Horse

More about the book

A discarded painting, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history intertwine in a sweeping narrative of spirit, obsession, and injustice. Set in Kentucky in 1850, Jarrett, an enslaved groom, forms a profound bond with a bay foal, leading the horse to record-breaking victories amid a nation torn by civil war. An itinerant artist, known for his racehorse paintings, joins the Union forces and reunites with the stallion and his groom in a perilous moment far from the racetrack's glamour. Fast forward to New York City in 1954, where gallery owner Martha Jackson becomes captivated by a mysterious 19th-century equestrian oil painting. In Washington, DC, 2019, Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, connect over their shared fascination with the horse. Jess studies the stallion's bones for insights into his power, while Theo uncovers the overlooked history of the Black horsemen crucial to the horse's racing success. This gripping tale is based on the true story of Lexington, a record-breaking thoroughbred who became America's greatest stud sire, offering a multi-layered exploration of the legacy of enslavement and racism in America.