seabiscuit. I probably would have ranked this movie higher if I had never read Laura Hillenbrand’s epic biography. In the book, the backdrop was an integral part of the story, but it is difficult to condense everything in the book into a two hour and 20-minute film. I watched it recently and it still seemed long and drawn out. Then it appeared to rush through the second half of the movie. There are gorgeous scenes filmed at picturesque Xalapa Farm in Paris, Kentucky. If you haven’t see it it still makes for an excellent gift.
SECRETARIAT — As many major faults as this movie has, I am going to give it somewhat of a pass because of how much the budget was cut by Disney. And they made it way too Disneyesque, with odd location choices and several nonsensical scenes. But I did like the beginning when Penny Tweedy is called from her home in Colorado to come back to Virginia and help save the farm. The problem with making a movie about a horse that looked like Secretariat is that you can never find a horse physically worthy of portraying him and depicting the incredible larger than life aura he had. The same went for the very disappointing RUFFIAN (No one disliked this movie more than her trainer Frank Whiteley). Neither of these films came close to doing justice to the actual horse. But at least with Secretariat it brought Big Red to the big screen and stayed loyal to the legend, which is why a lot of young people enjoyed it, even if it only gave them a hint of what they missed. The film also seemed miscast in places. Diane Lane as Penny was believable, however John Malkovich was laughable as Lucien Laurin, and Pancho Martin was unfairly portrayed as the film’s primary villain. If you’re young and have no recollection of Secretariat and can ignore the fabricated, fictional scenes you will likely enjoy it for providing a look at an equine superhero that previously existed mainly on video and YouTube, and to younger fans in their imagination. For racing aficionados who saw the movie and lived through Big Red’s reign, you just have to put the scalpel away and resist the temptation to dissect it.
THE STORY OF SEABISCUIT – Not to be confused with Seabiscuit, this purely fictionalized biography stars Shirley Temple and an excellent Barry Fitzgerald, and is actually pretty entertaining for what it is. Just don’t believe that this is in any way the story of Seabiscuit. But if you want to see great actual film footage of the Seabiscuit — War Admiral match race, you definitely want to see this movie.
BLACK GOLD – One of the great stories of the Turf, this movie, starring Anthony Quinn, takes a lot of liberties and greatly embellishes the story of Rosa Hoots and the improbable Kentucky Derby winner Black Gold, but it’s still a fun movie.
MOVIES ABOUT BETTING:
LET IT RIDE – There are a number of movies that feature scenes of betting horses, some with small racing plots, but it is not at all what the movie is about. When it comes to betting on horses one movie stands alone. People either loved or hated this film about a degenerate gambler, brilliantly played by Richard Dreyfuss, who normally is your typical loser, but has the one day every horseplayer fantasizes about. It is a never-ending day, shot at Hialeah Racetrack, in which Dreyfuss leaves the track several times to go to the bar across the street to hang out with his cronies or goes home to his frantic wife, who has had it with his gambling…and losing. But no matter what he does, he can’t lose. And it all starts with an insider’s tip overheard by Dreyfuss’ dim-witted friend in his taxi cab that has nefarious implications. But for Dreyfuss it is the one big break he has been dreaming about. That sets off one incredibly and surreal day at the track. The people who disliked the movie and found it far-fetched don’t see it for what it is – the fantasy of every horseplayer. If you look at it as pure fantasy you’re more likely to enjoy it. It captures the frenzy of the racetrack and every type of crazed horseplayer imaginable. There is an overhead scene with Dreyfuss in the bar’s rest room stall realizing he doesn’t belong with his clique of “losers” and appears to be pleading his case to God that is hysterical.
GRITTY MOVIES:
BOOTS MALONE – This 1952 film starring William Holden pulls no punches and depicts life on the backstretch with stark realism. It is as well acted and as well written as any racing movie, and has an excellent and thought-provoking plot that moves along at a swift pace and takes you to places most people have never been to, focusing on a young jockey and his down-on-his-luck agent. Holden is terrific as usual, going from successful agent, living high in the fanciest hotels, to living in a tack room and trying to scrape up a few dollars after his star jockey is killed. He gets enough to buy a cheap horse and then discovers a green aspiring young rider who has run away from his rich family. This is unlike any racing movie in that it does not glorify the sport and is not afraid to show you its underbelly.
THE KILLING – One of Stanley Kubrick’s early films that is as close as you’ll get to racing film noir. It is filmed almost like a stage play, with surreal backdrops, and is not for the faint of heart, as it is pretty violent at times, especially the end, with the plot focusing about the attempt of a bunch of hoods to make a killing at the track…literally, by shooting the favorite during the race and disguising the crime so that no one knows just what happened. It is like watching the proverbial train wreck – disturbing, but you can’t take your eyes off it, either despite of or because of the simplicity in the way it is filmed. And what better actor to star in a ‘50s film noir movie than Sterling Hayden, who plays his part to perfection.
THE ROCKING HORSE WINNER – Not a true racing movie, but one of the really great films and with an unusual storyline, about a young boy in England who rides his rocking horse frantically, and the faster he goes he reaches a point where he has seems to escape the real world and can predict the winners at the track. There is a lot more to this innovative plot. It has superb acting and is extremely thought provoking. Not an easy film to find.
JOCKEY – This is the most recent racing movie about an aging jockey looking for his one big break to ride a top-class horse, and is as realistic as you can get. It is more of a cerebral movie with actually no real racing scenes, and it doesn’t try to tug at your heartstrings. What makes this movie work so well is the brilliant, but low-keyed acting of Clifton Collins Jr., who as his bio says, “Was born short, lean, and mean on June 16, 1970.” And that is exactly the character he plays to perfection. It’s still around on TV and worth looking for.
OTHERS TO REMEMBER IN CASE YOU COME ACROSS THEM:
THE BLACK STALLION – This isn’t categorized because it isn’t a horse racing film in the true sense. It is more about a horse and a boy and a desert island, with the last part of the movie focusing on a horse race. If you do consider it a horse racing movie, then it definitely belongs under entertaining, as it is absolutely stunning, with another excellent performance by Mickey Rooney and a spectacularly filmed horse race. The scenes on the desert island of this magnificent black horse and the stranded boy slowly interacting are truly brilliant, and you won’t find more beautifully filmed scenes than the ones of “The Black” running through the water.
PRIDE OF THE BLUEGRASS – This is an outlandish plot that is actually based to some extent on a true story, just don’t ask me how much, because I laughed at this movie when I saw it. It starts with a mare giving birth to a colt. The barn is struck by lightning, killing her owner, but his seventeen-year-old son escapes with the colt, named Gantry the Great. A young girl gets the boy a job on the horse farm owned by her father. The boy, Danny, trains and rides Gantry, who becomes a good horse, but after being abused by his regular trainer he goes blind in the Kentucky Derby, as the favorite, and is pulled up by Danny. No one knows he went blind so Danny is banned for a year and Gantry is to be destroyed. But instead Danny trains him to jump and enters the blind horse in Grand National Steeplechase in England. Before you start laughing just know that in the description of the movie, Gantry the Great, whose actual name was Elmer Gantry, is played by the real Elmer Gantry. I won’t tell you if he wins the Grand National.
RIDING HIGH – This was an excellent vehicle for racing lover Bing Crosby, and the end of the movie will tear your heart out. But this film was a remake of the 1934 movie titled Broadway Bill. Frank Capra was so dissatisfied with the original he remade it in 1950 with plenty of songs. The only problem was that for some reason Capra left in a number of scenes from the original movie, and it was so obvious these scenes were from an older movie with different actors.
SPORTING BLOOD – This is a real oldie made in 1931 starring a young Clark Gable. Not only is it very well made, with an interesting plot, it contains the most remarkable footage ever shot at the Kentucky Derby, in this case the 1930 running, with the movie interacting with the footage. You have to see it to believe it. It occasionally pops up on Turner Classic Movies.
A DAY AT THE RACES – Typical Marx Bothers wackiness that wasn’t that much about racing. But there was a classic line when Groucho, playing a horse doctor, was treating a horse in his office and gave him a bottle of pills and told him, “Take two every half mile.”
DOWN THE STRETCH – Mickey Rooney is terrific playing a jockey with an attitude named Snapper Sinclair. It is a pretty interesting plot with your typical race fixing, but with loyalty, good conscience, and clearing your father’s name added to the mix.
SARATOGA – This was a pretty high-profile movie in 1937 starring Clark Gable and Jean Harlowe and Lionel Barrymore. It is a witty and intelligent movie, more about betting and high rollers, with Gable playing a bookie. I remember finding it quite enjoyable.
THE STING – Although this is not a racing movie, it has a great racing flavor when the action takes place at a makeshift bookie parlor, and they even mention Mo Annenberg, who invented the wire and owned the Morning Telegraph. The greatest movie tip of all time — “Place it on Lucky Dan.” Even if it’s not a racing movie, it is one of the great movies of all time and definitely worth watching more than once.
THE LEMON DROP KID – This is another Damon Runyon story about a racetrack tout, played by Bob Hope. Again, there isn’t a lot of racing in it, but it did become famous for introducing the classic Christmas song Silver Bells.
MY OLD MAN – Adapted from an Ernest Hemingway short story, this was a pretty decent made-for-TV film with an excellent performance by Warren Oates.
DREAMER – Many people liked this film, but I had a major problem with Dakota Fanning, who I found annoying enough to not enjoy it. So I can’t judge this film fairly.
THE HOMESTRETCH – This little known film starring Maureen O’Hara and Cornell Wilde is pretty entertaining, taking you from Argentina to Saratoga to Churchill Downs, and has a solid enough plot. It’s not your standard fare and well worth looking for, if it even exists anymore.
WALL OF NOISE – Even lesser known than The Homestretch, I did enjoy it. Starring Suzanne Pleshette and TV star Ty Hardin, it is far from a classic, but Hardin is excellent and has flaws in his character, which you don’t see too often from the star of the movie.
Racing historian, author, and award-winning retired journalist for the Daily Racing Form and The Blood-Horse, Steve Haskin was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame’s Media Roll of Honor in 2016. Known for his racing knowledge and insightful prose, he has been an exclusive contributor to Secretariat.com since 2020.
You know what TV movie I really enjoyed? It was Bluegrass with Cheryl Ladd and company. It was really well done for 1988 and if anyone can find it still they should give it a go if they want a feel good story about a racing and breeding operation in Kentucky. How could you not love that? As for your movies, Steve, I agree with the ones you’ve mentioned that I’ve seen. My favorite is still Phar Lap which I saw before I even saw National Velvet. Seabiscuit was well done but Laura’s book is so much better – she is a magnificent writer. Secretariat was plain ridiculous as a Disney movie. I spent too much time outraged by the liberties they took, the casting, the locations, and the horse winking lol. I couldn’t enjoy it but maybe that’s me. One of the first books on racing I read was Bill Nack’s Secretariat book and I still love it to this day (in addition to all yours of course!!!) 🙂
I thought the PBS documentary on Seabiscuit was very good if you can find it.
Let it Ride is my favorite horse racing movie. The Longshot is a horse racing comedy starring Tim Conway, and has an incredibly funny scene of him trying to repair a toilet.
You may not consider The Black Stallion a true racing movie, but the books are responsible for countless kids becoming racing fans.
Speaking of kids, that’s the one thing that bothered me about the Black Stallion movie…it had Alec Ramsey being like 10 years old instead of a high schooler. Even when suspending your disbelief, all you can think is “no way would they let such a young child ride a horse race, and why is he wearing that stupid mask with a tassel?”
One movie on horse racing I have always wanted to see was Winners Circle. It supposedly features Man o’ War and other champions of the turf. I once tried to get a copy, but the price was exorbitant at the time. Now, I see no copies available. TCM rarely broadcasts it, if it at all.
In Maryland I worked with outrider Phil Miller. He told us stories of being riding double in the jump scenes for Elizabeth Taylor
Movie people came to Pimlico to do race scenes for Tin Men. Paid $100 a day to ride a pretend race like a million times. This went on for 5 days. We all went to the movie to see the race part. Cut down to like 30 seconds
Thanks for all these great suggestions. Making a list to keep
….Pie was the horse’s name who played in National Velvet. Grandson of the GREAT MAN O’ WAR~
As usual Steve, very well written article and reviews.
First time commenting on any of your articles, Steve, though I’ve been reading your work for a few years now. I enjoyed this list–I hadn’t heard of most of them. I was in elementary school when the Secretariat movie was released, so I grew up adoring that. Wasn’t until I read Bill Nack’s book that I realized the liberties they took in some areas. I still like it for the nostalgia, though. I’d be interested in what you recommend for racing books.
MatthewW, “War Horse” was a very, very difficult movie to watch. It was very graphic and heart breaking. Had friends who went the theater to watch and they had to leave.
As to Avatar, I loved it!!!
Agreed on both films.
As difficult as War Horse was, I thought it was important film to highlight the use of horses in battle like Sgt. Reckless.
“War Horse” was a distressing but triumphal film. The stage version was only slightly less emotional to endure.
I spent a bundle taking my son’s to the IMAX showing of War Horse, and it ranks as the biggest disappointment of any movie I ever attended, because I expected something terrific..later I took them and their friends to Avatar, because they wanted to go, and I had just hit the pick five for $7900 (I got $5300), on a $12 ticket (leg five was a single named Christmas Candy, a 9-1 shot that won by 11 lengths, but I digress…) cost of the movie was around $200, I thought it was about Tommy Doyle’s big 1975 Derby 2nd and Belmont winner, alas it was about….ah…er…..I don’t remember, THAT movie was also a disappointment!
MatthewW, “War Horse” was a very, very difficult movie to watch. It was very graphic and heart breaking. Had friends who went the theater to watch and they had to leave.
As to Avatar, I loved it!!!
Yes, the film for me was disappointing as well but the stage production was brilliant. In the stage play the puppet horses are life size, emotive, and very affective. In film, if the animal characters are going to be mistreated due to the storyline I’ll skip it.
Equus, a brilliant play and wonderful on stage, was also an excellent film but the blinding of the horses in the film distressed for years, nay, a lifetime.
I saw a Fred MacMurray western….this guy is trying to get away.. there are two horses, he takes one—-AFTER slicing the other’s rear right tendon, and it sickened me…..
I believe it was important to illustrate just how important horses like Sgt. Reckless were. I thought the film was done in a tasteful manner.
Was talking to my brother about Flightline’s past performance line….six perfect races….and we talked about that Tom Ainslie classic book, where he handicapped the 1967 Woodward card, with those long pps for Buckpasser, Dr Fager, Damascus, long lines of wins! I guess you’d have to be a gelding, today, to complete such a line of wins…but for THREE horses in one race….
Just to confirm….Rick Dawson, Rich Strike’s owner said that the colt was scoped after the race and has a sinus infection and lung congestion (pneumonia) and has been put on antibiotics.
Saw this on Twiiter just now.
Steve,
Love when you do columns like this and again you didn’t miss with this one. Some of these I have never heard of or seen so will be on the lookout for them. Love your synopsis of each movie you mentioned on your list and for the ones I have see you were right on.
“Let it Ride” is my go to movie just before the Kentucky Derby and usually gets watched at least twice a year. My wife loves the movie (lucky for me) as she is not much of a horse racing fan. The toilet scene is classic as you noted and beginning of the movie my wife gets the biggest kick out of is Teri Garr and Dreyfus arguing over the fortune cookie. Just so many characters in that movie that if you are a horse racing enthusiast you have see at the track.
The Black Stallion is just a beautifully done movie and the everytime I see that race it reminds me of Exceller in the Jockey Gold Cup and his win over Seattle Slew. I had to laugh when you said in your previous article on that race that Exceller was in another zip code because he was so far back at the beginning, just like “The Black” in this race. Other notables that were not on your list were … “The Longshot” with Tim Conway (great horseracing fan in real life) and Harvey Korman and “Hildago” as pointed in an earlier comment by Mr Rickard.
Seabiscuit is another well done movie and I tell people I talk to if you have never seen the movie or read the book (a must read) I tell them see the movie first then read the book and not vice versa.
Steve once again thanks for a great column and will be on the lookout for movies I have not seen. Hope you had a Great Thanksgiving !!!
If you love horse themed movies, there are two more rhat I would suggest.
Snowy River and Return to Snowy River and Sylvester.
There is a reference to horse racing in the Snowy River movies and there are awesome scenes in both that demonstrate amazing riding skills.
Sylvester is based on a true story about a rodeo bronc horse who is transformed into a champion jumper. Richard Garnsworth, one of my favorite western character actor costars in the movie. The scene where he is riding Sylvester in the moonlight (dressage) is just beautiful.
Four Stakes races at Aqueduct next Saturday including the Cigar Mile, the Remsen, the Demoiselle, and the Go For Wand. The Remsen and Demoiselle for 2-year olds. Possibly the last interesting day of racing until Opening Day at Santa Anita on the day after Christmas.
Tuesday TCM is showing a few horse movies including The Story of Seabiscuit. If you can get past the fictitious stoyline and some racial sterotypes frrom that era it is a fun movie with Shirley Temple and Barry Fitzgerald and actual footage of the match race. One other they are showing is The Gypsy Colt which I’ve never seen.
Speaking of the wonderful Diane Lane, in possibly her first feature “A Little Romance” horse racing plays a significant role in the early plot of the film. The cast is excellent, and directed by George Roy Hill. It also shows up on TCM now and then. A lovely movie.
Nice movie list.
Let It Ride depicts racetrack characters to a tee!
Others to mention are:
Hidalgo long distance racing.
The Longshot was a very funny movie.
Not a horse racing movie but for horse lovers, The Man From Snowy River is a must watch movie.
On a side note, you could list the Quiet Man as a Horse Racing movie as it has the Innesfree Cup in it, won by The Black and the Duke.
As we come to the end of 2022, the same old problems persist. They continue to run races right on top of each other. I’ve been watching Churchill all day on TVG. Gulfstream and Churchill were starting their races almost simultaneously most of the day. Now, I look at my screen and it says Churchill in 5 minutes and Del Mar in 5 minutes. Stop the MADNESS.
But what did you think of the 2YO races, Tommy Mc? Some sprightly times were posted, but not by the winner of the Ky. Jockey Club Stakes. The Golden Rod winner ran nearly 2 seconds faster.
Ms Blacktype, I’d be surprised if the best 3 year old colts for the Classics next year have won 2 year old stakes races this year. We’ll see.
You make a good point, Davids. I was actually more curious to see what folks thought of some of the non-stakes performances by 2YOS on yesterday’s Churchill card. I was busy yesterday and have yet to even watch the Ky. Jockey Club Stakes. May do that this afternoon.
Davids I usually agree with you but—I’d be surprised if Forte and Cave Rock are not big contenders, in the 2023 Triple Crown! Two weeks after the Breeders Cup my friend showed me how that backstretch headwind was tiring out horses, on the BCup Saturday….Flightline was the only dirt horse that won that wasn’t covered up down the backstretch, and Forte just looks like a monster, with a big stride and he takes kickback like an old pro—2022 has had a couple or three solid looking horses, and Bob loves his other 2yo that ran third…
Matthew, Forte and Cave Rock would be the two leading contenders at this stage but, for whatever reason, luck/fate whatever seems to bedevil these types during the prep races. Will they be better 2 year olds than 3 year olds?
It’s just a guess, more than a conviction, but it’s unlikely Forte and Cave Rock will win the roses. Cave Rock having to be shipped around is not ideal and his attitude during the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was unhelpful. If Forte continues to improve and is lucky enough to avoid unseen problems he’d be the one to beat but that’s hoping for a lot.
I’m just expecting a colt like Signator to really blossom next year.
I’m still of the group that likes a horse to have raced at two vs other winners…Justify was the mold-breaker—he was also a one in a million talent! And he beat a weak crop! I think Forte and Cave Rock are the real deal, and they have an edge on non-starter/maiden winners, heading into the 2023 Spring..
Matthew, like yourself, I want 2 year old experience for the Kentucky Derby runners but not a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile preparation. Too much too soon? I always liked the Hollywood Futurity slower prepping.
I was really disappointed that Signator missed the Nashua Stakes, now we’ll have to wait and see next year. If Forte and Cave Rock are still around and in form around May next year they would be formidable opponents but will they be there?
Hoosier Philly looks to be a very good one. I’m not too excited about the Colts in the Kentucky Jockey Club. No offense. They could and probably will turn out to be useful horses, but I doubt that the Derby winner was running yesterday. There are better 2-year-old Colts IMO. In fact, as good as Hoosier Philly has looked, there are some other pretty good Fillies out there. Wonder Wheel, Faiza, and Dazzling Blue come to mind. I’m looking forward to the Oaks/Derby trail to start after the first of the year. It will be fun.
I agree, Tommy! Will check out Hoosier Philly on video.
Hi Steve. I loved this column. 50-1 is one of my favorite movies of any type. I’ll bet I watched the Kentucky Derby footage 20 times or more and it always gave me goosebumps. Starting with the scene where Bird is running dead last and Calvin Borel says “OK Bird, Let’s go,” to when they start moving along the rail, threading their way through the field to Bird taking the lead and Borel waving “Bye Bye,” with his whip to the other jocks as they pull away.
And I have wanted to see the movie Glory ever since you mentioned that it had clear footage of Swaps beating Nashua in the Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately, its rather pricey if you can find it. Although most of it was filmed in Kentucky at Calumet Farms (Gene Markey wrote the story) and Churchill Downs, director David Butler wanted some behind the scenes shots at a racetrack barn, and chose Meshach Tenney’s barn at which to film them. Margaret O’Brien, the star asked if she could ride Swaps and incredibly, Tenney let her do so. She rode Swaps for 10 minutes around the tow ring, thankfully with no mishap. She also accompanied the Ellsworth -Tenney crew to Chicago for the match race and spent a lot of her time there promoting Glory.
Saw Bird in ’18 in NM.
Such a fantastic list, and a few I haven’t seen yet and look forward to! I have two more suggestions for the moldy-oldy fans (of which I am one): Broadway Melody of 1938 with the inimitable Eleanor Powell as a trainer (a tap dancing trainer at that), along with Buddy Ebsen and Judy Garland (one year before the Wizard of Oz); and A Day at the Races with (of course) the Marx Brothers.
Will have to look for Broadway Melody. One film I have been looking for without success is Winner’s Circle which has Man o’ War and other champions in it.
Not good that Rich Strike finished last against that field. They were older horses, but they weren’t Grade 1 types. Well, I guess Proxy is a Grade 1 winner now. What now? Does Rich Strike become a Derby winner that never wins another race? We’ll see. I wish the horse the best, but after Sonny Leon’s shenanigans in the Lukas Classic, I wouldn’t mind seeing a jockey change.
Tapit already has two champion sons from his 2018 crop, Essential Quality, Flightline, at stud for 2023. Proxy, another Grade 1 winner from Tapit’s 2018 crop, would provide a less expensive alternative than these two with, arguably, a better pedigree than his more illustrious “brothers”(sic).
That was extrremely disappointing. Perhaps one race too many. I thought they would skip the BC and point for the Clark and while I admirre their sportsmanship I think it cost them any shot at the winning the Clark.
Feel very bad for Rich Strike. I would have thought he would have won easily.
He requires a break.
Yes and please probably a health check as well. Time off in a pasture for a couple of months just being a horse would d9 him a world of good. All my personal opinion of course.
Oh Lynda, you’re such a “Softie” but I Luv you !!!
Ms. King, agreed!
Proxy was ahead of Mandaloun in both the 2022 Stephen Foster Stakes and the 2021 Lecomte Stakes. Mandaloun has won the Haskin Stakes, Kentucky Derby. Proxy has always been a classy individual.
I thought a fresh Proxy would win the Clark Stakes with West Will Power the obvious danger. Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby at 80 – 1.
Steve,
I have to say that I disagree with your answer here “Perhaps one race too many” on Rich Strike performance in yesterday’s Clark handicap. I feel that this was a classic case of a horse that was “under trained” and given a poor ride. I wish there were horse journalist, like the late Clem Florio who would was not afraid to ask the hard questions to the trainers, who would ask trainer Reed if you thought the horse came out of the BCC in good shape … why no recorded workouts ( Although I did not have a racing form for yesterday race , I did check DRF workouts and saw that the last recorded workout for the horse was on Oct 25 (which I felt for the last work for the horse before the BCC was “PATHETIC”). Another question I would think that should have been asked was the ride he was given… who made the decision to have the horse press the pace? The horse clearly runs his best races as a closer !!! I had to laugh at the comments in Bloodhorse write up on the race on Rich Strike…
The latter, returning on 20 days rest after a fourth-place finish in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 5, lacked his customary late kick and weakened after stalking the pace along the inside in fourth. He lost by 8 1/4 lengths. How could he have a customary late kick when he was asked to give it in the middle of the race!?!?! As far as no workout between races why wasn’t he given one ??? Laz Barerra gave BOLD FORBES a 1 1/2 mile workout between the Preakness and Belmont (3 weeks between races) . Lucien Laurin gave Secretariat a 1 1/8 mile workout between the Preakness and Belmont and then went on to set the world record for a 1 1/2 mile race as we all know and just one more… Buddy Delp gave Spectacular Bid two work outs between the San Fernando and the Strubs Stakes (2 weeks between races ) one a 1 mile workout (in about 1:36) and a 3 furlong blowout the day before the race … oh by the way he set the world record for a 1 1/4 mile which still stands today.
There are more I could sight but you get the jist of it from these examples.
The workout I would have liked to seen for Rich Strike would have been last Sunday a 5 furlong between 58 and 59, and the ride would have been that of a closer being absolutely last going into the first turn and then be all out going into the far turn.
I wish Penny Chenery besides creating the “Vox Populi Award” (silly me I voted for Rich Strike … can I have my vote back?!?) would have also created another award called the “Not the Sharpest Tool in the Shed” award as Eric Reed would clearly be the frontrunner for it.
You wonder why racing is losing fans and it is because of poor performances like Rich Strikes yesterday which I do not blame on the horse but more on his trainer and possibly his jockey. Leave a bitter taste and upset stomach !!!
BTW, when I saw the horse had no workouts after the BCC I decided not to bet Rich Strike in the Clark he was the only horse I was considering as I did not have a form to handicap the race.
And Tommy Mc ,your question Does Rich Strike become a Derby winner that never wins another race? If things don’t change with his training and rides it may come true !!!
Ok I have vented !!!
To change the subject Steve,love this column you wrote and will be commenting on it either later today or tomorrow
Should’ve skipped Clark. He gave up before race concluded.
lmao He RAN MORE RACES compared w/ FL’s whole career.
Mike you just don’t get it !!! The horse did not need a break but needed to be brought up to the race right and given the proper ride (closer). Reed should have built on that race (the BCC) but instead he let everything he gained from it go down the drain by just jogging and galloping. I will give you an example of what I am talking about. Recent winner, Justique, of the Desi Arnez (November) at Del Mar and had run in Oct at SA in the Chandelier. She won in July at Del Mar in a last to first finish. She goes into the Chandelier as the favorite and using the same running style runs a dull third. After the race the trainer noticed she came out of the race tired but it was a “slowly” run race?!?! Now under your thinking the trainer (John Sherriff’s .. Zenyatta fame) should have backed off given the horse a rest but instead he realized he undertrained the horse and gave her sharper workouts ( the last before the Desi Arnez 5 furlongs in 58 flat ) and using the same running style ate up her competition.
In yesterday’s race I blame most of Rich Strike poor showing on the ride he was given (but a sharp work would have helped ) he is a “closer” and once Eric Reed realizes that he will have more success with him
And as far as your comments on Flightline and less races look at his workouts before each race. Sadler did not go easy on those works as they were sharp and fast and every 7 days. Using each work too build on the next work. If you have a “Champion” you train them like a “Champion” if you want to get the best out of them.
But I can assure you now that you don’t have to worry about Rich Strike getting a rest as he will get one now whether he needs it or not.
John S. is revered. He knows racing. As for Rich S. we disagree.
If there is one thing Rich Strike is known for in my opinion is that he, like HRC, runs his heart out.
Putting aside track conditions, gate, training up to the race, time between races and ride he was given in the Clark, Rich Strike just basically quit. If I were his owner, that would concern me.
So of I were his owner, regardless of what the trainer says, Rich Strike would be going for a complete physical checkup including bone scans, x-rays, imaging and blood work.
This would be my my demand before he takes time off or races again.
Horses have a way of telling us if there is a problem.
They’re saying he scoped as having a sinus and lung infection after the race, that’s consistent with how he ran.
Thans for the information JanBer. That would account for his poor performance.
JanBer, have not read anywhere on what you have reported but was waiting for the excuses to come in if that is the case. I am sure this is comforting (NOT) to the people who bet on him in the Clark !!!
Wow! Regarding his illness, read over 24 hrs ago. And……… no ‘excuse’.
The horse was sick, so it was one race too many, especially if they had any inkling at all that he was sick going into the race.
After all, he did have a cough a day or so heading into the Breeders Cup. And he was running on the shortest rest ever for him between races.
But now he is getting some well deserved r and r and should come back stronger than ever in the Dubai World Cup or Stephen Foster.
And some individuals whine regarding FL career. No one can be pleased….. ever! RS will be fine,providing he receives a break.
Proxy has beaten Mandaloun twice, Midnight Bourbon, and Americanrevolution, previously all Grade 1 winners. Proxy has always been a Grade 1 racehorse in talent and now has the Grade 1 to go to stud with. Excellent pedigree as well.
Yes, he’s run with some very good ones so I’ve been waiting for a bit of a breakout from him.
Rich Strike will win again.
Eric Reed went to the well one too many times.
They had him going in the right direction. He had overcome so much from only being able to run along the rail, to being able to run back more frequently.
Now he is getting some important rest and relaxation and I expect him to come back stronger than ever. Two months or so should recharge his batteries. With the Stephen Foster getting its G1 status back, I expect a rematch with Proxy there if not sooner in the Dubai World Cup, though that may be more of a long shot now.
Proxy, finally gets his Grade 1. Fun race.
The Churchill turf course looks a lot better than it did on Arlington Million Day. At least I didn’t see all the dirt and sand flying up in the air. That’s only one race. I’m hopeful that they have that mess figured out.
Hi Steve and friends! I’ve been away for a long while but this was a wonderful compilation to come back to. I hadn’t realized how many really good movies there have been about horse racing or at least with a horse racing element. One that I liked that isn”t on the list is “Murphy’s Stroke” about a plan to switch horses in a race and win a big bet. I dug up the latter because I was madly in love with Pierce Brosnan and looked for every movie of his that I could find. It may have originally been on British TV and I think it was Mr. Brosnan’s first role. Admission: I’m still in love with him.
Good to have you back. Thanks,
It’s strange that nobody has mentioned “Dark Horse”, the fabulous documentary on which the fictionalized account, “Dream Horse”, was based.
“Dark Horse” is probably the best documentary I’ve seen, and not just the best horse racing documentary. Can’t recommend it highly enough. It won both the Audience and Grand Jury prizes at Sundance in 2015. It’s also the perfect Christmas movie, being basically a real-life fairy tale. Check it out here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4137902/
Available on Starz premium channel.
You can rent it on Amazon Prime as well.
There are a lot more great documentaries I didnt mention. I restricted it to regular movies or it would have gone on forever.
The PBS documentary on Seabiscuit was really good if you can get a hold of it. Have looked for the Phar Lap film at different points, hard to find. Another one that was excellent but seems impossible to find was a documentary made about John Henry — John Henry: A Steel-Driving Racehorse. I thought the documentary was great but it’s pretty much disappeared.
The 1983 film about Phar Lap is available on DVD from Amazon.
The John Henry documentary is available on Amazon for 600. That is not a typo.
I just saw that. $600 for a DVD. I had a copy of this, lent it to a friend and never got it back. Argh!!!!!!!
Wow! 600 dollars. I was very close to that documentary. Based on my book.
I thought it was really well done, very sad that it’s pretty much disappeared (unless you have a spare $600, I guess).
Nice, just ordered the book
The Phar Lap movie is on YouTube for free. https://youtu.be/44GelI9nLds
Thanks, Andrea!
What a nice present for Thanksgiving week, Steve! I’ve tended to avoid movies about horse racing because there is always a heart-breaking moment (usually involving the horse) and I find it too painful. But I’m intrigued by several of the earlier movies you mentioned, especially Boots Malone, which I’d never heard of. I think I caught part of either Saratoga or Sporting Blood on TCM or AMC recently. I’ll definitely look for both.
One film no one has mentioned is The Reivers based on the excellent novel by William Faulkner. The racing part is right out of 19th century bush track realism — and eerily evocative of HOF trainer Sam Hildreth’s account of a fixed race that cost his father a fortune in the 1870s (as recounted in his autobiography, “The Spirit of the Turf”). Perhaps this is why I fail to make progress on my book about Hildreth — someone has already “told” the best parts brilliantly.
I was trying to think of the name of The Reivers but couldnt. Besides, I never saw it so I couldnt say much about it.
Available to rent on Amazon.
I am looking up all the suggestions and all on your list Steve.
The race in The Reivers is one of the most beautifully filmed races ever.
Another terrific Horse Racing movie….a comedy….”A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed”, Mackey Rooney and Tom Ewell, about two guys trying to get enough moolah so that Rooney can get his trainers license, (he flunks the test) ..so they rob a bank, and have to keep robbing banks to support their horse!
Loved Dream Horse… great film, saw it several times. Great script, acting superb, and racing action really good. It brought to mind the reasons why I dislike this type of racing, obstacle, steeple chase, etc…. Too dangerous! I wonder what the fatality rate is on these courses for both horse and rider? Must be high. Nevertheless, the film really brought forth the excitement of a horse winning a race, any race for that matter, but the Grand National? Highly recommend this film. Secretariat was an awful film, great actors but a bad script…
I think I read a book about this story before I saw the film. Loved both the book and the film and agree the film was really well done.
There was a documentary about it that was filmed mostly in real time. It was fantastic.
A good one, maybe a children’s film, with rugged on location scenery, is For the Love of Mike, starring Richard Basehart as a priest and Danny Bravo as the boy who lives at the church and tends to his quarter horse and other pets. There’s a singing cowboy, a big bet, and a climactic horse race on a dusty road at the county fair. Another is My Brother Talks to Horses, set in late horse and buggy days, with Peter Lawford and his younger brother, played by the younger brother in National Velvet, who talks to race horses and always picks the winner, until he no longer can. It brings up the intriguing idea that the horses entered in a race know who’s going to win!
The Saturday card at Churchill Downs is out. 12 races. All 2-year-olds. Five Maiden races. All with full fields. Those barns at Churchill must be busting at the seams with 2-year-olds. Only one turf race. They must be bringing their “troubled” turf course along slowly. I’m waiting to see what Del Mar looks like for Saturday.
If we are just talking about movies with horseracing in them, there was the James Bond 007 movie “A View to a Kill” that featured the always good Christopher Walken as the main villain and Grace Jones as his hench-woman. The movie was dreadful IMO. We’re talking “Moonraker” bad. But it did feature horseracing and a genetically engineered horse. If that SOUNDS bad, it was worse. The Roger Moore Bond films just weren’t as good as the Sean Connery ones. One exception was “The Man with the Golden Gun”. There were also some standard-breds in “Goldfinger”.
Lest we forget The Three Stooges, with Moe and Curly driving a motorcycle with a long handled basket of hot peppers, feeding the horse (eith Larry aboard)…horse won the race and they all ate at the same table afterward!
Another Sterling Hayden movie that had racing mentions…Asphalt Jungle, where his character is always talking about Kentucky horse farms, and ends up dying with the broodmares and their foals licking his face….
“My Fair Lady,” racing at Ascot with a racing song “Ascot Gavotte.” One of cinemas greatest set designs as well, brilliant!!
I did find Rocking Horse Winner on Netflix DVD and added it to my queue.
I loved Dream Horse! Another racing movie I loved was And They’re Off, starring Sean Astin and featuring cameos by some recognizable racing figures. Also, nothing to do with racehorses but if you can find A Dream of White Horses, an old movie which features amazing footage of free-roaming Camargue ponies, it is amazing.
I think there were two Ruffian movies, neither of which was very good… I remember that she was played by an equine actor who was visibly a gelding, which was definitely an insult.
I think you possibly mean the 1953 children’s film “Crin-Blanc,” English title “White Mane.” It’s an enchanting black and white film, not full-length, directed by Albert Lamorisse
Also there is the 1960 Denys Colomb Daunant made documentary “Le Songe des Chevaux Sauvages,” English title “Dream of the Wild Horses”. It featured Camargue horses with slow motion photography. Noteably, the documentary won the Small Golden Berlin Bear at the 1960 Berlin International Film Festival.
There are also quite a few documentaries about the “New Forest” pony roundups and “Exmoor ponies” being rounded-up which I adored as a child, wanting one of the ponies myself.
Secretariat deserves much better than what Disney put together. The group that made Seabiscuit should have been tasked with that project.
Thanks, Steve! Now my budget is shot. I only own three of these and am going to have to find the rest. I love Richard Dreyfuss in ‘Let it Ride.’ I even used his line when I hit a $1,200 exacta at Birmingham back in the day. Except I changed my tune when I found out that I had been talked out of the tri which paid $27,000+.
I always like to include The Sundowners, about a family of traveling sheep shearers, who enter a local horse race at movie’s end, a truly terrific movie staring Robert Mithum, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov…I started to watch Mithum movies, after having seen him at Los Alamitos in 1974, he made another horse film, as a retired rodeo cowboy in a love triangle…story driven movies that have aged well, they’re still very good.
Mitchum!
“The Sundowners” is a beautiful film. Regrettably, I saw “Cape Fear” as a child not long after seeing “The Sundowners,” it made me quite fearful of Mitchum. Mitchum was my father’s favourite actor so we saw a lot of his films.
They were running a stakes race, Mitchum had the favored Don Guerro, my sister asked him to sign her program he said ” As soon as my horse wins”…..no autograph! (He ran 3rd..)
I saw the DeNiro version of Cape Fear first, and his character was creepy…but Mitchum….just by facial expression took that character further into creepiness!
The original “Cape Fear” still creeps me out as well. You’re right, Mitchum certainly played the character perfectly and has the physical presence to worry anyone.
Thank you for this list. Some i knew. Others i’ll have the joy of seeing for the first time. I still think Mickey Rooney should have won the Oscar for The Black Stallion.
Great list of some of my favorite movies. As for 2 others that might qualify would add King of the Wind and Justin Morgan had a Horse. Granted not thoroughbred movies but they do have some racing footage and some history of the Godolphin Arab and the start of the Morgan horse here in the states.
As for just fun to watch would have to add the Derby Stallion and Stripes.
Saw Phar Lap in a theatre when it was first released. What a fantastic movie! Best horse biography movie ever made, indeed.
Boots Malone, my personal favorite, accurately portraying racing in a much different era. Have read all of Walter Farley’s books as a young boy, looked forward to seeing The Black Stallion on the screen. Wife & went to theater with a jock friend of mine, and his wife. When the Black was approaching the gate, blood running down his tendon from pre race altercation with his main foe. the rider turned to me and said “If anything happens to him, I’ll never watch another racing movie again.”
RIP, Angel Penna, a classy gentleman, horseman, and friend. Thoughts and prayers to Ruth & Elinor Penna.
A really nice man. Another good trainer who deserved better horses on the national stage.
“Dime With A Halo” (1963) – about street homeless kids in Tijuana, Mexico betting on the 5-10 (now the pick 5) at old Aqua Caliente racetrack using the last dime taken from a church box and winning…a Turner and Disney Classic movie.
Now the pick SIX ..
I consider Hidalgo a horse racing movie. I couldn’t take my eyes off that wonderful paint who portrayed the lead. RH Tecontender, who is a registered paint that also is a male line descendant of Nasrullah. Kinda fitting I think.
And a descendant of Count Fleet!
Has anyone watched Ride Like A Girl? It is about Michelle Payne, first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.
“Ride Like a Girl” is a positive, if somewhat saccharine coated film. Particularly, for those who are aware of the tragic-ridden past of the Payne family. See the film, read up on the history afterwards. If you haven’t seen the film “The Cup” they’d make for an inspirational double over a long weekend but not in succession.
Thanks
This is quite a comprehensive list I must say. I wish they would make a horse racing movie starring you & Richard Dreyfus as 2 rival trainers vying to win the Kentucky Derby. Both of your horses would be undefeated, 1 west coast horse, 1 east coast horse. Kind of make it a comedy/action movie. I would pay to see it.
Anyway this is a great list, my personal favorites are Seabiscuit, mostly of the Santa Anita backdrop & the nostalgia of the time period, Saratoga & Kentucky. Sometimes a black & white movie is better.
Happy Thanksgiving Steve to you & your lovely family.
Also Let It Ride would be on my list, movie was very funny.
“I’m Having a Very Good Day”.
Ky Derby and undefeated? Sell…now!
Arguably, the best racing movie/TV show I’ve seen was “Luck.” Such a shame they had to cancel the show due to possibly dubious animal safety concerns.
TV series not included. Yes, a shame what happened. More than concerns, a horse died.
Yes, Steve, it was actually 3 horses that died, from memory.
I loved LUCK, created by a guy who lost tens of millions at the windows…he “nailed”, the betting action, the scene where they had to euthanize a horse on track…I could see it was a real euthanasia, and they did it well, capturing the overall sadness, of all involved….Gary Stevens’s character said that’s why that have Jack Daniel’s, or something like that…
Matthew, from memory, the subplot was surrounding Native American Gaming Casinos. Is that still a hot topic in California?
Steve, thank you very much for putting this list together. Weather forecast here starting Thanksgiving night is for 80-100% rain Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Perfect for sitting by the wood stove and watching these movies.
My all time favorites on your list are National Velvet and The Black Stallion. I had read the books National Velvet and the Black Stallion series as a young girl. I did not watch the movie, National Velvet until I was in my early 30’s and rented it from a video store. I now have National Velvet and all 3 Black Stallion movies in my video library. Interesting trivia tidbit, the horse who played The Pie as given to Elizabeth Taylor. There was also an American TV series called National Velvet. LOL, telling my age I guess but I had National Velvet paper dolls.
Liked 50 to 1. Thought it was funny, entertaining and loved Calvin Borel.
Also liked Seabiscuit, great cast. Have it in my video collection as well.
Also have Secretariat and Dreamer and Ruffian. Barely made it through Ruffian, watched one time and put it away.
Phar Lap, I watched years ago was a good movie, but of course very sad.
I would add Hidalgo to the list. Granted it is not track horse racing but rather desert racing. Based loosely on a true story. Viaggio Mortenson is one of my favorite actors.
As to the Secretariat movie, yes lots of literary license, all of which I knew about. A friend and I took a group of her riding students to the theater to watch. They all loved it and it inspired some of them to watch horse racing.
Will look for Wall of Noise. Maureen O’Hara is one of my favorite actresses from that generation. In fact, the movies she made with John Wayne are my favorite John Wayne movies.
Not sure that any movie or TV series is not made without a big amount of literary license. It is a necessity I guess for entertainment value, otherwise it becomes a documentary??
In a college writing class we were taught that writing a screenplay based on a book was the most difficult challenge for a writer.
Again, Happy Thanksgiving everyone. If you traveling, be safe and hope you all enjoy your time with your families, friends and loved ones!
Thanks for sharing Lynda. Happy Thanksgiving
I cried so hard toward the end of Ruffian that i could barely see the screen. Tragic, powerful reminder of why those type of races aren’t allowed anymore.
Me too Susan.
A more recent movie you may have missed…”Lean on Pete”. Warning alert, very emotional but powerful acting and story. Absolutely loved “Seabiscuit but was tremendously disappointed with “Secretariat”. He deserved a more factual telling of his life.
Yes, “Lean on Pete” is quite a disturbing, distressing film.
Yes, saw “Lean on Pete” when it premiered at TIFF with no idea of the plot, and it’s a bit more than gritty. Traumatizing, is how I’d describe it.
“The Grifters” is gritty drama surrounding a mob bookmaker who makes large cash bets at tracks to lower the odds on long shots and confuse the punters. Not for the faint hearted.
“Pride of the Bluegrass,” 1954, with Lloyd Bridges and Vera Miles warms the heart.
I agree about The Grifters, one of my favorite movies. Racing was not necessarily central, but operators laying off action to protect the big mob bookies seemed to be presented accurately. The problem i have with many racing movies is feeling insulted by liberties taken by producers to keep the public interested, particularly in Seabiscuit. I guess that’s the “burden” we carry for knowing too much.
Good point, knowing too much on any subject is often a burden. Movies, in general, follow a formula that has been successful at the box office. Producers buy rights to books etc, more correctly they options, which give them the exclusive right to purchase the film or television rights within a certain amount of time. Then they can frame that story into what has been successful, truth is very dispensable in the film industry.
I wanted to mention The Grifters but for whatever reason I couldnt remember the name.
Although, The Grifters is a high quality production, has an excellent script, and is well acted it’s not a film you want to see again in a hurry. Perhaps, the mind helps you recover from the trauma you have just witnessed, by wiping out memory of the incident.
Count me among the people that love “Let It Ride”. I think that anyone that plays the races regularly has gotten on a hot streak at some point, although probably to a lesser degree than the roll that Richard Dreyfus got on in the movie.
Robbie Coltrane was a “scene stealer” as the Mutuel worker at the high-dollar window.
Many of us have had a racetrack buddy who was there for the good times but was also a thorn in your side at the same time. David Johansen/Buster Poindexter played that pole perfectly.
Lastly, the bar that Richard Dreyfus goes to reminds me of a couple of places near Santa Anita where people would go to after the races to commiserate with others about their “bad beats” and in some cases, their winners. There used to be
Talk of the Town up on Foothill and The 100-1 Shot just outside the Colorado/Huntington gate. I’m sure they are both long gone now. Was it The 100-1 Shot or The 99-1 Shot? I forget.
Was Walter Brennan ever a young man? He always played a crotchety old man. Even in older movies. Maybe I’m forgetting him in some movie. The best I ever remember him looking was in “Pride of the Yankees” even if he didn’t look particularly young.
That made me giggle. Yes, when I was five or six seeing Walter Brennan in movies he came across as this grumpy old man to be avoided at all times.
Walter Brennan won three Academy Awards, one for Supporting Actor He appeared in a lot of westerns. I remember him from the TV series The Real McCoys. The show was one of my Dad’s favorites.
Supporting Actor was for Kentucky.
Yep I agree, Walter Brennan looked pretty much the same in every movie.
The Westerner 1940 with Gary Cooper
The Pride of the Yankees 1942 also with Gary Cooper
Rio Bravo 1959 with John Wayne & Dean Martin
He must have made about 100 movies or more.
I loved Brennan in Seargent York. With Cooper too.
Steve Haskin mentions that he was annoyed by Dakota Fanning in “Dreamer”. I feel like that about the Marx Brothers. I love the “Stooges”, Laurel and Hardy, and Abbott and Costello. But the Marx Brothers annoy me.
As a young girl I loved the movie ‘Kentucky’. I purchased the dvd on Amazon a couple years ago and loved it all over again. Thank you Mr Haskin for a delightful list
I appreciate Steve Haskin’s recommendations on horseracing movies. I’ve heard good things about Boots Malone and I’m a big William Holden fan, but I’ve never run across that film. Hopefully, it will play on TCM one of these days.
Somehow, I’ve missed 50-1, Champions, and Jockey. I hope they come on Cable at some point. If I remember correctly, Jockey came out at a bad time. Toward the end of the Pandemic. Theaters were opening up, but with few people in attendance. I saw many movies when I was the only person in the theater. “Private showings” I called them.
Steve Haskin describes “The Killing” perfectly. “disturbing, but you can’t take your eyes off of it.”
“Wall of Noise” was filmed at Hollywood Park. It’s always fun to see familiar places in the movies. I’ve always wondered why Suzanne Pleshette didn’t become a bigger star.
I think that Casey’s Shadow was a real sleeper. I didn’t expect to like it, but I did. I’d never seen Walter Matthau play a part like that before. I’ve seen him a couple of times since then in older movies where he wasn’t in a humorous role. He was even a bad gut in
in Charade.
As far as “Secretariat” goes, I can pretty much watch anything with Diane Lane in it.
Gary Stevens impressed me in Seabiscuit. That was a major motion picture and I thought he handled himself very well with some heavyweight actors like Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and Tobey McGuire. I even liked him in the short-lived HBO series “Luck”. Stevens is multi-talented. Star athlete, actor, and a pretty good horseracing analyst.
Yes, Tommy, Gary Stevens was quite accomplished in his acting roles. In his younger years he had the looks to be a matinee idol as well. Ha ha
Jockey was filmed at Turf Paradise in Phoenix and was based on a true story. I rented it off Amazon, started watching it bit dud not finish. Cannot recall why I did not.
Mollie Parker costars. If you watched the HBO series amd movie, Deadwood you might remember her. She played Alma.
Jockey won a Sundance Film Festival Award.
I’m embarrassed to say I considered myself a film racing buff until reading these lists. I knew of less than 1/3 and have seen (maybe) 1/4. Now to try and find the ones that intrigue me!
I’m sure there are plenty of others I didnt mention.
Most importantly, you didn’t mention the documentary film “Dark Horse”, which is what “Dream Horse” was based on. I haven’t seen “Dream Horse”, because I thought “Dark Horse” was an absolutely perfect documentary, and I have no idea why they felt the need to cast actors and turn it into a Hollywood movie. I guess I’m glad to hear they did a good job of fictionalizing the true story? But I can’t recommend “Dark Horse” enough, if you’ve not seen it.
How about The Pope of Greenwich Village? “See, with a horse, it’s all in the gene.” Paulie : )
Dream Horse is one of the best movies on owning horses. If you haven’t seen this film yet, rent it – you will really enjoy it.
Or go one better and rent “Dark Horse”, the documentary film on which it was based. Absolutely wonderfully made documentary with the real “Dream Syndicate” folks, who are delightful characters.