Race for the Crown is one of many viewing options to get audiences in the mood for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Other options include Secretariat and perhaps even the Oscar-nominated Seabiscuit.

Race for the Crown is a documentary series that takes audiences behind the scenes of horse racing. There are some horse racing analysts, journalists, and broadcasters–including Nick Luck–who paint a picture of what the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown represent. But aside from them, this series goes behind the scenes in a way that I’ve never seen before. Not on the NBC broadcasts, nor the ABC broadcasts in the years preceding NBC. In that regard, it offers a fascinating look in a way that’s different from the usual human-interest stories.

Little Red Feather Racing’s Billy Koch makes numerous appearances. However, the series uses him as a talking head rather than following him from one race to another. Interestingly, Koch’s father (Howard W. Koch Jr.) and grandfather (Howard Koch Sr.) both served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Other owners appearing in Race for the Crown include Mike Repole, Michael and Jules Iavarone, and Jayson Werth. Plenty of trainers appear, including Kenneth McPeek, Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox, and Danny Gargan. Jockeys getting their day in the sun include Brian Hernandez Jr., Katie Davis, and Frankie Dettori.

To say that some of the owners are colorful isn’t an understatement. If I were making editorial decisions, there’s probably some interview footage that I wouldn’t use here but maybe that’s me. There’s also language that I would know better than to use it during an interview. I don’t know how much Race for the Crown will impact anyone’s reputation but let’s just say at least one owner’s language hurts more than helps. I can understand why they would want this owner on camera but he comes off as someone that doesn’t want to be there, even for a three-hour interview.

Italian jockey Frankie Dettori, who was based in England for 35 years, had done everything he could possibly do in Europe. Despite announcing that 2023 would be his last year of professionally riding, Dettori moved to California and resumed his career in hopes of winning a Kentucky Derby. Aside from maybe the Breeders’ Cup, winning the Kentucky Derby is the pinnacle of horse racing. Dettori was able to find a horse to ride in the Derby. However, he finished 16th. Dettori rode Imagination for trainer Bob Baffert during last year’s Preakness.

No matter who wins the Kentucky Derby, the conversation will always turn to whether the winner can pull off the Triple Crown. It’s a conversation that takes place every year. If a horse wins both the Derby and Preakness, the pressure is on. Until American Pharoah’s win in 2015, there had not been a single Triple Crown winner in my lifetime. And just like that, Bob Baffert would repeat again in 2018 as the winning trainer of Justify. Only 13 horses have won the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, meaning they’ve won the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont.

The conversation became moot last year with Seize the Grey, a horse trained by D. Wayne Lukas, winning the Preakness. At the time of the win, Lukas was a few months shy of turning 89 years old. Lukas is a Hall of Fame trainer with four Kentucky Derby wins, 7 Preakness Stakes wins, and four Belmont Stakes wins. Until last year, it had been over ten years since Lukas last won one of the Triple Crown races.

Jayson and Julia Werth are among the headliners as Race for the Crown turns its focus to the Belmont Stakes. Last year’s Belmont ran in Saratoga Springs due to renovations taking place in Elmont. With three horses in the race, trainer Todd Pletcher may have had the best chance to finish in the money. The Belmont Stakes tend to have the fewer amount of horses running–last year saw ten race against each other. However, they usually have more horses running fresh after skipping the Preakness.

Because Race for the Crown is focusing on the personalities behind the horses, there’s a missed opportunity to feature NBC Sports broadcasters as talking heads. The most we get are what comes from the archival clips. Maybe I’m biased because I’m a Louisville native but I just thought this documentary series would be a lot different than the final product. It focuses exclusively on the 2024 racing season with a bit of the Breeders’ Cup. If you want something that focuses on the history of horse racing, I’d suggest watching Win, Place, Show: The History of Horse Racing.

Race for the Crown offers a verité look at the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, but there are so many other Derby figures that aren’t even included. That’s where Race for the Crown could be stronger.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: James Gay-Rees, Paul Martin, Hillary Olsen, Warren Smith, Ian Sambor
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Tim Stampher, Jordan Bogdonavage

Netflix released all episodes of Race for the Crown on April 22, 2025. Grade: 3.5/5

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