Johnny Starr is having an affair with Gloria Barton, wife of jockey Francis 'Tic' Barton. Starr, involved in bookmaking, wants Gloria to ask Tic to throw a race for $10,000. Gloria approaches Tic that evening to throw the race but Tic, who is on a comeback, refuses to throw it even though Gloria threatens divorce. Tic then visits Perry for advice. That evening, Tic receives a message from Gloria via the assistant trainer to call her at Starr's apartment. During the race, Tic and the horse make a move toward first but, according to Tic, the horse didn't have it in him. After losing the race, the owner Dion Bannion fires everyone involved feeling he was robbed of the victory. Tic, believing Starr 'fixed' the horse, visits Starr at his apartment with his gun. However, the strong Starr easily overpowers the diminutive Tic and throws him out of the apartment. Recovering in the hallway Tic hears first one gunshot and then a second from the apartment. As he tries to leave, a neighbor sees him in the hallway and later says he saw Starr with Gloria. Tic is charged with murder and Perry defends him.
—edited by Rob