There’s something naturally cinematic about a good horse race. High hopes. High stakes. Incredible amounts of effort. And stories. Every team that shows up on race day had its own journey getting there.
Sometimes, the stories migrate out toward the spectator gallery. When many of us make a bet and take advantage of a horse betting bonus on a friendly sportsbook site, we feel almost as much a part of the action as the competitors.
Incidentally, there have been several famous films (notably “Let it Ride”) focused specifically on the betting angle of the sport.
From this fertile territory, an entire genre has emerged. In the paragraphs that follow, you’ll see that horses attracted the attention of cinematographers even during the very earliest days of the medium.
Starting in the nineteenth century and carrying over to the present, horse racing has long been featured in cinema. How has technology and general interest changed the way racing is presented? Let’s get into it.
Early Efforts
The first “recorded race” dates back to 1878, well before the widespread development of film. Eadweard Muybridge captured the movement of a horse in six cabinet cards that, when moved at high speeds, allow you to view several strides of a race horse.
It’s not tantalizing footage that would inspire envy in the likes of Seabiscuit, but it was a major development both in the body of film concerning equines and the medium at large. Some people call “Horse in Motion” the first ever film.
As the technology improved, so did the stories. Silent films might not feel like the height of cinematic achievement now, but at the time, they were groundbreaking. With longer runtimes and better cinematography, filmmakers could tell complicated stories. “The Racing Strain” is arguably the most famous horse-related example of the era.
“Black Gold,” from 1924, is a close second. In telling the story of that year’s Kentucky Derby winner, it spoke to a wider public interest in horse racing.
Mid Twentieth Century
As the technology improved, so did the way racing was presented. By the 1930s, movies with sound were the norm. This led to more complicated plots in many different genres, including the unique niche that horse racing films occupy. “Broadway Bill” (released in 1934 and then remade in 1950 under the title Riding High) tells the story of a man who is passionate about horse racing—and the woman who helps him follow his dreams.
“National Velvet” tells the story of a young girl training for the Grand National. Interestingly, many horse-related films of the 20th century include gender defying narratives about young women breaking into typically male spaces. The first film about Seabiscuit was released in 1949, providing a precursor to how horse racing is presented in the modern context.
Peak Cinema
The genre arguably reached its peak with 2003’s “Seabiscuit”. The film opened to $20 million and would go on to generate closer to $200 million, including DVD sales. These might not be intimidating numbers compared to a billion-dollar Marvel film but for its time and against an $80 million budget, Seabiscuit was a major success. The movie was even nominated for seven Academy Awards—though it didn’t win any.
The movie’s success certainly benefited from its star power. Tobey Maguire was at the height of his fame in the early 2000s, and Jeff Bridges was just a couple of years removed from his (arguably) career-defining role as “The Dude,” in 1998’s “The Big Lebowski.”
Regardless, there was clear interest in the story itself.
Incidentally, there was also a movie made about Secretariat—another classic and beloved race horse—which was released in 2010. That movie was modestly successful and even starred the likes of John Malkovich. Ultimately, however, the movie generated less interest than Seabiscuit.
The Future of Racing in Film
It might be possible that the industry around horse racing films peaked in 2003 with “Seabiscuit”. One of the reasons behind this might be that interest in horse racing in general has declined. We all know that movies have changed as well. The franchise effect is such that if it’s not a sequel, remake, or reboot, it probably won’t get made.
Movies about horse racing do still get made. In 2024, for example, there was an Australian documentary called “A Horse Named Wix,” released to modest success. For the most part, though, horse racing has taken a back seat in the world of film niche genres. These days, if horse movies are being released at all, it’s on made-for-TV networks like Hallmark. For updates on that, consult your grandmother.
The best days of horse racing as a film genre might be behind us, but there is a large body of cinema to look back upon fondly. What’s your favorite horse racing movie?
