Composer
John Debney (Sin City, Passion of the Christ) may seem an odd choice to score a film about a horse trainer, his precocious daughter, and their quest for the Breeder's Cup, but he rises to the occasion with a rousing piece of recycled Americana that's sure to bring a lump in the throat to even the grumpiest moviegoer. Like
Mark Isham's similarly predictable score for the 2004 hockey drama Miracle,
Debney represents the best of the genre, utilizing a not-so-subtle blend of soft pianos, warm strings (courtesy of Indiana-born violin wunderkind
Joshua Bell), and patriotic brass motifs to paint a rural backdrop reminiscent of both
Aaron Copeland's "Appalachian Spring" and The Natural-era
Randy Newman. ~ James Christopher Monger