THE MATERIAL RELATING to Mocha Time and the racetrack can be verified online through various racing websites. While this book is non-fiction, I took some creative licence by conflating, making into composite characters, and changing names and distinguishing characteristics of friends and acquaintances. I did this as a way of protecting the privacy of others and sheltering myself from their anger. I’ve also exaggerated situations, occasionally, for comic effect; given myself the best one-liners in conversations; shuffled the chronological deck on some non-racing events; and thrown in one or two meaningfully traumatic experiences that actually occurred outside my year at the track.