Black Gold 1947

South of the Mexican border, young Davey, a Chinese boy, finds himself orphaned after the death of his father, whom he had only recently met. His father’s life is cut short by a group of thieving white men. In his time of sorrow, he forms a bond with an Indian named Charley Eagle, whose own father suffered a similar fate at the hands of white men.

Charley enters his prized thoroughbred mare, Black Hope, into a race just south of the border, but he falls victim to the deceitful Dan Toland, who tricks him into selling Black Hope after she secures victory. Undeterred, Charley sneaks away at night, returns Toland’s money, and retrieves Black Hope, bringing both her and Davey back to their modest ranch in Oklahoma.

Charley’s educated wife, Sarah Eagle, encourages Davey to attend school. However, the other boys tease him mercilessly for his yellow skin, which leads Davey to outright refuse. In a heartfelt gesture, Sarah decides to adopt him officially, which encourages Davey to finally give school a try.

Their lives begin to change when an oilman offers the Eagles an advance for drilling rights on their land. With this new funding, Charley purchases a thoroughbred stud from Colonel Caldwell to breed with Black Hope. Tragedy strikes when Black Hope experiences complications after giving birth to a colt, and Charley is forced to put her down. But soon, the Eagles discover oil on their property, which leads to newfound wealth, and he names the colt Black Gold.

However, fortune comes with its share of pain. After an accident at the oil rig leaves Charley injured and reliant on a cane, he sets his sights on winning the prestigious Kentucky Derby. He enlists his old friend, Buckey, to train Black Gold, with Davey stepping in as the jockey.

During training one day, a little goat named Beautiful crosses Black Gold’s path unexpectedly, causing Davey to tumble from the saddle; fortunately, he’s unharmed, but this frightens Charley, who suffers a heart attack. Charley, a man who often strayed from home seeking adventure, now chooses to leave his family behind, opting to camp and meet his end alone. In a poignant moment, Sarah, Davey, and Black Gold venture to Charley, where they listen to his final words:

“She won.”

The climactic moment arrives at the Kentucky Derby, where Black Gold faces off against Toland’s favored horse, Corsair. Against the odds, Black Gold emerges victorious. As Sarah receives the gold cup from Colonel Caldwell, she honors Charley’s memory by repeating his last words:

“She won.”