Written by Steve Pritzker
Produced by Larry Rosen
Directed by E. W. Swackhamer
Original Air Date: December 8, 1972
Danny wins a raffle. First prize is an expensive Italian race car, but Danny
isn't that lucky, he wins second prize -- F. Scott Fitzgerald, a race horse!
Will Fowler has trained the horse since birth and tells the Partridges that he
would like to continue working with F. Scott. Shirley is finally convinced to
gice racing a try. F. Scott will be entered in the race at the San Pueblo
county fair where the Partridge Family will be performing anyway. The horse is
working out well and a young Latin jockey is hired to ride him in the race.
A few days before the race, Will calls with the bad news that F. Scott has
insomnia -- he hasn't slept in four days. If this continues, he will never
make the race. Danny tries hypnotism, Keith tries singing the horse to sleep
-- nothing works. It is learned that F. Scott's groom, Homer Peck,
usually sleeps in the barn and plays Glenn Miller songs on his tape recorder.
About the same time that F. Scott had stopped sleeping, Homer's tape recorder
had broken and he had won enough money to stay elsewhere. Keith manages to fix
the tape recorder and as soon as "Moonlight Serenade" begins to play
the horse falls asleep.
Before the race Danny gives the horse a pep talk, threatening him with a
picture of a plow horse. At the start of the race, F. Scott falls back to the
last position, but he manages to gain and wins by a length.
Danny's dream of winning the Kentucky Derby are dashed when he learns that at
four years of age F. Scott is too old for the Derby -- a horse must be under
three to enter.
Songs:
"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," Music and Lyrics by Neil Sedaka and
Howard Greenfield (on At Home With Their Greatest
Hits)
"Lullaby," (traditional) (unavailabe on commercial LP)
Guest Cast:
Will Fowler --------------------------------------------- Slim Pickens
Pete Navarro ------------------------------------------ Lazarro Perez
Homer Peck -------------------------------------------- Dick Balduzzi
Tube Trivia:
- Veteran character actor Slim Pickens was a regular on "B.J. and the
Bear."
- Dick Balduzzi also appeared in Episode 78.
