Off to the Races

Off to the Races (2021) is Canadian author Elsie Silver’s debut novel and the first installment in her five-part Gold Rush Ranch series. The story follows Wilhelmina “Billie” Black as she accepts a job as a horse trainer for Vaughn Harding, who is still grieving the recent death of his grandfather. As Billie works to transform a volatile racehorse named Double Diablo into a champion, her contentious, bantering relationship with Vaughn soon becomes something deeper.

Silver, whose novels are known for their small-town settings and lush descriptions of the Canadian countryside, has written two additional series. The Chestnut Springs series, which begins with Flawless, takes place in the same world as the Gold Rush Ranch series, albeit on the eastern side of the Canadian Rockies. Her third series, Rose Hill, begins with Wild Love and overlaps characters with the Chestnut Springs series. Off to the Races explores the transformative power of love in the context of Overcoming Sexist Attitudes in Male-Dominated Fields, The Struggle to Forgive Family Members, and The Tension Between Public Image and Private Desires.

This guide refers to the 2021 Kindle e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of illness, death, animal cruelty, gender discrimination, addiction, substance use, sexual content, and cursing.

Plot Summary

In the Prologue set 10 years before the main events of the novel, Wilhelmina “Billie” Black snaps at photographers who demand details about the sex scandal that her politician father has become embroiled in.

In the narrative present, Vaughn Harding desperately seeks proof that his late grandfather Dermot Harding is innocent of fixing horse races. Vaughn has taken a leave of absence from his family’s profitable mining company to work at the struggling ranch, which reminds him of his happy childhood memories with Dermot. Upon the recommendation of his head groom, Hank Brandt, Vaughn plans to interview “some guy named Billy Black,” a “young and cutting-edge” horse trainer (12). When a woman arrives, Vaughn dismisses her rudely, assuming that she is there at his matchmaking mother’s behest. Billie retorts teasingly and introduces herself, though she privately reflects that Vaughn’s arrogance is typical of rich, entitled men like him.

Skeptical of Billie’s skill, Vaughn makes her a bargain: If she can train his challenging horse, Double Diablo, well enough that he can win his first race, she will earn a permanent position at the ranch. Billie is instantly charmed by Double Diablo, whom she nicknames DD. Over her early days at the ranch, Billie provides a slow and stable presence, and DD gradually begins to trust and accept her as he has never done for any other trainer.

Vaughn and Billie alternate between sarcastic sniping and efforts to maintain their professionalism, each increasingly unsettled by their growing attraction. One evening, when Billie rides DD out of his paddock, Vaughn challenges her decision, but she stands her ground regarding her training methods. After a bout of verbal sparring, they agree to be friends, but they soon contradict this by giving in to their attraction and sharing a kiss. Abruptly, they pull away and resolve to keep matters strictly professional in the future. 

However, their emotional soon connection grows stronger when Vaughn confesses his desire to prove his beloved grandfather’s innocence. Billie advises him to separate his good memories of Dermot from the possibility that his grandfather may indeed have fixed horse races.

As Billie continues working with DD, aided by a young groom named Violet Easton, her friendship with Vaughn grows. At DD’s first race, he is ridden by a jockey chosen by Cole Harding, Vaughn’s older brother. The jockey, Patrick, uses a whip on DD against Billie’s explicit instructions. Although DD wins the race, the horse is terrified, and a furious Billie yells at Patrick and strikes him with the whip, just as he was striking DD. Incensed, Patrick makes a snide comment exposing the fact that Billie’s father is a disgraced former prime minister. Vaughn is shocked to learn Billie’s background and identity. When he goes after a distraught Billie to console her, they kiss again.

The next day, DD is ill due to the shock and trauma of Patrick’s mistreatment. Billie spends a harrowing day encouraging him to walk in order to improve his health, pushing herself to exhaustion because she blames herself for DD’s condition. DD slowly begins to improve, but Billie refuses to leave his side. Eventually, Vaughn arrives and forces her to rest while he cares for DD himself. 

Vaughn is initially hurt by the fact that Billie kept her family history a secret, but she explains that after her father’s scandal, he used his family to try to regain public favor. As the two discuss their blooming relationship, Billie points out that pursuing a romance with Vaughn, her boss, would undermine her credibility as a trainer in the horse-racing world. Vaughn is upset by this realization.

Vaughn explains that his “playboy” image in the media came about because he indulges his mother by going on dates that she insists on setting up for him, misguidedly believing that her efforts will bring Vaughn happiness. Vaughn expresses his desire for Billie, and the two have oral sex. 

The next day, Billie sees a text from Vaughn’s mother, arranging a date for the upcoming week. Because Billie struggles with issues of trust around sex, she is hurt by the thought that Vaughn is going on a date with someone else. When Vaughn sees the message, he tells his mother to stop setting him up on dates. Even so, Billie avoids Vaughn for days. When Vaughn asks her out, she arranges an evening out with Violet instead and purposefully lets Vaughn assume that she went on a romantic date with another man.

When Vaughn challenges her about this and tells her that he canceled the date that his mother set up, the two admit to their mutual desire and have sex, agreeing to a relationship. Billie requests that they keep their romance temporarily private, and although Vaughn is displeased, he agrees. He also vows to support her career.

An unethical horse owner named Stefan Dalca calls and inquires about buying DD. Vaughn refuses the offer but is shaken by Dalca’s implication that he has damning evidence on Vaughn’s grandfather Dermot. Billie draws upon her experience of her father’s scandal to advise Vaughn that he should not try to cover up his grandfather’s mistakes.

Violet is promoted and becomes a jockey, and she and Billie prepare for DD’s next big race. When the day arrives, Violet and DD execute Billie’s strategy perfectly and easily win the race. Later, Billie overhears Vaughn agreeing to Dalca’s offer of $20 million in payment for DD, plus fake “proof” that Dermot never fixed horse races—even though Dalca confirms that Dermot really was guilty of this. Billie accuses Vaughn of being foolish and dishonorable; she also refuses Dalca’s offer of a job, even though accepting the position would let her continue to work with DD. Vaughn reacts badly and reminds Billie that she has no say in the sale of a horse that he owns. Furious, she breaks up with him.

Vaughn remains optimistic that Billie will “come around,” but the next day, she brings him her resignation letter. She spends a tearful last day with DD, and Vaughn feels haunted when he sees her crying over her beloved horse. He goes to speak with his brother, Cole, who criticizes his decision to prioritize Dermot’s legacy over Billie, DD, and the future of the ranch—especially when Dermot really is guilty of fixing horse races. 

Vaughn stops by his neglected city mailbox, where he finds a letter from his recently deceased grandfather, in which Dermot confesses everything. In the letter, Dermot states that he regrets his poor decisions. He explains that he fixed races in order to fulfill a promise to his beloved late wife that he would make their ranch a home to champions. Vaughn hurries to Billie’s house to apologize, but she insists that he cannot repair their broken trust.

Billie reluctantly attends DD’s big derby race and is astonished when she is announced as DD’s owner. DD and Violet win the race, and Vaughn explains that he loves her and realized that he could never sell the horse she loves so much. Billie admits her love for Vaughn as well, and the two celebrate with Hank and Violet. Billie feels that Gold Rush Ranch has given her a home and family.

In the Epilogue, Vaughn proposes to Billie, who accepts. He reflects that DD, who was once a highly troublesome horse, has brought him much happiness.