Members of an evil terrorist group, known as the Knights of the Caliphate, infiltrate the city of Louisville on a mission of vengeance where they receive an explosive device which, according to plan, will kill thousands of Americans, turning the acclaimed Kentucky Derby into a virtual holocaust. As faithful fans descend on Derby City, Tucker Flannery and Gwendolyn Gardot have their Thoroughbred, Sugar Thief, poised to run for the roses as does J. D. Cumberland with his favorite, Blessed Charm, before Tony Tronti, a sinister mob boss, manages to extort the stallion for himself. But, can either horse compete with the Sheikh of Karoumi's odds-on favorite, Karoumi King? That is, if the city remains standing, when and if, they all hear those famous words... Riders Up

Something is destroying the Thoroughbred bloodlines of Kentucky. Is the villainous plot sounding the death knell for the horse racing industry? Can the efforts and passions of Tucker Flannery, manager of Fairhaven Farm, and Doctor Gwen Gardot, a microbiologist with the Kentucky Equine Center, interpret the ravenous disturbance and restore the noble breed to its kingly reign? A globe-trotting story of brotherly hatred, revenge, murder, passion, and the overwhelming love of horses.

"Have you ever done anything you regret? Something you'd give anything to be able to undo?" Wrestling with his tortured past, Sasha, (aka) Darkside, is now the trusted confidante and manager of the Sheikh of Karoumi's most valued horse stables. Loyalty and motives are tested as Darkside finds himself lured into a fantasy voyage with the woman of every man's dreams. The discovery that his sheikh has been kidnapped while he was conveniently unavailable quickly turns his dream cruise into a nightmare. Physical struggles against the terrorist group, the Knights of the Caliphate, are not as painful as his emotional struggles with guilt, lust, and a search for redemption. In the midst of chaos and betrayal some find peace and a second chance for love, while others find the dark side of their soul. All seek forgiveness, but who grants this merciful gift?