The Morning Line: A War, A Family, A Horse Race, a Hero

THE MORNING LINE On a raw winter night in Northern Ireland, a misplaced bullet from the rifle of a British Army sniper sets off a series of events that culminate a decade later on a sun-filled summer day at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. In the intervening years, a brother and sister are torn apart by the violence gently referred to as The Troubles. Feisty Annie McGuire seeks retribution and connects with the Irish Republican Army. Her brother, Aidan, puts a scheme into play that he hopes will accomplish more than an eye for an eye. Aidan, a highly regarded trainer of thoroughbreds, controls the great race horse, Irish Eagle. A brilliant success on the European race circuit, Irish Eagle is now pointed toward the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Taking advantage of Aidan's ability to have Irish Eagle finish as an also-ran, the IRA now must insure which horse could finish first. To accomplish this, they call upon their Irish cousins in the US who have a relationship, albeit shaky, with those who can dictate the outcome of a horse race - the Boston Mafioso. Late on a Saturday afternoon in August, as the horses thunder down the homestretch at fabled Saratoga, it becomes clear that relying on inside information can be a hazardous game. But things may not be as they appear. The story returns to the British Isles for its surprising resolution.