After the success of Formula 1’s Drive to Survive documentary series, Netflix started exploring other adrenaline-fueled sports to tackle next. And which is the next sport apart from F1 that has a lot of money, prestige, and adrenaline? Of course, horse racing.
This is one of the latest documentary series covering big horse racing events (centered on the Triple Crown races) that amazed even non-horse racing enthusiasts. This documentary will give you valuable information, especially if you are a horse racing bettor. If you are a beginner, make sure to visit twinspires.com just to find out the betting basics just so you can understand this documentary better.
But what is it about, and what can to expect from Race for the Crown? Well, this is not your ordinary documentary. In Race For The Crown, which is kind of like a behind-the-curtains look at the biggest sport in the world, we can see all the big names from jockeys to racehorse trainers and even owners.
This is a beautifully done documentary that shows what elite horse racing is all about. But let’s dig deeper and find out if it’s worth watching.
Storytelling Style
The Race for the Crow documentary is all about capturing the raw emotion of the sport, plenty of behind-the-scenes drama that most of us don’t know about, making a niche sport like horse racing feel universal.
This series is produced by the same box to Box Films crew from Drive to Survive, and follows that playbook, only the cars are swapped by Thoroughbreds.
It was released on April 22, a few weeks before the 2025 Kentucky Derby, and it was centered around covering the 2024 Triple Crown Season (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes), and even the Breeders’ Cup.
This is a “zero-entry” documentary, which means that you don’t need to be a horse racing enthusiast to understand it. You can easily get hooked even if you are someone who has never watched a single horse race.
Key Figures
The best thing about Race for the Crown is the people, or the cast behind it. You’ll meet jockeys like the legendary Frankie Dettori as he explains his quest for a Kentucky Derby mount. There are plenty of multimillionaire owners like Mike Repole and John Steward who steal the show with their heated rivalry, as each year they compete to see who is going to get more Triple Crown victories.
Of course, you’ll also see trainers like Kenny McPeek and even the controversial Bob Baffert who speak about what this sport is about and why it is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are also jockeys like Brian Hernandez Jr. and Katie Davis just to show that this is not only a male sport.
The cast is incredible, and most of these people have spent years involved in the horse racing industry, so it is nice to see how they view the sport.
Emotional Stakes
Horse racing isn’t just a sport; it’s an emotional rollercoaster, and Race For The Crown doesn’t shy away from the highs and lows.
The series captures the thrill of Churchill Downs’ muddy 2024 Kentucky Derby weekend, where history was made, and the nail-biting pressure of the Preakness Stakes.
You’ll see owners betting millions on a single horse, jockeys risking injury for a shot at fame, and trainers sweating every detail, per people.com.
Critics note the show’s focus on human stories over animal welfare, with some, like an IMDb reviewer, calling it “all sparkle, no soul” for glossing over issues like breakdowns.
Still, the horses themselves are “pure magic,” with stunning race footage that’ll leave you cheering. Expect moments of heartbreak—missed chances, rivalries gone sour—and triumphs that feel like your own victory lap.
Production Quality
Box to Box Films knows how to make sports look good, and Race For The Crown is no exception. Shot over four years, the series boasts “stunning visuals” that capture the roar of the crowd and the sheen of a Thoroughbred’s coat.
Think sweeping drone shots of Churchill Downs, close-ups of jockeys’ steely focus, and slo-mo gallops that make every race a spectacle. The editing is sharp, weaving personal interviews with race-day chaos, though some fans on Reddit wish for longer seasons (six episodes feels short).
The soundtrack, heavy on upbeat and dramatic beats, keeps the energy high, per netflix.com. Critics praise its accessibility but note it prioritizes “glitz and glamour” over the sport’s darker sides, like equine injuries, per drf.com. Still, it’s a “treat for the eyes and ears,” per racingpost.com.
Audience Appeal
Who’s Race For The Crown for? Pretty much everyone. Its beginner-friendly approach, likened to “Horse Racing for Dummies,” draws in casual viewers intrigued by the Kentucky Derby’s hype.
Non-fans on Reddit call it “pleasantly surprising” and “entertaining,” with 26 upvotes for its bingeability. For racing insiders, it’s a mixed bag—some, hail it as “the best thing” for marketing the sport, hitting Netflix’s top 10 since launch.
Others gripe about its focus on flashy owners over stable hands or betting culture, per chronofhorse.com. With a 6.9/10 IMDb rating and praise for its mainstream appeal, it’s a gateway to racing’s magic, especially with the 2025 Kentucky Derby looming.
So, if you are up for some horse racing action or learn more about the sport, this is the best series to watch.
