Friday, May 4, 2012

Horse Racing In Black And White: The Killing (1956)


Horses have figured a good number of horror stories, from the Headless Horseman to the Four Horsemen.  The Kentucky Derby museum even has a ghost walk called Horses And Haunts.  With history that spans back to the 1870's, it's hardly surprising that ghost stories have popped up through the decades at the legendary Churchill Downs race track--the most recent story to be added to the list are reports of the apparition of euthanized Barbaro.


Derby Fact Number 4:  The race(s) are as well known for their betting odds as they are for mint juleps and big hats.  The horse with the longest odds ever to win the race was one Donerail in 1913 at an astonishing 91 to 1!  Talk about a pay out!!!


Stanley Kubrick's classic hold up crime flick of the 1950's features a crime crew holding up a horse racing track.  (The masks used appear to have inspired the masks in The Dark Knight opening bank heist.)  Not for animal lovers, this one! It features the assassination of a horse while it is running a race...not to worry though, the shooter gets his immediately after!








Oh that is seriously bad luck!



3 comments:

  1. Wow! These gives me new insights and ideas about horse racing!

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    1. Funny you should happen to comment on this just when I was preparing a post for my other blog Silent Wierdness (http://silentwierdness.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-short-bit-about-muybridge-and-horse.html) on horses on the track and the beginnings of the motion picture technology. Love the Philippines!!

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  2. Just keep in mind that there are some things you should do while here and some things you probably shouldn’t, at least if having fun is your motivation. If you really want fun and feel relax then book a Kentucky Derby Rentals and Lousivlle Home Rental

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