Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to Disney/Pixar. None of them belong to me.
Doc knew Lightning could run, but didn't want to push the kid to hard. He'd already had a rough beginning, abused and all. Doc couldn't help but worry that Lightning wasn't ready for this type of race.
Grade One Stakes. The toughest kind of race for young racehorses like Lightning. More than a few miles, it often ruined young racers legs. That's why most started off with Grade Three or Grade Two Stakes. Those racers were shorter and less demanding. Reports of bowed tendons or mess up backs cause by the races were rare and far between.
But Lightning had made it clear that he wanted to jump right into the Grade One races. He'd had his mind set on entering one as soon as possible, meaning as soon as they'd found a good sponsor.
Doc had searched around for a week, calling a few old friends and asking around. Eventually he had run into Rusty and Dusty, owners of the new Rusteze company.
The two stallions had called him about two days before, asking if Lightning still wanted the sponsorship. Lightning had said yes, and within the day Lightning had signed the contract and everything was set. Lightning had a sponsor.
After discussing a couple things with Rusty and Dusty, they'd settled on entering Lightning in the Justice Stakes, a Grade One Race. Which is what lead them here.
Doc looked next to him, where Lightning was calmly itching his foreleg with his muzzle, blue eyes looking around curiously. Doc softly smiled, and returned his gaze ahead of him.
He watched the group of racers take off out of the gates. Two more short races before Lightning's turn.
He faced Lightning again. "You sure your ready for this kid? It's not to late to scratch."
Lightning picked his head up, pricking his ears. Doc saw the determination swell up in Lightning's eyes, and had to bite back a smirk.
"I was born for this. Of course I'm ready."
Doc smiled at him, and then focused back on the racers. Lightning seemed to focus on them, to, drawing tactics and paces from them.
By the time the second race had finished, and it was Lightning's turn, the colt was prancing in place, nervous but excited for his first real race.
As Doc lead him onto the track, he told Lightning, "You got this kid. Make me proud."
He let Lightning trot the rest of the way to the gates as he jumped onto the crew chief stand. He watched as Lightning walked into the third gate, tossing his head a bit. The King was in the first gate, and Chick Hicks was in the fifth.
He narrowed his eyes slightly as the last horse loaded in. Speaking into the microphone that was attached to his ear, he said one last thing to try and ease Lightning's nerves.
"You got this. Stay calm."
As the air grew tense around them, everything fell quiet. He could see the racehorses nostrils flaring, their ears pricking, and eyes forward, focusing on the open expanse in front of them.
Doc tensed, as if he was one of the racers. He pricked his ears at the horse in front of the buzzer. The horse that operated the gates.
The bell rang, the gates opened, and everybody was off. He saw Lightning jerk out of the gates sooner than any other horse, breaking easily and almsot effortlessly.
Giving him a great advantage. Lighting rushed to the lead, cutting over closer to the rail, but avoiding cutting anybody else off. He threw dirt behind him, strides stretching as he took an easy lead.
Watching the rest of the racers jostle for position, he realized Lightning had gained a bit of ground. He could hear Bob Cutlass and Darrel Cartrip excitedly announcing the race, talking a bit about each racer.
They seemed interested in Lightning McQueen the most, everybody did, really. He was young, inexperienced, and fast.
Doc smirked as the first lap was finished, with ten more to go. As the group passed the pits again, with Lightning still in the lead, he chuckled.
"Kids got a lot of stuff."
Speaking mostly to himself, he didn't expect to hear Sheriff reply. "He does. A shame he doesn't see it himself."
"I know. But racers usually don't. I remember I never did."
Sheriff looked up at him, pricking his black and white ears, "But you do now, don't you?"
"Yes, but some racers never see and never learn what they can truly do."
A slight pause in conversation before Sheriff focused back on the race, with Lightning passing them first with a good five length lead.
"I'm pretty sure Lightning will learn what he can do. He might not see it. But he'll learn."
Doc smiled, "That, I believe."
They stopped talking for the rest of the race. As the group went around the track for the seventh time, everyone around the track grew tense. The anticipation of a rookie winning over a big time racehorse like The King was enough to cause everything to go quiet.
However, on the final lap and in the homestretch, Lightning, along with The King and Chick, picked up speed. And everybody started yelling again.
"Come on kid, come on."
Doc didn't realize he was leaning forward until Sheriff said something about it. He leaned back again, pinning his ears playfully at him before looking forward.
The King was gaining on Lightning as he rounded the final corner. As The King settled next to him, Lightning's ears pinned as he stretched his stride, flaring his nostrils.
Doc kept watching the group, set on urging Lightning on however he could. Through the radio he'd kept telling him he had it, that this race was already in the bag for him. But as Lightning and The King came in fast towards the finish post, he whispered through the radio.
"Alright. Show him what you got."
It was a moment's hesitation before Lightning began gaining a little bit of a lead. His nose stretched a bit in front of The King, and then his chest, and then he was past the finish post.
Doc shouted, bouncing on his forelegs as the crowd screamed, Bob and Darrel shouting their thoughts on the new champion.
Lightning had clearly won, and had beat one of the best racehorses there was on the tracks. And Doc couldn't be prouder.