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First Race, Chapter 1

• The preface of the novel describes the structure and reasons for claiming races, which is excerpted from Ainslie’s Complete Guide to Thoroughbred Racing.

• This novel is related from a third-person narrator focusing on the perspectives of several main characters in each chapter.

• The narrative focus in Chapter 1 is that of Medicine Ed, an elderly black groom who works at the Indian Mound Downs.

• Medicine Ed talks with Deucey Gifford about the upcoming race as she walks her horse Grizzly.

• A “frizzly haired” girl (from Medicine Ed’s perspective) arrives at the track asking for five stalls but she is brusquely turned away by the stall superintendent, Vernon “Suitcase” Smithers.

• The girl pushes forward and Smithers gives her five stalls, but set far apart from one another.

• Medicine Ed considers the red horse that his boss Zeno has trucked in for the race.

• Exposition reveals...

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