[Rambling guitar music]
# #
[metallic clattering]
[Engine turns]
She's still there.
I didn't ask.
The hell you didn't.
Want a beer?
Yeah.
[Dog barks]
[Door slams]
You try it.
[Dog growls]
[Dog barks]
Thanks.
[Door slams]
I miss breathing this air.
How can anybody miss air?
Well, you can miss anything,
you go without it long enough.
[Door slams]
[Leaves rustling]
[Man over loudspeaker] And the 52nd running
of the Sir John A. McDonald Stakes
is under way.
And Jumping Jack Flash, the four year old
from Stanton Stables moves directly in the front.
Followed by Oh, My Darling.
Into the backstretch, jockey Juan Romano
has Jumping Jack Flash on a comfortable lead.
[Men shouting, hooves pounding]
21-second lap.
It's Jumping Jack Flash increasing his advantage.
Hello There, Stranger making a run now.
Entering the far turn.
It's Jumping Jack Flash.
[Crowd shouting]
Holding on through this free-for-all from home.
And it's Jumping Jack Flash
leaving this field in his wake.
A furlong and a half up, Jumping Jack Flash
by seven... incredible, ten lengths now.
They're coming to the wire.
Jumping Jack Flash.
Jack, that's one hell of a horse.
See you at the breeder's cup. Thanks, Andy.
[Man on TV] He was much faster, and he blew them away.
He won it by 10 1/2 lengths.
You bet against your own horse?
I bet against my father's horse.
Now, why'd you do that?
'Cause nobody else does.
[Bluesy guitar music]
# #
What did you think of that chestnut mare, Jack?
That Jimmy Buck's a good stud.
I think she's gonna throw us a winner.
Not just Woodbine,
Louisville, Kentucky, Baltimore, Maryland,
the Big Apple.
What do you think?
I think I got too much to do
to worry about races that haven't been run,
by horses that haven't been born.
Yeah, don't plan your future around my horses, Sonny.
I got plans of my own.
I may surprise you yet, Dad.
[Horse neighs]
See you in New York, Jack.
Can't figure you missing Saturday's race.
Yeah, you know,
she's got some big shindig down in the islands.
Wouldn't want to miss that.
Hey, you all set?
All set.
Careful, Sonny.
You don't want to spoil your breakfast.
[Dog barking]
(Paulie) Hey, biscuit.
(Gena) Biscuit!
Hey, don't scare her.
Earl, can you get the dog?
What a good dog.
What are you up to, huh?
Yeah, thanks, Paulie.
You guys heading out now, Uncle Earl?
Yeah, we are.
Listen, I'm not gonna be here Saturday.
I want you to look after my horse, okay?
Don't you worry about Flash.
You just...
you have a good time.
Run along there, biscuit.
There you go.
(Gena) Oh, thank you.
(Earl) All right.
[Engine revs]
Where you been?
Jesus Christ.
I stopped for lunch, Jackson.
Liquid lunch?
I want you to get that roan,
get her up to the dd in London.
Get her bred to rambling river.
Rambling river?
Why that stud?
Dean, you show up late, half in the bag.
You want to ask questions?
Show up Early sometime.
We'll talk about the business.
And these two clowns are gonna run the stables?
No, and neither are you, Sonny.
Now go on.
Get that mare loaded.
Get her up to London.
I'm going to woodbine.
Sonny, you can carry on with your duties there.
[Doors slam, engine revs]
[Softly] Pooh.
When you runnin' him?
Claimer, Saturday, Fort Erie.
What's he done?
Well, he won last month.
[Horse neighs]
Come out of it with a cracked hoof, though.
I epoxied it.
Looks all right now,
but I won't know for sure till I run him again.
Are you racing those mares?
No, they're finished racing.
That chestnut's in foal.
How the hell you making a living, Pete?
Who said I was?
I got my corn to come off.
Could be I get another couple of wins
out of this gelding.
Could be he'll break down again next time out.
That's not a young horse.
You're a pessimistic son of a bitch
for someone who just got out of jail.
(Sonny) Build a subdivision right at the base of the escarpment.
You know, estate lots,
every house overlooking the golf course.
You just bulldoze that farmhouse
and those shacks.
You build a clubhouse right there.
Beautiful.
You think you can swing all this?
You know we're talking about a lot of money here.
I can't believe you'd ask me that, rock.
Hey.
Well, if it isn't the prodigal.
[Laughs]
And me with no calf to kill.
Hey, how's that bible of yours feel
about serving a man a rye whiskey?
Hey, Bonnie, Dan Rockwell been in?
I've not seen his royal highness today.
I'll have a 50, Bonnie, and get Ray here another.
How you doing, buddy?
Never better.
I thought you were out
at the tar sands getting rich.
I've been back over a year.
You back farming?
Yeah, I was.
I'm a roofer these days.
Old man sold the farm, sold it to Sonny Stanton.
Looks like Sonny wants to buy up the whole concession.
Why the hell would he do that?
He's no farmer.
Yeah, no shit.
What about you?
Still playing ball down in the states?
No, I've been out of it a couple years.
Looking for a job right now.
Really? Well, I'm shorthanded,
busy as hell.
I'm here to pick up another subdivision.
You want to lay shingles
for a living?
You can start tomorrow if you want.
All right.
Great.
I got to hit the gents'.
How you doing, Steve?
What are you doing here?
Shit.
Taking a leak.
Hope I'm better at it than you.
Psycho.
Put in 44 units in this cul-de-sac right here.
Got to be finished in a month,
not two months, okay?
Sonny and I got a pretty big job coming up.
Could be good for you, Steve.
It'll be done.
Good.
This is Ray.
He's working for me.
All right.
That's Ray Dokes.
This asshole ain't working on my site.
You're not the only developer out there.
You can shove your subdivision
up your ass.
Asshole.
Hey, hey, hey, I got nothing against ex-cons.
I just don't trust them.
Fuck you.
Heh, first free drink I've had in a while.
I'll see you in the morning.
[Birds chirping]
[Hammering and saw noises]
[Gunshot]
What are you shooting?
Rats.
You got to stay out here.
Homer's inside.
You'll remember, he's not your biggest fan.
How is homer, anyway?
He's fine.
He's 75.
He's bound to slow down a little.
This place has gone to hell in a handbasket.
You know more about that particular destination than me.
Besides, Sonny Stanton didn't share your point of view.
He's been trying to buy the place.
Is homer gonna sell?
Not if I have any say in it.
Sonny's not used to hearing the word "no."
Well, he's gonna hear it from me.
That's Pete Culpepper's truck.
You sure you should be driving
if I can smell the whiskey from here?
Oh, I can make it another mile or two.
Why, you worried about me?
Not anymore, I'm not.
[Easy guitar music]
# #
so how's Etta?
How do you know I saw Etta?
You got that dopey look about you.
I can have that look without seeing Etta.
Looks like she's running the place
on her own.
That bunch down at the mercantile's going on
about how homer's got "the olds-heimer's disease,"
though I doubt he's any worse off
than those dimwits telling it.
Etta never said a word,
and it's "alzheimer's."
Not according to that bunch down at the mercantile.
She visit you in jail?
No, sir.
You didn't want to mention
that Sonny Stanton's
been buying up the concession?
I didn't figure that information would do you any good.
You mess with him again,
you're gonna end up back in jail, Ray.
He tryin' to buy this place too?
What he did to your old man,
I wouldn't sell that little prick
a sway back mule.
[Bluesy guitar music]
# #
Ray?
[Whispers] Shit.
[Laughs] It is you.
Wow, Ray Dokes.
Sorry to hear you got jail time
for that little misunderstanding.
I mean, shit.
I got no more use for Sonny than you do.
What did you do, bust out?
No, no, listen, seriously.
It's good to have you back.
Tough break, you know.
This here's a nice horse.
What's your name, son?
Are you racing him today?
(Dean) You know, I like this animal's configuration.
I'm gonna put a few dollars on him.
Well, let's go, Paulie.
We got horses to break back home.
(Paulie) Coming, Dean.
Kid seems okay.
I wouldn't trust the other one as far as I could throw hog.
[Bugle calling]
# #
[hooves clicking, horse neighing]
John Wayne, you got no jockey?
Tend to your own mount.
Heh.
[Horse neighs]
Race is in 12 minutes.
Where you been?
I had car trouble.
What kind of car trouble?
The kind where I can't find it.
Give me the silks.
Meet Chrissie Nugent.
(announcer) The horses have now reached the starting point.
They are moving into the gate.
You think she's okay on that horse?
I got a feeling
that's about the only place she is.
[Bell rings]
[Man over loudspeaker] And they're off.
Fast market is first away.
Dead to rights coming on second
on the other side.
[Hooves thundering]
Chrissie Nugent and Fast Market show the way
around the final turn.
[Heavy breathing, hooves pounding]
That's it, that's it.
[Hooves pounding]
Whoa!
[Horse neighs, man shouting over loudspeaker]
Oh, my, Fast Market has fallen.
And dead to rights takes hold of the lead.
That's they way they finish.
Dead to rights wins it.
(man) Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You done great, jefe.
You okay?
Are you all right?
(Chrissie) Romano.
(Romano) Hey, hey, mijita, come give me a kiss, huh?
You little dick!
I ought to kill you!
I didn't do nothing, huh?
Come on, back off.
(Romano) Get that bitch out of here!
Bitch, hijo de puta!
Andate de aqui.
(Chrissie) I'm fine.
That tendon...
he won't run again. You know that.
I'd just like to save the animal.
Horse has got some sand.
Thank you.
[Engine turns]
[Geese honking]
(Pete) You know, I had this great colt once.
Ran him in a sprint at greenwood.
Horse broke its leg coming out of the gate,
still won that race by seven lengths.
Are you sure his leg was broke?
Might've been it was a bad sprain.
Might be you're full of shit.
Don't suppose you have such a thing
as a bathtub, Texas?
I smell like a damn goat.
I believe you'll find one in the bathroom.
Don't suppose you'd own a bar of soap?
Ain't she a sweetheart?
What the fuck are you looking at?
You got fouled.
It wasn't your fault.
It was my fault.
If I wasn't hungover, I'd have seen it coming.
# freedom's just another word #
# for nothing left to lose #
# nothing... #
# nothing honey, if it ain't free #
# and feeling good was easy, oh #
# when he sang the blues #
# feeling good was good enough for me #
# good enough for me and my Bobby McGee #
# good enough something, something #
# Bobby McGee #
[wooden clatter]
Mother fucker.
You couldn't turn on a goddamned yard light?
He nodded right off?
No, the vet gave him a shot.
He's pretty loaded.
You too.
He might sleep the night,
provided we go easy on the bucket kicking
and cursing and such.
Fuck you.
So much for the cursing.
Why'd you stick up for me today?
You're a friend of Pete's.
And what's he to you?
He's a friend of mine.
I never had too many friends.
I don't know the quantity's all that important.
You know, there's plenty of room in the house.
I want to stay with him.
You know, he gets to stomping around on that leg,
I can settle him.
Besides, I've slept in plenty of barns.
I hope you know you're not getting any head.
I got an awful lip on me after that horse rolled me over.
You had an awful lip on you
before that horse rolled you over.
[Bluesy guitar music]
# #
whoops.
[Chrissie laughing]
[Engines rumbling]
(man) You've got to finish this one.
[Hammering and saw noises]
Even bob couldn't get her going,
and I swear he's got 10w-30 in his veins.
You get this running,
you can have it for the price of scrap.
Why don't you give it a shot?
[Door slams]
[Engine turns]
[Easy blues music]
(man) # A little black angels are calling my name #
# I tell my brother that there's no pain #
Dean and Paulie been in?
(Bonnie) No.
Scotch and water, another beer for Ray.
Hello, Jack.
I heard you were back.
How's the thoroughbred business?
Pretty good at the moment.
I got this four-year-old, Jumpin' Jack Flash.
Might be the best horse in North America.
Got a bit of an attitude,
but the son of a bitch can run.
What you are doing, Ray?
I'm in construction these days.
Sonny know you're back?
Yep.
I hear he's developed a sudden interest
in agriculture.
Sonny wouldn't know a Rhode Island rooster
from a Holstein cow.
I'm done with him, Jack.
I know it's not common knowledge,
but you got a raw deal, Ray.
But that's how it is with Sonny.
I suspect someday it'll catch up with him.
You see, that's one of those things
that people always say,
"what goes around comes around."
Doesn't mean it's true.
Sonny could live his whole life
and never have to answer for anything.
You saying he didn't answer to you
that day on the golf course?
I heard he did.
The story I got was,
people would hear him answering a half a mile away.
[Hammer pounding]
Hey!
What do you think you're doing?
I know what I'm doing.
Must be a strange feeling for you.
[Hammer pounding]
(Dean) Come on, Paulie, let's go.
Hey, my place is just down the road.
You boys want to come by for a drink?
Yeah.
[Horse neighs]
Paulie, come on.
[Hammer pounding]
[Calf moos]
It's okay.
Yeah, that's not so bad.
I'm becoming my own vet.
Could hang a shingle out.
Homer took out a mortgage I never knew about.
Never paid a dime on it.
I'm gonna have to sell.
If you put it on the market, Sonny will buy it.
I won't sell it to him.
He'll just get one of his buddies
to put in the offer for him.
How are you gonna know?
Shit.
You have to be so smart?
First time in a while you accused me of that.
First time in a while you've qualified.
That's the way it is, Etta.
Money always wins.
I'm gonna go finish fixing that roof.
You know, you might be fixing it for Sonny.
I'm fixing it for you.
(Jim) What's with the kid, anyway?
Is he a retard?
(Dean) Watch it.
He's my cousin.
His mother was a druggie.
I think she was drugging and doping
when she was pregnant with Paulie.
Scrambled his brain; you know what I mean?
He's good with animals, though, ain't he?
[Paulie laughing]
That old dog ain't been off the porch in a month.
Dogs, horses, cats.
My theory is, they sense he's as dumb as they are,
so they all get along, you know?
You got a lot of theories, don't you?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, even when I was a kid.
It was like my brain worked quicker
than other people's.
Right.
So Earl's a big dog at the trough right now,
isn't he?
Doesn't hurt to be a zillionaire.
Buy a lot of yearlings with that kind of money.
Get a good one like the Flash,
make all the money back on the stud fees.
A man could make a lot of money with a top-notch stud like that.
Yeah.
You know, I know a lot of guys with broodmares,
guys that wouldn't ask any questions.
Well, well.
Looks like the old boy's gonna make it.
What are you gonna do with him?
Well, his disposition, he'll make somebody
a good pleasure horse.
Won't fetch much of a price for him, though.
You would have before the spill.
I'm not done with that son of a bitch Romano.
Is that how you figure to make it in this business,
cold clocking people?
He fouled me.
I had to make a statement.
Well, you made it.
Now serve your suspension and forget about it.
It doesn't pay to carry grudges in this business
or life either.
What are you,
some kind of cowboy philosopher all of a sudden?
I'm just someone who's lived a lot longer than you.
I'd be pretty goddamned stupid
if I hadn't learned something by now.
He tries that again, he'll get more of the same.
And you'll get suspended again.
How do you figure to make a living that way?
I don't know.
Why don't you tell me, Texas?
Being as you're such a goddamned know-it-all today.
I'd rather shovel your shit than listen to it.
[Twangy music playing]
(man) # At the old Kentucky Derby #
# and I was riding white lightning off the bluff #
# got me a racehorse and some old rusty spurs #
# but I just can't get away from her fast enough #
(Dean) This is the last you'll see of me this week.
Taking Jumping Jack Flash down to New York city tomorrow.
Running in the biggest race on the planet, huh, Paulie?
[Laughing]
If you care to watch, you might catch me on TV.
I'll be sure to set my VCR.
Ugh.
My god.
You boys got better taste
than I ever would have imagined.
This is the guy?
Yeah, Sonny Stanton,
legend in his own mind.
That's Dean Calder,
vice president in charge of shoveling shit
at the Stanton stables.
Yeah, he shovels it,
he's full of it,
and when I tell him to, he eats it.
What you do to your leg, Sonny Stanton?
Used to rodeo a bit in my younger days.
Hooked up with a 1,500-pound Brahma
one night out in Calgary.
A little out of my weight class.
Looks to me
like you're still out of your class.
[Laughs]
Now, what would you know about class?
Tell me something.
Are you an asshole because you're rich,
or are you rich because you're an asshole?
Works both ways, baby.
[Folksy guitar music]
# #
what's that for?
Appreciation for roof repair.
[Hooves thumping]
So who's Annie Oakley?
Name's Chrissie Nugent.
She's this jock for Fort Erie.
She rides for Pete when he's got a horse to run.
What does she do the rest of the time?
(Ray) Ask her yourself.
If you don't want to make applejack out of this.
Well, you can do what you want with it.
I'll see you around.
Say hi to Pete.
Why don't you stick around and say hi yourself?
No, you're busy.
You've got fat horses and pretty girls to tend to.
I told you, she's a jock who rides for Pete.
[Door slams]
Only you could turn up a jock
who just happens to be a pretty girl, Ray.
Well, I'm just fortunate, I guess.
[Laughs]
Annie Oakley was a sharpshooter.
What?
She wasn't a horsewoman.
She was a sharpshooter.
Thanks for the history lesson, Mr. Dokes.
[Engine turns]
Is that the one?
The one what?
The one you're thinking about when you're fucking me.
Get up.
Lawyers are here.
Right.
Your father's in worse shape than we thought.
Tell them a story, Jack.
Tell them I was up all night with a sick mare.
[Sighs]
He's coming.
(man) Is there a problem?
He's been up all night drinking.
Sorry, I was up half the night.
We heard.
So you talked to the doctor again?
There's no change,
at least not in your father's condition,
and until he regains consciousness, we're...
he's broccoli; that's what you're here to tell me.
Well, your stepmother's taken power of attorney.
What?
No, she can't do that, that scheming little bitch.
She signed a prenup.
Well, ordinarily, you'd be right,
but it's a little tricky.
See, he's had a stroke.
He's not dead,
and they're in the Bahamas, remember?
Different country, different rules.
So until we get this all sorted out,
all assets are frozen: Bank accounts, everything.
Well, get him home.
I mean today.
He's in a coma, Sonny.
You can't put him on a plane.
Yeah, well, you fucking well find a way.
Yeah, that's your little job for today, boys.
Call me when it's done.
(Dean) So what's going on?
I thought you were gonna fly down?
Earl always trusted me to trailer the Flash.
Well, Earl's not making decisions right now, Dean.
I'm taking the horse to New York.
You and Paulie finish up the new stalls.
I'm good enough to haul horses all over Ontario,
but I'm not good enough to take the Flash to New York?
I'm not building stalls for fucking Sonny.
Suit yourself.
You got other options?
Maybe ford's looking for a new CEO, Dean.
Maybe there's an opening at the corner of piss and moan.
What are you doing up?
Shit the bed?
Did you actually think I was gonna let
my two retarded cousins
take my million-dollar horse for a joyride, Dean?
Hey, Jackson.
You should have been down at the slam Dance last night.
Sonny boy was telling my girl
how he got stomped by a Brahma bull.
Yeah, seems to me that bull's name was Ray Dokes,
wasn't it, Sonny?
Wasn't that bull's name Ray Dokes?
[Grunting]
You're finished, Dean.
Jackson, write him a check, get him out of here,
and that other half-wit too.
Do it now, Jackson.
You dumb son of a bitch.
Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?
I'm gonna talk to him about Paulie,
but you brought this on yourself, Dean.
You're always whining about respect.
Well, the more you whine about it,
the less likely you are to get it.
Nothing but a damn punk, Dean.
[Clang]
(Paulie) Whoa, Flash.
Jesus, what did you do, Dean?
We just got fired.
Well, I'm fine with that,
but we put our time in here.
We're taking the Flash as severance.
No, we got to help Jackson. No, don't worry.
Black guys got harder heads than white guys.
It's been proved.
Come on, we got to get out of here.
I got a plan.
It's a doozy.
[Birds chirping]
(Chrissie) When you figure her to foal?
After the new year.
I'm gonna walk her down to the creek.
This horse needs some exercise.
I can't for the life of me figure how you managed
before I came along, Texas.
Come on.
Ain't she a pain in the ass?
[Horse neighs]
If I was 20 years younger, I'd fight you for her.
[Ominous folk music on radio]
# #
[man singing moodily]
# #
(Dean) You're the one said you could supply the broodmares
if I got you a stud.
Well, I got you the best goddamned four-year-old
on the continent.
(Jim) How the hell do you figure
to set up a stud service?
I'm way ahead of you.
I'm talking about artificial semination.
I'm gonna take this horse's sperm,
and I'm gonna sell it.
They don't do that with thoroughbreds.
But they can.
I've been reading up on it,
and you know what else?
They can freeze the stuff.
I figured we take a gallon or so out of the stud,
and we'll enough we can retire on.
How do you think the horse feels about all this?
Christ, they think they can sell that damn horse?
Even Dean knows better than that.
It would be like trying to sell the Mona Lisa.
Well, I think we can assume
Dean won't be taking the nag to Belmont.
I think we can assume we won't be winning
the classic on Saturday.
Seems highly unlikely at this point.
Well, I was counting on that money, Jack.
I bet you Gena's got the bank accounts frozen.
I got expenditures.
You think about getting a job, Sonny?
I could drop you off at the employment center.
That whack on your head turn you into a comedian, Jack?
Well, I got a better idea.
I'm gonna enter rather rambunctious
in the Stanton Stakes down at Fort Erie .
No, no chance, Sonny.
Your father founded that race
to give the smaller owners a chance at a stakes win.
He's never run a horse in that race,
and he never will.
Well, I'm gonna do it.
Who cares about the small owners?
Only two people can enter a horse in that race.
Earl is one.
I'm the other.
It's not gonna happen, Sonny.
What are you asking?
It's a Massey 135.
It's a good tractor.
It'll be about 2,500 bucks.
I'll take it.
I can give you 500 now.
I'll pay you the rest by the end of the month or so.
Jesus, I've become a charity case.
What are you talking about?
I need a tractor.
You need a lot of things, Ray.
Put your money away.
So that's it.
You're gonna sell the place piece by piece.
Either that, or the whole thing to Sonny.
Well, you won't do that.
That's the one thing I'm sure about.
Sonny's got a lot on his plate these days.
I hear somebody stole his million-dollar racehorse.
What kind of lunatic would do a thing like that?
Jesus, look at the cock on him.
My god, he reminds me of myself.
Hold on a minute.
Son of a bitch is ready to blow.
[Horse neighing]
Shit!
Get that mare out of here.
[Horse grunting]
Son of a bitch, whoo.
Well, at least we know we can do it.
Oh, yeah.
That went real good.
Don't be so goddamn negative.
All right, so if getting rich was easy,
everyone would be a millionaire.
You settle that horse, Paulie.
I'm gonna get a drink.
[Man on TV] On the outside is old man's eyes.
[People talking]
Jesus Christ, Sonny.
Don't tell me you've come to pay me my five grand.
Bloody Mary.
I've got bad news for you, Billy.
I was up half the night
studying the form for the breeder's.
And here are the winners.
Hmm.
[Man on TV] They're at the post.
They're off in the first race of the breeder's cup.
And out of the gate,
it's who was that? Followed by sweet batch,
simple season, diggity dog.
(Sonny) Right there.
What are you... come on.
(man) Is making his move on the outside.
And is closing in on the leader.
That's what I'm talking about.
Yeah, okay. Who was that? Got it.
Who was that? Won it, diggity dog second,
that's all right.
That's all right.
(man) They're at the post.
They're off.
Paper trail reminder went inside the front
with rat catcher coming...
they're off.
It's going to be the the big one.
Never-minder up the wire to win it by a length.
They're at the post.
They're off.
Coming to the wire.
Too cool for school takes it.
Romance eyes wins it.
Waltzing fanatic.
Ah.
(man) Upset winner in the last race of the day.
Well, guess I've been kicked enough
for one day.
I'll be in first of the week to settle.
(Billy) Hold on.
You're telling me you lost $100,000 on a marker,
and you don't have it?
No, I don't.
I don't carry that kind of cash.
Well, then you shouldn't be betting that kind of cash.
I'll see you next week.
Sonny.
I will see you next week.
[Hard rock music]
# #
thanks.
Figuring how to buy a new pickup?
Shit.
Money from my corn won't even cover the feed,
never mind the damn taxes.
I don't suppose you could buy this place from me?
I got no money to buy anything.
Too bad, this place being such a moneymaker and all.
Where you going, anyway?
Well, I believe there's a woman out west Texas
might still be agreeable to my company.
You been here 25 years.
You figure she's still waiting on you?
I have quite an effect on the ladies.
I never told you that?
Oh, I've heard it from you plenty of times.
I just never heard it from a woman.
Hello, there.
What can I do for you?
So you decided to sell.
You could say I'm entertaining offers
from farmers.
And if I see some shithead pull up into my drive
pretending to be a cash cropper,
I'm gonna know who he's working for.
Why can't we just get along?
I'd settle for half of that.
Why don't you get along?
This offer's better than market value.
I didn't have to do that, Etta.
You think it over.
[Flames crackling]
Your psycho boyfriend gonna make you a better offer?
'Cause that was very immature.
How about this?
What are you doing?
Hey, what are you, nuts?
Ah.
Jesus.
Did you hear bones is playing ball down in Texas?
Yeah, why?
No reason, I guess.
What the fuck are you looking at?
Took Sonny for a roll,
came back looking like that.
[Languid guitar music]
# #
(man) # Well i, I woke up from a fitful sleep #
# I had no reason to dream #
# so I rode high with my own two feet #
# and I heard the angels sing #
# I heard the angels sing #
# #
# I was your last chance at redemption #
# could be my last Dance of the summer #
# could be my last run with the wild #
Ain't you a sour-looking apple?
(man) # Before the race is done #
# before the race is done #
I was thinking about the first time I met you,
when I hired your old man to paint the barn;
you came with him.
You wound up sleeping on the couch.
After you two got into the whiskey.
We might have had a couple.
He was a good man, your father.
I never really got to know him
well enough to make that judgment.
Well, you just have to take my word for it.
He was proud of you.
As I recall, he was driving to Toronto
to watch you pitch the night he died.
Piss drunk.
Yeah.
I'll be damned.
So that's what a horse thief looks like these days.
Maybe we should stick around for a bit.
Good idea.
[Driving rock music]
(man) # Oh, oh, oh, oh, #
# can't get your money back #
# oh, oh, oh, oh, #
# can't get your money back #
# oh, oh, oh, oh, #
# can't get your money back #
You know what?
My favorite color is brown, 'cause I got a mare
I want to show you, this brown mare over here.
Check this out.
Check this out, Paulie.
Hiya, Paulie.
Now, I know it wasn't you, Paulie.
So you just tell me where the horse is,
and we'll let the whole thing slide.
[Paulie muttering]
Okay.
Come on, Paulie.
[Paulie whimpering]
Tell us where that horse is now, okay?
You remember yet, Paulie?
All right, here we go.
Hey!
What the fuck do you want, eh?
What the fuck do you want, hey?
Slow learner, mother fucker.
That's enough, all right?
All right, all right.
All right? All right, okay, okay.
[Thunder rumbling]
[Grunting]
(Sonny) Ray.
See, I knew.
I knew it would come to this, Ray.
You're a loser, Dokes,
a loser just like your old man.
I'll take the girly gun, peckerwood.
Ray, take the kid and get in the car.
You're all hat and no cattle, son.
We didn't want to go to the hospital.
Yeah, because the hospital would call the cops
and then the cops would want to know
why a guy like you
would be so intelligent as to be fistfighting
in a parking lot.
You really like jail that much, Ray?
She's got a hell of a bedside manner,
doesn't she?
Next time I'm gonna pop a cap in that mother's ass.
You're gonna have to get your gun back first.
What are you planning to do about the Flash?
I just got to hope those two morons
did the right thing and killed the nag.
You want to kill your own horse?
Yeah.
What?
"Maybe it'll win some races next year"?
"Maybe it'll be a good stud"?
Dead, it's worth $10 million, rock.
I'll take that over a bunch of goddamn maybes.
Look, you kill that horse,
it's gonna look like an insurance scam.
You don't shoot it, rock.
Jesus.
All you need is some wires
and a couple of alligator clips.
What is this, amateur hour?
As long as you get the money.
I don't care how you do it.
[Crickets chirping]
Keep an eye on that boy tonight.
He could have a concussion.
Where's your girlfriend?
If you're talking about Chrissie,
she hitched a ride to town.
The hell were you doing, Ray?
Why can't you keep away from him?
I couldn't figure out a way to do that tonight, Etta.
Pete's been talking about going back to Texas.
I'm thinking I might tag along.
I think you should.
So everyone just throws in the towel.
Is that the way it is?
It's like you said, Ray.
Money always wins.
[Thunder rumbling]
[Engine turns]
[Twangy guitar music]
# #
everything comes to an end.
That's what I keep hearing.
Thing is to recognize it.
Sometimes stubborn is the same as stupid.
I guess that all depends on your point of view.
Guess maybe it does.
Well, I'm going to bed.
One way or another, tomorrow's another day.
I'm real glad Sonny didn't shoot you.
Yeah, me too.
Put on your coat, kid.
We're going for a ride.
Sonny.
Jesus.
You almost gave me a heart attack.
Jim burns, we met at woodbine once.
Fascinating.
Now get the hell off my property.
I know where your horse is.
Really?
[Laughs]
All right.
Step into my office.
If you want something done around here,
you just got to do it yourself.
Mm.
I wasn't aware I was running a bed and breakfast here.
Oh, you mean the kid?
I figured he should stick around a couple days
for safekeeping.
I'm not talking about the kid.
I'm talking about that big bay stallion
in my barn.
I assume his name is Jumping Jack Flash.
I also will assume you intend to trailer him
back to Stanton Stables this morning.
I intend to trailer him over at some point,
but not this morning.
First I got to set something straight.
The last time you set something straight,
you went to jail for two years.
Maybe setting things straight ain't exactly your strong suit.
I won't have that animal here.
Son of a bitch just tried to take my head off.
(Paulie) You got to give him a piece of green apple.
He likes green apples.
So that's it?
They drop the charges, you return the horse?
Might be a little more to it than that.
A man needs a project, Pete.
Idle hands are the devil's workshop.
You're the one told me that.
I need to learn to keep my damn mouth shut.
[Hooves pounding]
You hear anything about the Flash?
Yep, I hear he's in the states.
I hear he's in Europe.
I hear he's in 5,000 cans of Alpo dog food.
I hear all kinds of things.
What's the insurance saying, Jack?
Insurance isn't gonna pay a claim on a horse
that's just missing.
If the animal turns up dead,
they'll pay.
I hope they never pay.
I want the horse back.
I'll take the money myself.
I know what you did, Sonny.
You could be arrested.
It's forgery.
Hey, my father's sick.
I'm looking after the family business.
You never looked after anybody but yourself.
Rather rambunctious is entered,
and he's gonna run,
so get over it.
Where is he, anyway?
He's in the barn.
That's where we keep the horses, Sonny.
He's not ready to run.
Well, I'll get him ready.
No, you stay away from him.
I'll do it.
You stay away from him,
and you stay the hell away from me.
Lighten up, Jack.
[Horse neighing]
(Ray) Look at those two horses.
Except for the mark on Fast Market's forehead,
they could be out of the same mare.
And one's worth a few thousand
and the other a few million.
And the one worth millions
got the personality of a damn cactus.
[Horse neighing]
I woke up this morning; kid had all my chores done.
He's gonna put you in a rocking chair, Pete.
You see the change in him already?
When he first got here, he'd walk into a room
like he was apologizing for something.
Now he don't.
Hell, all I did was give him an old hat,
and now he thinks I'm the second coming.
People like Sonny been telling him his whole life
he's no better than a horse turd.
Well, I'm no saint, and neither are you,
but I'd like to show him
that the Sonny Stantons in the world
don't always come out on top.
That's about the longest speech
I ever heard you make, Pete.
You're not gonna make a habit of it, are you?
Nope.
[Horse neighing]
[Hooves thudding]
Good-looking horse you got in the corral, Pete.
Yeah, he's just passing through, that one.
Bet he is.
Now I know what kind of a lunatic
would steal a million-dollar racehorse.
[Car doors slam]
Hey, Pete.
We're looking for Paulie Stanton.
We heard he might be staying here.
He's here.
And we have reason to believe he's involved
with that missing racehorse from Stanton stables,
so we're gonna have to search the premises.
I'm not in the habit of boarding stolen horses.
Well, we'll take a look just the same.
(Chrissie) Go and make your own
goddamn breakfast.
You don't own me.
What are you looking at?
I'm taking a walk.
Anyone tries to follow me,
I'll knock you on your damn ass.
I think we'd better have a look around.
(Pete) Sure you don't want to check in the house?
Horse might be setting on the couch
watching mister ed.
Come on, come on.
Heya.
We had to follow up, Pete.
I understand.
Happy to help.
[Engine revs]
[Chickens clucking]
Etta.
Something I can do for you, Pete?
I never figured you to call the cops.
What are you talking about?
Ray didn't steal that horse.
I never called the goddamn cops.
Do you think I'd turn him in?
You might.
You got an awful horn in your gut over that boy.
"Had," Pete.
Past tense.
And I don't mean to be rude,
but I got work to do.
You know, Etta,
there's more to this than meets the eye.
Ray's got a plan that's gonna fix things.
Maybe this time he'll get it right.
Or maybe he'll go back to jail.
Ray was the guy, Pete.
He was the guy, and he fucked it up.
Well, I just thought you should know.
Ray might not be back this way again.
[Melancholy guitar music]
# #
hey.
So I was talking to Pete...
you were talking to Pete,
and now you're here to tell me
what Pete already told me
and what you wouldn't tell me.
That it, Ray?
Well, it sounded better
when I was rehearsing on the way in.
Yeah, I bet it did.
Etta, I let you down.
Yeah, you're fucking right, you let me down.
But I let you down too, so let's call it even?
I can be happy with that.
Okay, if I ask you
what you're gonna do with that horse,
am I gonna regret it?
I'd say there's a good possibility of that.
[Laughs]
What are you gonna do with that horse?
If this is about the Flash, forget it.
Somebody stole him back.
Can't trust anybody these days.
We stole him.
What do you know about it, idiot?
Keep the name-calling to yourself.
What's this about?
It's about getting out of a bad situation.
Don't ask questions.
I want to know what's going on.
Don't ask questions, Dean.
[Grooving blues music]
# #
[phone rings]
Yeah?
[Man on phone] Reginald "Sonny" Stanton?
Yeah.
Detective Frank Hamer, O.P.P.
There's been a complaint lodged against you
by a French woman, a dancer from a strip club.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Listen, Sonny,
you've had problems in this area before.
Now, I know your father.
I can bury this for a day, maybe two at the most,
but you better talk to this woman.
Right.
Who's Frank Hamer?
Texas lawman from days of yore.
He's dead now.
So are we if we get found out.
[Horses neighing]
How's the gray doing?
(Jackson) He'll win this thing by 20 lengths.
Then watch people talk.
To hell with them.
My horse; I run him when I want.
I picked up the entries.
Three scratches already.
Well, that's what happens
when you drop a horse like this down.
Mm-hmm.
The owners want to know they have a chance to win.
What's this?
"Horse in the four-hole, Fast Market."
Nine years old.
Some outfit out of Pecos River.
No law against dreaming, Sonny.
Yeah.
I got to go.
I got some skank I have to straighten out.
Don't want to keep you
from your important chores, Sonny.
[Seedy guitar music]
# #
I think we can resolve this without involving the cops.
I've already involved the cops.
I could have done it different.
I could have your fucking legs broken.
I could make a phone call,
and they'd never find your bones, jerk-off.
I think I'm getting the point here.
What do you want?
Five grand to start.
Cover my lost wages.
Five grand?
All right.
Then you're gonna make a bet for me.
I hear Billy Caan's got some backroom totes at a club.
The odds are a lot.
Maybe.
You're gonna put $1,000
on a horse called Fast Market for me,
eighth race, Stanton Stakes.
He's gonna lose by 50 lengths.
Did I ask you your opinion?
Where's the grand?
In your pocket, dipshit.
Bring the ticket to the bar at the racetrack Saturday.
When I have it in my hand, I'll drop the charges.
[Man on TV] And they're off.
Patchouli dear broke last, working now on never ever land.
Too Cool for School is narrowing Blitz here.
Let me guess.
You got my 100 grand.
I want to make a bet
in the Stanton Stakes.
Man, you got balls like a bull moose.
Hope you're not looking for credit.
Cash,
a thousand to win on the four horse,
Fast Market.
And I'll have what I owe you first of the week.
That's a 99-to-1 shot.
Ain't you guys running that gray?
Oh, the gray's gonna win.
But what are you doing?
Throwing away a thousand bucks.
(Chrissie) Hey, wait up.
How you doing?
Never better.
Bloody Mary.
Yeah.
Did a foxy French chick come looking for me,
nice ass,
maybe a little swelling around one eye?
No.
All right, I got to go to the paddock
in a bit, see to my horse.
If she shows, I'm not here, you give her this ticket.
And you'll know her when you see her.
She's a bit of a tramp.
Imagine my surprise.
Thanks.
[Man over loudspeaker] The horses now leaving the paddock
for the tracks.
Post time in 12 minutes.
All right, I've got to wish my horse luck.
Not that he's gonna need it.
(man) Stanton Stakes coming up.
Wager early.
Avoid being closed down.
Hi, Sonny.
What are you doing here?
I was thinking about your offer.
I'm here to negotiate.
You can start by buying me a drink.
Yeah, I'm gonna see to my horse.
Why?
I mean, I would have thought that you're a guy
who has his priorities in order.
Two bourbons.
(man) One more horse to move into the gate,
and we'll be ready for today's big race.
Look out, bitch.
I hope you like my ass, Juan.
'Cause in about two minutes, that's all you're gonna see.
(man) The horses are finally in the gate,
and we're ready for the 12th running
of the Stanton Stakes.
The winner today walks away with $250,000.
And they're off,
and the Stanton Stakes is under way.
The big gray rather rambunctious
is the favorite for today and takes the early lead.
[Hooves pounding]
[Man speaking indistinctly over loudspeaker]
And Fast Market
trails the field.
Around the first turn, it's rather rambunctious
with knock three times up to the challenge.
They move along the back stretch.
The pace is quick: 1/2 mile in 45 seconds flat.
And look at this.
Fast market is charging on the outside.
Chrissie Nugent has this one picking on horses one by one
with an unbelievable move.
Around the turn.
Attagirl.
(man) And Fast Market are now flank to flank.
Through the stretch, the gelding
and the young favorite, stride for stride.
(Chrissie) Vaya con dios, shithead.
(man) Chrissie Nugent asking her horse
for everything he's got.
And she's getting it.
At the wire.
It's Fast Market
by 3/4 of a length.
Rather Rambunctious second, but the day belongs
to Chrissie Nugent and Fast Market,
the 99-to-1 long-shot winner.
(Sonny) The four won?
The four.
Hold on.
I just happen to have $1,000
on that horse
down at the club.
I thought you said that ticket belonged
to the French broad.
Not anymore, it doesn't.
And what's that for?
I think a man should get kissed when he gets fucked.
Hell of a horse for a nine-year-old.
He's got a bit of an attitude,
but the son of a bitch can run.
Good-looking animal.
You switched them in the tunnel.
I don't know what you're talking about, Jack.
I had a horse like this once.
I lost him.
Well, chances are, he'll find his way home.
Let's make sure he does.
Peter?
Young lady.
That was quite a stunt in there.
If you're smart,
you'll make damn sure it never happens again.
If you were smart, you'd have me riding for you.
Call me Monday morning.
Shit.
[Languid guitar music]
# #
[laughs]
Are we okay?
Yeah, we are.
You better hope the racing commission
doesn't find out.
Well, I figure if Stanton stables
don't complain,
no one else will.
Sonny might if he figures it out.
I have it on good authority
that Sonny won a large chunk of cash
on yesterday's race.
I'm pretty sure he won't want his bookie
to find out it was a fix.
[Laughs]
Sonny...
Sonny's history.
Earl just got out of the coma.
He's not gonna like what he's coming home to.
Isn't Earl used to Sonny fucking up by now?
You know what I like about this business, Ray?
You always know when you've won.
Your horse crossed the finish line first.
You're the winner.
No need to second-guess yourself on that.
I'll give you 50 grand for that tractor.
You think too much.
Take the "for sale" sign down.
Sonny hasn't got enough money to build a mini putt.
You and Mr. Culpepper are going to Texas?
Yeah, probably a good idea for us to clear out.
It wasn't exactly the perfect crime we pulled.
Pete gonna sell the farm?
Funny thing,
Pete's old gelding won the Stanton Stakes
at Fort Erie the other day.
You don't say.
Yeah, made enough money to pay off his taxes
and a few other bills.
Chrissie's gonna look after the place
for the time being.
Paulie's gonna help out.
And what about your tractor?
I was thinking you'd hold on to it for me.
That mean you're coming back?
I was thinking I might
when things cool off.
What makes you think things are gonna cool off?
Do what you have to do.
Just don't take too long doing it.
[Engine turns]
hey, Billy.
I woke up this morning and remembered,
"damn, I owe you 100 grand."
But I got this ticket here that says you owe me 100 grand.
So I guess that makes us even, Billy.
I heard a rumor you got the Flash back.
Oh, he's back.
None the worse for wear, according to Jackson.
That's what I was curious about, Sonny...
when you got him back.
Now, you were saying something about the 100 grand you owe me?
[Rocking country music]
# #
(woman) # Tell me, baby, one more time #
# don't make me sit all alone and cry #
# well it's over #
# I know it, but I can't let go #
# I'm like a fish out of water #
# a cat in a tree #
# you don't even want to talk to me #
# well, it's over #
# I know it, but I can't let go #
# he won't take me back when I come around #
# says he's sorry then he pulls me out #
# I got a big chain around my neck #
# and I'm broken down like a train wreck #
# well, it's over #
# I know it, but I can't let go #
# #
# well, it's over #
# I know it, but I can't let go #
# it's over #
# I know it, but I can't let go #
# it's over #
# I know it, but I can't let go #
# it's over #
# I know it, but I can't let go #
[bittersweet country western music]
# #