Rosalind is a mare that Gibson can hang his hopes on. The young boy loves exercising horses, and he loves the way that the trotting Standardbred moves. She is all heart, and she responds to her driver's urging with all that she has. Rosalind's trainer takes his time, and he builds up her muscle steadily and surely. She becomes accustomed to the harness and the ways of the racetrack. Rosalind is named for a character in the play, As You Like It.

The racetrack buzzes with the excitement of the horses, jockeys, trainers, grooms and fans. All the people are rooting for their favorite horse. They want their equine to give the race everything and wow the crowds. Rosalind is one of those prized horses. The crowd is electric in its anticipation of the battle between the mare and her arch rival, Ed Lasater. He is her only real challenge, and he has a good chance of winning the Hambletonian. However, Gibson does not doubt his girl; he is going to be the happiest chap alive if she keeps her nose ahead of Ed Lasater's in the famed race. 

Born to Trot by Marguerite Henry, 1950

I love the Marguerite Henry stories, which are about a simpler time and place and the love of horses.

• Books about horses
• Misty of Chincoteague Foundation
• US Trotting Association