Racetrack

Streaming video - 1985

Belmont Race Track is one of the world's leading race tracks for thoroughbred racing. Frederick Wiseman's RACETRACK highlights the training, maintaining and racing of thoroughbred horses.. Everyday occurrences are shown: in the backstretch — the grooming, feeding, shoeing, and caring for horses and the preparation for races; at the practice track the various aspects of training, exercising, and timing the horses; at the paddock — the pre-race presentation of the horses; and in the grandstand — betting and watching the races. The film also has sequences showing the variety of work done by trainers, jockeys, jockey agents, grooms, hot walkers, stable hands, and veterinarians.. "Wiseman wanders around Belmont finding ripe,... illustrative material, most of which fits into the abiding themes of his films, the melancholia peculiar to industrial societies, the emotional wages of materialism. Horse racing is a small industry comparatively, but it serves as a rich microcosm… It’s a super super film, from a super super filmmaker." – Tom Shales, The Washington Post more