"They weren't supposed to be here.... Not the tiny horse with the funky feet and unsightly gait. Not the cowboy trainer with the black hat, busted leg and horseshoe mustache to match. Not the owner who met the trainer in a bar fight and got immunity in a federal corruption case through his father's plea deal."

"He had a cute little head and he was not real big," she said. "He toed out quite a bit in his right front leg, which, you know, a lot of foals aren't perfect when they're born. But they go through changes and they can straighten up, so we were pretty encouraged."