Episode 8

Written by John R. Perrotta
Directed by Allen Coulter

Ace awakes, worried about Nathan Israel's safety. He's right to do so, as at that moment Mike Smythe's crew is in the process of throwing Israel's body, piece by piece, into the water. Cohen, meanwhile, meets with the Chief in his casino and pays him off with a bribe. Gus, with the casino's cooperation, secures a DVD of the conversation. When Gus reads Ace an email sent from Israel's cellphone, resigning, they know their man is dead.

Jo arrives at the stable with the young boy Eduardo. While she's doing an exam, the horse kicks out at her, hitting her in the stomach. Jo's assistant takes her to the hospital where they determine that the baby's heartbeat is regular, but keep her for observation.

Walter Smith's lawyer Hartstone relays Bowman's settlement offer for the fees he claims Walter owes on Gettin'up Morning. When he learns Bowman has secured an affidavit from someone named Sloane, Walter blows up. Hartstone convinces Walter to settle down and let him represent his case at the Steward's hearing where Bowman is challenging the horse's entrance in the Western Derby. The Stewards agree that Bowman is trying to bully Walter into a "nuisance payoff," and the horse is cleared for the million dollar race.

Rosie gives Ronnie pointers on riding Gettin'up Morning, but the veteran jockey brushes her off, before taking the colt for a workout. Escalante finds out that the maximum weight is 112 pounds for the jockey riding Mon Gateau in the Overnight stake race on Derby Day. Realizing there's no way Leon can make that, he tells Rathburn he's putting Rosie on the mount instead, which, Joey deduces, could also help with the odds. Rathburn delivers the news first to a disappointed Leon, then to an elated Rosie, whose joy at having a mount on Derby Day is slightly tempered when she realizes her good fortune is at Leon's expense.

When DiRossi visits Ace to smooth things over on Mike's behalf, Ace and Gus take him to the track and Gus asks Escalante to give them some privacy. Gus accompanies DiRossi inside an empty tack room and confiscates his cell phone. Meanwhile, Ace drives to Mike's yacht and confronts Smythe about killing Israel. Mike feigns ignorance and says he chooses to believe Israel's email. Ace slams down the DVD of Cohen meeting with the Chief, in which Cohen verbalizes Mike's plan to bribe the state legislature. Mike realizes that's the basis for a RICO case, and Ace tells him to stay away from him and the track.

Walter and Escalante are disappointed when Gettin'up Morning and Pint of Plain draw the first two positions for the Western Derby. That afternoon, Ronnie puts up a brilliant ride to win on a horse named Emmett's Daddy proving he is back in top form.

As the Old Man takes Getting' Up Morning back to the barn from a schooling session in the saddling area, Bowman approaches Smith, and tells him the better his horse does, the bigger role his affidavit is going to play desipite Smith's allegation of foul play at the farm. When Bowman threatens to bring the story before the cort of public opinion Geraldo Rivera, ESPN and the like the Old Man assaults him, knocking him to the ground.

In the locked stable room, DiRossi squirms nervously...Ace returns, sending DiRossi back to Mike, knowing he will be suspect. Smythe declare his plans to make the move on the casino gambling at the track himself-with Ace out of the picture. At The Long Shot, Leon asks Ronnie to tell him about the "most specialist stuff" for losing weight. Ronnie won't tell him, unwilling to ruin his own luck by setting someone else on the dark path he took.

Escalante visits the hospital and learns Jo is scheduled for a procedure the next day to try to save her pregnancy. Jo asks Escalante to take care of Eduardo for the night-the night before Derby Day. The Degenerates, excited to have their horse running on Derby Day, discuss Escalante's decision to use Rosie as their jockey and what they plan to wear to the paddock. Gus warns Ace that the man Mike had watching them at the casino is a hit man from Chicago, and that caution is necessary since Ace is now a target.