In Your Blood

IN YOUR BLOOD
By A.C. Maki

THRILLER/SPORTS/DRAMA

In Your Blood takes place at the end of an era in American sports history, where simulcast betting changed the face of gambling.

SYNOPSIS:

CHALK (20), is a lean, rough kind of handsome cowboy with Irish blood running through his veins and a chest full of pride. He’s dirt poor but determined to make something out of himself by training thoroughbred horses.

Chalk claims a racehorse from mob boss, LOU XIN. This infuriates him, but he notices Chalk’s drive and horsemanship skills—something his two sons lack. Lou invites Chalk into the mob, on one condition-- he must kill a man—that man is Will, the old groom who taught Chalk how to make horses run faster. When Chalk doesn’t follow the mobs’ orders on killing Will or later on a heist, he pays for his disloyalty by the mob killing Chalk’s beautiful girlfriend, CAROLINE (25) …but they really stage her death. Chalk thinks Caroline is dead and the mob thinks Chalk died. To live, Chalk goes into hiding.

Many years later, Chalk has become a racetrack bum in Florida. He sees an article about a girl who’s trying to win the Kentucky Derby. He recognizes her red hair and emerald bracelet, (the one he gave Caroline) and sets out to find his possible daughter, CASEY (20s).

The first time we see Casey, she’s saving a horse from hitting a fence – she’s a tomboy who is laser-focused on winning the Derby. Chalk sees her making the same mistakes he made and wants to protect her. Casey is unaware that Chalk is her father, but what she does know is he holds the keys to getting her horse ready for the Derby. He teaches her, just like Will did, how to make horses run faster. They win a qualifier—but he tells her, “No Press!” -- Casey doesn’t listen, and soon after, Lou’s son, Rex finds out Chalk is still alive. Chalk comes clean to Casey about who he is to protect her, but she doesn’t believe him and leaves. All the while Rex and Casey get closer.

On Derby day and at gunpoint, Casey gets her horse ready for the Derby by using the same secret Chalk taught her. In the infield, Chalk outsmarts his mob family and sets out to finds his long-lost love Caroline, who is also searching for him in the infield. Casey breaks away to help Chalk, but then decides to stay with the mob--to change her fate.

Just then, two GUN SHOTS fire and the race bell SHRILLS for the most famous two minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby. Chalk’s body goes down first, then Caroline’s just as Casey’s horse wins. Hand in hand, Rex and Casey walk into the winner’s circle. A photo flashes and history is made— Casey is the first woman trainer to win the Derby and beside her is her new mob family. At the mob funeral, Casey places her grandfather’s rodeo belt on Chalk’s coffin and Derby roses on her mother’s. In a field, Casey lets her horse go free. She releases his lead rope, the clew—the one last tie to her past.

In present day, a computer-generated horse crosses the finish line…the shot pulls back to reveal patrons numbly pushing buttons.