Tucker [to Franny]
And you, Miss Softy, you just let him go, didn't you? [turns to Goose] Goose, time to earn your keep.
Most-quoted character in Racing Stripes (2005): in 20 of its 92 quotes
Most scenes with: Franny (8), Goose (4), Stripes (4)
Well, maybe to you. It's like this: Humans race, horses race. There was even a Chicken Run, but there's never been a goat race. Ever, ever, ever. Get the picture, Franny?
More lines from Tucker
5 quotes Tucker Tucker To me, you're just a horse with stripes who needs an attitude adjustment.
Tucker You know what I used to tell all my racers? "Don't look back, leave it all on the track."
Tucker Come on, Sandy.
Tucker [secretly watching Stripes and Trenton's Pride at the Blue Moon Races shortly before they race]
You got guts, kid.
Scenes with Tucker
14 scenes
Question time. What exactly are you?
I don't know.
Tucker Okay. We can rule out genius.
Tucker Kids these days. No control. Now back in my day...
Oh, here we go with the ancient history lesson. Enough!
Well would you look at that. He loves to run. It's in his heart!
Tucker Yeah, but that's still not enough.
You could train him. Then it would be enough.
Tucker Let me put it this way, Franny. The legs are too short, the head's too big, he's got about as much chance to race as me. Besides, (walking away) I have go better things to do.
Oh, go fix your hair.
Tucker I heard that.
Tucker "Hey, pal. You ever try shutting up?
You ever try swimmin' in cement horseshoes? 've taken down punks bigger than you.
Tucker Yeah? What'd you do, talk 'em to death?
Hey, be careful, pony-boy, or someday somebody's gonna wake up with your head in their bed.
Tucker I shoulda guessed from the size of that pecker you'd be a big-mouth.
Watch it stumpy. I'd cut you off at the knees but it looks like somebody's beaten me to it.
There's Sandy.
Tucker Yeah, and there's Sir Trenton, all fifteen hundred pounds of him. We'll never get her out of there.
Tucker Okay, we can rule out genius. [Franny kicks him] Hey!
Don't make me chew open a can of pony whup.
Tucker Save the sweet talk for later.
[Stripes starts giggling] [to Stripes]
Don't pay any attention to him. Listen, he's all whinny and no-bite. I'm Franny, this is Reggie, and Mr. Sensitive here is Tucker.
Tucker And that old goat there is an old goat. [the door opens] Uh-oh, it's the Chief.
He can be your student, and you can be his cousin.
Tucker I swear, Franny! The more any animal can be funny looking, the more you wanna keep him!
Keep him? But, Tucker, you used to be nice.
Tucker Yeah, but I got over it.
Why do you have to be such a horse's [bleating] a-a-a-a-a-ass?
Tucker Just say what you mean, Franny. We haven't spoke in Latin, since the pigs left.
Is he always like this?
Tucker Worse. Much worse.
Both
Side by side on my piano keyboard--
Get off me, you stupid flies! Get off!
Man, "Ebony and Ivory" didn't work. That's a first.
Told you we should've rapped.
Tucker Not a chance. The Chief will never go for it.
Of course he will. Just like somebody else I know. He just needs a little push.
Tucker Reggie?
Yes?
Tucker Get off my back.
Tucker Hey, kid, what's your problem?
I'm not a racehorse.
Tucker What does that mean?
I don't belong in the gate.
Tucker No, no, you're wrong. And I'll tell you why. Racing is for anyone--Anyone with a fire burning in their heart.
What do you know, you little nobody? You never raced.
Tucker [Stripes leaves the scene in anger]
They're all the same.
[to Goose, as Franny munches on some hay]
Tucker doesn't understand. He didn't even know that I was a zebra. He doesn't get it. What's he ever done?
Now, let me tell you somethin', kid. I've made a few claims about ponies. This guy's all hair, and no brains.
AAAGH! Hit the hay!
[Goose falls onto a pile of hay] [to Stripes]
Come here. [to herself] These people think they know everything. You tell somebody something, they get an attitude.
[Goose pops his head from the hay, with strands of hay on his crest feathers]
Hey, I didn't know that goat was packed.
[Franny leads stripes to a desk with photos on it]
Come up here. I want you to take a look up there. You tell me what you see.
No. Look closer.
[Stripes turns his focus to the left most photo, and his anger softens to shock]
That's Sir Trenton!
And who else?
Tucker!
That's right - Tucker. He trained Sir Trenton. He and the Chief trained all the winners, and not one of them ever... EVER... thanked him.
How come he never said anything?
Because to him, actions speak louder than words. He believes in you, and you're gonna have to believe in him too.
[For the first time, Stripes feels ashamed of his behavior as he continues looking at the photo. Hours later, elsewhere, Tucker is standing on the hill overlooking the raceway, when Stripes walks up to him]
I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I'm the last one who should be name calling.
Tucker Come on, look at me kid; when you got legs shorter than a sheepdog, you get used to being made fun of. I can relate.
[sighs]
It's just... ah... I'm not really a racehorse. I'm a... [sighs again].. I'm a zebra.
Tucker So what? To me, you're just a horse with stripes who needs an attitude adjustment.
Tucker, you don't really think I have what it takes, do you?
Tucker Listen to me, kid; you're right. You don't have the strength or natural ability of one of the thoroughbreds..
Tucker .. but have got more heart than all of them put together.
But the gate.. I freeze up. It keeps me from running. I don't know what it is; I-I can't do it.
Tucker Look, most horses are afriad of the gate at first. It's perfectly normal, but they get over it - you will too. You just keep running, okay? And let the chief worry about the gate; he knows what he's doing.
[Stripes takes a moment to consider]
Tucker Oh, that's just great. The race is in four hours.
Well, uh, he went out last night, he said he was gonna go find Sandy, and he...
Tucker And, well, Miss Softy, you just let him go, didn't you? [to Goose] Goose, time to earn your keep.
I'm on it.
Name's Goose.
Tucker Oh, a pelican named Goose, well my name's Duck.
Duck?
Tucker Duck.
Duck!?
Tucker Goose!
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