Racing Blood (1938)

Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, Gladys Blake, Arthur Houseman, James C. Eagles ... see more  , Matthew Betz , Si Wills , Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Inasmuch as diminutive Frankie Darro was Hollywood's foremost portrayer of jockeys, it should come as no surprise that Darro heads the cast of Racing Blood. The story begins when young Frankie Reynold... read more s (Darro) rescues a crippled nag from the glue factory. With faith and perserverance Frankie builds the horse into a champion racer, only to be kidnapped by the villains on the eve of the Big Race. Escaping from his captors, our hero commandeers an ambulance (a bit "borrowed" from Joe E. Brown's Alibi Ike) and makes it to the racetrack in the nick o' time. Darro's frequent costar Kane Richmond plays stable owner Clay Harrison, who in the last reel proves a suitable love interest for Frankie's sister Phyllis (Gladys Blake). Minimal comedy relief is provided by black actor Fred Toones, once again demeaningly billed as "Snowflake". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi