Neil Marshall is a graduate student in the University of Houston's creative writing program and a promising young poet. However, facing a financially and emotionally draining divorce has him worried about more than paying tuition. So, to make ends meet, Neil moonlights as a chef for a high-society caterer. Just when Neil's life seems bleakest, his oldest friend, racehorse breeder Jason Keys, is murdered. And Neil becomes the prime suspect. To avenge his friend, clear his name, and rescue a missing championship thoroughbred, Neil infiltrates the dark underworld of horse theft and illegal breeding. Neil's friends -- his attractive writing teacher, his cooking colleagues, and a freckle-faced teenage horsewoman -- offer their support. But their cheers quickly turn to gasps when Neil becomes the hunted.