Thirty thousand American and Canadian spectators gather in Windsor, Ontario, to witness a historic race between the American horse Man o’ War and the Canadian horse Sir Barton. Man o’ War is a three-year-old red-gold stallion that has set two world records, and Sir Barton is a chestnut horse that has won three major races, including the Kentucky Derby, in a single year.

At the start of the race, Sir Barton sprints ahead. Man o’ War’s jockey remembers that his trainer advised him not to restrain the horse’s speed. He relaxes his control, allowing Man o’ War to surge forward to victory. The American horse finishes the race seven lengths ahead of the Canadian horse. The astonished crowds surge onto the track and watch as Man o’ War’s owner, Samuel Riddle, gives the champion horse a drink of water from the gold trophy cup.

Man o’ War’s fans want him to compete in England’s famous Newmarket races and were offended that he was excluded from the British Stud Book because he is not Thoroughbred. However, Riddle announces that this was Man o’ War’s final race. To keep competitions fair, judges assign weight for each horse to carry. As “the greatest horse alive” (16), Man o’ War would have had to carry “more weight than ever a race horse carried” if he continued competing (16).