Highest-Rated Movies about 'Horse Racing', Sort by Popularity

The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), The Killing (1956), The Last Victory (2004), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), A Day at the Races (1937), Seabiscuit (2003), National Velvet (1944) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best Horse Racing movies.

#1. The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)

Storyline: Cousins Paulie (Eric Roberts) and Charlie (Mickey Rourke) plan to rob a merchant in the New York City neighborhood that's home to the restaurant where they work. When their scheme results in the death of a police officer and draws the ire of the Mafia-linked businessman who was ripped off, Charlie's girlfriend (Daryl Hannah) bolts, and mob henchmen exact a brutal price from Paulie. With the mob threatening to kill them, the thieves must think fast if they intend to survive.

Plot Keywords: thief, cousin, waiter, mafioso, girlfriend, police officer, brash ...

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#3. The Killing (1956)

Storyline: After just being released from a five year stint in prison, Johnny Clay has assembled a five man team, including two insiders, to carry out what he estimates will be a $2 million heist at Lansdowne Racetrack, that take, minus expenses, to be split five ways. Besides Johnny, none of the men truly are criminals in the typical sense. In addition to the other four team members, Johnny has hired two men external to the team to carry out specific functions for a flat fee, the other four who will not meet the two men for hire or know who they are, while the two men for hire will not be told of the bigger picture of the heist. None involved are to tell anyone, even their loved ones, about the job, each of the five who has a specific reason for wanting his share of the money: Johnny, in wanting to get married to his longtime girlfriend Fay, the two who have known each other since they were kids, realizes that to live comfortably, he has to shoot for the moon instead of carrying out the penny ...

Plot Keywords: criminal, police officer, wrestler, sharpshooter, wife, bleak, suspenseful ...

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#4. The Last Victory (2004)

Storyline: With a tradition that stretches back hundreds of years, the Palio di Siena -- the city of Siena, Italy's biannual horse race -- grips the area's different neighborhoods as they all battle for supremacy and the honor of winning the storied competition. Deciding to focus his lens on the efforts of the Civetta district, perennial losers who desperately desire to turn around their fortunes, filmmaker John Appel brings to light the passion and drive that possesses these dedicated competitors.

Plot Keywords: jockey, townsperson, spectator, rival, gripping, intense, plaza ...

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#5. Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

Storyline: In an airport waiting room, a man in a wheelchair tells a stranger a story about a fixed horse race in 1979 that resulted in a family's deaths. In Manhattan, two bookies and the son of a Mob boss die. A young man just out of the shower answers the door to a neighbor woman and explains that he's visiting, has had a bad week, including being mugged, and doesn't know where his pal, who lives there, is. The neighbor is chatty; she's a coroner. Two thugs arrive and, believing the visitor to be the guy who lives there, take him to see the boss with the dead son, who tells him to kill the son of his Mob rival. Mistaken identity? What connects the threads? Cops are watching.

Plot Keywords: crime boss, man, detective, assassin, coroner, suspenseful, crafty ...

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#7. Seabiscuit (2003)

Storyline: It's the Depression, and everyone needs to hold onto a dream to get them through the bad times. Car maker Charles Howard is no different, he who is trying to rebuild his life after the tragic death of his only child and the resulting end of his first marriage. With second wife Marcela at his side, Charles wants to get into horse racing and ends up with a team of underdogs who are also chasing their own dream. The first is trainer Tom Smith, who has a natural instinct to spot the capabilities of horses. The second is the horse Tom chooses for Charles, Seabiscuit, an unconventional choice as despite his pedigreed lineage, Seabiscuit is small at fifteen and a half hands tall with a slight limp. But Tom can see something in Seabiscuit's nature to make him a winner, if only Seabiscuit can be retrained from his inbred losing ways. And third is the jockey they decide to hire, Johnny "Red" Pollard, so nicknamed because of his hair color. Like Tom, Red has always shown a natural way with ...

Plot Keywords: horse owner, jockey, horse, horse trainer, wife, child, uplifting ...

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#8. National Velvet (1944)

Storyline: Mi Taylor (Mickey Rooney) was a young wanderer and opportunist whose father had given him "all the roads in the Kingdom" to travel. One of the roads, and a notation in his father's journal, leads him to the quiet English countryside home of the Brown family. The youngest daughter, Velvet (Dame Elizabeth Taylor), has a passion for horses and when she wins the spirited steed Pie in a town lottery, Mi is encouraged to train the horse for the Grand National - England's greatest racing event.—A.L.Beneteau <albl@inforamp.net>

Plot Keywords: equestrian, jockey, daughter, father, mother, trainer, inspiring ...

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#9. Phar Lap (1983)

Storyline: Phar Lap, the legendary Australian racing horse, is as well-known today for his mysterious death as for his fabulous accomplishments in life. Beginning at the end, the film flashes back to the day that Phar Lap, despite his lack of pedigree, is purchased on impulse by trainer Harry Telford. Phar Lap loses his first races, but Telford's faith in the animal is unshakable. Suddenly the horse becomes a winner, thanks to the love and diligence of stableboy Tommy Woodcock. American-promoter Dave Davis arranges for Phar Lap to be entered in several top races, where his "long shot" status results in heavy losses for the professional gamblers. Just after winning an important race in Mexico, Phar Lap collapses and dies; though the film never comes out and says as much, it is assumed that the horse was "murdered" by the gambling interests.—Hal Erickson

Plot Keywords: stableman, horse owner, horse trainer, wife, jockey, horse, thrilling ...

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#10. The Rocking Horse Winner (1949)

Storyline: In London, the young Paul Grahame lives with his upper class, but financially broken family. His wasteful mother Hester Grahame is a compulsive buyer, spending all the family money on new expensive dresses, jewels, and objects for their house. His father Richard Grahame is a gambler, losing money in the horse races. His uncle Oscar Cresswell is permanently covering the Grahame family debts. When the servant Bassett is hired, Paul finds that he can predict the winner of the horse races by rocking his wooden horse. Paul asks Bassett to become his partner. The two of them bet their money on the races. Paul wants to prove that he is lucky in order to silence the house, which perpetually whispers to him that it needs more money.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Plot Keywords: boy, mother, father, gardener, dark, eerie, intense ...

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#11. The Black Stallion (1979)

Storyline: While traveling with his father, young Alec becomes fascinated by a mysterious Arabian stallion who is brought on board and stabled in the ship he is sailing on. When it tragically sinks both he and the horse survive only to be stranded on a desert island. He befriends it, so when finally rescued, both return to his home where they soon meet Henry Dailey, a once-successful trainer. Together they begin training the stallion to race against the fastest horses in the world.

Plot Keywords: boy, horse, jockey, father, mother, endearing, gripping ...

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#12. Secretariat (2010)

Storyline: Housewife and mother Penny Chenery agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery -- with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin -- manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in twenty-five years.

Plot Keywords: housewife, father, trainer, horse, husband, gripping, passionate ...

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#14. Boots Malone (1952)

Storyline: Boots Malone is jockey's agent and a bit of a wheeler-dealer who went from living at the Ritz to living in a room at the stables when his star jockey was killed in an accident. After nearly three years, he has yet to find a replacement for him. Along with his cronies at the track, he manages to buy a horse that's a bit of a sleeper. Their hopes of cashing in big take a positive turn when Boots decides to train an eager young man, who turns out to be a runaway from a rich family, as a jockey. When gangsters tell Boots to throw the race in favor of another horse, he faces a major dilemma.—garykmcd

Plot Keywords: agent, jockey, manager, gambler, mother, friend, engaging ...

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#15. The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936)

Storyline: Relations between Dr. 'Brad' Bradford and ex-wife Paula are surprisingly romantic. They divorced because Brad hated being dragged into murder mysteries, to which mystery writer Paula is addicted. But through horse trainer Mike North, Brad is embroiled in the case of a jockey who died of "heart failure" during a race. As they pursue clues, Paula pursues Brad for remarriage, and assorted hoods pursue the Bradfords.—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Keywords: doctor, wife, jockey, butler, bookie, horse trainer, campy ...

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