In 1864 Kentucky, an enslaved boy dares to pursue his dream of becoming a jockey.Twelve-year-old Gabriel loves to help his father—one of the best horse trainers in Kentucky—care for the thoroughbred racehorses on Master Giles's farm until the violence of war disrupts their familiar daily routine. When Gabriel's father enlists in a Colored Battalion, Gabriel is both proud and worried. But his father's departure brings the arrival of Mr. Newcastle, a white horse trainer with harsh, cruel methods for handling both horses and people. Now it is up to Gabriel to protect the horses he loves from Mr. Newcastle and keep them safely out of the clutches of Confederate raiders.In this first book in the Racing to Freedom trilogy, Alison Hart explores the complex relationships of the Civil War in a gripping work of historical fiction. The result is a gripping story that vividly brings to life the danger and drama of a time when war and issues of race and freedom divided the country. Background historical material and photos are included.

Twelve-year-old Gabriel is too young to join the fifth U.S. Colored Calvary of the Union Army, his father's regiment, as a soldier in the Civil War. He finds a job as personal groom to Champion, the unruly horse that belongs to Colonel Waite, the white commander. The Calvary receives orders to join white regiments in an attack on the Virginia salt works, so Gabriel gets ahold of a horse and a uniform and joins the troops. When his father and Colonel Waite are not among the weary and wounded who return from battle, Gabriel mounts Champion and rides to the battlefield in search of them.In the final book of the Racing to Freedom trilogy, Alison Hart continues to explore the complex relationships of the Civil War. The result is a gripping story that vividly brings to life the danger and drama of a time when war and issues of race and freedom divided the country. Background historical material, photos, and suggestions for further reading are included.

In 1864 Kentucky, an enslaved boy dares to pursue his dream of becoming a jockey.Twelve-year-old Gabriel loves to help his father—one of the best horse trainers in Kentucky—care for the thoroughbred racehorses on Master Giles's farm until the violence of war disrupts their familiar daily routine. When Gabriel's father enlists in a Colored Battalion, Gabriel is both proud and worried. But his father's departure brings the arrival of Mr. Newcastle, a white horse trainer with harsh, cruel methods for handling both horses and people. Now it is up to Gabriel to protect the horses he loves from Mr. Newcastle and keep them safely out of the clutches of Confederate raiders.In this first book in the Racing to Freedom trilogy, Alison Hart explores the complex relationships of the Civil War in a gripping work of historical fiction. The result is a gripping story that vividly brings to life the danger and drama of a time when war and issues of race and freedom divided the country. Background historical material and photos are included.

Twelve-year-old Gabriel is too young to join the fifth U.S. Colored Calvary of the Union Army, his father's regiment, as a soldier in the Civil War. He finds a job as personal groom to Champion, the unruly horse that belongs to Colonel Waite, the white commander. The Calvary receives orders to join white regiments in an attack on the Virginia salt works, so Gabriel gets ahold of a horse and a uniform and joins the troops. When his father and Colonel Waite are not among the weary and wounded who return from battle, Gabriel mounts Champion and rides to the battlefield in search of them.In the final book of the Racing to Freedom trilogy, Alison Hart continues to explore the complex relationships of the Civil War. The result is a gripping story that vividly brings to life the danger and drama of a time when war and issues of race and freedom divided the country. Background historical material, photos, and suggestions for further reading are included.