A disillusioned old horse trainer befriends a teenage boy struggling to form his own identity. The old man has trouble with alcohol; the boy with bullies. His father is pushing his love--baseball--on the boy, who does not have interest.I was struck by the beauty of the authentic filming location and the realistic ambiance that pervades the scenes, particularly through the sounds of nature. Heartwarming musical scores complete the effect of a "feel good" movie experience, which is the type I prefer. The closing credits roll as Billy Preston sings "Winner," wrapping up another good-triumphs-over-evil movie.

Cute fifteen-year-old Zac Efron (as Patrick McCardle) doesn't have friends his own age. He skips baseball practice to spend time with boozing horse enthusiast mentor Bill Cobbs (as Houston Jones). In flashbacks, Mr. Cobbs recounts his love for a wealthy white woman, and a passion for horses; his doomed romance led Cobbs to alcoholism. Parents William R. Moses and Tonja Walker (as Jim and Linda) don't like Mr. Efron's close relationship with the older man; especially, Mr. Moses wants his son to play baseball like his dad. Efron doesn't know much, but "I know horses like me." He decides to join the horse races, with Cobbs as trainer.Be advised, there is heartbreak ahead for Efron! Efron is less affected (and made-up) than in "High School Musical" performances, which is a plus. He passes for a mature fifteen, but doesn't show much prowess as an actor. The prerequisite bully and pretty girl roles are adequately filled by coolly-coiffed Michael Nardelli (as Randy Adams) and lightly-tressed Crystal Hunt (as Jill Overton). Cobbs adroitly makes the most of his predictable character role. And, ailing musician Billy Preston has one of his last gigs. "The Derby Stallion" gallops with missteps and continuity problems, obviously enhanced by budget restrictions. Filmmakers found a great semi-circular tree for a background shot.*** The Derby Stallion (7/4/05) Craig Clyde ~ Zac Efron, Bill Cobbs, Crystal Hunt, William R. Moses

OK, lets get the obvious out of the way, Zack Efron is in this movie. That said, there's really not much positive to say about this boy coming of age film. The acting is OK, the camera work is OK, the continuity leaves a lot to be desired as previously mentioned, the story is painfully predicable (spoiler alert, watch the opening menu long enough and you know he races)...Probably the most disappointing thing about the film is it's lack of justice. A good sense of justice and good prevailing completely is essential in a family movie. That does not happen in this film. The two "bad guys" (Michael Nardelli and Colton James) really tear it up and should have been arrested following the race (lets add a little drama), but we don't even see Nardelli when he loses, so there isn't even a chance to rub it in a bit. It's unfortunate, but I can't recommend this movie....unless you absolutely must see Zac Efron.

I will begin by saying that the only reason I watched this movie is because I like Zac Efron and was curious to see his other work. Considering the film hasn't received much attention outside of the Zac Efron fanbase, I had my reservations about how the film might turn out. Unfortunately, I wasn't mistaken.'The Derby Stallion' has a very straightforward, some might even say cliché, storyline: a boy befriends an older-mentor archytype (think an old, black Yoda) and needs to learn how to ride steeplechase in order to compete against his rival and win the big derby at the climax of the film.The film starts out with 15 year old Patrick in conflict with his dad who wants him to become a star baseball player. Instead, Patrick spends his time hanging out with the local town drunk, Bill Cobbs' Houston Jones, who regales him with tales of being a steeple chase rider. Naturally his parents disaprove of their friendship but this changes when Patrick takes an interest in riding and wants to compete in the big derby. Everything is going great until Houston passes away and Patrick, consumed by grief and lacking in confidence, decides to quit riding. At the last minute, he changes his mind and everything is set right. The film ends with a shot of Patrick leaving his trophy at Houston's grave, his family at his side.The film is typically corny, rife with a very predictable storyline and the usual conflicts/resolutions that one might find in most family films. However, the ending of the film is so hasty and anti-climactic that I couldn't but help feel like it was done in a very half-assed way. Also, as many others have pointed out, the fact that the Patrick character becomes so skilled in such a short period of time defies logic and the so-called 'relationship' between horse and jockey is seems shaky at best.The one bright spot is Bill Cobbs who does a fairly decent job portraying the relationship of Houston's 'Yoda' to Patrick's 'Luke' (yes, there's even a line in the film that is essentially paraphrases "Do, or do not. There is no try."). Other than that the film is forgettable. I'm sure there will be enough interest generated by Zac Efron's celebrity to get the film seen, but any serious rider, as others have previously posted, will find the premise and execution weak.Edited for typo.