Why Seabiscuit Is Better Than Secretariat - Horse Racing Nerd Reviews

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Seabiscuit I decided to do a film review of what is still my favorite movie of all time. #seabiscuit #secretariat #horseracing #disney #horsemovie #filmreview
0:00 - Introduction
0:36 - Personal Experience
2:12 - The Characters
6:53 - Historical Accuracy/Use Of Time Period
11:30 - Scale/Conclusion

[@littlesister7021]

I would have thought Hollywood would make a movie about American Pharoah by now. He is a huge favorite of mine. I'm sure Hollywood would change even his story. It's so interesting to read everyone's input on their favorite horses. It's all of us fans who keep their stories and legacies alive.

[@vickivolk7071]

I agree 100%. Secretariat is a good movie, but writing out Riva Ridge and turning Martin into a villain turned me off the movie. Seabiscuit made you cheer for the people almost as much as the horse. Gary Stevens small role was scene stealing. Also Randy Newmans score for Seabiscuit was perfect

[@peterzito1372]

Yes I was disappointed what Disney turned the secretariat story into they left out a lot about his losses how he had a fever and still let him race against angle light at the wood and the debacle at the Travers having a blister in his lower jaw were the reighn was and in the Belmont stakes when won by 31 lengths in the D R F it says over the track conditions and points of call (against the wind in the backstretch. Wow

[@eazy5485]

I wish they would have taken the real Secretariat triple crown call audio and used in the movie, instead of an actor recreating the audio.

[@Eric_the_great2112]

Although I have yet to see Seabiscuit (I'll do that at some point 😅),,, I do agree with your points. I think someone, other than Disney should make a Secretariat movie,, it would hopefully be more accurate! The first few times I saw Secretariat, I was smaller and didn't know a whole lot about him, the movie was actually part of the reason I got interested in him,, as I got older and had more access to books and websites, I started to dig more deeper into his story and honestly I was rather disappointed and dissatisfied with Disney's overall portrayal. One thing I did enjoy about the characters was Eddie Sweat was included (although small parts) and he was portrayed well in my opinion,, grooms most definitely deserve more spotlight. There were some smaller things I noticed in the movie that still irritates me 😅 if you haven't read The Horse God Built, I highly recommend it! I recently got it for my birthday a few months ago and it is extremely detailed and it includes Eddie's perspective and insight from other unsung heroes,, I think that's all I have to say for now 🤠 (I liked how you added your own personal experiences with the movies,, it seems more authentic to me than someone drabbling on about a movie they don't exactly care for)

[@SketchyTheHorseGuy]

Thanks Eric, if it wasn't obvious enough already I highly recommend this movie to any horse racing fan. I do agree that Disney's Secretariat certainly is a good intro to the horse if you know nothing about him but a book will add so much more then a film cannot. Even Seabiscuit is guilty of this since Laura Hillenbrand's book has so much more details to add that couldn't be included to make a cohesive and feature length film. Movie or book Eddie Sweat rules, I do wish I was a stronger reader I would definitely gain more knowledge that way. Also glad the personal experience segment was well received by you I knew that if I was gonna talk about these films I would have to make it clear I ain't just a critic i'm a Horse Racing fan so glad that showed off. Thank you for your comment hope to keep seeing you in my comment sections.

[@peterzito1372]

Sketchy check out the 4th race at Saratoga horse runs 1 08 and change

[@alanmckinney6747]

Can you please do a video on count fleet underatted racehorse

[@bigr6298]

Keep putting in the work! Your Videos are getting better. Dosnt mean I agree just means your persenting your case much more clearly!!!!! Way to be!

[@SketchyTheHorseGuy]

Thank you! I appreciate your honest critiques of my work. My videos aren't perfect but i'm glad that even when you don't fully agree with me you stay balanced and both tell me what i'm doing good at and what I should improve on like with your comment on my "underrated" and "overrated" horse videos which I agree have parts in them that could've been done better especially the overrated video. Thanks again and hope to see your input on my future projects.

[@vernonfrance2974]

@@SketchyTheHorseGuy Topics like "Underrated" and "Overrated," "The Best," "The Worst" and so on will always be controversial because they are subjective and based on hypothetical circumstances. They will leave some of us steaming mad and others applauding. Hopefully they will also make people think and look for evidence, reasoning, analysis, and additional sources of information. I know they do me because I try to keep an open mind. Like Ralph said "Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." "Ralph who?" you ask. Ralph Waldo Emerson. Another good saying is: "It is easier to fool the people than convince them that they have been fooled." Samuel. "Samuel who you ask?" Samuel Clemens -AKA Mark Twain.

[@MicheleEllis-pj1dq]

Excellent description of both movies

[@vernonfrance2974]

This is another great topic that you've selected Nathan - AKA Sketchy. I agree that the principal characters in Seabiscuit are more interesting, amazing and depicted more accurately. The horse himself was an unlikely standout in his latter races because he ran without much success many times before finally being discovered by Tom Smith at Suffolk Downs, a now shuttered track where I spent a lot of time in the last century. It was easier to get horses to portray Seabiscuit because he was a quite ordinary looking dude whereas Secretariat was spectacularly majestic and charismatic. I wish they could have had more about his Seabiscuit's double, a close relative who Smith would use to confound the reporters by using him as a stand in during training instead of Seabiscuit who he would often train in the dead of night for secrecy's sake. Maybe Seabiscuit had so much appeal to the common man because he did not look the part of a regal champion but quite ordinary. However, it was misleading the way they tried to set Seabiscuit up as a commoner. His paternal grandsire, after all, was Man O' War so his rival War Admiral was actually his uncle in human terms. Riva Ridge was a star and had already put Virginia's Meadow Farm on the map winning the '72 Derby. For me Lucien Laurin was the one who didn't get a suitable substitute. His stand in did not look much like him or act like him either. Laurin was a former jockey and had a garden gnome like appearance and appeal, at least to me. I know they did not get in to this in the movies but I still want to point out that I find it odd that they often cast aspersions on Secretariat as a sire while Seabiscuit did not do as well at stud yet got no criticisms for that at all. Secretariat's damsire, Princequillo, was a very long winded horse and passed that stamina on to Secretariat. Princequillo was lucky that his trans-Atlantic journey was not ended by a U-boat as he was brought to the USA during wartime. Secretariat's son, Kingston Rule, won the two mile Melbourne Cup in 1990 in the fastest time ever before or since and that was faster than the 1930 winner, the legendary Phar Lap. I find Zenyata to be a very amazing horse who deserves her own movie. It would have to be a documentary though because she was so unique. Where are they going to get a 17 hand thoroughbred mare that can run fast? And even more unlikely would be to find a horse which would put on a great show even before the races started. The way she threw her forelegs forward in a kind of extended trot like a show horse is something you don't see race horses do. The way she would start slowly and build up suspense as she got in to gear finally and pass all the others at the last second. Of course, that didn't work out in her last race and I blame Blame for that, not Mike Smith. Blame was on his home track, had the inside track and others in the race did not track him closely enough to pose a speed duel to slow him down in his tracks. Still, Zenyata almost got there.

[@SketchyTheHorseGuy]

thanks as always Vernon. I didn't even know Secretariat produced a Melbourne Cup winner that Princequillo side really reared its head in that horse. Zenyatta would be an interesting movie to try to make because of the fact that her stories ends with her losing. It would be a harsh challenge to make a great movie but also have to deal with the heartbreak of the fact that she lost her final race. A video about racehorses who could have good movies is something I do want to make in the future although Zenyatta was not in my top 5 initially.

[@vernonfrance2974]

@@SketchyTheHorseGuy Thank YOU! I appreciate that a busy guy like yourself takes the time to react to comments. You put out info that's often new to me, for which I am grateful. Princequillo sired many good horses, the most notable being Round Table, but he also was a great broodmare sire as Secretariat is also known to have been with the likes of: Secrettame, (Gone West), Betty's Secret (Secreto) Weekend Surprise (A.P. Indy and Summer Squall), Sister Dot (Dehere), Six Crowns (Chief's Crown) and Terlingua (Storm Cat). Ironically, his Horse of the Year Daughter, Lady's Secret did not have much luck with her foals when they raced. She produced 12 foals, with 10 starters and 5 winners. None of her progeny were of particular note. You mentioned before that you were successful in picking the BC Marathon winner. Nowadays, breeders want a quick return on investment so they don't want to produce horses which will take a long time to mature. Still, Zenyata and Flightline are examples of when their patience paid off, BIG TIME! I agree that Zenyata's loss makes her story even more intriguing. What if . . . ? I hope she will have a foal which will become a great success on the track but instead of capitalizing on her strengths, her size and her slow maturation they have bred her with smaller studs. I was told that larger foals cause a lot of problems in the foaling stage which is understandable. However, after a first foal it might be a less of a problem as with cattle. Unfortunately, now they're breeding Angus bulls to be big behemoths so the practice of using an Angus for the first calf is not always paying off. Too many calves are coming out huge causing failed births and fatalities. Anyway I wish they would breed Zenyata to a large stallion like Quality Road or Rock Hard Ten. The latter was sent to Turkey so that is not exactly a realistic choice. Your knowledge and dedication are great. It is rare to find this in someone who is so young. Hopefully, you're enthusiasm for the sport will help combat the short sighted attacks of the "goody two shoes." The reason we have these magnificent animals is because Nature made them prey animals. That's why they evolved from the five toed terrier sized Eohippus to the modern day horse. (Something I know you know is not news.) Then through animal husbandry their remarkable speed, strength and endurance has been enhanced. Ironically, the critics often dine on hamburgers, hot dogs, ham sandwiches and chicken nuggets, Thanksgiving turkeys, goats and silent lambs, which leads to the slaughter of billions of cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys, goats and sheep. I am an omnivore but I think more effort should be made to enable these "food items" to enjoy life better so we could spend less time being sad that their lives were miserable besides being short. Enough preaching for now. Cheeers!👋

[@lifeofadrawingderp7528]

When I discovered horseracing, I would always scope around looking for any horse racing movie and yeah, let's be honest more than half of them are really really bad and extremely cliché. The movie I grew up with was Dreamer. The movie's a bit cliché but it holds a special place in my heart. I think it's a pretty good B- or C+ tier movie and I'd always recommend it to anyone who's into horse racing. I love the characters and the development is there. I think it's just hard to find a horse racing movie that isn't based or inspired by a true story. Kinda sad haha :') Secretariat has been one of my favorites too but yeah, now that I'm older and understand writing and character development and actual history behind the horse and people, I'd also put it at B tier. It's been a while since I've seen Seabiscuit but I'll definitely have to give it a re-watch! I'd also love to watch 50-1 but I can't find it anywhere.

[@johndibattista5016]

Seabiscuit is just a great film period. Best horse racing film ever made. Read the book though. How you leave out the more he won the more they made him carry is criminal. Pharlap is a good film too.

[@annemarieandrus3912]

Yes! Yes! 💯 Thank you!

[@johndibattista5016]

Secretariat got Disnified. Would have liked to have seen what Martin Scorsese could’ve done with a Secretariat film. God knows the horse deserved it.

[@bobarmstrong3218]

I too like both of these films. Seabiscuit for me is the best film but Secretariat is still very good.

[@littlesister7021]

I liked Secretariat better. Seabiscuit is very good, although they have the actors on fake horses quite a bit. Secretariat has real horses racing with no fake horse shots. Director Randall Wallace spoke about how important it was to have that. It took 4 horses to portray Secretariat. Both Secretariat and Seabiscuit are legendary horse champions and always will live on in our hearts. The movies were made to honor their lives and story. I'll always love both Big Red and Seabiscuit always. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@SketchyTheHorseGuy]

That is a valid point their are quite a few shots in the racing sequances Seabiscuit that either have obvious continuity errors or clearly use fake horses since Tobey Maguire never does the jockeying in the movie and is only shown in closeups and stunt riders. Fun fact their were 10 Seabiscuits used 5 for scenes on the ground, and 5 for racing. Ruffian also had 4 horses portray the leading equine. Despite the racing sequences showing their age in certain parts the way I see it is Seabiscuit's walked so that Dreamer,Ruffian, and Secretariat could run when it comes to how horse racing movies are made. And at the end of the day as you said these are both great horses who deserved to have their stories told on the big screen.

[@littlesister7021]

@SketchyTheHorseGuy I do think that Riva Ridge should have been in the movie for a little bit, at least. Riva Ridge actually saved Meadow Stable, not Secretariat. Secretariat was the extra gift, a very blessed gift. Penny Chenery had stated that Hollywood didn't want 2 heroes in the same movie. As I re-watch Secretariat, I will remember Riva Ridge as well, a Champion Horse himself.

[@alanmckinney6747]

Can you please make a video on count fleet or all of the triple crown winners

[@PeggyBownes-jq7nc]

And there was never a movie about Man O War who only lost one race and won another by 100 lengths.

[@TheCasualLegoHorse123]

Could you please make a video on dream horse the movie horse racing movie

[@jimmyc3755]

Talk about clickbait. Seabiscuit is a great horse, but no other horse measures up against Secretariat. Small distances up to the Belmont he set records that are still standing. Both movies were fine.

[@krisgoldsmith476]

Believe me I love Secretariat, but everything in the movie seems forced and contrived. Seabuiscuit, on the other hand, seems like you're a fly on the wall watching it unfold.

[@GoneFishing-eq2wt]

You do know that not all of Seabiscuit was TRUE! A few of the races listed the horse won were not real. The jockey broke his leg three times. I suggest you go do some research.

[@SketchyTheHorseGuy]

A few years ago I made a video about 10 historical inaccuracies with Seabiscuit which you can watch here kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6fMg36qjZ2Goa8. So I am more then aware not everything in this movie is true i've "done some research" as told me to do. I even say that in my film review briefly but I didn't give it much attention as I didn't think it was necessary to go into detail. So i'd suggest you think before you comment.