The best horse racing movies and documentaries of all time
A former film student, Mary Dixon Reynolds, lists her top-rated horse racing films and documentaries.
Movies PHAR LAP
1983
Before there were Winx and Black Caviar, Australians were transfixed by a big chestnut horse named Phar Lap. The horse reigned during the 1930s depression and gave the nation something its pride. Trainer Harry Telford, played beautifully by Martin Vaughan, worked the horse into a winner. As his fame spread, so did nefarious plots against the horse. After winning a race in Mexico, Phar Lap collapsed and died. The film does not explain his death but eludes to a gambling ring poisoning the Champion. The film is based on the book by Michael Wilkinson. The racing segments appear to be authentic, and the love between the connections and the horse realistic. If there is a flawless racing movie, this is it.
2003
With a few exceptions, the film stayed closely with the prize-winning book by Laura Hildebrandt. With the backdrop of the Great Depression, those who could afford to go to the track did and those who could not listened to the races on a radio. The more the legend grew, the more crowds he attracted. They saw themselves in the horse. Seabiscuit had started out losing, and one day, Charles Howard, played by Jeff Bridges, reluctantly purchased the horse which his trainer Tom Smith, played by Chris Cooper, desperately wanted because he saw potential in the plain looking brown horse. They gave Seabiscuit a respite and even put a goat in the stall with him, hoping to calm him down. All of Smith’s work produced a change in the horse. He began working out, and the team was surprised with his fast fractions. They knew they really had something. Seabiscuit would go on to win so many times that he became the nation’s horse. Howard was a bit of a showman. He began his pursuit of getting Mr. Riddle to have his Triple Crown Winner, War Admiral, meet Seabiscuit in a match race. After much debate, the match race materialized at Pimlico Race Course. Now comes the fallacy in the film. War Admiral was not this extremely tall horse. He was actually the same size as Seabiscuit: 15 hands. He was one of the smaller sons of 16.2 hands, Man o’ War. Aside from that inaccuracy, the movie sticks with the book. The racing scenes are mostly realistic and the exhilaration of the people holds true. People of that era had found a winner to latch onto and it helped them forget their problems, if only for a little while. Tobey Mcguire was wonderful as Seabisuit’’s jockey, Red Pollard, and real jockey, Hall of Fame jockey,Gary Stevens, did a magnificent job as jockey George Woolf.This is a movie worth seeing if you love racing.
1956
Director Stanley Kubrick, this film creates an intricate film noir based around the racetrack. Johnny Clay, played to great effect by Sterling Hayden is the head of this gang who plans on raiding the racetrack, but he makes plans to take everyone’s attention off of what is really going on. First, he gets one of his criminal friends to drive into a parking lot where he’s still able to see the track. He skillfully hides his rifle, and when the 7th race begins, his plan is to shoot the frontrunner, thereby creating confusion. Among the other criminals is George, played by Elisha Cook Jr., who is a betting teller and has keys into the area where the money is. George makes a fatal mistake and tells his restless wife, Sherry (Mary Windsor) that they’re planning on stealing millions from the track. She makes plans for the money of her own that doesn’t include George. This film is so well-made that I studied it in film class at the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill.
1938
This is a fictionalized movie that begins during the civil war and then transports the viewer to current time in color. The main reason for my recommendation is the color footage of Man o’ War, Count Fleet and Omaha -- as you’ve never seen them before. It provides a short history of the Bluegrass State and man’s connection to horses before spiraling off into a melodramatic story about getting to the Kentucky Derby.
2014
This is a bio-pic of 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. Of course, his odds were 50-1. The real people involved and the entire story were so improbable that it had to be made into a movie. The only inaccuracies in the movie remains the silly part where the owners did not have a license, so they climbed into an open window, at night, at Churchill Downs. These New Mexico people looked out of place at Churchill Downs with their cowboy hats on and lack of restraint. This is played up. There has to be a villain and this fell to the actor who played Bob Baffert, who began racing quarter horses and used to sport a cowboy hat but this wasn’t relayed in the film. Baffert called them “The Cowboys” and sneered at them being at Churchill Downs. From what I know about him, Baffert would have probably have been the first to have greeted them, but this is a movie. The actor who played trainer Chip Wooley did a fantastic job. He began with angst towards the horse but it quickly turned into love and admiration. Mine That Bird was the 2-year old Champion in Canada but couldn’t run in the top 3-year old races there because he was bred in Kentucky. That’s why he was sold. Another fallacy is the addition of a exercise rider. They drove Mine That Bird from New Mexico to Louisville in a trailer. Wooley even had a broken foot from a motorcycle accident and was on crutches.
When they arrived in Louisville, they retained the services of jockey Calvin Borel, who played himself to perfection in some of the funniest parts of the movie. This is quite an enjoyable film that takes you back to 2009, when miracles could become reality.
1952
William Holden plays jockey agent Boots Malone. When the film opens, he’s living in the stables and providing his jockeys misinformation so they’ll get beat. Meanwhile, he bets against them. Then, a young, honest kid comes along, turns Malone’s life around and he becomes the person both his protege and Boots, himself, can become proud of. Most of the racing is done on the Fairgrounds level but this does not damper the excitement. *There are other good movies like “Let It Ride.” “Black Beauty” has beautiful cinematography. Why have I not mentioned Secretariat? The best part of the film was when they were watching the real Preakness on television. In other words, there was not enough truth in it. They didn't even include Riva Ridge.
Documentaries
"The First Saturday In May" by The Hennigan Brothers
2007
Saddle up and watch six trainers as they prepare for the 2006 Kentucky Derby. One of them will win it. First, they have to participate in Derby prep races to see if their horses have a chance in the big dance. The camera catches the nerves and what shall go wrong will go wrong. This is the 2006 Kentucky Derby. There are three favorites: Lawyer Ron, Barbaro and Brother Derek. This is once in a lifetime to see how trainers behave when no one’s watching. Barclay Tagg claimed this was the strongest Derby field he has seen. The Hennigan Brothers permit you to have access to normally restricted areas and it’s worth it. They also show Derby preps and the Kentucky Derby. A must see for any racehorse lover. Excellent footage of Barbaro and of the entire 2006 Kentucky Derby.
2011
This is an ESPN film directed by Steven Michael which tells the improbable story of a one-time claimer who not only made it to the Kentucky Derby but went on to win it. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the Hall of Famer, took a chance on the jockey and picked up the services of Chris Antley who was one of the best riders on the circuit but had been battling his own demons, mainly drugs. He had been to four rehabs and had not been out of the last one for very long but was doing well now and Lukas saw him as the perfect fit for Charismatic. His insight would eventually save the horse. Antley saw this as his big chance and gave it his all. After the Derby, the twosome won the Preakness and the Triple Crown was looming large in everyone’s mind.
But in horse racing, plans fall apart quickly. There are those who are put in places at certain times and Chris Antley was one of these. His quick observation and help on the ground saved the horse for a long life. A long life was not synonymous with Antley, himself. Sometimes a person’s heart is too big.
John Henry: A Steel Driving Racehorse
2010
Open Sky producers Glenn Garland and Christopher Duddy recount the travails of a horse that defied his pedigree and went on to become a multiple champion. Sired by Ole Bob Bowers, later he was purchased by Sam and Dorothy Rubin and trained by Ron McAnally. It’s truly a rags to riches story. Once John Henry got with McAnally, it took some time, but the trainer figured the horse out. He won seven Eclipse Awards, two for Horse of the Year (1981 and 1984). The film includes dignitaries, celebrities, and those who knew the horse. John Henry retired at Kentucky Horse Park in 1985. He died at the age of 32 in 2007, at the Park. Those involved were very happy to reminisce of a Rags to Riches American story.
On The Muscle: Portrait of a Thoroughbred Racing Stable
2005
A no-holds barred look into Richard Mandela's stable from early in the morning until evening and everything in between. This is truly a lesson in horsemanship.
Mandela focuses on 6 horses and what it takes to get them ready to race. Then, he watches their races, and makes improvements, if needed. It shows Lido Palace taking the San Antonio Handicap. But mainly it's a camera following the world class trainer. Watch and learn. This is a golden opportunity.
*A Lot of the older movies can be found on Turner Classic Movies. All others were ordered via Ebay and Amazon. What are your favorite horse racing movies? I’d love to hear which movies and documentaries you all like.