In 1978, a sequel entitled International Velvet was made, starring Tatum O’Neal.

In 2003, National Velvet was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Plot

National Velvet is the story of a twelve-year girl, Velvet Brown, living in Sewels in Sussex, England, who saves a horse from the knacker’s yard and trains it for the Grand National steeplechase, aided by her father’s hired hand, a young drifter, Mi Taylor. The fictional horse which Velvet Brown trained and rode in the National is called “The Pie”. However, when she discovers that the Latvian jockey hired to ride the Pie doesn’t believe he can win, she disguises herself as a male jockey and rides the horse to victory herself.