About this Book

The year is 1993. Women jockeys are no longer a novelty in the world of horse racing, but they still have to fight hard for respect in a male-dominated sport that heeds its own rules. Nikki Summers has spent too many years toiling as a second-rate jockey at an obscure track in Oregon, as she slowly pays her way through college with hopes of becoming a veterinary doctor. When tragedy forces her to question her motives for participating in such a brutal sport, she heads south to finally confront the mother who abandoned her as a child, Rachel Nottingham, Northern California's top Thoroughbred trainer and infamous hardass. Their confrontation inspires Nikki to recall her original goals and resume riding with a newfound ruthlessness, while Rachel finds herself torn between maternal regrets and her obsession with winning. With pride and profession on the line, the story gallops toward the finish on a course beset with mother/daughter conflicts and ethical dilemmas.