David made his way up to the jockey�s room, extremely nervous. This was the first time he would not be spending the pre-race time on the backside, and he wasn�t entirely sure what to expect. The Holleyhock silks were in his duffel, along with the book he was currently reading, his helmet and goggles, pants and brand new boots.
The weather had turned nasty again, and the first weeks of the Churchill Downs meet were being met with lackluster crowds and sloppy tracks. It had rained another two inches over the last 4 days, and David was dreading his first trip in the mud.
He settled his things into the locker assigned to Holleyhock jockeys, then went out to the jockey�s lounge to watch a couple of races and see where the trouble spots were. Just as he�d expected, the rail was a quagmire, and David knew he had to keep the bay filly he was riding off the rail. That would be quite a challenge, as the rail was her favorite place to run.
�Nervous?�
David jumped slightly, then turned to see Mike Green standing behind him. Mike was one of Holleyhock�s regular jockeys, and had ridden the Riv in his last race. �You could say that.�
Mike laughed. �Good luck keeping Charmer off the rail.�
David groaned. �Any tips?�
�Not really. You know how headstrong that little filly is.�
�Ugh. Tell me about it. She almost pulled my arms out of their sockets the other day when I breezed her. If she would just put her mind to business and not fool around out there, she could run in stakes races and win.�
Mike nodded in agreement, and the two stood there awhile longer watching the track. The rain was coming down in a light drizzle, and Mike warned David to stay on the lookout and watch for trouble.
David finally went back into the locker room to change into his silks. They were green, with 2 vertical silver stripes running down the back and front and silver sleeves. David had dreamed of wearing them for years. He stuffed a few tissues up his sleeve, knowing he would need them when he came off the track, then picked up his helmet and walked down to the saddling paddock.
Ben was waiting with Little Charmer. She was dancing her hindquarters around, shying at everything that moved, and generally working herself up. David placed a firm hand on her muzzle and looked her straight in the eye. �Behave, Charmer. I�m in no mood for your tricks today. And besides, the track is a mess. We could get hurt if you don�t behave.�
Charmer shook her head loose and pawed at the ground as if she�d never even heard him. David sighed as Ben gave him a leg up into the saddle. David reluctantly accepted the whip from his father, knowing he would need it to keep Charmer even running in a straight line today.
�Stay off the rail,� Ben instructed. �It�s nasty out there today and I don�t want you taking a spill your first time out there.� David nodded as he gathered the reins. Ben kept a firm hold on the bridle under Charmer�s chin and led them slowly around the walking ring.
�You know how she runs, so just try to keep her in a straight line and get under the wire in one piece.�
David leaned over and patted his father�s shoulder. �Don�t worry. I can handle her. Have been since she started training, remember?�
Ben nodded, then smiled tightly. He handed Charmer off to the pony rider, then retreated to the stands to watch the race. He and Emily had been watching David closely for the last two weeks, and he seemed to be doing better. But they were still worried. They had been so busy getting ready for the start of the meet at Churchill, that neither of them had remembered about wanting David to see a doctor. But Ben thought that since David was doing so much better, maybe he didn�t need to go after all.
Ben shook those thoughts from his head as the horses began loading into the gate. It was a small field, only 7 horses and 6 furlongs, for which he was thankful. While David had the skill to ride in a bigger field, he didn�t yet have the experience to handle it safely.
�And they�re off!� the announcer cried over the loudspeaker. Ben lifted his binoculars and trained them on David. True to form, Charmer was fighting him every step of the way as she was angled away from the rail.
�Pleasing Pace is in the lead, followed by Midnight and Forfeit in a dead heat for second. As they come off the clubhouse turn and into the backstretch, Little Charmer is moving up on the outside. But Pleasing Pace is in no danger of losing his lead. Midnight is dropping back. And Little Charmer is moving forward again!�
Ben followed David with his eyes, totally surprised that Charmer was listening to him! The wire was mere lengths away now. Pleasing Pace swept under for first, then Forfeit for place and Charmer for show. Ben�s jaw dropped when he saw it was official, then he hurried back down to the paddock.
David hopped off of Little Charmer�s back, grinning from ear to ear. �Did you see that, Dad? She finally kicked into gear!� He turned and hugged her neck.
Ben scratched behind Charmer�s ears. �Sure did. I am impressed. Maybe she�s just been waiting for the right jockey.�
David�s smile got even bigger, if that was possible. Charmer had never before finished higher than fifth, and Mrs. Polly had just about given up on the little filly. David was very happy she had finally come through, as he was very fond of Charmer.
David handed the reins to a groom, then went back up to the jockey�s room for a quick shower.
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
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