This was a cute story and as a horse owner myself, I will pick up any book where horses are central to the plot.
Sonnia loves horses. She works for her family's business doing pony rides, but dreams of working in the royal stables. She has been saving money to buy Ricochet, one of those prized horses. When Ricochet is moved to a racetrack, Sonnia starts working there so she can see her beloved horse. She joins the junior racing team and starts training to become a jockey. But the racetrack holds a dark and dangerous secret. The Night Ride, an illegal race in the dark. But every race puts lives in danger. Can Sonnia protect herself, her horse and save her family's business too?

Sonnia was a great character, torn between doing what is right and what could help her family. It was a moral dilemma she had to wrestle with and for middle grade readers who may face their own ethical dilemmas in life, watching a young girl have to chose to do the right thing is a good lesson for them to learn. It is a perfect book for all horse crazy kids. As an adult, I wished it was longer and more in depth, and this would make a great adaptation into a YA novel, but this is the perfect length for young readers, capturing and holding their attention. It did feel a little rushed at times and things always seemed to work out too easily, but that is the genre.

A simple and sweet tale perfect for kids. Three and a half stars.