Luck

Released from prison after three years, "Ace" Bernstein plots revenge against the colleagues who betrayed him. With his trusted aide/chauffeur Gus Demitriou acting as a front for his race horse investment, Ace seeks to reverse the sagging fortunes of a famous racetrack.

Chafing under his parole conditions but eager to move forward in the racetrack deal, Ace shows off his famous temper during a contentious meeting with one-time colleague Nick DiRossi and a possible investor, Isadore Cohen.

Ace enlists Nathan Israel, a cocky, young whiz kid, in his plans. Walter decides to enter his colt, Gettinʼup Morning, in his first race, but loses Ronnie as his rider when the jockey takes a tumble. Burned by Mulligan at the claiming race, Marcus, Renzo and Lonnie send Jerry to buy the horse back - and then return him to Escalante to train.

As Chan challenges Jerry to his limits in a private poker game, Jerry's pals look to pry him away from his gambling nemesis. Ace takes a meeting with Claire LeChea, an activist who hopes to rehabilitate prisoners through their work with broken-down racehorses.

After learning that Pint of Plain, Gus' Irish horse, has been tentatively scheduled to race the next day, Ace forces Escalante to swap out Leon for a more experienced jockey, to Joey's chagrin. Marcus fears for his health and wonders why he's so attached to Jerry, while Kagle, who's been fired from the racetrack, returns from a bender looking for a handout.

As Ace pitches his deal to buy a piece of the racetrack, Israel visits Smythe, DiRossi and Cohen onboard Smythe's yacht, where he's offered a "second salary" as an informant. An earthquake spooks many of the horses at Santa Anita, but Escalante decides to go ahead and race Mon Gateau. He and the Degenerates end up sweating the outcome when Leon bumps another horse in the stretch, triggering an official review.

While Ace tours a prison outreach horse retirement farm with Claire, Israel tries to convince Smythe that his boss is on the level. Jerry and his erstwhile card dealer, Naomi, try to win their way into a poker tournament. Lonnie decides to "go it alone" by putting in a claim for another horse, a filly named Niagara's Fall.

Ace ices out Smythe, DiRossi and Cohen as partners in the racetrack deal, but Smythe has other ideas. Weathering the ownership claim, Walter enters Gettin'Up Morning in the $1 million Western Derby - head-to-head against Ace and Gus' Pint of Plain.

Gus takes extraordinary precautions to protect his boss. As Jerry maps out a strategy for another big score, Escalante preps his race-day horses while keeping an anxious ear out for news about Jo, whoʼs still in the hospital. Renzo welcomes his mother to town. Mon Gateau runs his biggest race yet.