Horseracing is one of the most common equestrian sports that Hollywood has chosen to capture on the silver screen, from sports documentaries, narratives based on true stories, and book-to-film adaptations.
While some films struggled to find their footing, others rode right into the Winner's Circle. Here is a look at the top ten horseracing films in cinematic history, from 1994 to the present day.
Ride Like A Girl
Ride Like a Girl is a 2019 film that centers on the real-life jockey Michelle Payne (played by Teresa Palmer) as she goes on to win the Melbourne Cup in horseracing, after sacrificing so much to get where she wanted to be.
Sam Neill and Sullivan Stapleton star alongside Palmer in this exceedingly inspiring film that shows audiences that hard work and sacrifice are key for a person to achieve their dreams.
Ruffian
Ruffian is a 2007 television movie that stars Sam Shepard, Frank Whaley, and Laura Bailey. This film predominantly focuses on the early years of the real-life filly that dominated the American horseracing industry in the 1970s.
Ruffian was an undefeated racer up until her fatal fall in the 1975 Kentucky Derby. This is an important story because, statistically, fillies (young female horses) are not as successful as racers as male horses. Ironically, the producers used five different geldings (male horses) in the role of Ruffian.
Originally released on ABC, this ESPN production can now be found on DVD.
Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story
The Disney film, Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story, stars Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, and Oded Fehr. The film follows a young Cale Crane (played by Dakota Fanning) as she helps her father rehabilitate a severely injured racehorse. This family-friendly film is an optimistic approach to the trials and tribulations that come with not only rehabilitating a horse (which can be an expensive endeavor) but a racehorse at that.
As the title suggests, Dreamer is inspired by an actual racehorse called Mariah's Storm. While the real horse's name is not Sonador, like in the film, the injuries both fillies go through are identical.
Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story is a feel-good horseracing film that ends happily with Sonador winning her race and earning a blanket of red flowers on her back.
This film was nominated for the Best Sports Movie ESPY Award in 2006.
Chasing The Win
Chasing The Win is a 2016 sports documentary that follows Carl O'Callaghan, Patrick Sheehy, and Denis Sheehy as they attempt to rise in the ranks of horseracing.
The premise centers on a horse trainer, an owner, and an underperforming thoroughbred horse that is molded into a racer. However, it's not all blankets of roses and golden trophies, there are downsides and pitfalls to the world of horseracing that this film touches on. Chasing The Win film is a must-see picture for those wanting to view the interworkings of the industry of the Sport of Kings.
Racing Stripes
The quirky 2005 film is an underdog story about a zebra who longs to be a racehorse after growing up adjacent to a Kentucky racetrack. Although Racing Stripes garnered a mixed reception upon release, the 2005 family film has a lot of heart and is particularly entertaining for children.
Frankie Muniz, David Spade, and Snoop Dogg serve as voice actors for the farm animals, while Bruce Greenwood and Hayden Panettiere are live actors in this barnyard hit film.
The Black Stallion
The 1979 film The Black Stallion centers on the bond between a young shipwrecked boy and a wild Arabian horse whom he befriends and trains to race against the world's fastest racehorses.
This film was based on the 1941 children's novel The Black Stallion, authored by Walter Farley. Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, and Teri Garr starred in the film adaptation, which was nominated for two Academy Awards.
National Velvet
The 1944 film stars Hollywood legends Mickey Rooney, Elizabeth Taylor, and Donald Crisp. National Velvet is a fictional tale that follows a cynical former jockey's mentorship of a young girl (played by a young Elizabeth Taylor) while preparing an untamed and untrained horse for England's Grand National Sweepstakes. National Velvet is a true underdog, rags-to-riches film.
This film won two of the five Oscars it was nominated for: Best Actress in a Supporting Role (which was for Anne Revere) and Best Film Editing (designated to Robert Kern).
Hidalgo
Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, and Zuleikha Robinson star in 2004's Hidalgo, a film that was inspired by a true story. This biographical western is based on Frank Hopkins, who was a legendary American horse race distance rider with his mustang, Hidalgo.
The film follows Hopkins (Mortensen) as he embarks on a race across the Arabian desert and, against all odds, wins. John Fusco, the writer for Hidalgo, won the Spur Award for the Western Writers of America in 2005.
Seabiscuit
Inspired by the true story, the 2003 film Seabiscuit is derived from the #1 New York Times Bestseller of the same name authored by Laura Hillenbrand. The film was a wild success due to its fantastic incorporation of the historical context of 1930s America, which depended on the excitement of Seabiscuit's races to shine like a beacon amid the bleak Great Depression.
This underdog story about a horse that was too small and a jockey that was too big resonated with the American people of the 1930s, because while the odds were against the racehorse and jockey, they still moved mountains and were vastly successful on the racetrack.
Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, and Elizabeth Banks star in this film. William H. Macy was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his supporting role as a race announcer.
Secretariat
The 2010 Disney film stars Diane Lane, John Malkovich, and Margo Martindale as it tells the legendary tale of Secretariat "Big Red," the horse that won the Triple Crown and the Belmont Stakes.
While many horses win the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat's win was remarkable because the horse was in the lead by 31 lengths, which is an all-time record that has yet to be surpassed in horseracing.