Top 5 Horse Racing Movies

By Dan H.

1.) Let it Ride (1989)

Movie starring Richard Dryfus, David Johansen and Jennifer Tilly is the ultimate dream of any horseplayer. When Jay Trotter (Dryfus) gets a tip on a horse from a friend (Johansen) starts his incredible day at Hialeah Park. No matter how he bets he just can’t lose, one of my favorites is when he asks random people who they like and crosses them off. Sometimes while I am looking over a card ill play this movie in the background and always makes me happy. This is must see for anyone who enjoys handicapping the races, I could go on and on but don’t want to spoil a movie you will love.

2.) Seabiscuit (2003)

One of the two most famous of the horse racing movies starred Toby Maguire as jockey Red Pollard, and Jeff Bridges as Charles Howard. This movie provides a great story with the back drop of the US Depression. Are there some historical inaccuracies… yes but all in all it’s a good story and a good movie.

3.) Dreamer(2005)

Starring Kurt Russell & Dakota Fanning is an excellent movie to watch with your significant other. One thing that I do appreciate is that this is a fictional movie that is based on a true event of the injury to Mariah Storm and to pay homage to in the movie. Former trainer Ben Crane (Russell) takes an injured horse Sonador brings his daughter (Fanning) very close and is a very emotional story to those who have kids. It is pretty cool that when the writer of the movie was in Kentucky and told the locals of the plot of the story they right away said that’s Mariah’s Storms story. Mariah’s Storm fractured her left front cannon bone, which typically ends a horse’s career. The career that was being pointed to the Breeders Cup when she was injured in the Alcibiades Stakes at Keenland in 1993. The movie pays homage to her by showing her stall and mentioning she is the dame of the great Giant’s Causeway who any horse player will know right away. Sonador returns from injury to run in the Breeders Cup Classic, where Mariah’s Storm returned to racing in the Breeders Cup Distaff and finished 9th. All in all this is a feel good movie to watch with the whole family. Not to mention Elisabeth Shue played the mother and as my childhood crush ill always watch her movies.

4.) The Cup (2011)

Story of the great Oliver horse racing family in Australia is a story of a family over coming great setbacks in hopes of winning the prestigious Melbourne Cup. Damien will ride Media Puzzle who is far from the favorite in the race. This movie for me was really the first insight into any knowledge of Australian horse racing and is a good movie for any of those who want to see what it was like racing “down under.”

5.) 50/1 (2014)

The movie about Kentucky Derby long shot winner Mine That Bird’s trainer Chip Woolley and owner Mark Allen. One negative on the movie is that it didn’t dig deeper into the story that most know the basics of. However, to those who don’t know the story at all ended up being a pretty good movie to watch. For me the best part of course has to be Derby day and even though I didn’t cash the bet it’s a great thing to see.

ESPN 30 for 30 Chaismatic

(Honorable Mention)

Great series great story about Charismatic and jockey Chris Antley. This show really digs into the struggles that jockeys face on a day to day struggle. Some of these struggles have effect many jockeys over time most recently Garret Gomez.

NOT ON LIST and WHY?

I know a lot of you will wonder why the 1 major movie left off this list. Disney’s

Disney's Secretariat (2010) is a movie they claim to be based on a true story when in fact is riddled with historical inaccuracies. There are almost as many inaccuracies as there are actual truth to the story. Some glaring inaccuracies are;

1- Meadow Stable would cease opera#on if “Big Red” didn’t win the Triple Crown. This is a major

plot of the movie and it just simply isn’t true. Historically it was noted that Meadow Stable was

in financial trouble but not that they would close. Anyone who would browse the list of Kentucky

Derby winners would note that the year before Secretariat, the Chenery’s owns and raced Derby

and Belmont winning horse Riva Ridge. It is also noted that had a rainy day not sprung up in the

1972 Preakness they may have had two Triple Crown winners. Riva Ridge would retire to stud the

following year with career earnings of just over 1.1 million the 12th career millionaire horse.

During his stud career the Chenery’s syndicated to Clairborne Farm in 1974 for 5.1 million which

in today’s dollars is almost 30 million.

2- They need to find a trainer and jockey. They make it seem as though they were some startup

operation. In 1971 Lucien Laurens son was working for the Chenery’s and moved to work with

Ogden Phipps. He mentioned that his dad my come out of retirement to work for them which he

did. Lucien trained Riva Ridge and guess who the jockey was…….. ding ding Ron Turcotte.

3- Every movie needs a villain and Disney chose Odgen Phipps who has done more for horse racing

arguably then any in the history of the sport. Phipps was a great horse owner and is shown to be

nothing more than a villain poor way. Also, can be noted that they don’t exactly make Lucien

Laurin in the greatest of light either.

There are several other smaller inaccuracies as well but to people who know the story and racing it came

o/ as very fake. Is Secretariat the greatest race horse ever….. yes… is this a great movie ….. far from it. I

would love to hear your thoughts on any horse racing movies you have seen.

Top 5 Horse Racing Movies