The Best Horse Racing Movies
In this article, we are taking a look at some of the best-loved horse racing movies ever to hit our screens. The majority of them are family orientated. However, you will find a couple that can be dark and downright funny. Read below for more details.
The Sport of Kings on the Silver Screen
Known as the “Sport of Kings”, horse racing has been one of the powerhouse sports in the UK for centuries. That is why it comes as no surprise some of the best-loved movies have derived their storylines from sport and horse racing.
Here’s a fun fact; did you know Bollywood has its own horse racing movie? Nope, neither did we! In this article, we are taking a look at some of the best movie flicks horse racing has to offer. We hope you enjoy this article and have fun watching our recommended titles.
What is Considered the Best Horse Racing Movie?
With many great horse racing movies to choose from, it is difficult for us to pinpoint the best horse racing movie. However, there are some well-known movie sites, where people have added their votes, so we think this would be the best place to start.
According to IMDb, sports betting and racing are very popular themes. The highest-rated horse racing movie is somewhat of a surprise. If you are expecting a blockbuster flick to be rated best, you’re out of luck. It turns out “A Day at the Races” has its nose ahead (we’re sorry), in the rankings.
A Marx Brothers comedy based around trying to save a sanitarium from closing and opting to buy a racehorse to win a big race to raise the funds required. Unfortunately, the horse turns out to be a misfit.
Horse Racing Movies Based on True Story
Fortunately for those of us that love a real heart-warming story, there are plenty of horse racing movies based on true events. The movie “Secretariat” by Walt Disney is the highest-ranked and most recent. Starring John Malkovich, the real-life story tells of the daughter taking over her ailing father’s stable, criticised by many in a male-driven sport. She defies the odds and goes on to train the first triple crown winner in almost 25 years.
“Seabiscuit”, “Champions”, and “Shergar” are some of the other great horse racing movies based on true events. “Seabiscuit” is a real rags-to-riches story. “Champions” depicts the real-life story of jockey Bob Champion, who battled Leukaemia, and went on to recover and win the Grand National. “Shergar” is based around the infamous kidnapping of the derby winner. Some of the scenes are real tear-jerkers, so be sure to have plenty of tissues to hand.
Are There Any Funny Horse Racing Movies?
When thinking about horse racing movies, comedy isn’t something you would normally associate with them. Surprisingly, as we’ve mentioned earlier, the highest-ranked movie is a comedy. People just love to laugh. Also, the late 1980s is the best place to start when looking for a funny horse racing movie.
Hot to Trot
“Hot to Trot” hit the screens in 1988. A hilarious horse racing movie about a talking horse with a voice-over with the late and great John Candy. The talking horse offers racing tips to his “not-so-smart” owner and he gets rich overnight.
Let it Ride
“Let it Ride” is a 1989 horse racing comedy about a hapless gambler that overhears a racing trainer “holding his horse back from winning,” and that day was the day it would win. The hapless gambler placed a bet on the horse, and it won, as did every other horse he wagered on. This sparked a crazy turn of events.
On the Nose
Slightly later, in 2001, “On the Nose” was released in cinema theatres. An ancient Aboriginal skull is found and it’s suggested the skull holds amazing powers. Two useless gamblers use the skull to predict horse racing winners.
What Were the First Horse Racing Movies?
We have to go back nearly 130 years ago to find the very first horse racing movie. “The Derby” is a silent documentary movie, set in 1895. It isn’t what we would call “a movie” these days, however, back then, TVs were yet to be invented and you could only watch these shows through penny arcade kinetoscopes.
“Kissing Cup” in 1913 is probably the very first horse racing movie in terms of it having an actual storyline. The silent movie is based on a jockey trying to evade his kidnappers so that he can make it to the races on time to ride his “sure-thing” horse.
Frequently Asked Questions About Horse Racing Movies
Now you have a “must-watch” list of all your favourite racing movies, let’s take a look at some questions about them. People are usually very intrigued by cinematographic works and want to know all sorts of details about them. Therefore, we give some important answers to the major questions you might have.
1️⃣ What makes a great movie about horse racing?
There are many factors, that contribute to a wonderful movie and it does not need to have a huge budget. The majority of horse racing movies have happy endings and can be enjoyed by the whole family. The best horse movies have intriguing plots with unexpected twists.
2️⃣ What is considered the best all-time racing movie?
There is a huge range of horse racing movies. Depending on your preferences, there’s an array of different movies based on the subject, from silent movies to Hollywood blockbusters. According to IMDb, the best-ranking horse racing movie is “A Day at the Races”
3️⃣ Is there any horse racing movie based on true events?
True movies seem to resonate deeper feelings with their viewers, and in racing, there are plenty. The majority are heart-wrenching, while others offer some of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in history. After all, we all love a good authentic story that genuinely touches the heart.
4️⃣ Are there any movies about the gambling side of racing?
Where there’s horse racing, there’s gambling. It would be unthinkable to think a movie doesn’t exist about the betting side of racing. From what we can see, there are at least ten fun and entertaining movies based on this aspect alone! Examples are “Hot to Trot”, “Let it Ride” and “On the Nose” to name a few.
5️⃣ What was the earliest known movie about Horse Racing?
Believe it or not, horse racing has been around for centuries and so have the movies based upon it. Spanning back well over a hundred years, there are at least five movies that are over one hundred years old. For instance, “The Darby” was released in 1895!