Racing Stripes

An abandoned zebra grows up believing he is a racehorse, and, with the help of his barnyard friends and a teenage girl, sets out to achieve his dream of racing with thoroughbreds. The film stars the voices of Mandy Moore, Frankie Munoz, Snoop Dogg, Whoopi Goldberg, Dustin Hoffman, David Spade, Steve Harvey and more.

One name stands out from that hodgepodge, does it not? I think Dustin Hoffman is jealous of Robert DeNiro's later-life "success" as a comedian and is joining the fray - he's a Focker and he's in this one.

More on the story:

In the middle of a raging thunderstorm, a traveling circus accidentally leaves behind some very precious cargo – a baby zebra (voiced by FRANKIE MUNIZ). The gangly little foal is rescued by horse farmer Nolan Walsh (BRUCE GREENWOOD), who takes him home to his young daughter Channing (HAYDEN PANETTIERE). Once a champion, thoroughbred trainer, Walsh has given up horse training for a quiet life with Channing on their modest Kentucky farm.

The little zebra, or “Stripes,” as Channing calls him, is soon introduced to the farm’s misfit troupe of barnyard residents, led by a grumpy Shetland Pony named Tucker (voiced DUSTIN HOFFMAN) and Franny (WHOOPI GOLDBERG), a wise old goat who keeps the family in line.

The group is joined by Goose (JOE PANTOLIANO), a deranged big-city pelican who’s hiding out in the sticks until the heat dies down in Jersey. Bird-brained rooster Reggie (JEFF FOXWORTHY) keeps everyone alert with his crack-of-dawn crowing and general hysteria, and the un-aptly named bloodhound Lightning (SNOOP DOGG) keeps a lazy eye on goings-on at the farm – in between naps.

The Walsh farm borders the Dalrymple Estate, where highly skilled thoroughbreds train to compete for horse racing’s top honor, the ultra-prestigious Kentucky Open. From the first moment Stripes lays eyes on the track, he’s hooked. He knows that if he could just get the chance, he could leave all those other horses in the dust. What he doesn’t know is, he’s not exactly a horse. But with characteristic zeal, he devotes himself to training for the big time, with a little help from Tucker, who has coached a host of champion racehorses in the past.

Article Author: Eric Olsen

Career media professional Eric Olsen is honored to be the founder and former publisher of Blogcritics.org, and former publisher of Technorati.com, which both rule. He is now editor, co-founder, and CEO of The Morton Report.

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