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Ash and his friends have arrived in what they think is the Safari Zone. The ground starts shaking. A herd of Tauros stampedes by. Ash send Pikachu to battle, but Pikachu is taking a nap. He sends Charmander and tells it to use Ember. Before it can does, something falls out of the sky and lands on Charmander. A Growlithe! He has Charmander use Flamethrower, but so does the Growlithe. He brings back Charmander and is about to send Squirtle when someone yells for him to stop.

It's a girl riding a Ponyta. She says this is a Pokémon Reserve and it's illegal to catch Pokémon there. Brock sees her and goes into the usual trance. It's the Big P Ranch, owned by the Laremie Family. The girl is Laura Laramie. The Growlithe makes sure no one catches the Pokémon.

They go to another part of the ranch, where people tend to small groups of different Pokémon. Ash's Pokédex says Ponyta's mane is made of fire. Laura explains that Ponyta won't burn people it trusts. Ash tries touching it, only to get his hand fried. He has Squirtle put it out. Brock says how Pokémon breeders love to get Pokémon from the Big P Ranch. They're raised in the wild and are stronger than others. Laura says there is going to be a party and she invites them to come. If they stay the night, they can see the big Pokémon race tommorow. If you win, you become an honorary member of the Laramie Clan.

Another stampede! Of Dodrio this time. They run by very quickly. A guy on a Dodrio, Dario, walks over to them. He says he's going to win the race. He leaves and Misty comments on him being a jerk.

They're at the party. Everyone is encouraging Laura and saying she'll win. Ash is eating a chocolate Magikarp. Suddenly, Dario runs over and says the Tauros are going crazy. They run off and Dario smiles. Laura whistles, Ponyta comes and she jumps onto its back. They all run toward the ranch. They get there to see all the Tauros going crazy. Laura has Growlithe calm them down. There's a rustling in the bushes, a shadow jumps in front of Ponyta and something flashes on it. Ponyta panics and throws Laura off. Ash manages to calm down Ponyta.

We see Team Rocket watching them. Meowth was the shadow that scared Ponyta and Dario had hired them to make sure hed win the race. James says that if they become part of the Laramie Clan, they can make lots of money!

Laura's arm is broken, so she can't race. She says that Ash could ride. Ash says he'll only get burned, but Laura says he should try. Misty and Brock say they'll help. Ash tries to touch Ponyta, but he gets burned again. Laura tells Ponyta that if it wins with another rider, that will prove its the best of all.

Later, Ash gets on Ponyta, and he isn't burned! But he accidently kicks it on the back leg and it runs with Ash hanging on by its tail.

The big race! There are lots of people and their Pokémon. Brock is on his Onix, Misty is on Starmie, Ash is on Ponyta and Pikachu is riding Squirtle!

And they're off! Pikachu and Squirtle are last. Dario gets the lead! Something hits the head of a Tauros someone is riding, who hits a Nidorina, and they both start fighting. That was Team Rocket, of course.

The first obstacle is the 45 degree uphill climb. Dario is in the lead, with Pikachu and Squirtle last. They go down the other side. The Electrode is rolling down really fast and is catching up to Dario! But it falls into a hole, put there by Team Rocket. Then it explodes, knocking out everyone around it, including Ash and Ponyta. Squirtle and Pikachu come and Pikachu shocks Ash and Ponyta, waking them.

The next one is where the Pokémon have to jump from rock to rock to get across a river. Brock's Onix and a Rhyhorn stop at the edge. The Rhyhorn jumps on a rock, but it sinks. Onix can't continue on, because the water would hurt it. Starmie and Squirtle are doing great in the water and Ponyta easliy jumps from rock to rock.

In the next one, the Pokémon have to eat an entire bowl of food before continuing. All three of Dodrios heads start fighting over the food. Squirtle, Pikachu, Misty, Starmie, Ash and Ponyta catch up. Dario tells Team Rocket to go.

Smoke covers everything. Jessie and James say their lines. Pikachu and Squirtle are stuffing their faces. Ash finds out that they were the ones that broke Laura's arm. Ash sends Pikachu and Squirtle, but Arbok uses Glare, paralyzing them. Misty sends Starmie, but Weezing uses Sludge and Starmie can't get it off it. Ponyta reers up, and seems to be panicking. Dario and Dodrio run ahead. Misty tells Ash he has to win, they will take care of Team Rocket. Arbok is about to use Poison Sting, but suddenly, Ponyta is completely covered in flames! Arbok stops, but then Weezing uses its Poison Gas, it catches fire and there's a big explosion. Looks like Team Rockets blasting off again!

Dario is in the lead, but something is cacthing up. It's a ball of flame, which is actually Ponyta, and it's just a run to the finish line now. Ponyta closes in, and its neck is on neck. Dodrio pecks Ponyta on the face and it starts to fall behind!

Ponyta starts to glow. It's evolving! It evolves into Rapidash, the fastest sprinter in the world, with a top speed of 100 mph! It catches up again. They're almost at the finish and its a photo finish, with Rapidash as the winner! Dario says Ash cheated, but Ash says he attacked first. Dario tells Dodrio to attack, but Rapidash kicks them, sending them flying.

Rapidash is the new champion, along with its trainer, Laura Laramie, and Ash Ketchum! Rapidash licks Ash on the face. They all laugh.

Dario is mad at Team Rocket and has them tied up. Dodrio starts pecking them. Meowth: "James, stop this crazy thing!"

This episode guide has been written by flik.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Misty

Brock

Jessie

James

Meowth

Lara Laramie

Dario

Ash's Pikachu

James' Weezing

Jessie's Arbok

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Charmander belonging to Ash
• Squirtle belonging to Ash
• Raticate
• Arbok belonging to Ash
• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Sandslash
• Nidorina
• Nidorino
• Meowth
• Growlithe belonging to Lara Laramie
• Ponyta belonging to Lara Laramie: Evolves into Rapidash
  
• Rapidash belonging to Lara Laramie
• Dodrio belonging to Dario
• Onix belonging to Brock
• Electrode
• Weezing belonging to Ash
• Rhyhorn
• Staryu belonging to Misty
• Tauros

Moves used in this episode

• Explosion by Electrode
• Flamethrower by Charmander
• Flamethrower by Growlithe
• Glare by Arbok
• Peck by Dodrio
• Poison Gas by Weezing
• Poison Sting by Arbok
• Sludge by Weezing
• Stomp by Rapidash
• Water Gun by Squirtle

Items seen in this episode

• Pokeball

Locations seen in this episode

• Safari Zone (Kanto)

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