Larry Mulcahey is an enforcer for the Irish mob up in Boston until trouble strikes and he heads out for California, for a job that his cousin procured him. He enjoys the weather and the women there, and his job is comfortable, watching over the horse races and ensuring that no one tried to rig things or drug horses. One day an old Italian man named Antonio Bernardi shows up at the track, catching Larry's attention when he talks to the horses—and when he wins decent money betting on a horse. He seems harmless, however, and Larry determines just to keep an eye on him.

Larry goes to a boxing gym to collect a debt for his boss from a truck driver named Harry. He roughs Harry up a little and gets him to agree to his debt repayment plan. The next day he decides that Antonio's string of luck at the races is suspicious after all and confronts the old man. Antonio, however, is calm and reveals his secret, which is simply that he talks to the horses, and they sometimes do him a favor and win. Larry and Antonio strike up a kind of friendship, as Antonio comes to the races regularly. Then Larry's boss asks him to take care of a Leo Bernardi.

Larry goes to the bar where Leo is a regular and grabs him. He takes him to a motel a few miles out of town, but when he gets out of the car Antonio pulls up behind him. Turns out that Leo is Antonio's nephew. Larry takes Leo up to the room and tells him the trouble he is in. He's just getting through to the boy when Antonio comes up behind him, giving the boy hope. Antonio tells Larry that he'll take care of it, and the next day they go to the race. Antonio talks to the horse 'I'm a Nobody' and then goes and bets a thousand on him. 'I'm a Nobody' tears up the track, running at full speed all the way till he's right in front of Antonio and Larry and then keels over and dies.

Antonio collects his money, thirteen thousand dollars, takes a thousand out for himself, and gives Larry the rest. Larry never hears from him again, though he ends up having to get rid of Leo after the stupid kid runs up another debt. Larry goes off for a break, a quiet year by the sea. He goes back to work eventually, the mobs continue to change around. He kills his cousin for the job that they both want and then stays in that level, lower management. He's safe, still enjoying the California environment, with Antonio's leftover money in a coffee can on his counter.