What are the best horse racing movies?

Bets.com.au Staff

Editor

Last updated: Fri 28 Mar 2025 13:11

Bets.com.au Staff 28 Mar 2025

Share this article

Article explores films based on famous racehorses like Secretariat, Phar Lap, and Seabiscuit
Each film tells a compelling true story of triumph against odds, highlighting racing heritage
A 'Takeover Target' movie still hasn't been developed, but current films showcase horse racing's cultural impact

Jockey Calvin Borel atop Mine That Bird crosses the finish line to win the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 2, 2009. (Getty)

While we are still waiting on a movie based on Takeover Target - which is the ultimate rags-to-riches story, racing fans have still been treated to some outstanding films.

Secretariat
Phar Lap
Seabiscuit
50 to 1
The Cup
Dream Horse
Ride Like A Girl

Our list details the movies that based on true stories, which rules out Racing Stripes and the punting cult classic Let It Ride, while A Horse Named Winx is an excellent documentary that was released in 2024 (a great advertisement for racing - but not a movie).

Secretariat

Secretariat is arguably the most famous of the 13 horses to complete the US Triple Crown and the 2010 Walt Disney film focuses on Penny Chenery, who returns to her childhood home following her mother's death.

In a bid to rebuild her father's Meadow Stables, Penny enlists the help of eccentric trainer Lucien Lauren, while after losing a coin toss to Ogden Phipps (owner of Bold Ruler), she retains the foal of Somethingroyal - who at 18 becomes the oldest mare to produce an American Triple Crown winner, Secretariat.

Off a budget of $35 million, Secretariat earned $60.3 million at the Box Office.

Phar Lap

An Australian hero throughout the early years of the Great Depression, Phar Lap tells the story of the New Zealand-born champion who wowed racegoers despite a slow start to his career.

Written by David Williamson and directed by Simon Wincer, Phar Lap was released more than 50 years after the death of "Big Red" and the 1983 movie follows the story from humble beginnings until the tragic 1932 death in California.

Phar Lap is not only celebrated in film, with the champion racehorse among the five inaugural inductees into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame and New Zealand Racing Hall Of Fame, while Phar Lap also features in the Australian Citizenship Test.

Seabiscuit

Jeff Bridges and Tobey Maguire star in Seabiscuit, with the 2003 film loosely based on the life of Seabiscuit, who was a champion racehorse in the US from 1936 to 1940.

Seabiscuit offered hope to a nation down their luck, with the pint-sized legend succeeding despite being described as "undersized and knobby-kneed" as a youngster, and the movie perfectly depicts the fighting spirits of horse, owner, jockey and trainer.

Seabiscuit made $148.3 million at the Box Office and it received multiple award nominations across varying categories (won two awards).

50 to 1

It wasn't a Box Office success, which makes 50 to 1 one of the more underrated horse racing movies, with the 2014 drama based on the true story of Mine That Bird, who recorded an upset win in the 2009 Kentucky Derby.

Skeet Ulrich plays the part of Chip Woolley, a battling trainer of both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds, and the New Mexico horseman teams up with Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blanch, who fork out $400,000 for the Canadian two-year-old champion.

Jockey Calvin Borel plays himself in 50 to 1 and it was a golden period for the veteran hoop, who had success with a champion in Rachel Alexandra, while Borel also rode the 2007 and 2010 Kentucky Derby winners.

The Cup

The most emotional Melbourne Cup was in 2002, where champion jockey Damien Oliver saluted aboard Media Puzzle and the famous victory was only days after his brother Jason was killed via a tragic racing accident in Perth.

A star-studded cast was assembled for The Cup, with Stephen Curry playing Damien Oliver and Irish actor Brendan Gleeson featuring as Dermott Weld. It was also Bill Hunter's final film before his death, with the legendary Australian actor playing Bart Cummings.

With The Cup telling the story of a champion jockey who overcomes personal tragedies to win the prestigious Melbourne Cup, this is a must-watch movie.

Dream Horse

Toni Collette is one of the best actresses that Australia has ever produced and she stars as Jan Vokes in Dream Horse, a 2020 film that follows the life of Dream Alliance, who won the 2009 Welsh National.

It's a rags-to-riches story, with Welsh barmaid (Vokes) purchasing the mare Rewbell for 300 pounds and then sending her to first season sire, Bien Bien, while a 23-person ownership syndicate was then organized to develop the young horse and raise enough money to pay the training costs.

As was the case with many films scheduled for 2020, the theatre release of Dream Horse was delayed for more than 12 months.

Ride Like A Girl

Rachel Griffiths is an Australian icon and along with acting in many famous films, the Melbourne-born actress directs Ride Like A Girl.

The 2019 movie focuses on Michelle Payne, who made history in 2015 when becoming the first female to ride a Melbourne Cup winner and while mainly noted for her work in horror films (Wolf Creek, Berlin Syndrome, Lights Out and Warm Bodies), Teresa Palmer shows her versatility by playing the role of Michelle Payne.

Ride Like A Girl also includes the legendary Sam Neill, who is cast as Paddy Payne (Michelle's father) and Stevie Payne (brother) plays himself in an outstanding feature film debut appearance.