In the tradition of NationalVelvet, the 1944 film starring MickeyRooney and a young horse-crazygirl Elizabeth Taylor, Keegan tellsthe story of Dean Hostler, the fenderrepair guy who surprisingly wins theauction at the Longacres horse salefor a thoroughbred filly orphanedat birth for his son Ricky's 17thbirthday. When Dean is hours latefor the family dinner party, however, Lorraine refuses to let him in. TheNashua trailer that was their home isrepossessed and Dean is stuck sleepingin a barn with a horse he is unableto return. Lorraine is beside herselfand worried that Ricky will onceagain be held back in school becauseof the effect this marital separationwill have on his Attention DeficitDisorder. Under orders from his wifenot to let Ricky ever see this horse, however, Dean discovers that hisnot yet divorced wife is now seeinganother man. And that is only oneof her secrets, the darkest being thetruth about who is Ricky's real father.Meantime, Dean finds a stall for Orphanon the backside of the Longacresracetrack and Ricky finds his way toOrphan, where he learns to ride andis licensed as an apprentice jockeywho can ride Orphan on a real track.