By Mark Coomes
The Courier-Journal

LEXINGTON - Revised directions to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, courtesy of Universal Pictures: From Louisville, drive east about 70 miles, turn left off Versailles Road and go back 64 years. The Hollywood studio that begat Back to the Future transcended time and place again to film the climactic scene of Seabiscuit, Universal's adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's best-seller about America's unlikely equine idol of the late 1930s.

To stage a convincing re-enactment of the famous match race between homely Seabiscuit, a rags-to-riches underdog, and sleek War Admiral, the 1938 Triple Crown winner, director Gary Ross had to transform contemporary Keeneland into Depression-era Pimlico, which is roughly similar to turning the University of Kentucky's Commonwealth Stadium into the Colosseum.

"Looks like an old picture come to life," said Greg Mauldin, 30, of Burgin, Ky. "I'm about to freeze, but I'm glad to be a part of it."

There was an eerie authenticity to Keeneland's retro look, from the dress hats and somber clothes worn by the milling crowd to the Maryland state flag whipping atop the infield tote board, retrofitted with an antique dull-green facade.

Racing silks were the only brightly colored clothes worn at the track in the 1930s. Spectators dressed in their Sunday best, with hats de rigueur for both male and female spectators.

As a result, every soul within sight of a movie camera yesterday wore slacks, skirts and overcoats in shades of black, gray and brown.

"This is very much the way things looked back then," said Dave Anderson, a retired teacher from Lexington and one of about 4,000 unpaid extras who answered the movie's recent casting call.

It was 29 degrees when the set opened for business around 7:30 a.m. The temperature crept to a high of 36.

The chill chased off the Mullins cousins of Frenchburg and hundreds of other extras who started trickling out of the track around lunchtime.

"We thought it would be fun," said Sheila Mullins, 39, "but we finally decided that freezing to death didn't really fit the definition."

"They had us standing on the rail," said Debbie Mullins, 47. "Out there you see people's teeth chattering and everything. One woman in pantyhose was wearing paper bags over her shoes trying to keep her feet warm."

Producers supplied heated tents and hot coffee between takes, but for the extras who stayed, but by 1:30, Ken Bell didn't much care whether he made the movie or not. He was far more concerned about warming his posterior than being recorded for posterity.

"I probably should have stayed home, said Mr. Bell, who wouldn't reveal his age except to say, "I'm old enough to know when to come in out of the cold - and I think the time is now."