Racing Across the Silver Screen

[falconridge]

The near-universal acclaim for last summer's Seabiscuit (I've heard only one dissenting opinion--from Don Imus, who declared he "hated" it) set me to thinking about filmdom's numerous forays into horse racing, and its spotty (to be kind) success depicting our favorite sport. For the record, I found director Gary Ross's adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's bestseller to be unnecessarily maudlin, mis-cast in several important roles, and either sloppy with, or wilfully contemptuous of, the facts. Was it really necessary, for example, to demonize Sam Riddle, who, because he had little to gain and a lot to lose by pitting his War Admiral against Seabiscuit, proved himself to be far more sporting than Charles S. (for "Scratch the Biscuit") Howard (the Buick baron had in fact ducked several opportunities for a showdown with the Admiral--mostly on account of the kind of wet-track conditions that his own charge did not favor, but also because of ill-timed ebbs in Seabiscuit's form cycle) in agreeing to the special match race at Pimlico? Moreover, War Admiral was no hulking Bucephalus. Contrary to what the movie would have us believe, the Admiral did not stand "nearly 18 hands"; on the contrary, he was actually smaller--certainly lighter--than the Biscuit (the Pimlico confrontation would be roughly analagous to a husky 5'9" pug squaring off in the ring against a slender 5'7" opponent--with the Biscuit being the former, the Admiral the latter).

These are mere cavils compared to other criticisms (e.g., the Santa Anita Handicap having been conceived by Howard as a way of showcasing the Biscuit's talent; there had been no fewer than four runnings prior to Seabiscuit's first attempt in 1937) I have of this over-praised horse opera. Perhaps I'll say more about those (zum Beispiel, the performances of Toby Maguire as Red Pollard and Chris Cooper as Tom Smith) in another posting. For now, though, I'll sign off, and await the wisdom and wit of my colleagues.

P.S.: I'd also love to hear from any of you about such films as, say, Phar Lap (Australia, 1983; directed by Simon Wincer), Casey's Shadow (1978; directed by Marty Ritt and starring Walter Matthau); Champions (UK, 1984; directed by John Irvin and starring one of my all-time favorites, John Hurt), and even of Robert Altman's California Split (1974) or Joe Pytka's Let it Ride (1989). Finding anyone who can remember the ill-starred Wall of Noise (1963; featuring Ty Hardin and Suzanne Pleshette), Black Gold (1947; starring Anthony Quinn as a Tonto-talking Native American named Charley Eagle, a fictionalized--and then some!--makeover of the gypsy who bred the Kentucky Winner of the title), Pride of the Blue Grass (1954; starring Lloyd "I picked a bad day to quit sniffing glue" Bridges), or Boots Malone (1952; starring William Holden, Ed Begley, Sr., and Harry "Colonel Potter"--or, more to my liking, "Officer Bill Gannon"--Morgan) would be, as the great Audax Minor was wont to put it, so much lagniappe.

[falconridge]

Apologies for my ham-handedness--especially to those of you who may have been looking for selections. Of course this thread doesn't belong here, but I'm still new at posting, and all this consarn-ed computer stuff still has me buffaloed. How do I reposition this thread within the forum in which I meant to place it--viz., "General Racing Discussion"?

[BillW]

Send PA a Private Message with the request :)

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/private.php?do=newpm&u=1

Bill

[falconridge]

Since apparently none of my colleagues has taken issue with the nits I mentioned in my first post on director Gary Ross's cinematic adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit: An American Legend, I'm ready to register a few more gripes. Mind you, my granddaughter, though still deaf to my entreaties that she look into Ralph Moody's Come On Seabiscuit! (a slender, ca. 1963 volume illustrated by Robert Riger, whose first-rate pencil drawings I still find no less admirable than the text), thought Seabiscuit one of the best films she'd ever seen. Then again, she's only a just-turned teenager, indifferent to racing and partial to Spiderman and Charlie's Angel remakes.

Most lamentable about Ross's liberties is that they in no way embellish or enhance the real story of the titular claimer-turned-earnings-champion. Especially disappointing to me was David McCullough's voice-over narration. I was as pained as I was astonished to hear McCullough, a gracious and engaging gentleman (and one I've had the pleasure of meeting), say things that were patently untrue--things that I'd have supposed McCullough, being one of the preeminent historians and biographers of our time, would have checked. For example, Seabiscuit was never "sold for the rock-bottom price of $2,000" (though that son of Hard Tack several times competed in races in while carrying a $2,500 tag--he had no takers). Actually, Charles Howard purchased the three-year-old Calumet colt for $8,000--no trivial sum in 1936! (the added value of the 1937 Jockey Club Gold Cup, won by War Admiral, was only $7,000)--after the Biscuit had won a minor stakes and already showed signs of dramatically improved form.

To choose just one case (among many) of the unvarnished truth having it all over the Hollywood version, let's look at the 1940 running of the Santa Anita Handicap--Seabiscuit's third attempt (the movie shows just two runnings, and omits what was probably the best of the lot--the 1938 renewal, when 3-year-old [!] Stagehand, assigned 30 pounds less than the Biscuit, nailed his ill-starred rival at the wire) at what was then the sport's biggest prize. The actual race was far more exciting than Ross's and racing advisor Chris McCarron's preposterous choreography would have us believe. That day Seabiscuit, coupled with stablemate Kayak II (the 1939 Big Cap winner) in the Howard entry, raced forwardly (remember the movie lingering on that improbable rear-of-the-field dialogue between Pollard and Woolf?), only to find himself sandwiched between pacesetters Wedding Call and Whichcee at the quarter pole. Pollard, well aware that trying to split horses could send him and his mount hurtling head-first into the loam, found himself in a Zugzwang. Then, just an instant before matters would have gone beyond recall, the Redhead--or, to defer to the jockey's own preferred sobriquet, the Cougar--saw the Red Sea part (ever so slightly, the rail runner lugged in as the horse in the two-path bore out), and made for the Promised Land. With the Biscuit free on the lead, Kayak II came along to complete a one-two finish for Howard.

Andy Beyer swears the newsreel footage shows that Kayak II could have overhauled the Biscuit. I say maybe, but what we have to work with (besides the footage and eyewitness testimony, a record of Howard's having appeared before the stewards to make a "declaration to win" with Seabiscuit) doesn't quite meet the burden of proof. In any case, Kayak's rider, Buddy Haas, hardly appears interested in putting forth the kind of effort that might have spoiled the picture. To be fair to the Biscuit (not that he requires any defense) the now 7-year-old horse, who'd left the racing wars long enough to cover a band of Howard's broodmares, was carrying significantly more weight than Kayak or any other of his rivals.

Anyone seen the newsreel footage I refer to? I'd be interested in hearing your take: could Kayak have caught the Biscuit, or was old fellow already Home Jerome?

[46zilzal]

Forgot "My Brother talks to Horses," "Salty O'Rourke,", and "The Return of October."

Phar Lap is very good: learned a bit from that one.

[cnollfan]

In high school I used to read Audax Minor's New Yorker articles in the school library. The name brings back memories.

[falconridge]

In high school I used to read Audax Minor's New Yorker articles in the school library. The name brings back memories.
When I was in high school, I landed a cushy job in the public library, where I was given the charge of cataloging and fetching all the superannuated and bound periodicals. Between calls, I would haul out all the old New Yorker issues, in which I found what must have been hundreds of Audax Minor's The Race Track columns. They began appearing in 1926, the New Yorker's inaugural publication year, and remained a fixture of that great weekly for more than half a century. How I loved reading of the likes of Bimelech, Count Fleet, Armed, Stymie, Citation, Coaltown, Noor, Native Dancer, Swaps, Nashua, Kelso, Damascus, and Dr. Fager (to keep things more or less chronological)!

Minor, a Canadian whose real name was George Ryall, was partial to Woodbine, Saratoga, and Santa Anita among North American racetracks. He often called himself "Colonel Martingale," a reference to a wagering "system" which calls for the punter to double the size of his wager after each loss.

Great to find another PA member who remembers Minor, a major miracle among chroniclers of our favorite sport.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Ok, it was no documentary.
Which supposedly true life movie have you seen that was accurate? Those of the public and even cappers like me just liked the movie, period.
Since I knew nothing about the races when I first saw the movie, I thought it was exactly true to the way racing is- not Seabiscuit, the Marx Brothers' "A Day At The Races! The more I learn, the more I think I was right! LOL!

[depalma13]

Most lamentable about Ross's liberties is that they in no way embellish or enhance the real story of the titular claimer-turned-earnings-champion. Especially disappointing to me was David McCullough's voice-over narration. I was as pained as I was astonished to hear McCullough, a gracious and engaging gentleman (and one I've had the pleasure of meeting), say things that were patently untrue--things that I'd have supposed McCullough, being one of the preeminent historians and biographers of our time, would have checked. For example, Seabiscuit was never "sold for the rock-bottom price of $2,000" (though that son of Hard Tack several times competed in races in while carrying a $2,500 tag--he had no takers). Actually, Charles Howard purchased the three-year-old Calumet colt for $8,000--no trivial sum in 1936! (the added value of the 1937 Jockey Club Gold Cup, won by War Admiral, was only $7,000)--after the Biscuit had won a minor stakes and already showed signs of dramatically improved form.



It was a movie based on a true story. It was not a documentary. Hillenbrand's book was over 400 pages long and loaded with back story, that could never have been told in a two to three hour film.

The entire movie was filled with half truths and inaccuracies, but it never strayed from the essence of the book. It was a rags to riches story for everyone involved.

The mass movie going audience has no idea what a $2500 claimer is. To explain it to them would have taken far too long. It is much easier and far more concise to say the horse sold for the rock bottom price of $2000. It gets the point accross and is very dramatic, Seabiscuit wasn't very good. The theme of the movie is told in that short little line. Rising from obscurity and achieving greatness.

Also, it would have taken longer to say $2500, and whether you believe it or not those couple of seconds and a couple of seconds elsewhere can add up to a few minutes throughout a movie. Longer movies mean more expense and less viewing opportunities in opening weekends. Let's face it, the movie was made to make a profit and the more concise you can tell your story and still entertain, the better off you are.

As for McCullough being a historian, he wasn't paid to be a historian for the movie. He was paid for his voice. He was paid to play a character in a movie. His role was narrator. He was acting just like the rest of the cast.

[The Judge]

I liked the movie but of course I didn't have as much history as you did. I loved the book. The newsreel of the race with Kayak is shown all the time on the History channel I think. I think its clear that Kayak could have passed the Biscuit the Jockey stopped riding and I don't blame him can you imagine what would have happened if he won. I thought the casting was great Gary Stevens as Woolf and Tic- Tock Maglock were great.

[cato]

The book was outstanding the movie was entertaining and, based on falconridge's fine posts, we now have a better sense of the history.

It's a win, win, uh, win situation.

Cheers, Cato

[socantra]

My father used to tell me about sitting in class with Dr Bob Montgomery at the University of Texas, legendary historian, friend of J. Frank Dobie, and confidante of almost every colorful character to pass through Texas for fifty years.

One day Dr. Bob was telling the story of a murder that occurred on the train between Lagarto and Mathis, and the dispute caused between the two counties involved as to who would get to hang the killer.

After class, my father went up to Dr. Bob and informed him that the train never ran through Lagarto, and besides that, Lagarto and Mathis were both in San Patricio county.

Dr. Bob looked at my father, gave him a big grin and said: "I know that son, but you don't ever want to let a few minor facts get in the way of a good story."

socantra...

[Tom]

Does "Francis the Talking Mule" count? ;)

Funny series of movies, and I'm sure Taz would enjoy them (Black Ruby doesn't like war movies!)

[falconridge]

It was a movie based on a true story. It was not a documentary. Hillenbrand's book was over 400 pages long and loaded with back story, that could never have been told in a two to three hour film.

The entire movie was filled with half truths and inaccuracies, but it never strayed from the essence of the book. It was a rags to riches story for everyone involved. [...]

As for McCullough being a historian, he wasn't paid to be a historian for the movie. He was paid for his voice. He was paid to play a character in a movie. His role was narrator. He was acting just like the rest of the cast.
Points well made. Let me assure you, depalma13, I accept and appreciate them all. That said, I must nevertheless take another side on the matter of David McCullough's contribution.

McCullough is indeed blessed with a voice extraordinarily rich in timbre, resonance, and projection--all of which qualities played no small part in making Ken Burns's PBS documentary on the Civil War the success it was. I suspect that most people who are at all familiar with McCullough came to know of this superlative historian through Burns' film. At the same time, though, I have to believe that his credibility as a historian and author factored into his being selected for the role of narrator of Ross's film.

To be fair, let me acknowledge that, in Ross's film, McCullough did some outstanding work in locating the story within the historical and social context vital to understanding the phenomenon of Seabiscuit. I could not imagine anyone describing more succinctly or movingly the desperation and misery that engulfed Depression-era America. Though not a historian myself, I had had no end of admiration of McCullough's work. Hence, I was inclined to believe every word he said--because it was McCullough who was saying it. I--and, I'd guess, any number of others who saw the film--had regarded the man behind the voice as one of unimpeachable authority.

That's where I have a problem. Had I not known otherwise, I would never have questioned anything McCullough said about Seabiscuit. I cannot believe that McCullough was cast in the role of some hypothetical or fictional historian; he was retained to be--because he is--none other than David McCullough. Perhaps I could--or should--have more willingly suspended my disbelief, but, as one who since his pre-teen years has been fascinated by the story of Seabiscuit, I can never easily suffer the spotless truth's being begrimed with so much as a speck of embellishment or "revision."

Finally, let me thank you again for reminding me and all of our colleagues of the filmmakers' overriding purpose in making Seabiscuit--that it entertain. That Ross's movie meets that objective as few others have, no one can deny.

Appreciatively,

falconridge

[falconridge]

Does "Francis the Talking Mule" count? ;)

Funny series of movies, and I'm sure Taz would enjoy them (Black Ruby doesn't like war movies!)
I've no quarrel with your including Francis among movie stars of the genus equine. In fact, I recall that, in one film, Francis Goes to the Races (1951; from the series that featured Chill Wills--as the voice of Francis--and Donald O'Connor), Francis stood in for a lead pony in post parades at the track. We learned from that stint that Francis spoke not only human, but also horse, as he helped sway the outcome of a few races by kibitzing with the runners he accompanied to post. I suspect the multi-lingual mule would have discouraged Taz from upstaging Black Ruby!

Another mule-licious bit of of movie trivia: did you know that a young Tony Curtis (billed as "Anthony Curtis") appeared in the very first Francis the Talking Mule movie? Of course, he played second banana to "hoofer" O'Connor and the quadruped star.

[46zilzal]

Clint Eastwood does a cameo of a Navy fighter pilot trying to kill TARANTULA the Leo G. Carroll's creation in the movie of the same name.

James Caan in one of Irma La Duce's customers near the end of that movie.

I like the GOOFS though: one of the classics is in Casablanca: Bogart is at the train station in the rain and gets a note from Ingrid Bergmann that she cannot go away with him. As the rain runs the ink down the page, he and his piano player friend turn to get on the train and are TOTALLY DRY!

[falconridge]

Forgot "My Brother talks to Horses," "Salty O'Rourke,", and "The Return of October."

Phar Lap is very good: learned a bit from that one.
Land o' Goshen! 46zilzal certainly knows his movies. I confess that, of the three epics my colleague names, I'd so much as heard of but one--Salty O'Rourke, starring that jockey-sized leading man of yore, Alan Ladd (I learn from the Internet Movie Database that Ladd actually doesn't play the jockey in this 1945 Raoul Walsh film, but the title character, who finds himself in debt to a sharpie named Doc Baxter). I've never had occasion to see how Salty gets himself out of his fix, nor have I had the opportunity to take in Talks to Horses or October.

Of course, I didn't mean for you to infer that my list of racing-themed movies was anywhere near complete. Others I left off include Charlie Chan at the Race Track (1936), in which the Honolulu detective (played by Swedish actor Warner Oland) deduces that the death of a wealthy horse owner intent on entering his prize runner in the "Santa Marita Handicap" was not caused by the lashing hooves of what Chan calls "noble animal."

Another is County Fair (1937; never saw it), not to be confused with the later County Fair (1950; did see that one--though just once, more than 35 years ago), starring Rory Calhoun as a driver of Standardbreds. In the later County Fair, the heroic action involves the fixing of a horse race (rigged in order to save Ma Ryan, played by Florence Bates, from financial ruin brought on by her rescue and futile campaign of a superannuated trotter named Henry VIII), and the villain is a driver who tries to foil the plot by winning with his own charge!

Still another is Racing Blood (1954), a tale Dan Quayle might have called "heart rendering" (something about a split-hoofed foal being spared the shot-gun, only to go on to win the Kentucky ...--well, you get the picture). I'm sure 46zilzal would never confuse that film with Racing Blood (1936), in which Frankie Darro plays a hard-up jockey who borrows $4.85 (that's four dollars, eighty-five cents) to buy a crippled colt, which Frankie nurses back to health and which, naturally, returns the favor by making like Pegasus at the end of its long convalescence.

Then there's The Great Dan Patch (1949), purportedly the story of the great Dan Patch, standardbred pacer nonpareil. I vaguely remember Charlotte Greenwood (Aunt Eller in the movie version of Oklahoma!) as Aunt Netty (who, as far as I recall, was no kin to Dan Patch, great or otherwise).

[46zilzal]

My late wife collected over 5000 old movies on tape (and a complete expert in that regard) and I grew up with Bob Gunton (Patch Adams' nasty cohort, the warden in The Shawshank Redemtption, and nominated for a Tony for his role as Juan Peron in the original Broadway production of EVITA).

We just got together two weeks ago at the Getty museum in LA...very nice fellow.

[Doc]

Personally, I've always loved Boots Malone. I think it portrays life on the backstretch better than most movies, although it is corny in some scenes. A friend of mine who lived on the backstretch for nearly 20 years loves this movie...every time he comes to my house I have to pop it in the VCR.

I was disappointed in the recent Seabiscuit movie because I loved the book so much...movies usually never live up to a well-written book. But that being said, I did enjoy the movie and especially liked Toby McGuire as Red Pollard.

Doc

[falconridge]

My late wife collected over 5000 old movies on tape (and a complete expert in that regard) and I grew up with Bob Gunton (Patch Adams' nasty cohort, the warden in The Shawshank Redemtption, and nominated for a Tony for his role as Juan Peron in the original Broadway production of EVITA).

We just got together two weeks ago at the Getty museum in LA...very nice fellow.
I've long admired Bob Gunton's work. Though Gunton adds something to every production in which he appears, I think his best performance was as C. E. Lively, the agent provocateur of John Sayles's Matewan (1987). That movie, easily one of the five best American films of the past 20 years, still drains me of superlatives. Speaking (as I was) of Seabiscuit, I know of no more impressive feature film debut than Chris Cooper's--as union organizer Joe Kenehan--in Matewan. Talented though Cooper is, he simply was not Silent Tom Smith.

Because, owing to the presence of Robin Williams, I've avoided Patch Adams, I didn't know of Gunton's contribution to that film. Nor had I been aware of his role as the embattled Argentine dictator in the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's musical. I did catch Gunton's act, however, in a Steven Seagal film, The Glimmer Man--not bad for a film handicapped by the pony-tailed legbreaker, and all the better for its casting Gunton as the villain.

Thanks for educating me!

Best wishes,

Falconridge

[46zilzal]

In A Thousand Acreshe plays a judge (thought Jessica Lange was the best actress he worked with), Iron Jawed Angels where he plays Woodrow Wilson and a real eye opener to me with the crap those women had to go through for sufferage, another good with Joe Pesci is called The Public Eye (Zemeckis movie) and plays on the T.V. show Monk as the main character's father in law and a recurring role on Desparate Housewives.. While we were talking some little boys recognized him as the villan from Broken Arrow and he signed autographs and had them take a photo with both of them at his side. He just finished a musical version of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow called ICHABOD that will be out soon on tape and DVD only.

I had to ask him why he did BATS (with Lou Diamond Phillips)....."Four years college tuition for my daughter" was the good answer.

I too think Matewan and most of what John Sales does, is excellent with Eight Men Out and Lone Star as his best.

I did not like Patch Adams...pure B.S.

[falconridge]

Ok, it was no documentary.
Which supposedly true life movie have you seen that was accurate? Those of the public and even cappers like me just liked the movie, period.
Since I knew nothing about the races when I first saw the movie, I thought it was exactly true to the way racing is- not Seabiscuit, the Marx Brothers' "A Day At The Races! The more I learn, the more I think I was right! LOL!
Funniest scene in A Day at the Races: Alan Jones (father of crooner Jack, a Vegas mainstay), who also played the ... uh ... romantic lead in A Night at the Opera, trains a racehorse named High Hat. On the day of the big race, Harpo learns that some ne'er-do-well has horse-napped Jones's entry. With post time but minutes away, the frizzy-haired Marxman realizes he hasn't a moment to lose in communicating this to brother Chico. Problem is, Harpo is mute, and Chico is situated at a significant remove from that part of the grounds that Harpo occupies. Chico soon espies Harpo, who is gesticulating wildly, but futilely. Just then, a well-turned-out racegoer, attired apropos of Derby Day at Royal Ascot, passes Harpo. Whereupon Harpo seizes the fop's top hat and sends it flying, Frisbee-like, out of sight. Harpo's antics get the message across "loud" and clear. Chico (upon seeing the airborne haberdashery): "High Hat's gone!"

[The Judge]

What was the name of the movie where one of the lead characters invented the acey-ducey style of riding? He took the family plow horse and turned him into Secretariat by riding him this way. This is not a quiz, I don't know!

[falconridge]

What was the name of the movie where one of the lead characters invented the acey-ducey style of riding? He took the family plow horse and turned him into Secretariat by riding him this way. This is not a quiz, I don't know!
Calling 46zilzal: HELP!

Stumped,

Falconridge

[46zilzal]

you got me on that one...this isn't one with Steve McQueen where they steal the family car and have to get it back by racing is it? The Rievers

[The Judge]

I searched the internet came up with Naturalhorsetraining.com it as a huge list of horse movies that they sale. The one that comes close and I think is it is "The Pride of Maryland" 1951 starring Stanley Clements as a jockey who invents a new style of riding and wins money by betting on himself and is barred from riding, the money is for a nobel cause. Look on the left hand side down aways under Horse Art Entertainment.

[GameTheory]

Bob Hope was mentioned in another thread. He had a great line in his movie version of the "Little Miss Marker" story (titled SORROWFUL JONES). He is bringing a racehorse into a hospital elevator in order to cheer up a little girl who is in a room upstairs. A nurse stops him and says you can't bring a horse in here. He says, "Oh no, this is my brother on the way to the psychiatrist -- he thinks he's a horse." He goes ahead and takes the horse on the elevator and rides up to the girl's floor. As he gets out of the elevator and prepares to enter the girl's room, he turns to his "brother" and says, "Here's your big chance to be a horse."

Another film I never hear mentioned when discussing horse racing movies is Stanley Kubrick's great racetrack heist film THE KILLING. Definitely worth a rental...

[46zilzal]

The Killing looked like it was filmed at Bay Meadows.

[GameTheory]

The Killing looked like it was filmed at Bay Meadows.I think it was Golden Gate, actually. Maybe both.

[falconridge]

Another film I never hear mentioned when discussing horse racing movies is Stanley Kubrick's great racetrack heist film THE KILLING. Definitely worth a rental...
Thanks for the reminder on The Killing. That one has the late Vince Edwards, before his residency as Dr. Ben Casey. Maybe Edwards caught the racing bug from his work on The Killing. Though by the late 1980s and early '90s I could no longer get to the track every day, on each occasion I did make it out to Santa Anita during those years I saw Edwards, a two-fisted bettor who always seemed to me to be a tad loutish and loud (De mortuis nil nisi bonum!), holding forth in the Clubhouse. It was only after I noticed it had been some time since I'd heard him moaning about being on the wrong end of one of Eddie Delahoussaye's Garrison finishes that I learned of his grave illness and, soon after that, his death.

Speaking of Bob Hope, another Sorrowful Jones-vintage film of his that holds up well is The Lemon Drop Kid (1951). Based on a Damon Runyon story, Lemon Drop benefits from some solid work by veteran character actors Fred Clark (as Moose Moran, a big-time bookmaker unwittingly undone by the Kid), J.C. Flippen (who also appeared in The Killing), William "Bub" Frawley (of I Love Lucy and My Three Sons fame), Lloyd Nolan (as Oxford Charley), and Jane Darwell (as Nellie Thursday), who had garnered a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in The Grapes of Wrath. By the way, Sorrowful Jones--an entertaining film, but to my mind not as good as the original Little Miss Marker (1934) with Adolph Menjou and Shirley Temple--also features a young, pre-Desi redhead named Lucille Ball and William "Uncle Charley" Demarest (speaking, as I was, of My Three Sons!).

[46zilzal]

This one is of later vintge with Robbie Coltrane and Dan Akroyd. It is called On the Nose
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243210/

About an anatomy professor's assistant who notes that a head from an Aboriginal tribesman can pick winners. They put it in a special place each day at a particular time and it picks with uncanny brilliance. Even Akroyd ( a professor) makes a mint betting. They are about to make a Coup on the Grand National and a fellow from Australian comes to the medical school to re-claim the head. Fun stuff.

[karlskorner]

Forget the name of the picture, Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, forget the ladies name, he has a horse, a one horse trailer, a converible and he picks up the lady at the end of the movie to go to the races. The only way to travel.

[46zilzal]

Not confusing Going My Way are you???

Riding High? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042893/
Story of Seasbiscuit?

[ratpack]

Is it true that when Seabiscuit died Charles Howard sold him to a Japenese Cannery and only the head was buried here.

Swear that is what I hear one guy said on one of the LA radio shows, he was not a caller, he was a guest. Sorry, cannot remember who he was.

He was wondering if they tell them that on the Seabiscuit tour they give at Santa Anita.

My favorites are Boots Malone and I know I am going to get killed but The Longshot with Tim Conway. That movie is so bad its funny but I find myself watching it everytime its on and in fact I just found it at Ralph's as part a 2 movie set for $4.99.

[46zilzal]

talked to folks at Claiborne and they USUALLY only bury the heart hooves and head.

Secretariat was buried in his own casket WHOLE

[falconridge]

Actually, Charles Howard purchased the three-year-old Calumet colt for $8,000--no trivial sum in 1936! (the added value of the 1937 Jockey Club Gold Cup, won by War Admiral, was only $7,000)--after the Biscuit had won a minor stakes and already showed signs of dramatically improved form.
In my post earlier this week ("So, what [else] is wrong with Seabiscuit?), I mis-identify the concern that bred and, before Charles Howard purchased the three-year-old colt in 1936, owned Seabiscuit. That son of Hard Tack, out of Swing On, by Whisk Broom II was, of course, bred by (and foaled at) Claiborne Farm--not Calumet. And it was under Claiborne's silks that the busy little bay made an incredible 35 starts as a two-year-old.

With apologies for the lapsus manus, and gratitude for my colleagues' forebearance,

Falconridge