June 1881. In two weeks, the Grand Moscow Prize, the most prestigious prize in Russia, is expected to be drawn at the races. Unexpectedly, at the stable of the vice-president of the Moscow Imperial Society of Horse Racing Fans, Kolyubakin, a rider who was supposed to ride one of the “favorites” was arrested. The security department accuses him of having connections with Narodnaya Volya terrorists. The next day, several riders were detained by the police, allegedly for rowdy behavior and cheating. On the pages of an influential newspaper, feuilletons appear about the abuses of the administration of the running society. Who is behind the scandal that has erupted? What are his goals? It will be up to the reporter of the Moskovsky Listok newspaper Alexey Lavrovsky and the assistant attorney at law Sergei Malinin to understand all this. There is little time allotted for the investigation - only a week...