by Jerry Bader (Author), Paola Ceccantoni (Illustrator)
The horse racing business is not what it appears to be. It is a rough and often criminal enterprise populated by colorful, tough, and often dangerous people. The Jockey is the true story of how a young boy from the wrong side of the tracks, who because of his size and toughness, is offered a position to train as a jockey. It soon becomes clear that the business is less about winning horse races than it is about making money. He resists the temptation to join the extralegal side of the business until he is confronted by the facts of racing life: horseracing is a blood sport and jockeys rarely survive without life altering injuries. A decision has to be made. Does he risk his life multiple times a day so others can make money, or does he move to the dark side where danger or not, he's the one who profits.