"At the Races" is the eighth episode of the first season of the original series, The Flintstones. It aired on November 18, 1960.
Synopsis[]
Fred & Barney want to buy a pool hall, so they go down to the dinosaur racetrack, where Fred blows all his money. To cover this up, he tells Wilma he was mugged.
Plot[]
Fred & Barney enjoy a game of pool at Boulder Dan's Billiards, where they soon find out that the owner is retiring and selling the place for $2,000. Fred gets the idea of them buying place so they can be their own bosses. They get the idea of betting on the race track, but the only money they have is Fred's $50 wages. They pretend to Wilma that Fred has been mugged, which she doesn't believe until she sees the giant bump on Fred's head (that Barney made to convince her). She calls the doctor, who's a quack, and forces Fred to stay in bed.
Wilma goes out for some market supplies for Fred, after ordering him to stay in bed. This disrupts the boys plans to go to the race track, so they phone a guy named Herman to bet on the race dinosaur, Sabertooth for them, who's currently in hands of the police for doing dodgy dealings. The only option now is to rush to the bus to the race track.
They make it at the race track and bet on Sabertooth. While there, they run into Fred's boss, who demands to know what he's doing. Fred's initially deceptive, but quickly realizes that with the money he thinks he'll win, he doesn't have to hide anything, and tells his boss what he really thinks of him, along with twisting his big nose around. With Fred out of a job, they hope that Sabertooth really does win, which is further plagued by a Southern colonel betting against his own dinosaur. He mocks them that they shouldn't be betting on the races.
The race begins, and all seems lost until Sabertooth catches up, making for a close match between Sabertooth and Gravelpit, who the colonel bet on. The photo after reveals Sabertooth to have won, allowing Fred & Barney to follow their dream.
On the way home, they hide the money under a rock, before confessing to Wilma of what happened (who they think might just want to put it into a bank), who is thrilled about the idea. They go back to get the money, but are stopped by a mugger. Barney once again goes back to Wilma with a story of how Fred just got mugged, and once again she doesn't believe either of them.
Characters[]
- Fred Flintstone
- Barney Rubble
- Boulder Dan (only appearance)
- Wilma Flintstone
- Doctor (only appearance)
- Herman (only appearance)
- Bus driver (only appearance; no lines)
- Sabertooth (only appearance; no lines)
- Fred's boss (only appearance)
- Colonel (only appearance)
- Judge (only appearance)
- Betty Rubble (mentioned)
- Mugger (only appearance)
Locations[]
Bedrock[]
- Boulder Dan's Billiards (first appearance)
- Flintstone home
Objects[]
- Billiards
- Potted plant
- Lamp
- Rock Bell Phone
- Money
- Conk shell loudspeaker
Animals[]
- Broncosauruses (as racers)
- Monkeysaurus (as riders)
- Chickenasaurus (mentioned)
Vehicles[]
- Flintmobile
- Bus
Cast[]
| Alan Reed | Fred Flintstone |
|---|---|
| Jean Vander Pyl | Wilma Flintstone |
| Mel Blanc | Barney Rubble Doctor Crook Monkeysauruses |
| Hal Smith | P.A. Announcer Dan Boxx Colonel Seller Dinosaur |
Notes/Trivia[]
- Betty is absent, leaving Barney, Fred, and Wilma the only characters to appear in every episode.
- This is the first time Fred's boss (or one of the incarnations of Mr. Slate) is seen.
Allusions[]
- The part where Fred and Barney make up a story to Wilma about Fred being mugged is quite like the I Love Lucy episode titled "Lucy Cries Wolf", where Lucy phones Ricky and the Mertzes, telling them that she is being attacked.
Errors[]
- None known.
| Season 1 of The Flintstones |
|---|
| "The Flagstones" • "The Flintstone Flyer" • "Hot Lips Hannigan" • "The Swimming Pool" • "No Help Wanted" • "The Split Personality" • "The Monster from the Tar Pits" • "The Babysitters" • "At the Races" • "The Engagement Ring" • "Hollyrock, Here I Come" • "The Golf Champion" • "The Sweepstakes Ticket" • "The Drive-In" • "The Prowler" • "The Girls' Night Out" • "Arthur Quarry's Dance Class" • "The Big Bank Robbery" • "The Snorkasaurus Hunter" • "The Hot Piano" • "The Hypnotist" • "Love Letters on the Rocks" • "The Tycoon" • "The Astra' Nuts" • "The Long, Long Weekend" • "In the Dough" • "The Good Scout" • "Rooms for Rent" • "Fred Flintstone: Before and After" |