Run for the Roses (1977) - full transcript
Juanito, a boy from Puerto Rico, finds himself in Kentucky and drawn to a thoroughbred horse. He believes the horse can win the Derby and eventually others around him start to think it's possible.
(soft uplifting instrumental music)
♪ The morning comes to wake me ♪
♪ With its sunshine ♪
♪ The smell of breakfast
cooking in the air ♪
♪ Outside the day is humming ♪
♪ Look out world ♪
♪ I'm coming ♪
♪ Cause I've got lots to do ♪
♪ No time to spare ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ Just about as life can be ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And they count knowing ♪
♪ They've all got me ♪
♪ There is nothing like the feeling ♪
♪ When a day comes to an end ♪
♪ A smiling to yourself ♪
♪ As you fall asleep ♪
♪ As you pray the lord ♪
♪ Your soul to keep ♪
♪ There's nothing quite like ♪
♪ Just knowing that you got friends ♪
♪ And I've got friends ♪
♪ I never was too much ♪
♪ On making even ♪
♪ And loves a thing ♪
♪ I never could pretend ♪
♪ I'm glad of simple pleasures ♪
♪ Don't need no fancy treasures ♪
♪ Cause its enough just knowing ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And I've got friends ♪
♪ And that is just about ♪
♪ As good as life can be ♪
♪ I've got friends and they count ♪
♪ Knowing that they've all got me ♪
♪ There is nothing like the feeling ♪
♪ When a day comes to an end ♪
♪ A smiling to yourself ♪
♪ As you fall asleep ♪
♪ As you pray the lord your soul to keep ♪
♪ Nothing quite like just
knowing that you've got friends ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
(horse neighs)
- [Girl] Juanito, you're
gonna get in trouble
if you play hooky again.
- [Kid] Yeah, Ms. Palmer
says that you're not sick
you're just skipping school.
You'll be sorry.
- [Boy] He's gonna be a dummy.
(soft classical music)
- Here boy, come here.
Got something for you.
Come here.
There you go.
Come here, boy.
Yeah.
Come on.
Yeah, that a boy.
Come here.
Sure would like to ride you a little.
Now I'm a jockey.
Well not exactly a
jockey yet but I will be.
Hey boy, come on.
Good huh?
You know, all horses like sugars.
Except my friend, Flash, told me
he once knew a horse who
wouldn't even touch it
and they called him Sugar.
I wonder what your name is.
I want to be a jockey.
That's gonna be good.
Alright.
You know, I haven't really learned
how to ride fast yet.
So we got to take it easy.
Its coming, whoa.
Whoa.
(grunting)
hey hold it.
Whoa.
- [Man] Damn it
what the hell you think you doing?
Hey boy, stop that horse.
- [Juanito] Hey, slow down.
- [Man] Whoa, pull on the reigns,
pull on the reigns.
Whoa!
You alright, boy?
- Yeah, got me real good, sir.
- You okay?
- Yeah, thanks a lot
- I'm gonna mix you up the corn
and feed you to the hawks, boy.
You ought to know better
than fooling around
with a horse like that.
You know how much that
Thoroughbred's worth?
Half a million dollars
and you're out there joy
riding it, having a good time.
What if he would of hurt himself?
You got a half a million dollars, boy?
- No.
- I didn't think so.
You get out of here and don't come back.
- Look, mister, I won't even
look at your horses anymore.
- Well if I tell your father,
I know you won't be.
Now you just get out of here.
(soft classical music)
(doorbell rings)
- Good afternoon, sir.
- Hello, Mitchell.
- The mistress is expecting you.
- I'll be waiting for her in the study.
- Yes.
You know you Kentuckians
get about as fired up
over a horse race as we Californians do
over the Rose Bowl.
- That's right.
- Pardon me, madam.
Mr. Eaton is here in the study.
- Oh thank you, Mitchell.
Would you please get my
secretary and my nephew?
I'm sorry, gentlemen.
I have to leave you for a minutes.
Please, Jeff, take care of them.
- Alright.
- Since you're the trainer
of Mrs. Stewart's horses,
how do you feel about Battle Cry?
- I'm sorry to impose
you in this way, Rodger.
This shouldn't take long
then we can go back to the party.
Oh, Jim, Carol would you please come here
for a moment?
- Jim, Clarissa would like to
buy your share of the farm.
- Rodger, my dad gave me that farm
and I'm really not
interested in selling it.
- Well I have prepared some papers.
Would you like to read them over?
- I believe I said I don't want to sell.
- You have the place
mortgaged to the Hills
and you have no money.
- What I do with my land
and my life is my business,
not yours.
- What you do with our
family's land is my business.
You don't want to sell it to me
I can have George at the bank foreclose
and I'll buy it from them.
- You don't really give
me much choice, do you?
Alright, you've got it.
Let me say that I'll be glad
to get out from underneath your thumb.
- Well, I've never known
you to be a quitter.
- Well I think its about
time that somebody quit.
Everybody around here always does
what Clarissa says.
Well not me.
- Somebody has to be in charge.
It happens to be me.
If you can handle that,
you're welcome to stay.
If you can't.
- You know if I stayed here
I would be an errand boy for
you for the rest of my life
and that's something I
just can't live with.
Wait a minute.
I agreed to sell my broodmare
and my share of the farm
but I didn't say anything
about the old mansion.
- But its crumbling.
I could have it restored.
- Let it rot.
That's one place you
can't take away from me.
- What about the one
acre with the cottage?
- Rodger, I don't want to
sell that place either.
Charlie and his family live there.
- Charlie is my manager.
I'd like to keep that as part of my farm.
- I'm giving that house to Charlie.
I think I owe him at least that much
and I think you know why.
Thank you, Rodger.
- Carol, I'll need your
signature as a witness on this.
- Hi, Flash, where you headed?
- Over to Charlies.
- Well come on, get in.
- Hey thanks man, thanks.
Say Jim, saw that mare of yours.
Looks like she's about
ready to throw that foal.
- She's not my mare anymore, Flash.
I sold her.
- Oops.
Hey, hey.
You made me sit on my dice, man.
Look here, me and my
cousin was playing craps
over at uh...
- Bob's place?
- Yeah, Bob's place.
Man he would make a clean sweep.
Gonna have enough money now
to bet on the Derby tomorrow.
- I thought you told me
you hated horses, Flash?
- Oh I hates em but bets em.
- Who you betting on?
- Battle Cry, on the nose, baby.
Charge!
Alright.
- Flash.
- Hey.
- Just in time for dinner.
- That's just what I was figuring.
- Well hello, Jim.
- How you doing, Charlie?
- Come on in.
Party over so soon?
- Not soon enough.
(speaking Spanish)
Hi, Lola.
- Sit down, Jim.
- Not really very hungry.
- Oh just a little bit of a nibble.
- What you doing, Flash?
- Permeating my nostrils with the smell
of that good rabbit stew.
- Okay, you sit at the table.
- Gracias.
- Want some wine?
- Fine.
- What's the trouble, Jim?
- I'm getting out of town, Charlie.
- Yeah I figured that would
happen sooner or later.
(speaking Spanish.
- Right on.
Hey wait a minute, what she mean by that?
- She wants to fatten you up.
- Oh well that suits me fine.
- Where's Juanito?
Is he eating.
- He's out back, working
off some punishment.
- Punishment for what?
- He stayed away from school again, today.
- Twice this week.
- Charlies a little too rough on the boy.
- Ah what do you mean rough?
- Boy, what a rat.
He had to tell Charlie.
Charlie could sure yell
a lot when he's mad.
For a minute there, I'd thought he'd make
me stay home from the derby tomorrow.
Boy was he mad.
Who does he think I am anyway?
A slave?
He gets to eat dinner while
I have to chop the dumb wood.
Bet that's why they keep me around here.
I'm a good slave.
(phone ringing)
- I'll get it.
- More, Flash?
- Look here, if I didn't
like it, I'd say no.
- So you say yes?
- I say yes yes yes.
- I'll be right there.
Clarissa wants to see me in private.
- Charlie?
- I got to hop to it.
You stay, Jim.
- No, I really have to be going.
I have some packing I have to do.
I just stopped by to give you this.
- What's that for?
- I want to settle my debts.
The deed to the house.
(speaking Spanish)
- Jim, I don't know what to say.
- Then don't say anything, Charlie.
You better hop to it.
Don't want to keep Clarissa waiting.
- Wait a minute, now wait a minute.
We've got to have a toast.
Alright, to Charlie
and you're good fortune
and to Jim, the man of the hour
and to Battle Cry.
I hope you don't take no shower.
To Battle Cry.
- Gold stinks.
Everything around here stinks.
I'll run away.
Then they'll be sorry.
They'll miss me but who cares.
I won't miss them.
(soft classical music)
- Hi, Juanito.
Well you may not be tired but I sure am.
Come on in and sit down.
- I'm running away from home.
- Me, too.
- Want to take me with you?
- I sure wish I could, Juanito
but you know Charlie and your mother
would be awfully mad at me if I did.
They love you and they miss you.
- Mom would but Charlie,
he don't miss nobody.
All the time he tells me what to do.
- You know something, I think
you have Charlie all wrong.
You want to know what kind
of man Charlie really is?
When I was about your age,
my cousin and I...
- Cousin?
How come I've never seen him around.
- Because he's dead, Juanito.
He was Clarissa's son.
He and I were about the same age
and we played together all the time.
He was about the only playmate I had.
One day, he and I were pretending
that we were jockeys.
- Just like I want to be when I grow up.
- Yeah, just like that.
Why we snuck out to the paddock,
we climbed on the back of one
of Clarissa's thoroughbreds.
Now as you know, a thoroughbred
is a very temperamental horse
and only the very best
jockeys can ride them.
Well that horse bolted.
We hung on for dear life.
That horse ran and ran and ran.
(horse neighing)
(tense trumpet music)
(tense classical music)
Charlie pulled us both out of the water.
My cousin hit his head
on a rock and he died
but I made it.
So you see, I owe Charlie my life.
He's a hero
he's only trying to do what he thinks
is best for you.
- Well why do I have to go school then?
- You have to go to
school to learn what to do
when you grow up.
- I know what to do when I grow up.
I'm gonna become a jockey
and have my own horse and everything.
Call him Champion.
- One day, if you go back
to school and you study
real real hard, the good
lord will send you a horse.
- Is that for sure?
- That's for sure.
I was just saying goodbye
to Juanito, Charlie.
- I'm heading back home.
Want to come along, son?
- Like Jim said, father.
Just saying goodbye to each other.
See ya, Jim.
- So long, partner.
- I'll see you later, Jim.
- Charlie?
Hey Charlie?
- Yeah?
- Charlie.
Zemaya, she's rolling and
kicking all over the barn.
- Come on, let's go.
- Okay.
- Is she gonna foal?
- Look, that's about what it is.
Now I've been everything else
but charlie, I ain’t never been no vet.
- I'm going, too.
Hey wait for me.
- [Woman] Juanito.
(speaking Spanish)
- Come on, come on.
Go.
- Thank you for dinner, Clarissa.
- You're welcome, Jeff.
- Sleep well.
- Yes I will.
- Goodnight, Jeff.
- Jeff.
- What?
- Ms. Clarissa, wait.
- What is it?
- Its Zemaya, she's foaling.
Well, Charlie sent me over
because the phone in the barn
is dead and he ain’t no vet
and he don't think he can handle it.
- I'll call doctor.
- Carol, get the car.
I want you to drive me to the barn.
I'll get the coats.
(neighs)
- That's it, baby.
Come on.
(neighing)
yeah.
Nice and easy now.
Just give it a little bit more.
(grunts)
Come on.
Oh that's a beauty, honey.
Oh yeah.
Huh?
Yeah.
Okay.
(soft classical music)
- Hi, Charlie.
- Hi, Doc.
- Charlie, it looks like
you've done everything right.
- It was easy.
It wasn't my first.
(neighs)
- What is it?
- Its a colt.
- Good.
Everything alright?
- Not exactly, Clarissa.
Charlie did a fine job foaling the mare.
Colt has a broken leg
and has (mumbles) of the knee.
- Oh god.
- Well can it be corrected by surgery?
- Sure it can.
Depends on how the operation turns out
whether you have a
stallion or a racehorse.
- I don't need a stallion,
I need a derby winner.
- But Clarissa, there is a chance...
- A lame colt is a useless colt, Carol.
- He's not useless, he's beautiful.
- You want him?
You can have him?
- Me?
(speaking Spanish)
Yes?
- Yes, for you.
- Clarissa, you can't give him away.
- Of course I can.
He's all yours, Juanito.
Come on Carol, drive me home.
(speaking Spanish)
- Charlie, my own horse.
Look.
I'll name you champion.
Royal Champion.
- He'll be lame.
You heard what the doc said.
- I don't care, I love him.
I'm so happy, Charlie, I'm so happy.
It's my own horse.
- He's yours
he's yours.
Oh yeah.
- Flash, Flash!
- Oh Juanito, my head, man.
- Come on, man.
(mumbles) we'll be late.
- Will you cool man?
Just play it cool.
The way you acting today,
you ain’t gonna need no car
to take you to no derby,
you could fly over there.
- Come on, Charlie already left
and the traffic's piling up.
We're gonna be the last ones there, man.
Hey, Flash?
- Uh huh?
- I got two silver
dollars from my aunt Rosa
for my birthday.
- Good for you.
- And I know they don't let kids bet
could you bet for me?
- Now just a minute.
What makes you think
that I'm gonna put my
money on this horse race?
Okay I'm gonna put my
money on the horse race.
(laughing)
okay, of course I'll make
a little gentlemen bet
for you and me.
Horse named Battle Cry comes in,
we'll be in fat city.
- Alright.
- Come on, let's go, partner.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
the horses are in the paddock now
being saddled for the
seventh race for derby
and they will reach the
gate in about 16 minutes.
(upbeat fanfare)
- I don't know, Flash.
How are we gonna get to see Battle Cry?
- Easy man, easy
all we got to do is act like we somebody
that way they don't have
to ask us no questions,
we don't have to give them no answers.
Come on.
- Alright.
(whistling)
- Sorry, owners and trainers only
allowed beyond this point.
- I just wanted to see
my friends horse, sir.
- You can see the horses from your seats
in the stands just like anybody else.
- Now, just one minute, officer.
The little boy didn't mean any harm.
- Owners and trainers only.
- Come on.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] Looks ready to us.
But this is a contest of speed not beauty.
The odds of changing on
number two Dark Prince
pioneer horse, was put at
seven to one this morning,
the odds have now dropped to 20 to one.
Dark Prince's trainer, Bart Shaker,
knows his horse is up against
very very tough competition.
Lucky number seven, Bright Victory,
is a Massachusetts horse
that's been wintering in Florida.
He's handled by the
experienced Harry Barter.
A trainer who's brought 15 thoroughbreds
to the derby in his great career.
Marcus' Bright Victory
will run for that blanket
of rope today.
- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
the next race brewing the derby
may we urge that you make your wagers
as early as possible.
- [Announcer] King of thoroughbred racing
it is this year.
Besides the top two,
we're also going to be watching out
for number eight today, Wolfish Coal
from Carter Farms.
A name that's been favorite
as long as there's been a derby.
- [Announcer] Repeating,
in the seventh race
there are no changes.
(upbeat fanfare)
Third generation trainer
who brings only the best to run the derby.
That's what we have here today, the best.
All running with everything they've got
at speeds up to 40 miles an hour.
We know how nervous the owners are now.
- One for you, four for me.
(laughing)
Battle Cry!
- [Announcer] The riders in today's race
are the top men in their profession.
Some of them have won the derby before.
Some will keep on trying.
Because to win the roses
is to win the...
- [Announcer] The horses
are coming on the track
for the derby.
At one mile and one
quarter on the main track.
- [Announcer] Favorite Battle Cry
from the well Stewart
ranch looks ready to us.
- [Announcer] Number one is Tinkerbell.
Number two, Dark Prince.
Number three, Momma's Girl.
Number four, Rocket Square.
Number five, Easy Rider.
Number six, Thunder Echo.
Number seven...
- Is everything alright?
- It's out of our hands.
Its all up to Battle Cry now.
- [Announcer] Number nine, Amber Waves.
Number 10, Clara's Bell
and number 11, Battle Cry.
They will reach the starting gate.
- I can see him, I can see him, look.
He's over there.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] The favorite, Battle Cry
from the well known Stewart Ranch
looks ready to us
but this is a contest of speed not beauty.
The odds are changing on
number two, Dark Prince,
a fine young horse that was seven to one,
the odds have now dropped to 20 to one.
Dark Prince's trainer, Bart Shaker
knows his horse is up against
very very tough competition.
The riders in today's race are the top men
in their profession.
Some of them have won the derby before.
Some will keep on...
- [Announcer] The horses are
on the track now for the derby.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] The post
positions for the one
and one quarter mile derby.
- [Announcer] They are
entering the starter date.
- You know, if I win I'm
taking everybody to dinner.
- Alright.
- Even me, right?
- Yeah.
- [Announcer] The flag
is up and there they go.
Momma's girl is going to the front.
Thunder Echo is second,
Easy Rider is third
and Rocket Square, Bright Victory
and Battle Cry.
Around the first turn,
it's Momma's girl in front
by and half.
Thunder Echo is second by one lane.
Easy Rider in third.
Rocket Square in fourth.
Bright Victory, Battle Cry
and Wolfish Call down the back stretch.
It's Momma's girl in front,
Battle Cry in second
and now taking the lead on the outside.
Now its Battle Cry in front
by a length and a half.
Momma's Girl is second by a half,
Dark Prince third on the rail.
Rocket's Girl is fourth and Wolfish Call
is closing much ground.
Turning for home, its Battle
Cry in front by a leg.
Momma's Girl is second by a half lane.
Dark Prince third on the inside.
And here comes Wolfish Call
in the middle of the tracks.
In the stretch and Battle
Cry flies by one lane.
(crowd shouting)
(overlapping uproar)
By a neck.
Battle Cry in second with
Dark Prince finishing third.
- Bad luck.
- He was right in there, Clarissa.
- I can't believe it.
- Believe it.
It happens every year.
- [Announcer] The result,
number eight, Wolfish Call
was first, number 11 Battle Cry.
- That's alright, my boy.
- I'm bankrupt, man.
- There's always another year, Flash.
- Never never again.
I hate horses, I tell you.
I hate them.
- I know it hurts, Champion
but you just have to keep trying.
All the days we've been out here
working on your leg to make it stronger.
All the time we've put in
and all the pain you felt before.
That's all down the
drain if you stop trying.
I won't let you give up.
We're gonna walk nice
and slow everyday, okay?
- Say, Juanito.
I'm going to your house for dinner, man.
You coming?
- No, I want to work with
Champion a little more.
- Juanito, you've got to eat.
I mean you've been out here all afternoon.
Now son, how you gonna
grow up if you don't eat?
- I don't have to grow.
I'm gonna be a jockey, remember?
- Uh huh, you told me you
was gonna be a vet instead.
- So?
I'll be a short vet.
- Okay, okay I'm going up to the house
but you make sure you come home soon
else you're gonna make your momma mad.
- Okay.
(soft country classical music)
- You know, my mother told me
I didn't start walking till I was one.
- Juanito still hasn't
given up on that colt.
He should be put away.
- Well I would but its the only way
I can keep Juanito in school
and up on his studies.
No grades, no horse.
- You walk awful slow, Juanito.
Maybe you could move a little
faster if you had a horse.
- I have my own horse, Rusty.
You don't know anything.
- I know a lame horse when I see one.
What's his name?
Gimpy?
- No, his name is Royal Champion.
He's gonna be a racer
when he's old enough.
- You haven't got any racing horse.
All you have is a no
good lame, gimpy colt.
Can't even ride your dumb horse.
- I can, too.
- Like this?
- You know, Flash.
There are operations
they can do on a horse
born with a crooked knee
so he can run faster.
- Oh yeah, sure sure.
Now there are operations
they can do on my nose
and I'll come out looking
just like Donny Osmond.
Oh, Juanito, I'm trying
to say an operations
a different thing.
- I know but the operation works
then Champion wouldn't
have to limp anymore.
- Yeah, maybe they got to put him down.
- No way, Flash.
Nobody's gonna kill my horse.
- Look, Juanito, look here.
You see my leg here?
My leg holds me up
the same way Champion's legs holds him up
and my leg ain’t much fatter.
One big difference, just one,
he must weigh, he must
weigh 10 times as much.
Now if Champion is not strong enough
when he puts that 1,000
pounds of pressure on it,
man it just ain’t gonna break,
you gonna hear me?
It is gonna explode into a million pieces
and may never heal back together again.
That could kill him.
- Oh.
I don't know, Flash.
I never had to think about
something this important before.
If the operation would work, maybe.
- Maybe, maybe not.
Look here, son.
Champion's your horse, right?
Now if you want him to have an operation,
Charlie will talk to the doc.
- Yeah.
I'll think about it.
- Here.
(whistling)
- I made it, Champion.
Yeah, they were watching TV.
I don't think they heard me.
You know, why would I
want to sleep in my room
all by myself?
When I can be here with you.
I don't want you to get lonesome.
Yeah, you'll get used to sleeping alone.
Yeah.
Okay, goodnight, Champ.
- How's that fast racing horse of yours?
- He's okay.
- Is he gonna be in the
Kentucky Derby this year?
- No, he's too young.
- You hear that?
Juanito's lame horse
isn't gonna be in the derby
because he's too young.
Your horse can't even run.
- Why don't you shut up, Russel.
- Why don't you make me?
(grunting)
- Oh my god.
- Juanito, get him.
Get him good.
- Stop it, you're gonna hurt him.
(grunting)
- Your horse is still a cripple.
You hear me?
He's a cripple.
A cripple!
- Look, does an operation
cost a lot of money?
- Yeah, an operation costs
a wheelbarrow full of money.
- Well if I work everyday after school
for about, say five years,
I'd probably have enough saved by then.
Or not, plus Champion
will be too old to race.
- Alright, now wait a minute.
I asked the doc about it
and the doc said that we
could owe him for the cost
of the operation.
- Alright!
(laughing)
- Now, if Champion runs
and wins some races and a lot of money,
then we can get the docs on.
Now, all he needs is just a couple hundred
to start and he'll do the operation.
- Work five afternoons, boy.
So here's you pay.
- Thanks, see you Monday.
(people shouting)
(cheering)
- Alright, I'll cover that.
(overlapping shouting)
- Here we go.
10.
This hand.
Come on.
11.
Do it, got my money.
Somebody, you want that?
Yeah, that's yours.
(overlapping shouting)
Okay I get five more.
Alright, five more.
(overlapping shouting)
Alright.
(cheering)
I got it, I need it.
(laughing)
- Did you win a lot, Flash?
- Oh my man, enough, just enough.
But you see right here
represents one fine operation
for one fine horse!
- Alright.
You mean it?
- Mean it?
Yeah I mean it.
What with you got, and what I got,
we kick it in, baby we
gonna go over the top.
- Alright.
Yeah.
(humming race fanfare)
(soft instrumental music)
Champion.
Tomorrows the operation
but you don't have to worry,
doc is really good at doing em.
He does them all the time.
You know I bet he could operate
on your leg with one hand
tied behind his back.
You don't have to worry,
I'll be there with you.
See, Champion, you were born
to be a racer.
Your daddy came in second in the derby
and your granddaddy was just as fast.
Your momma was a winner, too.
You see, Champion, its in your blood.
Once you start running,
you'll show them all.
I know you have a lot of
important things to do
but Champion's only one little horse.
Shouldn't be hard for you.
Enough to run like the other horses.
Please help Champion get better.
Thank you.
- Charlie, this is the part of the knee
we're gonna have to operate on.
In order to straighten the crooked leg.
We'll put a staple right in here.
After the operation,
the knee should look like this
with the staple in it.
Within about 30 or 40 days,
we ought to be able to take the staple out
and I hope we have a straight leg.
(soft instrumental music)
- About down there.
Easy, boy.
Easy, easy.
(soft somber music)
- There he goes.
(low tense music)
(soft instrumental music)
Scalpel.
Suture.
Sponge.
(low instrumental music)
Very shortly, he'll be
running faster than you.
- Gracias, mister vet,
gracias for fixing my horse.
- Certainly.
(uplifting classical music)
- Well, limpy ain’t limping no more.
- Yeah, he's turning
out to be a fine healer.
- If I take him, win all the races
in the whole wide world.
- Maybe, maybe.
Now I likes him, but I still hates horses.
- Come on, Champion, let me see you go,
come on.
(horse neighs)
(soft uplifting classical music)
(soft uplifting classical music)
- You've got to make a decision.
- I'm not ready to make a decision.
- Why?
- Jeff, please don't argue.
- But Happy Dancer's
in excellent condition.
You've got to nominate him for the derby.
- I have other ideas.
- Would you mind letting your trainer
in on your ideas?
- I want Champion back.
- What?
- I never should of given
him away in the first place.
- But you did.
- That's right.
Legally the horse belongs to the boy.
- I know that but there
are ways around it.
You talk to Charlie.
Make him an offer.
- How much?
20, 30,000?
- Whatever it takes.
I want that horse back.
Now if you'll excuse me, Jeff,
you take over here.
Carol.
- Excuse me, I have to go.
- She'll never change.
- I'm sorry, Jeff.
I won't sell the horse.
- Think of the boys
education, think of yourself.
Its a lot of money.
- Its not the money, its the boy.
I can't take the horse away from the boy.
Thanks a lot for the offer.
- Goodnight, Charlie.
- I'll see you later.
- Juanito.
- Go away.
- The man is gone.
- You sold my horse to him,
you sold Champion.
- No, no.
You're wrong about that.
That's the third time
I've sent that man away.
Champion is your horse and yours to keep.
- Really?
- Really.
- You mean, you didn't sell him?
- No, I didn't sell him.
- Oh Charlie, I love
you, I love you, Charlie.
- Okay now, okay.
Okay, Juan.
No you go to sleep, huh?
- Okay.
(speaks Spanish) Charlie.
(speaks Spanish)
(soft classical music)
- You are a good father to my son.
I am grateful.
- Our son, Norma.
That horse certainly has made a difference
in that boys life.
- Gracias.
- Oh come on, Flash.
Let him loose.
Charlie said I could ride him.
- You ain’t no jockey yet,
now this the way you gonna learn.
Nice and easy.
- So Jeff came back to you
with another offer, huh?
- A big hunk of money
but I couldn't take it.
Ever since Juanito got that horse,
its been like Christmas for him.
He's the happiest little
fella in the whole wide world.
- I see what you mean.
(horn honks)
- Hey, look.
Its Jim.
- Charlie, how you doing you old buzzard,
it's good to see you.
- You son of a gun, this is a surprise.
- Jim.
- Hey, how you doing?
- Why didn't you tell us you were coming?
I missed you.
- Jim, Jim.
- Juanito (speaks Spanish)
- Hey, Jim.
- Hey, Flash.
Good to see you.
- You, too man.
- Good to see you.
- Look at my horse, Jim.
It's my own horse.
- Wow, he's a beauty.
What's his name?
- Champion, remember I told you
I was gonna name my horse Champion?
- Oh yeah.
- Royal Champion.
- That's a great name.
Royal Champion.
- Clarissa gave it to him.
- Did she really?
- That's not all.
- Well what else did that sweet lady do?
- She's restoring the old mansion.
- That's right, Jim.
- Well I'll be darned.
That lady has finally
put one over on herself.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- I'll see you all later, alright.
Is she at the house, do you know, Carol?
- Well come to mention it,
she had to go down to the old mansion
to see the architect this morning.
- Where you going?
- I'm going to see my aunt.
I got a little surprise for her.
- I've got the funny feeling
there's gonna be a couple people
in for a surprise.
- Now, the important thing is
that it be restored
exactly the way it looked
in the 1800s.
Now you notice those porticoes there,
they've obviously got a
facade of brick on them.
They were originally
wooden, round porticoes.
So, first of all the brick,
oh Jim, hello, what brings you home?
- Oh I just heard about
what was going on over here,
thought I'd come by and see for myself.
- Good, you're not angry?
- Why should I be angry?
I just couldn't wait to see your face
when I told you the latest news.
- Oh what?
- You're in for a big
disappointment, Clarissa.
- Why?
- Cause I don't own this
place anymore, I sold it.
- I know.
- You know?
- Well you sold it to,
Mr. Stone, didn't you?
- How'd you know that?
- Mr. Stone was acting as my agent,
he bought it for me.
The brick on the portico has to come off
because they were
originally wooden columns.
The windows have been
cut into larger sizes...
- I don't have anything
more to say to you ever.
- Well, I don't think she's
really like that, Jim.
I think she's just frustrated
and for some reason or other
she takes it out on you.
- Carol, she's angry
at me for being alive.
I'm alive and her son is dead,
its as simple as that.
- Oh you think that's it?
- Yes I do think that's it.
It makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
It doesn't make it any easier to handle.
Isn't that a gorgeous view?
- Oh its beautiful.
- Why don't we sit down.
- You know what?
You still haven't told
me why you came back.
- I came back to go to
the auction tomorrow.
I'm gonna take the money I got from
selling the old mansion
and buy myself a yearling.
I read that (mumbles) Farms
is putting up a brother to Bolder Warrior,
he's the best of the lot
and I'm gonna get it.
- I thought you didn't
like the horse business?
- Carol, what difference can that make?
Clarissa can buy and sell
horses and make a profit,
so can I.
Maybe I can do a better job.
- Is that the only reason you came back?
- No, that's not the
only reason I came back.
If I can get a horse
and get myself a stake
it would be better for us.
- Us?
- Yeah, us.
I couldn't ask you to marry
one of Clarissa's errand boys, could I?
Or anybody else's errand boy.
- You sure have a funny way of proposing.
- Nobody's perfect.
- I love you.
- Hey, what's happening little partner?
What's this?
Not bad, not bad.
What is it?
- Special food for Champion.
Got the recipe from one of my horse books.
Its supposed to make
Champion strong and healthy.
- I wonder what its gonna do for me.
- Hey, Flash you got any orange juice?
- Yeah right there in
the freezer, little man.
- Hey, guess what?
Good news.
There's going to be a wedding around here.
- Alright, don't tell me.
Jim and Carol, right?
(mumbling)
No, I knew it.
- Look, everything's not set yet, alright?
Plus, Jim's gonna go to
the auction tomorrow, right
and he wants to buy himself a horse
so he can race it and
then bred his own stable
so he'll have enough money
so he can get married.
- Why would Jim need any
money to get married?
- Well where's he gonna live with Carol?
Who's gonna pay the rent?
Who's gonna put food on their table?
You?
- Jim's aunt, Clarissa, has
all the money in the world.
Maybe she could give him some.
Maybe even give him a thoroughbred.
- Now look, you and I both know
that Jim and his aunt Clarissa
don't get along so good at all
and Jim's like you, he
wants to do his own thing,
you know what I mean?
Jim be madder than centipede
with sore feet
if he aunt messes in his business.
- Yeah, all his aunt Clarissa has to say
is that chair is white,
he'll go no it ain’t, its black.
- Now wait a minute, come over here.
Have a seat.
Let me ask you something,
did you ever hear the
story about what happened
to Clarissa's son when
he just a little boy?
- Yeah, Jim told me.
- Alright.
Now think bout this,
maybe the reason she's
always telling Jim what to do
is because she wants nothing
bad to happen to him?
Cause Jim's all she got left in the world.
- Hey Flash, do you think Champion's leg
is good enough to race yet?
- Champion.
I done seen a lot of horses in my day
and I swear to god, Champion
must be one of the fastest and strongest
I've ever seen.
- Alright, so the minute school's out,
start racing him all over the place.
Probably by then, we'll have enough money
to pay off the doc.
- Slow down, big shot.
Please slow down.
Now just because the horse won a race
don't mean he gonna win some money.
- 20, 30.
(auctioneer rapid rambling)
Here we go.
Sold, 75,000.
- Here he is, hip number 100.
A dark bare brown colt
from consignment from Maplerun Farm
by Majestic Prince,
Ala save time by War Admiral.
Majestic Prince, a classic winner
of over 414,000 dollars
and state winners Majestic Light,
Champion Moss Major Red,
(mumbling) and others.
From the family of leading sire Bull Lead.
A nice colt from Majestic Prince.
- Alright, here we go.
What's your pleasure?
(rapid rambling)
40,000.
50.
50,000.
I have 50,000.
Now 70.
70, that will be 100.
- 100.
- 100.
(rapid rambling)
- That's Jim bidding,
he told me he wants...
(shushes)
(rapid rambling)
- 15, thank you now, 16.
- 200.
- I get 200.
- Didn't you hear me,
you're bidding against Jim.
- I heard you and I know what I'm doing.
(rapid rambling)
- Where are you.
(rapid rambling)
Sold to Mrs. Clarissa Stewart, 200,000.
Thank you.
- Why did you do that?
- We'll discuss it later.
Thank you.
- Thank you, ma'am.
- You deliberately took
that horse away from Jim.
- Carol, lower your voice.
- I will not lower my voice.
I believed you.
I honestly thought you
were trying to help Jim.
I was wrong.
He needed that horse desperately
to get a new start
and you couldn't resist another chance
to dominate him.
- Listen, young lady.
I want Jim back in this
business just as much as you do.
Only with me on my farm
which is going to be his one day.
Till then, he can do it
my way or no way at all.
- You seem to think
your ways the only way.
Well I'm not gonna sit by
and watch you destroy him.
He's too good to be your errand boy.
I quit.
Get yourself another secretary.
(sighs)
- You're in a big hurry.
What's the matter?
- You in there?
- No, I just got here.
- Did it again, Charlie.
She took that horse away from me.
- Well now if its a horse you want.
- Don't talk to me about horses!
Get in, I'm gonna get plastered.
- I'll drink to that.
Champion is a good horse,
maybe even a great one.
You know, instead of laying out money
to buy a new horse with,
you can use it to pay for board, training
and track fees.
- How's his leg?
- Oh as good as new, believe me.
We could form some sort of a partnership.
Half the winnings go to you
and to the other half go to Juanito.
- Forget it, Charlie.
- Alright.
Have it your own way.
It might interest you to know
that your aunt wants to buy him back.
- She does, huh?
- Yes she does.
She knows a good horse when she sees one.
- Well that's one horse
she ain’t gonna get.
- It's a deal then, huh?
- You bet.
- And I know just the jockey.
- Who's that?
- The best.
(upbeat country music)
there he is.
How you doing, Eddie?
- Hey, sit down pal,
let me buy you a drink.
- This bum?
You got to be kidding me.
- Who you calling a bum?
- Ah sit down, kid.
I don't want to get hurt.
- Come on, Eddie,
you're coming with us.
- Where you taking me?
- We're gonna put you
back in the saddle again.
- Oh no, wait.
- Come on.
- Now wait a minute.
- Come on.
- Now wait a minute.
(tense fanfare)
- Come on you're doing it.
Move, come on.
(cheering)
- One 57, two.
- Alright.
- yeah.
- Oh my god, look who's here.
- Charlie, I'd like a word with you.
- Uh oh.
- Jim, he is really swift.
I mean man, if I turn him loose,
he will eat that track alive.
- Did he stay on the bit good, Eddie?
- Oh he was pulling me through the saddle.
- Ah terrific.
- You suppose I could
have one little drink now?
- Yes sir, some special service.
How about a good stiff shoot of Pepsi?
- You guys are all heart.
(laughing)
- So this is what you've
been doing behind my back.
- Well Jim is working out Juanito's horse.
I don't see any problem on
coming out here to watch.
- It looks very much
like a conspiracy to me.
You're fired.
- Just a minute now.
- That's it, pick up your check.
- Flash.
- Me?
- Yes, you.
- She must be really hot.
That's the first time she's
every called him Flash.
- I've never seen her this way.
- What was that all about?
- Imagine, after all these years,
she fired Charlie.
- Fired Charlie?
- Yeah.
- What she want with you?
- Oh she fired me, too.
- Well that's alright.
We're hitting the road, aren't we?
- Right on.
- From now, its Champion racing
all around the country.
- Yay!
- Charge!
- Charge!
(horse racing trumpet fanfare)
(horse neighs)
(bell rings)
(upbeat fanfare)
(soft classical music)
(cheering)
- Yeah, alright.
Yeah we won, we won.
Alright.
- I loves horses.
(cheering)
Yeah!
- Would you like some brandy, Rodger?
- No thank you.
- Jeff?
- I'd like some, thanks.
- Mitchell.
- Madam, there's a long
distance call for you.
- Oh thank you.
Would you bring the brandy please?
- Hello, Ms. Clarissa.
Hey, this is Flash.
- Oh yes.
- Look, I realize that we no longer
have a professional association
since you canned me and Charlie
but I thought I might call you
and tell you how well Champion's doing.
Yes ma'am, Jim is doing fine
but he only got two legs,
he ain’t the one winning races.
I thought I would ask you
that when we come back to Kentucky,
well you would tell Jim
what a great great job
that he did all by himself
if you get the drift of my meaning.
- Yes.
Thank you.
Call me from (mumbles).
Thank you.
Well, gentlemen, Champion just won
the Arlington Park Handicap.
- Fantastic.
- Marvelous.
- He's won six out of
his last eight starts
and placed in the other two.
I'll never forgive myself
for giving him away.
♪ Oh the sunshine shine ♪
♪ Bright in my old Kentucky home ♪
♪ The corn stalks bright ♪
♪ And the meadows in the moon ♪
♪ While the birds make music ♪
♪ All day ♪
(soft tense music)
- Alright, Charlie now what
about the facilities there?
Hold on a minute.
Come on, in.
Listen, when you get
through at Hollywood Park,
you may have to fly up to San Francisco
to check up bay.
Hold on.
- Have you seen, Juanito?
- He's asleep in your room, isn't he?
Yeah we found a barn
right across the street
from the motel.
(tense dramatic music)
Why don't you check the barn?
This will make the third night
Juanito's slept with that horse.
- You know kids and animals.
I'll go take a look.
- Yeah we think Juanito's
sleeping with the horse.
Yeah.
Alright now any other problems.
(tense dramatic music)
- Jim, Jim!
Get out here.
Come on, quick!
(tense dramatic music)
Juanito, wake up, you
got to get out of there.
- Oh my god!
Juanito!
Are you in there?
- Juanito, where are you?
(tense dramatic music)
- Juanito!
- Champion, Champion, are you alright?
Champion run, run as fast as you can!
(tense dramatic music)
- Horses got out the back.
- Juanito, where are you?
Look out!
Juanito.
(tense dramatic music)
Juanito!
- I need a hand here.
Give me a boost up, Jim.
- Jim, Eddie, up here.
- Juanito come.
Jump, Juanito.
Come on now, you can do it.
- Come on.
- Come on.
- We got you.
- Yeah we got you.
Are you alright?
Are you burned?
Okay.
You go check on Royal Champion.
If you ever sleep in that barn again
I'll break your neck, you hear that?
(horse racing fanfare)
- [Announcer] The horses
are on the track now
for the fifth race at one mile.
Number one is leatherneck,
number two, Sundance,
number three, Lucky lady,
number four, Periscope,
number five, Brave Warrior,
number six, Me and L,
seven is Royal Champion,
eight Misty Baby,
nine Double Trouble,
10 Disco Dancer,
11 Don Juan,
and number 12, Countdown.
The horses are at the gate.
(horse neighs)
they're all in the gate
now, the flag is up.
(bell rings)
There they go.
(crowd screaming)
Leatherneck in second, Sundance third,
Lucky Lady is fourth,
Royal Champion fifth,
Misty Baby is sixth, and Countdown.
Going into the first turn,
its Me and L in front with
three horses by a head.
Leatherneck in second
by three quarters of length,
Sundance third by a half.
Royal Champion sixth.
(crowd cheering)
down the back stretch,
its Me and L in front
by a length and a half,
Royal Champion in second by a half.
Periscope third on the outside by a neck.
Leatherneck is fourth and Sundance.
(crowd cheering)
Royal Champion between horses.
Its Me and L by a neck,
Royal Champion is second
and now taken the lead.
(crowd cheering)
Me and L in second and Countdown
and Royal Champion
about a length and half,
Me and L second.
(crowd cheering)
- I love me some horses.
(laughing)
I love it.
(soft classical music)
- No, no, no Juanito,
that's not the way you do it, man.
Get down, get your heels down,
you know what I'm saying?
Get your toes in baby,
stay on him like that.
You ain’t no cowboy.
- Man, I say Eddie do it, Flash.
- Not on no thoroughbred you didn't.
Now dig this.
You get low like this man.
- Listen man, you better.
- Just ride em like this.
- Hey Eddie, come here.
Eddie.
Tell him, isn't this the
right way of ridding, man?
- Well maybe if you're gonna
ride a broncing buck it is.
Those irons really look sloppy
and your feet are too far in.
You want to get your feet
back and your toes in.
Way.
Nice move, pal.
- I told you so, chump.
- Yeah yesterday, we were
riding down by the stable.
- Well Champ, you got
another win on your record
and you're entered in
the big one tomorrow.
Here.
Alright now, don't you fail, you hear?
Cause if you do, I ain’t gonna never
sweeten your taste buds again.
- Flash?
- Yeah?
- Where's Charlie?
- Oh he went to one of them
Cuban restaurants in town.
He and the kid had a
early dinner with Carol.
- Oh, here's your pay.
- Alright.
I'm gonna blow this on that beautiful
chick I met, yesterday.
- I'll be in the office, alright?
- Okay.
- Well, its bed time for you, Champ.
I got to get myself beautiful
for Brunilda tonight.
(laughing)
(upbeat dance music)
oh there's one right there.
- Alright.
- Now first, we'll eat and after that...
- After that, we'll go dancing.
- Yeah, well maybe you
can call that, baby.
Now, Brunilda you can anything you want
anything at all.
- Something from the bar?
- Do you want a drink?
- Yeah.
- Yeah make it bourbon, twice.
- Okay, thank you.
- Alright.
- Excuse me, I've got to powder my nose
in a hurry.
- Yeah, you better light your fuse.
(barks)
(soft jazzy dance music)
- [Man] Bets have been
made all around the country
in the past 48 hours.
We can really clean up.
This horse is a favorite.
The offer stands to lose a bundle.
- [Man] You already
tried to put in some kind
of tricks, didn't you?
- [Man] Just shut up and listen.
My (mumbles) our way,
got to stop that horse.
- How can we do that?
- Anything to stop him.
Maybe a little.
(soft jazzy music)
- My fuse is lit.
They don't call him Flash for nothing.
- Flash are you absolutely
sure about this?
- Jim, I'm sure I know what I heard.
Look here now, these are
the type of dudes, man
carry them guns and knives, man.
They must of been maybe four or...
- We better tell a track of fishes.
- Charlie, wait a minute now.
We're gonna look like absolute fools here
if turns out Flash...
- Jim, I tell you I heard them.
- Let's go to the stables.
- Alright.
(sighing)
- Atta boy, atta boy.
- Charlie, what do you think?
How's he look?
- Oh he looks fine.
Nobody's been messing with him.
- Well Flash, I guess it
was just a false alarm.
- No, Charlie I, look Jim,
I heard him, I heard him
and I was cold sober.
- Well tell you what,
we better hang around just in case.
- Let's go to the office
and fix some coffee.
- Alright.
(low tense music)
Wait a minute.
(mumbles)
- Come on.
Spread out.
(low tense music)
- Get over there.
Quiet.
(horse neighing)
Now get in there.
(horse neighs)
- Man, I'm not going in
there with that animal.
(tense dramatic music)
(grunting)
(tense dramatic music)
(horse neighs)
(grunts)
- Let me get him, Charlie.
Let me get him.
(screams)
(laughing)
- You guys alright?
- Yeah, you?
- Yeah, I'm alright.
- What happened, Charlie?
- There's one over there, one here,
and one down there.
(laughing)
- Alright.
- Every race he just
goes better and better,
doesn't he?
- I told you before and
I'll tell you again.
That thing is gonna win the derby.
- Now remember, Monday is the final day
for the entrance fee.
- It will be here.
Well we just won a pot
full of money, didn't we?
- Jim?
- Uh oh, here comes trouble.
- Are you alright?
- Yeah, I'm alright.
- Well they told me at the hotel
you were still out here.
Aren't you hurt?
- No I'm not hurt
now what are you doing here?
- Well wasn't there a fight?
- Who told you about that?
- How about you, Charlie, are you hurt?
- No, no I'm fine.
There was a fight but we won.
- Good.
- Will you answer my question?
What are you doing here?
- I am certainly proud
of the way you've all
been handling yourself and my horse.
- Your horse?
- As a matter of fact.
- that's our horse.
It belongs.
- I'm proud of everyone.
Juanito and Eddie.
Where's Flash?
- Right here, Ms. Clarissa.
Both physically and mentally.
- You lied to me, you
told me Jim was hurt.
- Well he did get knocked about a bit.
- Flash, what does she mean you told her?
- Well Jim its funny I...
- Flash has been checking
with me from time to time.
He told me you had nominated Champion
and when I checked you
hadn't paid the entry fee
I took care of it for us.
- You did?
- Oh Jim, Champion was my horse.
If he wins the derby,
it will be just like winning for me.
- You just can't stay out of my business,
can you?
- We all know Champion was
your horse to start with
but you gave up on him.
Now Champion's gonna come through.
You see, Ms. Clarissa,
when you make a real friend,
he never lets you down.
We're all from the same farm, right?
So its just like we're
all from one big family.
Everybody knows you love each other
how come you don't act like it?
(cheering)
- Aright, alright.
- Hey listen, you know that
we're gonna win the derby.
(overlapping cheering)
- Hold on, let's get
something straightened out.
- Champion's gonna win the race
wearing Ms. Clarissa colors
and I'll be wearing the owners badge,
then Charlie and Flash will
get their old jobs back.
- Alright.
(cheering)
- Thank you, Charlie.
- Alright.
(upbeat jazzy music)
- Champion looks as if
he's ready, we know that.
- I think we're home free.
- Pardon me, madam.
Mr. Charles is waiting in the study.
- Oh thank you, Mitchell.
Excuse me, please.
(humming)
(laughs)
- Ain't you pretty?
Where'd you get that outfit?
- Hey man, I've been promoted.
I'm not longer horses nurse maid.
I'm a horses assistant trainer.
(laughing)
(soft instrumental music)
- [Clarissa VOICEOVER] A
lame colt is a useless colt.
You want it, you can have it.
(soft instrumental music)
- [Kid VOICEOVER] Your
horse can't even run.
- [Flash VOICEOVER ] His leg will explode
into a million pieces.
- [Clarissa VOICEOVER] You want it,
you can have him.
- [Kid VOICEOVER] Your
horse is still a cripple!
You hear me?
He's a cripple.
A cripple.
- Here we are.
Hello, Charlie, thank you for coming.
- Hello Clarissa, thank you.
- Charlie, how you doing?
Nice to see you.
- Nice to see you.
- Charlie, how are you?
- Hello, ,Carol.
- I wanted to call us all together
so we can have one drink, the five of us.
- Thank you.
- thank you.
- First of all,
to Jim and Carol
have a very happy long life together.
- Thank you.
- I'll drink to that.
- And to your first hole.
- I'll drink to that.
And to our horse.
May he have a great day tomorrow.
- Right on.
- We'll win.
- Champion.
- A winner.
- Huh Champion?
Jim, Charlie, Flash, Eddie
they're all talking about how
you're gonna win tomorrow.
No matter what happens, I still love you.
You know?
It just might happen, Champion.
Just may be another horse faster than you.
You know, you'll still be my champion.
- Juanito, come on.
Were you here all night again?
Hey.
Its alright.
We're gonna win.
- It was a lovely party
last night, Clarissa.
- Oh, thank you, dear.
You know, while we're about it
we really should start talking
about plans for the wedding.
- Look, Carol and I really
haven't discussed it yet
but I think that...
- I think the engagement
party should be held...
- Now, wait a minute.
I think you ought to listen to Jim
because he's got something to say.
- Oh, were you saying something dear?
- I was trying to, yes.
Clarissa, its our wedding, not yours.
We'll decide how its gonna be.
Wes, what are you turning in here for?
(soft country classic music)
- Well, how do you like it?
- Oh its beautiful.
You've done a marvelous
job of restoring it.
- Wes, if we don't get moving,
we're gonna miss the derby.
- Its your wedding present,
with no strings and no interference.
(laughs)
- [Announcer] This 105th
running of the derby
is the fist jewel in the triple crown.
Its going to be a wide open race.
- I'm sorry boy, owners and trainers only
allowed back here with the horses.
- Know what, Flash.
I guess that's us.
- Uh, go right ahead, sir.
(upbeat energetic fanfare)
- [Announcer] And he's a
man who knows his way around
after bringing 10 horses
to run this derby.
Happy Dancer looks like
the horse to beat today.
Royal Champion is in the number two spot.
Champion has had a brilliant spring
but as you know, he has
had some leg troubles
some time back and we
wonder if he can take
the repeated punishment
of the kind of racing
he's been doing.
Is Champion strong enough for this race?
We'll see very soon.
Royal Champion has the youngest owner
of any of the horses running today,
that's 13 year old Juanito Hernandez.
The story of how Champion was given
to young Juanito by Mrs. Clarissa Stewart
a breeder well known to derby followers
as almost unbelievable.
Mrs. Stewart wanted to destroy the horse
who no one thought had
the makings of a winner.
No one but Juanito that is.
Number five, Hello Baby
is another top contender
with (mumbles), too.
This horse has stamina,
the kind of staying power
that makes a winner.
The oldest jockey ever to ride this derby
is Ken Barry on Hello Baby.
Ken is 57 years old
and I tell you,
he's seen some great derbies in his day.
Cloud of War of the top four,
the mystery horse is Run along,
he has won six of his last six starts
and we wonder,
can he keep this kind of speed?
He could be a come from behind horse,
a mystery winner.
The other seven making the
run for the roses today
all carry odds of 99 to one.
Their owners know the chance
of defeating those
powerful top four are small
but they hope to finish the race
with a respectable time.
The fastest the derby has even been run
was by Secretariat in one
minute 59 point two seconds.
Across the nation and throughout the world
people everywhere are waiting
to hear about today's race.
Who will win it, how fast
and who will add his name...
- [Announcer] Horses are on the track now
for the derby at one mile and one quarter.
The track is fast.
Number one is Happy Dancer.
Number two, Bold Warrior
number three, Royal Champion,
number four, If Ida,
number five is Hello Baby,
winners choice is number six
Helen's Void,
number seven
number eight is Archduke,
number nine Run Along,
number 10 President,
11 is Mark's Kid
and number 12, Melon.
Now the horses are at the gate.
Flag is out.
(upbeat fanfare)
and there they go!
(cheering)
Royal Champion, going to
the front of Winner's Choice
is second, Hello Baby,
third (crowd cheering).
Around the first bend
and its Royal Champion
in front by a half lane.
(heart beating)
(announcer drowned out by heartbeat)
(crowd cheering)
Now its Run Along in front.
(heart beating)
(crowd cheering)
Run Along.
Hello Baby is fourth.
Bold Warrior.
End of the stretch, its
Royal Champion in front.
Right two lanes.
(heart beating)
(crowd cheering)
Coming up now, its Hello Baby.
Royal Champion, Happy
Dancer and Hello Baby.
Here comes Happy Dancer on the outside.
Royal Champion and Happy Dancer
and Royal Champion quarter by a half lane.
Happy Dancer is second with Ellen's Baby.
(cheers)
(upbeat fanfare)
Number three Royal Champion was first,
number one Happy Dancer second,
number five, Hello Baby third.
Time at the race, two minutes.
- Let's go down to the winner's circle.
Come on.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] And in the winner's circle
is Royal Champion with jockey Eddie Jones
and the blanket of roses.
(upbeat fanfare)
- How do you feel?
Do you feel like a champ?
- That was close.
- Close?
- Yeah.
- Makes you feel good you're a champ.
- Yeah.
- [Announcer] Mrs. Clarissa Stewart
at Stewart Farms
is accepting the trophy
for Royal Champion's
youth owner, Juanito Hernandez.
(upbeat fanfare)
- Excuse me, excuse me?
- Who me?
- You are the owner of
Royal Champion, aren't you?
- Yeah.
- Well you're the one we want to talk to.
Alright, Danny.
Hello, this Bob Travers at the derby.
With me is Juanito Hernandez
owner of Royal Champion
who ran for the blanket of roses today
and is now wearing it proudly.
Now this is a triumph for a horse
who was born with a crippled leg
and who made it all the way to the top
on sheer guts and hearts.
- What can I say, Champion
was the fastest horse.
- Yes, he sure was.
Now tell our television audience
what you did for Royal Champion
to make him a winner.
- Well, I believed in him.
I've always believed in him.
Champion knew it.
- I see, that's very interesting.
Now what's next for this
magnificent thoroughbred?
- Champions not gonna run anymore races
if that's what you mean.
- Well that's exactly what I mean.
Now the rest of the
triple crown lies ahead.
Your horse can take the Preakness
at Belmont Stakes and carry you
on to even greater glory.
- Why people like horses only when
they do things for them?
I mean I like Champion
because he's my horse
and he's my friend.
Now he's not gonna race anymore.
I think he's had a enough.
- But there's a lot of money to be made.
- Well Champion doesn't
care about the money
and plus, we have enough
for what we needed.
See, my horse has gone
through a lot, mister.
He had a big operation,
and he almost got killed in a fire.
Look, now he's just won the
biggest race of them all
and I think that's enough, don't you?
- He can still make
millions if you let him run.
- Well, look I want Champion to be happy
and I think he's happy he's won now.
Now, he's just gonna have some fun.
- Now surely you must be joking.
A horse of Royal Champion's talents
just can't be left alone to relax and eat
and play with you.
- Why not?
(horse neighs)
- Thank you, thank you very much.
♪ Never was to much on making even ♪
♪ And loves a thing I
never could pretend ♪
♪ I'm glad of simple pleasures ♪
♪ Don't need no fancy treasures ♪
♪ Cause its enough ♪
♪ To just knowing I've got friends ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And that is just about
as good as life can be ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And they can count on knowing ♪
♪ that they've all got me ♪
♪ There is nothing like the feeling ♪
♪ When day comes to an end ♪
♪ Smiling to yourself ♪
♪ As you fall asleep ♪
♪ As you pray the lord your soul to keep ♪
♪ There's nothing quite like ♪
♪ Just knowing that you've got friends ♪
♪ And I've got friends ♪
♪ Well I know that there's someone ♪
♪ Who really needs me ♪
♪ I do my best to show em how I care ♪
♪ Cause I can't help but knowing ♪
♪ What keeps this whole world going ♪
♪ Is people needing people everywhere ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And that is just about
as good as life can be ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And they can count on knowing
that they've all got me ♪
♪ There is nothing like the feeling ♪
♪ When a day comes to an end ♪
♪ Of smiling to yourself ♪
♪ As you fall asleep ♪
♪ As you pray the lord your soul to keep ♪
♪ Nothing quite like just
knowing that you've got friends ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ The morning comes to wake me ♪
♪ With its sunshine ♪
♪ The smell of breakfast
cooking in the air ♪
♪ Outside the day is humming ♪
♪ Look out world ♪
♪ I'm coming ♪
♪ Cause I've got lots to do ♪
♪ No time to spare ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ Just about as life can be ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And they count knowing ♪
♪ They've all got me ♪
♪ There is nothing like the feeling ♪
♪ When a day comes to an end ♪
♪ A smiling to yourself ♪
♪ As you fall asleep ♪
♪ As you pray the lord ♪
♪ Your soul to keep ♪
♪ There's nothing quite like ♪
♪ Just knowing that you got friends ♪
♪ And I've got friends ♪
♪ I never was too much ♪
♪ On making even ♪
♪ And loves a thing ♪
♪ I never could pretend ♪
♪ I'm glad of simple pleasures ♪
♪ Don't need no fancy treasures ♪
♪ Cause its enough just knowing ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And I've got friends ♪
♪ And that is just about ♪
♪ As good as life can be ♪
♪ I've got friends and they count ♪
♪ Knowing that they've all got me ♪
♪ There is nothing like the feeling ♪
♪ When a day comes to an end ♪
♪ A smiling to yourself ♪
♪ As you fall asleep ♪
♪ As you pray the lord your soul to keep ♪
♪ Nothing quite like just
knowing that you've got friends ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
(horse neighs)
- [Girl] Juanito, you're
gonna get in trouble
if you play hooky again.
- [Kid] Yeah, Ms. Palmer
says that you're not sick
you're just skipping school.
You'll be sorry.
- [Boy] He's gonna be a dummy.
(soft classical music)
- Here boy, come here.
Got something for you.
Come here.
There you go.
Come here, boy.
Yeah.
Come on.
Yeah, that a boy.
Come here.
Sure would like to ride you a little.
Now I'm a jockey.
Well not exactly a
jockey yet but I will be.
Hey boy, come on.
Good huh?
You know, all horses like sugars.
Except my friend, Flash, told me
he once knew a horse who
wouldn't even touch it
and they called him Sugar.
I wonder what your name is.
I want to be a jockey.
That's gonna be good.
Alright.
You know, I haven't really learned
how to ride fast yet.
So we got to take it easy.
Its coming, whoa.
Whoa.
(grunting)
hey hold it.
Whoa.
- [Man] Damn it
what the hell you think you doing?
Hey boy, stop that horse.
- [Juanito] Hey, slow down.
- [Man] Whoa, pull on the reigns,
pull on the reigns.
Whoa!
You alright, boy?
- Yeah, got me real good, sir.
- You okay?
- Yeah, thanks a lot
- I'm gonna mix you up the corn
and feed you to the hawks, boy.
You ought to know better
than fooling around
with a horse like that.
You know how much that
Thoroughbred's worth?
Half a million dollars
and you're out there joy
riding it, having a good time.
What if he would of hurt himself?
You got a half a million dollars, boy?
- No.
- I didn't think so.
You get out of here and don't come back.
- Look, mister, I won't even
look at your horses anymore.
- Well if I tell your father,
I know you won't be.
Now you just get out of here.
(soft classical music)
(doorbell rings)
- Good afternoon, sir.
- Hello, Mitchell.
- The mistress is expecting you.
- I'll be waiting for her in the study.
- Yes.
You know you Kentuckians
get about as fired up
over a horse race as we Californians do
over the Rose Bowl.
- That's right.
- Pardon me, madam.
Mr. Eaton is here in the study.
- Oh thank you, Mitchell.
Would you please get my
secretary and my nephew?
I'm sorry, gentlemen.
I have to leave you for a minutes.
Please, Jeff, take care of them.
- Alright.
- Since you're the trainer
of Mrs. Stewart's horses,
how do you feel about Battle Cry?
- I'm sorry to impose
you in this way, Rodger.
This shouldn't take long
then we can go back to the party.
Oh, Jim, Carol would you please come here
for a moment?
- Jim, Clarissa would like to
buy your share of the farm.
- Rodger, my dad gave me that farm
and I'm really not
interested in selling it.
- Well I have prepared some papers.
Would you like to read them over?
- I believe I said I don't want to sell.
- You have the place
mortgaged to the Hills
and you have no money.
- What I do with my land
and my life is my business,
not yours.
- What you do with our
family's land is my business.
You don't want to sell it to me
I can have George at the bank foreclose
and I'll buy it from them.
- You don't really give
me much choice, do you?
Alright, you've got it.
Let me say that I'll be glad
to get out from underneath your thumb.
- Well, I've never known
you to be a quitter.
- Well I think its about
time that somebody quit.
Everybody around here always does
what Clarissa says.
Well not me.
- Somebody has to be in charge.
It happens to be me.
If you can handle that,
you're welcome to stay.
If you can't.
- You know if I stayed here
I would be an errand boy for
you for the rest of my life
and that's something I
just can't live with.
Wait a minute.
I agreed to sell my broodmare
and my share of the farm
but I didn't say anything
about the old mansion.
- But its crumbling.
I could have it restored.
- Let it rot.
That's one place you
can't take away from me.
- What about the one
acre with the cottage?
- Rodger, I don't want to
sell that place either.
Charlie and his family live there.
- Charlie is my manager.
I'd like to keep that as part of my farm.
- I'm giving that house to Charlie.
I think I owe him at least that much
and I think you know why.
Thank you, Rodger.
- Carol, I'll need your
signature as a witness on this.
- Hi, Flash, where you headed?
- Over to Charlies.
- Well come on, get in.
- Hey thanks man, thanks.
Say Jim, saw that mare of yours.
Looks like she's about
ready to throw that foal.
- She's not my mare anymore, Flash.
I sold her.
- Oops.
Hey, hey.
You made me sit on my dice, man.
Look here, me and my
cousin was playing craps
over at uh...
- Bob's place?
- Yeah, Bob's place.
Man he would make a clean sweep.
Gonna have enough money now
to bet on the Derby tomorrow.
- I thought you told me
you hated horses, Flash?
- Oh I hates em but bets em.
- Who you betting on?
- Battle Cry, on the nose, baby.
Charge!
Alright.
- Flash.
- Hey.
- Just in time for dinner.
- That's just what I was figuring.
- Well hello, Jim.
- How you doing, Charlie?
- Come on in.
Party over so soon?
- Not soon enough.
(speaking Spanish)
Hi, Lola.
- Sit down, Jim.
- Not really very hungry.
- Oh just a little bit of a nibble.
- What you doing, Flash?
- Permeating my nostrils with the smell
of that good rabbit stew.
- Okay, you sit at the table.
- Gracias.
- Want some wine?
- Fine.
- What's the trouble, Jim?
- I'm getting out of town, Charlie.
- Yeah I figured that would
happen sooner or later.
(speaking Spanish.
- Right on.
Hey wait a minute, what she mean by that?
- She wants to fatten you up.
- Oh well that suits me fine.
- Where's Juanito?
Is he eating.
- He's out back, working
off some punishment.
- Punishment for what?
- He stayed away from school again, today.
- Twice this week.
- Charlies a little too rough on the boy.
- Ah what do you mean rough?
- Boy, what a rat.
He had to tell Charlie.
Charlie could sure yell
a lot when he's mad.
For a minute there, I'd thought he'd make
me stay home from the derby tomorrow.
Boy was he mad.
Who does he think I am anyway?
A slave?
He gets to eat dinner while
I have to chop the dumb wood.
Bet that's why they keep me around here.
I'm a good slave.
(phone ringing)
- I'll get it.
- More, Flash?
- Look here, if I didn't
like it, I'd say no.
- So you say yes?
- I say yes yes yes.
- I'll be right there.
Clarissa wants to see me in private.
- Charlie?
- I got to hop to it.
You stay, Jim.
- No, I really have to be going.
I have some packing I have to do.
I just stopped by to give you this.
- What's that for?
- I want to settle my debts.
The deed to the house.
(speaking Spanish)
- Jim, I don't know what to say.
- Then don't say anything, Charlie.
You better hop to it.
Don't want to keep Clarissa waiting.
- Wait a minute, now wait a minute.
We've got to have a toast.
Alright, to Charlie
and you're good fortune
and to Jim, the man of the hour
and to Battle Cry.
I hope you don't take no shower.
To Battle Cry.
- Gold stinks.
Everything around here stinks.
I'll run away.
Then they'll be sorry.
They'll miss me but who cares.
I won't miss them.
(soft classical music)
- Hi, Juanito.
Well you may not be tired but I sure am.
Come on in and sit down.
- I'm running away from home.
- Me, too.
- Want to take me with you?
- I sure wish I could, Juanito
but you know Charlie and your mother
would be awfully mad at me if I did.
They love you and they miss you.
- Mom would but Charlie,
he don't miss nobody.
All the time he tells me what to do.
- You know something, I think
you have Charlie all wrong.
You want to know what kind
of man Charlie really is?
When I was about your age,
my cousin and I...
- Cousin?
How come I've never seen him around.
- Because he's dead, Juanito.
He was Clarissa's son.
He and I were about the same age
and we played together all the time.
He was about the only playmate I had.
One day, he and I were pretending
that we were jockeys.
- Just like I want to be when I grow up.
- Yeah, just like that.
Why we snuck out to the paddock,
we climbed on the back of one
of Clarissa's thoroughbreds.
Now as you know, a thoroughbred
is a very temperamental horse
and only the very best
jockeys can ride them.
Well that horse bolted.
We hung on for dear life.
That horse ran and ran and ran.
(horse neighing)
(tense trumpet music)
(tense classical music)
Charlie pulled us both out of the water.
My cousin hit his head
on a rock and he died
but I made it.
So you see, I owe Charlie my life.
He's a hero
he's only trying to do what he thinks
is best for you.
- Well why do I have to go school then?
- You have to go to
school to learn what to do
when you grow up.
- I know what to do when I grow up.
I'm gonna become a jockey
and have my own horse and everything.
Call him Champion.
- One day, if you go back
to school and you study
real real hard, the good
lord will send you a horse.
- Is that for sure?
- That's for sure.
I was just saying goodbye
to Juanito, Charlie.
- I'm heading back home.
Want to come along, son?
- Like Jim said, father.
Just saying goodbye to each other.
See ya, Jim.
- So long, partner.
- I'll see you later, Jim.
- Charlie?
Hey Charlie?
- Yeah?
- Charlie.
Zemaya, she's rolling and
kicking all over the barn.
- Come on, let's go.
- Okay.
- Is she gonna foal?
- Look, that's about what it is.
Now I've been everything else
but charlie, I ain’t never been no vet.
- I'm going, too.
Hey wait for me.
- [Woman] Juanito.
(speaking Spanish)
- Come on, come on.
Go.
- Thank you for dinner, Clarissa.
- You're welcome, Jeff.
- Sleep well.
- Yes I will.
- Goodnight, Jeff.
- Jeff.
- What?
- Ms. Clarissa, wait.
- What is it?
- Its Zemaya, she's foaling.
Well, Charlie sent me over
because the phone in the barn
is dead and he ain’t no vet
and he don't think he can handle it.
- I'll call doctor.
- Carol, get the car.
I want you to drive me to the barn.
I'll get the coats.
(neighs)
- That's it, baby.
Come on.
(neighing)
yeah.
Nice and easy now.
Just give it a little bit more.
(grunts)
Come on.
Oh that's a beauty, honey.
Oh yeah.
Huh?
Yeah.
Okay.
(soft classical music)
- Hi, Charlie.
- Hi, Doc.
- Charlie, it looks like
you've done everything right.
- It was easy.
It wasn't my first.
(neighs)
- What is it?
- Its a colt.
- Good.
Everything alright?
- Not exactly, Clarissa.
Charlie did a fine job foaling the mare.
Colt has a broken leg
and has (mumbles) of the knee.
- Oh god.
- Well can it be corrected by surgery?
- Sure it can.
Depends on how the operation turns out
whether you have a
stallion or a racehorse.
- I don't need a stallion,
I need a derby winner.
- But Clarissa, there is a chance...
- A lame colt is a useless colt, Carol.
- He's not useless, he's beautiful.
- You want him?
You can have him?
- Me?
(speaking Spanish)
Yes?
- Yes, for you.
- Clarissa, you can't give him away.
- Of course I can.
He's all yours, Juanito.
Come on Carol, drive me home.
(speaking Spanish)
- Charlie, my own horse.
Look.
I'll name you champion.
Royal Champion.
- He'll be lame.
You heard what the doc said.
- I don't care, I love him.
I'm so happy, Charlie, I'm so happy.
It's my own horse.
- He's yours
he's yours.
Oh yeah.
- Flash, Flash!
- Oh Juanito, my head, man.
- Come on, man.
(mumbles) we'll be late.
- Will you cool man?
Just play it cool.
The way you acting today,
you ain’t gonna need no car
to take you to no derby,
you could fly over there.
- Come on, Charlie already left
and the traffic's piling up.
We're gonna be the last ones there, man.
Hey, Flash?
- Uh huh?
- I got two silver
dollars from my aunt Rosa
for my birthday.
- Good for you.
- And I know they don't let kids bet
could you bet for me?
- Now just a minute.
What makes you think
that I'm gonna put my
money on this horse race?
Okay I'm gonna put my
money on the horse race.
(laughing)
okay, of course I'll make
a little gentlemen bet
for you and me.
Horse named Battle Cry comes in,
we'll be in fat city.
- Alright.
- Come on, let's go, partner.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
the horses are in the paddock now
being saddled for the
seventh race for derby
and they will reach the
gate in about 16 minutes.
(upbeat fanfare)
- I don't know, Flash.
How are we gonna get to see Battle Cry?
- Easy man, easy
all we got to do is act like we somebody
that way they don't have
to ask us no questions,
we don't have to give them no answers.
Come on.
- Alright.
(whistling)
- Sorry, owners and trainers only
allowed beyond this point.
- I just wanted to see
my friends horse, sir.
- You can see the horses from your seats
in the stands just like anybody else.
- Now, just one minute, officer.
The little boy didn't mean any harm.
- Owners and trainers only.
- Come on.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] Looks ready to us.
But this is a contest of speed not beauty.
The odds of changing on
number two Dark Prince
pioneer horse, was put at
seven to one this morning,
the odds have now dropped to 20 to one.
Dark Prince's trainer, Bart Shaker,
knows his horse is up against
very very tough competition.
Lucky number seven, Bright Victory,
is a Massachusetts horse
that's been wintering in Florida.
He's handled by the
experienced Harry Barter.
A trainer who's brought 15 thoroughbreds
to the derby in his great career.
Marcus' Bright Victory
will run for that blanket
of rope today.
- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
the next race brewing the derby
may we urge that you make your wagers
as early as possible.
- [Announcer] King of thoroughbred racing
it is this year.
Besides the top two,
we're also going to be watching out
for number eight today, Wolfish Coal
from Carter Farms.
A name that's been favorite
as long as there's been a derby.
- [Announcer] Repeating,
in the seventh race
there are no changes.
(upbeat fanfare)
Third generation trainer
who brings only the best to run the derby.
That's what we have here today, the best.
All running with everything they've got
at speeds up to 40 miles an hour.
We know how nervous the owners are now.
- One for you, four for me.
(laughing)
Battle Cry!
- [Announcer] The riders in today's race
are the top men in their profession.
Some of them have won the derby before.
Some will keep on trying.
Because to win the roses
is to win the...
- [Announcer] The horses
are coming on the track
for the derby.
At one mile and one
quarter on the main track.
- [Announcer] Favorite Battle Cry
from the well Stewart
ranch looks ready to us.
- [Announcer] Number one is Tinkerbell.
Number two, Dark Prince.
Number three, Momma's Girl.
Number four, Rocket Square.
Number five, Easy Rider.
Number six, Thunder Echo.
Number seven...
- Is everything alright?
- It's out of our hands.
Its all up to Battle Cry now.
- [Announcer] Number nine, Amber Waves.
Number 10, Clara's Bell
and number 11, Battle Cry.
They will reach the starting gate.
- I can see him, I can see him, look.
He's over there.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] The favorite, Battle Cry
from the well known Stewart Ranch
looks ready to us
but this is a contest of speed not beauty.
The odds are changing on
number two, Dark Prince,
a fine young horse that was seven to one,
the odds have now dropped to 20 to one.
Dark Prince's trainer, Bart Shaker
knows his horse is up against
very very tough competition.
The riders in today's race are the top men
in their profession.
Some of them have won the derby before.
Some will keep on...
- [Announcer] The horses are
on the track now for the derby.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] The post
positions for the one
and one quarter mile derby.
- [Announcer] They are
entering the starter date.
- You know, if I win I'm
taking everybody to dinner.
- Alright.
- Even me, right?
- Yeah.
- [Announcer] The flag
is up and there they go.
Momma's girl is going to the front.
Thunder Echo is second,
Easy Rider is third
and Rocket Square, Bright Victory
and Battle Cry.
Around the first turn,
it's Momma's girl in front
by and half.
Thunder Echo is second by one lane.
Easy Rider in third.
Rocket Square in fourth.
Bright Victory, Battle Cry
and Wolfish Call down the back stretch.
It's Momma's girl in front,
Battle Cry in second
and now taking the lead on the outside.
Now its Battle Cry in front
by a length and a half.
Momma's Girl is second by a half,
Dark Prince third on the rail.
Rocket's Girl is fourth and Wolfish Call
is closing much ground.
Turning for home, its Battle
Cry in front by a leg.
Momma's Girl is second by a half lane.
Dark Prince third on the inside.
And here comes Wolfish Call
in the middle of the tracks.
In the stretch and Battle
Cry flies by one lane.
(crowd shouting)
(overlapping uproar)
By a neck.
Battle Cry in second with
Dark Prince finishing third.
- Bad luck.
- He was right in there, Clarissa.
- I can't believe it.
- Believe it.
It happens every year.
- [Announcer] The result,
number eight, Wolfish Call
was first, number 11 Battle Cry.
- That's alright, my boy.
- I'm bankrupt, man.
- There's always another year, Flash.
- Never never again.
I hate horses, I tell you.
I hate them.
- I know it hurts, Champion
but you just have to keep trying.
All the days we've been out here
working on your leg to make it stronger.
All the time we've put in
and all the pain you felt before.
That's all down the
drain if you stop trying.
I won't let you give up.
We're gonna walk nice
and slow everyday, okay?
- Say, Juanito.
I'm going to your house for dinner, man.
You coming?
- No, I want to work with
Champion a little more.
- Juanito, you've got to eat.
I mean you've been out here all afternoon.
Now son, how you gonna
grow up if you don't eat?
- I don't have to grow.
I'm gonna be a jockey, remember?
- Uh huh, you told me you
was gonna be a vet instead.
- So?
I'll be a short vet.
- Okay, okay I'm going up to the house
but you make sure you come home soon
else you're gonna make your momma mad.
- Okay.
(soft country classical music)
- You know, my mother told me
I didn't start walking till I was one.
- Juanito still hasn't
given up on that colt.
He should be put away.
- Well I would but its the only way
I can keep Juanito in school
and up on his studies.
No grades, no horse.
- You walk awful slow, Juanito.
Maybe you could move a little
faster if you had a horse.
- I have my own horse, Rusty.
You don't know anything.
- I know a lame horse when I see one.
What's his name?
Gimpy?
- No, his name is Royal Champion.
He's gonna be a racer
when he's old enough.
- You haven't got any racing horse.
All you have is a no
good lame, gimpy colt.
Can't even ride your dumb horse.
- I can, too.
- Like this?
- You know, Flash.
There are operations
they can do on a horse
born with a crooked knee
so he can run faster.
- Oh yeah, sure sure.
Now there are operations
they can do on my nose
and I'll come out looking
just like Donny Osmond.
Oh, Juanito, I'm trying
to say an operations
a different thing.
- I know but the operation works
then Champion wouldn't
have to limp anymore.
- Yeah, maybe they got to put him down.
- No way, Flash.
Nobody's gonna kill my horse.
- Look, Juanito, look here.
You see my leg here?
My leg holds me up
the same way Champion's legs holds him up
and my leg ain’t much fatter.
One big difference, just one,
he must weigh, he must
weigh 10 times as much.
Now if Champion is not strong enough
when he puts that 1,000
pounds of pressure on it,
man it just ain’t gonna break,
you gonna hear me?
It is gonna explode into a million pieces
and may never heal back together again.
That could kill him.
- Oh.
I don't know, Flash.
I never had to think about
something this important before.
If the operation would work, maybe.
- Maybe, maybe not.
Look here, son.
Champion's your horse, right?
Now if you want him to have an operation,
Charlie will talk to the doc.
- Yeah.
I'll think about it.
- Here.
(whistling)
- I made it, Champion.
Yeah, they were watching TV.
I don't think they heard me.
You know, why would I
want to sleep in my room
all by myself?
When I can be here with you.
I don't want you to get lonesome.
Yeah, you'll get used to sleeping alone.
Yeah.
Okay, goodnight, Champ.
- How's that fast racing horse of yours?
- He's okay.
- Is he gonna be in the
Kentucky Derby this year?
- No, he's too young.
- You hear that?
Juanito's lame horse
isn't gonna be in the derby
because he's too young.
Your horse can't even run.
- Why don't you shut up, Russel.
- Why don't you make me?
(grunting)
- Oh my god.
- Juanito, get him.
Get him good.
- Stop it, you're gonna hurt him.
(grunting)
- Your horse is still a cripple.
You hear me?
He's a cripple.
A cripple!
- Look, does an operation
cost a lot of money?
- Yeah, an operation costs
a wheelbarrow full of money.
- Well if I work everyday after school
for about, say five years,
I'd probably have enough saved by then.
Or not, plus Champion
will be too old to race.
- Alright, now wait a minute.
I asked the doc about it
and the doc said that we
could owe him for the cost
of the operation.
- Alright!
(laughing)
- Now, if Champion runs
and wins some races and a lot of money,
then we can get the docs on.
Now, all he needs is just a couple hundred
to start and he'll do the operation.
- Work five afternoons, boy.
So here's you pay.
- Thanks, see you Monday.
(people shouting)
(cheering)
- Alright, I'll cover that.
(overlapping shouting)
- Here we go.
10.
This hand.
Come on.
11.
Do it, got my money.
Somebody, you want that?
Yeah, that's yours.
(overlapping shouting)
Okay I get five more.
Alright, five more.
(overlapping shouting)
Alright.
(cheering)
I got it, I need it.
(laughing)
- Did you win a lot, Flash?
- Oh my man, enough, just enough.
But you see right here
represents one fine operation
for one fine horse!
- Alright.
You mean it?
- Mean it?
Yeah I mean it.
What with you got, and what I got,
we kick it in, baby we
gonna go over the top.
- Alright.
Yeah.
(humming race fanfare)
(soft instrumental music)
Champion.
Tomorrows the operation
but you don't have to worry,
doc is really good at doing em.
He does them all the time.
You know I bet he could operate
on your leg with one hand
tied behind his back.
You don't have to worry,
I'll be there with you.
See, Champion, you were born
to be a racer.
Your daddy came in second in the derby
and your granddaddy was just as fast.
Your momma was a winner, too.
You see, Champion, its in your blood.
Once you start running,
you'll show them all.
I know you have a lot of
important things to do
but Champion's only one little horse.
Shouldn't be hard for you.
Enough to run like the other horses.
Please help Champion get better.
Thank you.
- Charlie, this is the part of the knee
we're gonna have to operate on.
In order to straighten the crooked leg.
We'll put a staple right in here.
After the operation,
the knee should look like this
with the staple in it.
Within about 30 or 40 days,
we ought to be able to take the staple out
and I hope we have a straight leg.
(soft instrumental music)
- About down there.
Easy, boy.
Easy, easy.
(soft somber music)
- There he goes.
(low tense music)
(soft instrumental music)
Scalpel.
Suture.
Sponge.
(low instrumental music)
Very shortly, he'll be
running faster than you.
- Gracias, mister vet,
gracias for fixing my horse.
- Certainly.
(uplifting classical music)
- Well, limpy ain’t limping no more.
- Yeah, he's turning
out to be a fine healer.
- If I take him, win all the races
in the whole wide world.
- Maybe, maybe.
Now I likes him, but I still hates horses.
- Come on, Champion, let me see you go,
come on.
(horse neighs)
(soft uplifting classical music)
(soft uplifting classical music)
- You've got to make a decision.
- I'm not ready to make a decision.
- Why?
- Jeff, please don't argue.
- But Happy Dancer's
in excellent condition.
You've got to nominate him for the derby.
- I have other ideas.
- Would you mind letting your trainer
in on your ideas?
- I want Champion back.
- What?
- I never should of given
him away in the first place.
- But you did.
- That's right.
Legally the horse belongs to the boy.
- I know that but there
are ways around it.
You talk to Charlie.
Make him an offer.
- How much?
20, 30,000?
- Whatever it takes.
I want that horse back.
Now if you'll excuse me, Jeff,
you take over here.
Carol.
- Excuse me, I have to go.
- She'll never change.
- I'm sorry, Jeff.
I won't sell the horse.
- Think of the boys
education, think of yourself.
Its a lot of money.
- Its not the money, its the boy.
I can't take the horse away from the boy.
Thanks a lot for the offer.
- Goodnight, Charlie.
- I'll see you later.
- Juanito.
- Go away.
- The man is gone.
- You sold my horse to him,
you sold Champion.
- No, no.
You're wrong about that.
That's the third time
I've sent that man away.
Champion is your horse and yours to keep.
- Really?
- Really.
- You mean, you didn't sell him?
- No, I didn't sell him.
- Oh Charlie, I love
you, I love you, Charlie.
- Okay now, okay.
Okay, Juan.
No you go to sleep, huh?
- Okay.
(speaks Spanish) Charlie.
(speaks Spanish)
(soft classical music)
- You are a good father to my son.
I am grateful.
- Our son, Norma.
That horse certainly has made a difference
in that boys life.
- Gracias.
- Oh come on, Flash.
Let him loose.
Charlie said I could ride him.
- You ain’t no jockey yet,
now this the way you gonna learn.
Nice and easy.
- So Jeff came back to you
with another offer, huh?
- A big hunk of money
but I couldn't take it.
Ever since Juanito got that horse,
its been like Christmas for him.
He's the happiest little
fella in the whole wide world.
- I see what you mean.
(horn honks)
- Hey, look.
Its Jim.
- Charlie, how you doing you old buzzard,
it's good to see you.
- You son of a gun, this is a surprise.
- Jim.
- Hey, how you doing?
- Why didn't you tell us you were coming?
I missed you.
- Jim, Jim.
- Juanito (speaks Spanish)
- Hey, Jim.
- Hey, Flash.
Good to see you.
- You, too man.
- Good to see you.
- Look at my horse, Jim.
It's my own horse.
- Wow, he's a beauty.
What's his name?
- Champion, remember I told you
I was gonna name my horse Champion?
- Oh yeah.
- Royal Champion.
- That's a great name.
Royal Champion.
- Clarissa gave it to him.
- Did she really?
- That's not all.
- Well what else did that sweet lady do?
- She's restoring the old mansion.
- That's right, Jim.
- Well I'll be darned.
That lady has finally
put one over on herself.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- I'll see you all later, alright.
Is she at the house, do you know, Carol?
- Well come to mention it,
she had to go down to the old mansion
to see the architect this morning.
- Where you going?
- I'm going to see my aunt.
I got a little surprise for her.
- I've got the funny feeling
there's gonna be a couple people
in for a surprise.
- Now, the important thing is
that it be restored
exactly the way it looked
in the 1800s.
Now you notice those porticoes there,
they've obviously got a
facade of brick on them.
They were originally
wooden, round porticoes.
So, first of all the brick,
oh Jim, hello, what brings you home?
- Oh I just heard about
what was going on over here,
thought I'd come by and see for myself.
- Good, you're not angry?
- Why should I be angry?
I just couldn't wait to see your face
when I told you the latest news.
- Oh what?
- You're in for a big
disappointment, Clarissa.
- Why?
- Cause I don't own this
place anymore, I sold it.
- I know.
- You know?
- Well you sold it to,
Mr. Stone, didn't you?
- How'd you know that?
- Mr. Stone was acting as my agent,
he bought it for me.
The brick on the portico has to come off
because they were
originally wooden columns.
The windows have been
cut into larger sizes...
- I don't have anything
more to say to you ever.
- Well, I don't think she's
really like that, Jim.
I think she's just frustrated
and for some reason or other
she takes it out on you.
- Carol, she's angry
at me for being alive.
I'm alive and her son is dead,
its as simple as that.
- Oh you think that's it?
- Yes I do think that's it.
It makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
It doesn't make it any easier to handle.
Isn't that a gorgeous view?
- Oh its beautiful.
- Why don't we sit down.
- You know what?
You still haven't told
me why you came back.
- I came back to go to
the auction tomorrow.
I'm gonna take the money I got from
selling the old mansion
and buy myself a yearling.
I read that (mumbles) Farms
is putting up a brother to Bolder Warrior,
he's the best of the lot
and I'm gonna get it.
- I thought you didn't
like the horse business?
- Carol, what difference can that make?
Clarissa can buy and sell
horses and make a profit,
so can I.
Maybe I can do a better job.
- Is that the only reason you came back?
- No, that's not the
only reason I came back.
If I can get a horse
and get myself a stake
it would be better for us.
- Us?
- Yeah, us.
I couldn't ask you to marry
one of Clarissa's errand boys, could I?
Or anybody else's errand boy.
- You sure have a funny way of proposing.
- Nobody's perfect.
- I love you.
- Hey, what's happening little partner?
What's this?
Not bad, not bad.
What is it?
- Special food for Champion.
Got the recipe from one of my horse books.
Its supposed to make
Champion strong and healthy.
- I wonder what its gonna do for me.
- Hey, Flash you got any orange juice?
- Yeah right there in
the freezer, little man.
- Hey, guess what?
Good news.
There's going to be a wedding around here.
- Alright, don't tell me.
Jim and Carol, right?
(mumbling)
No, I knew it.
- Look, everything's not set yet, alright?
Plus, Jim's gonna go to
the auction tomorrow, right
and he wants to buy himself a horse
so he can race it and
then bred his own stable
so he'll have enough money
so he can get married.
- Why would Jim need any
money to get married?
- Well where's he gonna live with Carol?
Who's gonna pay the rent?
Who's gonna put food on their table?
You?
- Jim's aunt, Clarissa, has
all the money in the world.
Maybe she could give him some.
Maybe even give him a thoroughbred.
- Now look, you and I both know
that Jim and his aunt Clarissa
don't get along so good at all
and Jim's like you, he
wants to do his own thing,
you know what I mean?
Jim be madder than centipede
with sore feet
if he aunt messes in his business.
- Yeah, all his aunt Clarissa has to say
is that chair is white,
he'll go no it ain’t, its black.
- Now wait a minute, come over here.
Have a seat.
Let me ask you something,
did you ever hear the
story about what happened
to Clarissa's son when
he just a little boy?
- Yeah, Jim told me.
- Alright.
Now think bout this,
maybe the reason she's
always telling Jim what to do
is because she wants nothing
bad to happen to him?
Cause Jim's all she got left in the world.
- Hey Flash, do you think Champion's leg
is good enough to race yet?
- Champion.
I done seen a lot of horses in my day
and I swear to god, Champion
must be one of the fastest and strongest
I've ever seen.
- Alright, so the minute school's out,
start racing him all over the place.
Probably by then, we'll have enough money
to pay off the doc.
- Slow down, big shot.
Please slow down.
Now just because the horse won a race
don't mean he gonna win some money.
- 20, 30.
(auctioneer rapid rambling)
Here we go.
Sold, 75,000.
- Here he is, hip number 100.
A dark bare brown colt
from consignment from Maplerun Farm
by Majestic Prince,
Ala save time by War Admiral.
Majestic Prince, a classic winner
of over 414,000 dollars
and state winners Majestic Light,
Champion Moss Major Red,
(mumbling) and others.
From the family of leading sire Bull Lead.
A nice colt from Majestic Prince.
- Alright, here we go.
What's your pleasure?
(rapid rambling)
40,000.
50.
50,000.
I have 50,000.
Now 70.
70, that will be 100.
- 100.
- 100.
(rapid rambling)
- That's Jim bidding,
he told me he wants...
(shushes)
(rapid rambling)
- 15, thank you now, 16.
- 200.
- I get 200.
- Didn't you hear me,
you're bidding against Jim.
- I heard you and I know what I'm doing.
(rapid rambling)
- Where are you.
(rapid rambling)
Sold to Mrs. Clarissa Stewart, 200,000.
Thank you.
- Why did you do that?
- We'll discuss it later.
Thank you.
- Thank you, ma'am.
- You deliberately took
that horse away from Jim.
- Carol, lower your voice.
- I will not lower my voice.
I believed you.
I honestly thought you
were trying to help Jim.
I was wrong.
He needed that horse desperately
to get a new start
and you couldn't resist another chance
to dominate him.
- Listen, young lady.
I want Jim back in this
business just as much as you do.
Only with me on my farm
which is going to be his one day.
Till then, he can do it
my way or no way at all.
- You seem to think
your ways the only way.
Well I'm not gonna sit by
and watch you destroy him.
He's too good to be your errand boy.
I quit.
Get yourself another secretary.
(sighs)
- You're in a big hurry.
What's the matter?
- You in there?
- No, I just got here.
- Did it again, Charlie.
She took that horse away from me.
- Well now if its a horse you want.
- Don't talk to me about horses!
Get in, I'm gonna get plastered.
- I'll drink to that.
Champion is a good horse,
maybe even a great one.
You know, instead of laying out money
to buy a new horse with,
you can use it to pay for board, training
and track fees.
- How's his leg?
- Oh as good as new, believe me.
We could form some sort of a partnership.
Half the winnings go to you
and to the other half go to Juanito.
- Forget it, Charlie.
- Alright.
Have it your own way.
It might interest you to know
that your aunt wants to buy him back.
- She does, huh?
- Yes she does.
She knows a good horse when she sees one.
- Well that's one horse
she ain’t gonna get.
- It's a deal then, huh?
- You bet.
- And I know just the jockey.
- Who's that?
- The best.
(upbeat country music)
there he is.
How you doing, Eddie?
- Hey, sit down pal,
let me buy you a drink.
- This bum?
You got to be kidding me.
- Who you calling a bum?
- Ah sit down, kid.
I don't want to get hurt.
- Come on, Eddie,
you're coming with us.
- Where you taking me?
- We're gonna put you
back in the saddle again.
- Oh no, wait.
- Come on.
- Now wait a minute.
- Come on.
- Now wait a minute.
(tense fanfare)
- Come on you're doing it.
Move, come on.
(cheering)
- One 57, two.
- Alright.
- yeah.
- Oh my god, look who's here.
- Charlie, I'd like a word with you.
- Uh oh.
- Jim, he is really swift.
I mean man, if I turn him loose,
he will eat that track alive.
- Did he stay on the bit good, Eddie?
- Oh he was pulling me through the saddle.
- Ah terrific.
- You suppose I could
have one little drink now?
- Yes sir, some special service.
How about a good stiff shoot of Pepsi?
- You guys are all heart.
(laughing)
- So this is what you've
been doing behind my back.
- Well Jim is working out Juanito's horse.
I don't see any problem on
coming out here to watch.
- It looks very much
like a conspiracy to me.
You're fired.
- Just a minute now.
- That's it, pick up your check.
- Flash.
- Me?
- Yes, you.
- She must be really hot.
That's the first time she's
every called him Flash.
- I've never seen her this way.
- What was that all about?
- Imagine, after all these years,
she fired Charlie.
- Fired Charlie?
- Yeah.
- What she want with you?
- Oh she fired me, too.
- Well that's alright.
We're hitting the road, aren't we?
- Right on.
- From now, its Champion racing
all around the country.
- Yay!
- Charge!
- Charge!
(horse racing trumpet fanfare)
(horse neighs)
(bell rings)
(upbeat fanfare)
(soft classical music)
(cheering)
- Yeah, alright.
Yeah we won, we won.
Alright.
- I loves horses.
(cheering)
Yeah!
- Would you like some brandy, Rodger?
- No thank you.
- Jeff?
- I'd like some, thanks.
- Mitchell.
- Madam, there's a long
distance call for you.
- Oh thank you.
Would you bring the brandy please?
- Hello, Ms. Clarissa.
Hey, this is Flash.
- Oh yes.
- Look, I realize that we no longer
have a professional association
since you canned me and Charlie
but I thought I might call you
and tell you how well Champion's doing.
Yes ma'am, Jim is doing fine
but he only got two legs,
he ain’t the one winning races.
I thought I would ask you
that when we come back to Kentucky,
well you would tell Jim
what a great great job
that he did all by himself
if you get the drift of my meaning.
- Yes.
Thank you.
Call me from (mumbles).
Thank you.
Well, gentlemen, Champion just won
the Arlington Park Handicap.
- Fantastic.
- Marvelous.
- He's won six out of
his last eight starts
and placed in the other two.
I'll never forgive myself
for giving him away.
♪ Oh the sunshine shine ♪
♪ Bright in my old Kentucky home ♪
♪ The corn stalks bright ♪
♪ And the meadows in the moon ♪
♪ While the birds make music ♪
♪ All day ♪
(soft tense music)
- Alright, Charlie now what
about the facilities there?
Hold on a minute.
Come on, in.
Listen, when you get
through at Hollywood Park,
you may have to fly up to San Francisco
to check up bay.
Hold on.
- Have you seen, Juanito?
- He's asleep in your room, isn't he?
Yeah we found a barn
right across the street
from the motel.
(tense dramatic music)
Why don't you check the barn?
This will make the third night
Juanito's slept with that horse.
- You know kids and animals.
I'll go take a look.
- Yeah we think Juanito's
sleeping with the horse.
Yeah.
Alright now any other problems.
(tense dramatic music)
- Jim, Jim!
Get out here.
Come on, quick!
(tense dramatic music)
Juanito, wake up, you
got to get out of there.
- Oh my god!
Juanito!
Are you in there?
- Juanito, where are you?
(tense dramatic music)
- Juanito!
- Champion, Champion, are you alright?
Champion run, run as fast as you can!
(tense dramatic music)
- Horses got out the back.
- Juanito, where are you?
Look out!
Juanito.
(tense dramatic music)
Juanito!
- I need a hand here.
Give me a boost up, Jim.
- Jim, Eddie, up here.
- Juanito come.
Jump, Juanito.
Come on now, you can do it.
- Come on.
- Come on.
- We got you.
- Yeah we got you.
Are you alright?
Are you burned?
Okay.
You go check on Royal Champion.
If you ever sleep in that barn again
I'll break your neck, you hear that?
(horse racing fanfare)
- [Announcer] The horses
are on the track now
for the fifth race at one mile.
Number one is leatherneck,
number two, Sundance,
number three, Lucky lady,
number four, Periscope,
number five, Brave Warrior,
number six, Me and L,
seven is Royal Champion,
eight Misty Baby,
nine Double Trouble,
10 Disco Dancer,
11 Don Juan,
and number 12, Countdown.
The horses are at the gate.
(horse neighs)
they're all in the gate
now, the flag is up.
(bell rings)
There they go.
(crowd screaming)
Leatherneck in second, Sundance third,
Lucky Lady is fourth,
Royal Champion fifth,
Misty Baby is sixth, and Countdown.
Going into the first turn,
its Me and L in front with
three horses by a head.
Leatherneck in second
by three quarters of length,
Sundance third by a half.
Royal Champion sixth.
(crowd cheering)
down the back stretch,
its Me and L in front
by a length and a half,
Royal Champion in second by a half.
Periscope third on the outside by a neck.
Leatherneck is fourth and Sundance.
(crowd cheering)
Royal Champion between horses.
Its Me and L by a neck,
Royal Champion is second
and now taken the lead.
(crowd cheering)
Me and L in second and Countdown
and Royal Champion
about a length and half,
Me and L second.
(crowd cheering)
- I love me some horses.
(laughing)
I love it.
(soft classical music)
- No, no, no Juanito,
that's not the way you do it, man.
Get down, get your heels down,
you know what I'm saying?
Get your toes in baby,
stay on him like that.
You ain’t no cowboy.
- Man, I say Eddie do it, Flash.
- Not on no thoroughbred you didn't.
Now dig this.
You get low like this man.
- Listen man, you better.
- Just ride em like this.
- Hey Eddie, come here.
Eddie.
Tell him, isn't this the
right way of ridding, man?
- Well maybe if you're gonna
ride a broncing buck it is.
Those irons really look sloppy
and your feet are too far in.
You want to get your feet
back and your toes in.
Way.
Nice move, pal.
- I told you so, chump.
- Yeah yesterday, we were
riding down by the stable.
- Well Champ, you got
another win on your record
and you're entered in
the big one tomorrow.
Here.
Alright now, don't you fail, you hear?
Cause if you do, I ain’t gonna never
sweeten your taste buds again.
- Flash?
- Yeah?
- Where's Charlie?
- Oh he went to one of them
Cuban restaurants in town.
He and the kid had a
early dinner with Carol.
- Oh, here's your pay.
- Alright.
I'm gonna blow this on that beautiful
chick I met, yesterday.
- I'll be in the office, alright?
- Okay.
- Well, its bed time for you, Champ.
I got to get myself beautiful
for Brunilda tonight.
(laughing)
(upbeat dance music)
oh there's one right there.
- Alright.
- Now first, we'll eat and after that...
- After that, we'll go dancing.
- Yeah, well maybe you
can call that, baby.
Now, Brunilda you can anything you want
anything at all.
- Something from the bar?
- Do you want a drink?
- Yeah.
- Yeah make it bourbon, twice.
- Okay, thank you.
- Alright.
- Excuse me, I've got to powder my nose
in a hurry.
- Yeah, you better light your fuse.
(barks)
(soft jazzy dance music)
- [Man] Bets have been
made all around the country
in the past 48 hours.
We can really clean up.
This horse is a favorite.
The offer stands to lose a bundle.
- [Man] You already
tried to put in some kind
of tricks, didn't you?
- [Man] Just shut up and listen.
My (mumbles) our way,
got to stop that horse.
- How can we do that?
- Anything to stop him.
Maybe a little.
(soft jazzy music)
- My fuse is lit.
They don't call him Flash for nothing.
- Flash are you absolutely
sure about this?
- Jim, I'm sure I know what I heard.
Look here now, these are
the type of dudes, man
carry them guns and knives, man.
They must of been maybe four or...
- We better tell a track of fishes.
- Charlie, wait a minute now.
We're gonna look like absolute fools here
if turns out Flash...
- Jim, I tell you I heard them.
- Let's go to the stables.
- Alright.
(sighing)
- Atta boy, atta boy.
- Charlie, what do you think?
How's he look?
- Oh he looks fine.
Nobody's been messing with him.
- Well Flash, I guess it
was just a false alarm.
- No, Charlie I, look Jim,
I heard him, I heard him
and I was cold sober.
- Well tell you what,
we better hang around just in case.
- Let's go to the office
and fix some coffee.
- Alright.
(low tense music)
Wait a minute.
(mumbles)
- Come on.
Spread out.
(low tense music)
- Get over there.
Quiet.
(horse neighing)
Now get in there.
(horse neighs)
- Man, I'm not going in
there with that animal.
(tense dramatic music)
(grunting)
(tense dramatic music)
(horse neighs)
(grunts)
- Let me get him, Charlie.
Let me get him.
(screams)
(laughing)
- You guys alright?
- Yeah, you?
- Yeah, I'm alright.
- What happened, Charlie?
- There's one over there, one here,
and one down there.
(laughing)
- Alright.
- Every race he just
goes better and better,
doesn't he?
- I told you before and
I'll tell you again.
That thing is gonna win the derby.
- Now remember, Monday is the final day
for the entrance fee.
- It will be here.
Well we just won a pot
full of money, didn't we?
- Jim?
- Uh oh, here comes trouble.
- Are you alright?
- Yeah, I'm alright.
- Well they told me at the hotel
you were still out here.
Aren't you hurt?
- No I'm not hurt
now what are you doing here?
- Well wasn't there a fight?
- Who told you about that?
- How about you, Charlie, are you hurt?
- No, no I'm fine.
There was a fight but we won.
- Good.
- Will you answer my question?
What are you doing here?
- I am certainly proud
of the way you've all
been handling yourself and my horse.
- Your horse?
- As a matter of fact.
- that's our horse.
It belongs.
- I'm proud of everyone.
Juanito and Eddie.
Where's Flash?
- Right here, Ms. Clarissa.
Both physically and mentally.
- You lied to me, you
told me Jim was hurt.
- Well he did get knocked about a bit.
- Flash, what does she mean you told her?
- Well Jim its funny I...
- Flash has been checking
with me from time to time.
He told me you had nominated Champion
and when I checked you
hadn't paid the entry fee
I took care of it for us.
- You did?
- Oh Jim, Champion was my horse.
If he wins the derby,
it will be just like winning for me.
- You just can't stay out of my business,
can you?
- We all know Champion was
your horse to start with
but you gave up on him.
Now Champion's gonna come through.
You see, Ms. Clarissa,
when you make a real friend,
he never lets you down.
We're all from the same farm, right?
So its just like we're
all from one big family.
Everybody knows you love each other
how come you don't act like it?
(cheering)
- Aright, alright.
- Hey listen, you know that
we're gonna win the derby.
(overlapping cheering)
- Hold on, let's get
something straightened out.
- Champion's gonna win the race
wearing Ms. Clarissa colors
and I'll be wearing the owners badge,
then Charlie and Flash will
get their old jobs back.
- Alright.
(cheering)
- Thank you, Charlie.
- Alright.
(upbeat jazzy music)
- Champion looks as if
he's ready, we know that.
- I think we're home free.
- Pardon me, madam.
Mr. Charles is waiting in the study.
- Oh thank you, Mitchell.
Excuse me, please.
(humming)
(laughs)
- Ain't you pretty?
Where'd you get that outfit?
- Hey man, I've been promoted.
I'm not longer horses nurse maid.
I'm a horses assistant trainer.
(laughing)
(soft instrumental music)
- [Clarissa VOICEOVER] A
lame colt is a useless colt.
You want it, you can have it.
(soft instrumental music)
- [Kid VOICEOVER] Your
horse can't even run.
- [Flash VOICEOVER ] His leg will explode
into a million pieces.
- [Clarissa VOICEOVER] You want it,
you can have him.
- [Kid VOICEOVER] Your
horse is still a cripple!
You hear me?
He's a cripple.
A cripple.
- Here we are.
Hello, Charlie, thank you for coming.
- Hello Clarissa, thank you.
- Charlie, how you doing?
Nice to see you.
- Nice to see you.
- Charlie, how are you?
- Hello, ,Carol.
- I wanted to call us all together
so we can have one drink, the five of us.
- Thank you.
- thank you.
- First of all,
to Jim and Carol
have a very happy long life together.
- Thank you.
- I'll drink to that.
- And to your first hole.
- I'll drink to that.
And to our horse.
May he have a great day tomorrow.
- Right on.
- We'll win.
- Champion.
- A winner.
- Huh Champion?
Jim, Charlie, Flash, Eddie
they're all talking about how
you're gonna win tomorrow.
No matter what happens, I still love you.
You know?
It just might happen, Champion.
Just may be another horse faster than you.
You know, you'll still be my champion.
- Juanito, come on.
Were you here all night again?
Hey.
Its alright.
We're gonna win.
- It was a lovely party
last night, Clarissa.
- Oh, thank you, dear.
You know, while we're about it
we really should start talking
about plans for the wedding.
- Look, Carol and I really
haven't discussed it yet
but I think that...
- I think the engagement
party should be held...
- Now, wait a minute.
I think you ought to listen to Jim
because he's got something to say.
- Oh, were you saying something dear?
- I was trying to, yes.
Clarissa, its our wedding, not yours.
We'll decide how its gonna be.
Wes, what are you turning in here for?
(soft country classic music)
- Well, how do you like it?
- Oh its beautiful.
You've done a marvelous
job of restoring it.
- Wes, if we don't get moving,
we're gonna miss the derby.
- Its your wedding present,
with no strings and no interference.
(laughs)
- [Announcer] This 105th
running of the derby
is the fist jewel in the triple crown.
Its going to be a wide open race.
- I'm sorry boy, owners and trainers only
allowed back here with the horses.
- Know what, Flash.
I guess that's us.
- Uh, go right ahead, sir.
(upbeat energetic fanfare)
- [Announcer] And he's a
man who knows his way around
after bringing 10 horses
to run this derby.
Happy Dancer looks like
the horse to beat today.
Royal Champion is in the number two spot.
Champion has had a brilliant spring
but as you know, he has
had some leg troubles
some time back and we
wonder if he can take
the repeated punishment
of the kind of racing
he's been doing.
Is Champion strong enough for this race?
We'll see very soon.
Royal Champion has the youngest owner
of any of the horses running today,
that's 13 year old Juanito Hernandez.
The story of how Champion was given
to young Juanito by Mrs. Clarissa Stewart
a breeder well known to derby followers
as almost unbelievable.
Mrs. Stewart wanted to destroy the horse
who no one thought had
the makings of a winner.
No one but Juanito that is.
Number five, Hello Baby
is another top contender
with (mumbles), too.
This horse has stamina,
the kind of staying power
that makes a winner.
The oldest jockey ever to ride this derby
is Ken Barry on Hello Baby.
Ken is 57 years old
and I tell you,
he's seen some great derbies in his day.
Cloud of War of the top four,
the mystery horse is Run along,
he has won six of his last six starts
and we wonder,
can he keep this kind of speed?
He could be a come from behind horse,
a mystery winner.
The other seven making the
run for the roses today
all carry odds of 99 to one.
Their owners know the chance
of defeating those
powerful top four are small
but they hope to finish the race
with a respectable time.
The fastest the derby has even been run
was by Secretariat in one
minute 59 point two seconds.
Across the nation and throughout the world
people everywhere are waiting
to hear about today's race.
Who will win it, how fast
and who will add his name...
- [Announcer] Horses are on the track now
for the derby at one mile and one quarter.
The track is fast.
Number one is Happy Dancer.
Number two, Bold Warrior
number three, Royal Champion,
number four, If Ida,
number five is Hello Baby,
winners choice is number six
Helen's Void,
number seven
number eight is Archduke,
number nine Run Along,
number 10 President,
11 is Mark's Kid
and number 12, Melon.
Now the horses are at the gate.
Flag is out.
(upbeat fanfare)
and there they go!
(cheering)
Royal Champion, going to
the front of Winner's Choice
is second, Hello Baby,
third (crowd cheering).
Around the first bend
and its Royal Champion
in front by a half lane.
(heart beating)
(announcer drowned out by heartbeat)
(crowd cheering)
Now its Run Along in front.
(heart beating)
(crowd cheering)
Run Along.
Hello Baby is fourth.
Bold Warrior.
End of the stretch, its
Royal Champion in front.
Right two lanes.
(heart beating)
(crowd cheering)
Coming up now, its Hello Baby.
Royal Champion, Happy
Dancer and Hello Baby.
Here comes Happy Dancer on the outside.
Royal Champion and Happy Dancer
and Royal Champion quarter by a half lane.
Happy Dancer is second with Ellen's Baby.
(cheers)
(upbeat fanfare)
Number three Royal Champion was first,
number one Happy Dancer second,
number five, Hello Baby third.
Time at the race, two minutes.
- Let's go down to the winner's circle.
Come on.
(upbeat fanfare)
- [Announcer] And in the winner's circle
is Royal Champion with jockey Eddie Jones
and the blanket of roses.
(upbeat fanfare)
- How do you feel?
Do you feel like a champ?
- That was close.
- Close?
- Yeah.
- Makes you feel good you're a champ.
- Yeah.
- [Announcer] Mrs. Clarissa Stewart
at Stewart Farms
is accepting the trophy
for Royal Champion's
youth owner, Juanito Hernandez.
(upbeat fanfare)
- Excuse me, excuse me?
- Who me?
- You are the owner of
Royal Champion, aren't you?
- Yeah.
- Well you're the one we want to talk to.
Alright, Danny.
Hello, this Bob Travers at the derby.
With me is Juanito Hernandez
owner of Royal Champion
who ran for the blanket of roses today
and is now wearing it proudly.
Now this is a triumph for a horse
who was born with a crippled leg
and who made it all the way to the top
on sheer guts and hearts.
- What can I say, Champion
was the fastest horse.
- Yes, he sure was.
Now tell our television audience
what you did for Royal Champion
to make him a winner.
- Well, I believed in him.
I've always believed in him.
Champion knew it.
- I see, that's very interesting.
Now what's next for this
magnificent thoroughbred?
- Champions not gonna run anymore races
if that's what you mean.
- Well that's exactly what I mean.
Now the rest of the
triple crown lies ahead.
Your horse can take the Preakness
at Belmont Stakes and carry you
on to even greater glory.
- Why people like horses only when
they do things for them?
I mean I like Champion
because he's my horse
and he's my friend.
Now he's not gonna race anymore.
I think he's had a enough.
- But there's a lot of money to be made.
- Well Champion doesn't
care about the money
and plus, we have enough
for what we needed.
See, my horse has gone
through a lot, mister.
He had a big operation,
and he almost got killed in a fire.
Look, now he's just won the
biggest race of them all
and I think that's enough, don't you?
- He can still make
millions if you let him run.
- Well, look I want Champion to be happy
and I think he's happy he's won now.
Now, he's just gonna have some fun.
- Now surely you must be joking.
A horse of Royal Champion's talents
just can't be left alone to relax and eat
and play with you.
- Why not?
(horse neighs)
- Thank you, thank you very much.
♪ Never was to much on making even ♪
♪ And loves a thing I
never could pretend ♪
♪ I'm glad of simple pleasures ♪
♪ Don't need no fancy treasures ♪
♪ Cause its enough ♪
♪ To just knowing I've got friends ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And that is just about
as good as life can be ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And they can count on knowing ♪
♪ that they've all got me ♪
♪ There is nothing like the feeling ♪
♪ When day comes to an end ♪
♪ Smiling to yourself ♪
♪ As you fall asleep ♪
♪ As you pray the lord your soul to keep ♪
♪ There's nothing quite like ♪
♪ Just knowing that you've got friends ♪
♪ And I've got friends ♪
♪ Well I know that there's someone ♪
♪ Who really needs me ♪
♪ I do my best to show em how I care ♪
♪ Cause I can't help but knowing ♪
♪ What keeps this whole world going ♪
♪ Is people needing people everywhere ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And that is just about
as good as life can be ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪
♪ And they can count on knowing
that they've all got me ♪
♪ There is nothing like the feeling ♪
♪ When a day comes to an end ♪
♪ Of smiling to yourself ♪
♪ As you fall asleep ♪
♪ As you pray the lord your soul to keep ♪
♪ Nothing quite like just
knowing that you've got friends ♪
♪ I've got friends ♪