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"The Racing Mule" is an episode in the Hey Arnold! TV Series.
Synopsis[]
Mr. Hyunh, Oskar and Ernie buy a race horse, or so they think.
Plot[]
Ernie, Oskar, and Mr. Hyunh buy a racehorse named "Glueboy". Ernie brings it home to show everyone. Arnold says it looks weird while Ernie says he's a racing horse. Grandpa says it's not a horse, but a mule. Ernie doesn't believe him and tries to get Glueboy to neigh. When Oskar bites into a pickle, Glueboy starts braying, revealing he is a mule. Grandpa laughs while he and Arnold go back inside.
Mr. Hyunh and Oskar are angry and tell Ernie that he has to get a refund, but the guy who sold the mule makes no refunds. Ernie says he may not be a horse, but he's still bred for racing. A mule race is about to take place and the prize is $3,000. Oskar decides to do it since he spent $200 on the animal.
The men try to tame Glueboy, but they fail miserably. They begin discussing what to do now that Glueboy has proven to be a waste of money with Oskar suggesting sending him to the glue factory. As they are doing this, Arnold comes out and starts feeding him where they watch them. To the men's surprise, despite being misanthrope, Glueboy allows Arnold to pet him and seems to really like him. Ernie, Oskar and Mr. Hyunh decide to put Arnold on it to train for the race despite the fact that he only rode a horse (technically a pony) once at a birthday party, and he ended up falling off of it.
They begin training for the race. Despite the fact that Glueboy was slower than an elderly lady with a walker, they did not give up and continued training. Eventually, they decided Glueboy was race ready. Oskar asks Suzy to borrow an extra $100 to bet on Arnold. She refuses saying he already spent $200 on the mule, and they can't afford to spend more money.
At the race signups, they encounter the best mule racer in the business, Russell Bains. Russell insults Glueboy by saying that there's no way he could possibly beat him on the race and win as he must be over one hundred years old by now. The guys are incredibly offended and said that Glueboy will beat him easily.
The day before the race, Glueboy becomes incredibly sick due to Oskar mistakenly feeding him 16 cans of laxative on the thought of them being protein shakes. Arnold, Ernie and Hyunh are disapproved at Oskar for it. They try many different remedies to help him get better, but it does not help. Ernie, Mr. Hyunh and Oskar go to bed deciding that they have to forfeit. Arnold insists to do something for Glueboy, which Oskar suggests selling him to the glue factory once again. Ernie and Hyunh are fed up with Oskar and chases him down, leaving Arnold with Glueboy as he tells the mule that Oskar was just joking about it. Arnold spends the night by Glueboy, keeping him company and singing "You Are My Sunshine" to help him feel better. The next day with Arnold sleeping with Glueboy for the night, he's surprised to witness Glueboy felt better after he licks the latter of his head. He went to tell Ernie, Hyunh and Oskar about Glueboy being better now and ready to race, much to their relief, as they prepare their mule for it.
Before the race starts, Arnold and the mens compliments about Glueboy felt healthy until Russell comes over and taunts Glueboy and Arnold by telling them about taking a trip to the glue factory with Chauncey smacking him with his tail, much to their offense. At the starting line, Russell taunts Glueboy and Arnold once again. Glueboy gets angry, but Arnold calms him down. Once the race starts, the gates open and the mules race out. Glueboy's saddle blanket becomes caught on the door and they are held back. The borders have given up hope of him winning as the other racers head into turn 1. Oskar says that it is a good thing Suzy didn't give him the money to bet after all. Suzy sheepishly admits to placing the bet after seeing Arnold on "that cute little mule." Eventually, Arnold and Glueboy manage to get free and catch up to the other racers. The borders are amazed as they watch them getting back on the race and passes several racers with Oskar cheering loudly for Glueboy. Arnold and Glueboy catch up to the leader, Russell and Chauncy. Russell plays dirty and hits Glueboy's face with his riding crop and Glueboy is forced to fall back from it. Arnold tells Glueboy he knows he can win and begins to sing again. Glueboy manages to catch back up and pass Chauncy, winning the race "by a nose", much to the boarders' delight where they celebrate their victory. While Arnold praises Glueboy, a humiliated Russell throws a tantrum before Chauncy kicks him off the course. Glueboy is pictured with Arnold and the other Sunset Arms boarders until biting on Oskar again.