Un coeur de gagnant

One of Zac Efron's earliest films before he became a Disney "it" boy through the High School Musical series was this film which casts him as a would be baseball player who likes horses. It's with horses that his passion lies much to the disappointment of his coach and father William R. Moses. When he gets beaned in a pickup game he clearly has not got his head in the game.

The Derby Stallion is a nice film though some I'm sure will notice that this is a horseback version of The Karate Kid. Efron forms a friendship with old retired trainer Bill Cobbs who used to train all kinds of horses and even has bought a horse from a rich landowner who was getting rid of him anyway as the horse did not live up to promise. But i's possible he did not get the right training or rider.

Cobbs is the Mr. Miyagi (Patrick Morita) part. The villain or William Zabka role belongs to Michael Nardelli a spoiled rich kid whose father was the one who gave up on the horse Cobbs trains and Efron rides.

The Derby Stallion is a nice family film even though the makers of The Karate Kid could sue.

Bill Cobbs Zac Efron Crystal Hunt were awesome in this movie. It is about a young boy who does not want to follow in his dads footsteps and play baseball but is scared to tell him, but with the help of a very good friend a very old and misunderstood ex horse trainer he gets the courage to tell him. Don't want to spoil anything so leaving it there. I would recommend this movie to any one at any age it was a great FAMILY movie. Crystal hunt is really good in this movie I believe you will be seeing a lot more of her. James E. Welch Henderson Arkansas 11/20/2005

i love this film so much it has a great story line and the actors are amazing.it helped that the film had Zack Efron in because he is a talented actor who recently the lead in high school musical i gave this film 10/10 because it was amazing and i dint want 2 blink because i did not want 2 miss a second of it i also thought that the film was heart warming and it made me see a whole new side of Zack's acting skills i no that i cant wait to see him in his new film hairspray because if it is as good as this it will be at the top of the charts the only downside to this film is that Crystal Hunt who plays Jill Overton got 2 kiss Zack i was so Jealous if only i lived in America i would of auditioned for that part but i live in england for now

I am usually tolerant of horse movies. I don't expect the actors to be the best riders or horse handlers. I expect mistakes to be made and things to be wrong. I try to sit back and just enjoy the story. This is what I expected to do recently when I picked up a new horse movie called The Derby Stallion.

Well it was simply awful. The lead could not ride at all. I feel they could have found an actor with riding skills. Even worse was when they switched to the legs of a dark bay horse jumping when the lead horse was a bright chestnut. They should have taken the time to do the research and find the right people.

Overall I was not impressed with the way this movie was shot and put together. Some of the close-ups seemed too close and out of focus and actually made me dizzy. I feel a lot more could have been done to make this movie better starting with an actor who had real life horse experience.

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