The dark headed guy, Dave with the wife owned the horse. The old cranky guy was his trainer who recommeded he buy the horse. When Dave first saw hiim he didn't like him and wanted to sell, I think he was just a yearling. The trainer talked him into letting him lease the horse for 3 years and he would give him 1/3 of the winnings. At first the horse was very lazy and wouldn't run. But the strapper, Tom Burlison, figured out what it took to make him run. Burlison and the horse bonded.
I think they knew that they were risking his foot, but everyone concerned with the exception of Burlison was just in it for the money and he worked for them.
I beleive it still is a mystery exactly what happened at the end to the horse. It could have just been a normal colic, or he could have been poisoned. The horse was just so good no one wanted to run against him, and no one was making money, as they all said he was a freak:). Money was the driving force.
I really don't know that there was a "hero". Just a good story with a mystery at the end.
Becky
Huh.... well, I didn't guess that he was the culprit that was after the horse.
I guess I should watch it from the beginning sometime :~D