Raymond Masterson comes of age in a loving family in Brooklyn. He has a bright future ahead of him after his university education and a stint in the Navy... if only he can figure out exactly what he wants to do. His desire for a fulfilling, lifetime vocation matters more than the allure of making big bucks in the city. Raymond's childhood fascination with horses quickly takes precedence over the nine-to-five grind when he attends local races with his friends. As he reaches out to people working at the racetrack, he finds a mentor and the opportunity to start at the bottom rung as a "hot-walker"—a novice trainer. His hard work brings him a promotion and a budding relationship with a beautiful young socialite who shares his idealistic notions and love of horses. His satisfaction is soon marred by Mafia interference with thoroughbreds under his care. If that weren't tough enough, his love interest's father rejects Raymond outright as an unworthy suitor despite his stellar record as a trainer.

Equine enthusiasts and thoroughbred racing fans will appreciate the authenticity and detail of this suspenseful novel inspired by the author's fifty-year sojourn as a licensed owner and trainer at the Belmont Park Racetrack in New York. Cincotta also has many other achievements in the field of thoroughbred racing, and his expertise shines through in the writing. The expected ups and downs of horseracing take the story on an equally fast-paced and circuitous ride. Cincotta knows his sport in and out and is skilled at revealing much to readers unfamiliar with thoroughbred racing. The writing sometimes hesitates in the plot curves, and the storyline occasionally veers into a romantic Hallmark universe. However, the lead characters are well-developed, and the realistic setting and attention to detail help take this book down the track and through the wire.

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