Struggling to raise his three sons on his own, a poor Cajun horse trainer (Walter Matthau) can only make a meager living. While training and boarding quarter horses, he sees the chance of a lifetime in their two-year-old colt, Casey's Shadow. A promising winner, Shadow is entered into the All-American Futurity Race -- the largest purse in all of quarter horse racing. And the weeks leading up to the spectacular event contribute to the bitter, humorous, and ultimately poignant conclusion to this delightful family film.