David was stretched out on his bed, talking with Courtney on the phone. When they had told Mrs. Davenport how well Charmer had done, she had also been pleasantly surprised and decided to keep the filly a little longer. �Maybe she�s just a late bloomer,� Mrs. Polly had said. Ben and David had agreed.
�It was amazing. She fought at first, but then when she figured out I wasn�t going to let her get away with anything going into the stretch, she kicked into a gear I didn�t know she had.�
Courtney giggled. David�s enthusiasm never ceased to amuse her. �Do you think your dad might try for some stakes races in her future?�
�It�s possible,� David acknowledged. �Although I don�t know what Dad has in mind for her.�
The conversation flowed around the race a little longer, then turned to little Sunny. It wasn�t long though before Emily poked her head in the door and told David it was time for him to get to bed. David obliged, said good night to Courtney, then kissed his mother on the cheek.
He crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to his neck, then replayed the race in his head. On the way home, Ben had told him he�d done everything right. That had put David on a high that he still hadn�t come down from. He just couldn�t wait to ride again, to feel the wind in his face and hear the pounding hooves as the field swept around the track. It had been an incredible feeling, and David now knew without a doubt that he was one step closer to his dream of being a top-notch trainer, just like his father.
The next morning found David up bright and early and ready to ride. Everyone was talking about Charmer�s stunning race the day before. And David couldn�t have been happier. He�d always known she had it in her, it was just a question of getting it to come out on the track, and not a trail ride.
David made his way down to the training oval, swinging his helmet in one hand. He would only be up on three horses today. A black gelding named Moveitout, a copper chestnut filly named Flamenco, and one of his favorites, a beautiful three year-old white colt named Siberian King. King was being pointed at the Triple Crown, and was scheduled to run in a grade II stakes the next week, then in the Florida Derby. There were a couple of minor allowance races thrown in as well just so he could get the experience.
�Take King out first, David!� Ben called. �I want a 6 furlong breeze today. A fast one.�
David nodded. David was boosted into the saddle, and he moved King onto the track. King obeyed David�s every command, and picked up into a smooth, ground-eating trot. David lapped the track with him once, then they cantered another lap. At the pole, David tapped lightly with his heels and King broke into a gallop. David crouched low over his withers. He didn�t need a stopwatch to tell him the fractions were just what Ben was looking for.
King had speed, and he had heart. David was sure he could, and would, give the Triple Crown his best effort. The entire farm and all of David�s friends were rooting for King.
After the last pole flashed by, David stood up slightly and King dropped back down into a canter. David cooled him out, then walked him over to the rail where he handed King off to a groom. He then mounted Moveitout.
Movie, as he was known around the barn, was in a playful mood that day. He toyed with the bit and pranced around the track. The gelding was very lively and always �full of it� as Ben liked to say.
When he was warmed up sufficiently, David moved him to the center of the track and asked him to gallop. Movie took off, his choppy stride belying the speed David knew he possessed. He was coming off of a long layoff after an almost fatal accident. He�d been at the center of a pile-up in a race, and miraculously had survived. David and Ben had nursed him back to health, and were now hoping for a spectacular 4 year old season from the black.
Suddenly, David felt the reins jerked from his hands, and Movie bolted. David�s mind registered a fluttering sound, and knew the horse had been spooked by a bird. David wrapped his hands in Movie�s mane, knowing that since Movie had the bit between his teeth, the only thing that could stop him would be a fence too high to jump.
David felt Movie gathering himself and knew he was going to jump the fence and race for his stall. But without his reins, David was almost helpless. He�d never jumped that much and had no idea how to do it in an exercise saddle, or even if it could be done in a light exercise saddle.
Then Movie�s forelegs left the ground and he heaved himself over the fence. He was off-stride and David was off-balance. The last thing David remembered was the thud as he hit the ground.
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
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