Several odd occurrences, including a suspicious fire, happen at the farm where Alec Ramsay (
Kelly Reno) and his mother (
Teri Garr) stable Alec's horse, “The Black.” One night, “The Black” is taken away. Sheik Ishak (
Ferdy Mayne) says he is responsible, claiming that the stallion is his stolen property that he has retrieved, learning his whereabouts due to the publicity about “The Black” winning in the match race and that his real name is Shêtân ("devil"). After learning that the sheik is returning “The Black” to his kingdom in the Moroccan desert, Alec stows away on a plane to
Casablanca. In Morocco, Alec makes some friends who disguise him as a local. They take him to a man named Kurr (
Allen Garfield), the leader of a rogue tribe called the Uruk, who is interested in “The Black” and Sheik Ishak. He allows Alec to travel with him and another man, but they abandon Alec in the desert after the truck breaks down. Alec is picked up by another truck driver. Aboard the truck, he meets Raj (
Vincent Spano), who learned English from university. The two become friends and travel across the desert on foot with Meslar (
Woody Strode), Raj's friend and mentor. Then the Uruk kidnap Meslar, and Raj and Alec must defend themselves against the harsh elements as their
camel dies. After running out of water, they collapse but recover when they find a river. Raj's tribe discovers them, welcoming Raj home and Alec to the tribe. Raj takes Alec to Ishak's domain, where he reunites with “The Black” but is apprehended by Ishak's men. He pleads his case to Sheik Ishak, who is sympathetic but will not give up the horse. He is racing the stallion in the "Great Race" with his granddaughter, Tabari (
Jodi Thelen) as the rider. Alec insists “The Black” can only win if he rides him. Denied, Alec coaches Tabari, but “The Black” throws her off during practice. Then, the Uruk capture “The Black” and Alec, but the two escape. As they flee, Alec discovers that Meslar is being held prisoner and gives him his pocket knife to cut his bonds. Alec and “The Black” return to Ishak's. As a reward, Alec is allowed to ride him in the race. On race day, Alec reunites with Raj, who is also competing. They and the other riders begin their run across the desert. The Uruk's rider tries to kill Alec, but he and “The Black” escape. Alec discovers that the Uruk's rider pushed Raj off his horse and returns Raj's mount to him. Together, they race against the Uruk rider until Meslar appears and spooks the rider's horse, unseating him. Suddenly, Kurr chases Raj and Alec in his truck, shooting at them. However, the truck crashes into a ditch. Alec wins the race, then pleads with Ishak to spare Raj's horse, despite the winning sheik taking any horses he chooses. Ishak grants the reprieve, which allows Alec to repay Raj for his kindness. Meslar returns with Kurr, his accomplice, and the Uruk rider, who are all taken prisoner. Although Ishak gives “The Black” back to Alec, he decides to leave his horse in Morocco, believing he belongs there. ==Cast==