Racetrack

The thoroughbred horse racing industry is held up to the light as Frederick Wiseman examines the path of a horse from husbandry through to the finish line.

On a stud farm, people gather in a stable. Some are there out of curiosity, and others are there to help – a mare is about to give birth to a foal. This is an important moment and the catalyst for Frederick Wiseman’s exploration of the thoroughbred horseracing industry.

Wiseman’s camera observes horse breeders and their animal husbandry processes. Handlers train, groom, feed and shoe the horses.

Then comes the racing.

Curator’s Note
Although the title of Frederick Wiseman’s 1985 film is Racetrack, this film is larger in scope than New York's Belmont Park. The director takes a broader look at the thoroughbred horse racing industry and the journey of a racehorse from stud farm to racetrack.

Similarly, the film is less about horses and more about the humans who insert themselves into every aspect of their lives.

Racetrack has sequences that are difficult to watch. Like his other films about the private sector, the horseracing industry has corners that the public might prefer not to examine, but that makes it ripe for Wiseman to explore. Take care during scenes of horse breeding and surgery on an injured leg.

If you can bear it, don't look away. Frederick Wiseman didn’t.