Thoughts of the Race
The Kentucky Derby
Agent Q
*
Alec Ramsay patiently waited for the race to begin, sitting straight in his saddle. Under him, he could feel the heave of Satan's fantastic muscles as his stallion waited to run.
His stallion. His. Like the Black had once been.
Pushing those thoughts from his head, Alec leaned forward and whispered a few words to his horse, Night Strider's rider next to him gave him an odd look.
Only a few seconds. Finally—
They were off! Night Strider got to the lead first, and Satan gave chase. Alec felt the fantastic heave. Both horses were strong, but Strider had more brittle legs that couldn't take much strain. Satan had all the power in the world.
Alec was flying, over the turf, over the sky, and was brought back down to Earth as Satan neared the first turn. They thundered past, hooves of all the horses making a sound that was like the heaviest rain on earth. The rain of hooves.
Satan's ears were back, white star standing out vividly. He was pulling at the bit, but Alec wouldn't give him his head. He had to wait until the homestretch to let his colt go. Satan didn't seem to like this at all, tugging once more. But Alec held him at Night Strider's side; Alec glanced at his opponent for a moment.
Big, yes, and blood bay. His eyes hadn't been fooling him: the neck was Satan's and the Black's! Turning his thoughts back to the race, they were now approached the second turn.
Time went by, Satan could not be worn down. The other horses were fighting to keep up with them, but they couldn't. Alec watched Night Strider's jockey give his horse his head. So, he'd been holding back, too.
And as if by magic, Night Strider accelerated. Alec, slightly panicked, looked down the track. No, it wasn't time to give Satan his head yet. The colt was desperately trying to keep with Strider, but he couldn't. More angrily, Satan let out a frustrated snort and tugged harder. Alec knew his colt hated to be left behind. The other horses were directly behind them now.
They approached the third turn as the crowd cheered wildly. He could see people waving signs for Satan. Alec smiled. There were fans, yes, in the thousands. Satan brought him out of his train of thought: they were approaching the last turn. Night Strider was ahead of them, leaving them in the dust. Heading his horse towards the rail, they rounded the turn sharply. Then, Alec gave his colt his head.
Satan exploded forward, speed from a cash of energy that had been kept hidden. Night Strider was getting closer. Alec's heart was beating fast—they were approached the wire—Satan snorted again and caught up with Night Strider—
And passed him, a head in front of the other colt. Night Strider's jcokey looked stunned as Satan's fans bellowed out joy as Satan won the race.
As they went to the Winner's Circle, Alec smiled. He was his father's son. Alec's mother and father waved, as Henry joined them. All looked joyful and proud of the colt, who held his head high for the press.
The Kentucky Derby
Agent Q
*
Alec Ramsay patiently waited for the race to begin, sitting straight in his saddle. Under him, he could feel the heave of Satan's fantastic muscles as his stallion waited to run.
His stallion. His. Like the Black had once been.
Pushing those thoughts from his head, Alec leaned forward and whispered a few words to his horse, Night Strider's rider next to him gave him an odd look.
Only a few seconds. Finally—
They were off! Night Strider got to the lead first, and Satan gave chase. Alec felt the fantastic heave. Both horses were strong, but Strider had more brittle legs that couldn't take much strain. Satan had all the power in the world.
Alec was flying, over the turf, over the sky, and was brought back down to Earth as Satan neared the first turn. They thundered past, hooves of all the horses making a sound that was like the heaviest rain on earth. The rain of hooves.
Satan's ears were back, white star standing out vividly. He was pulling at the bit, but Alec wouldn't give him his head. He had to wait until the homestretch to let his colt go. Satan didn't seem to like this at all, tugging once more. But Alec held him at Night Strider's side; Alec glanced at his opponent for a moment.
Big, yes, and blood bay. His eyes hadn't been fooling him: the neck was Satan's and the Black's! Turning his thoughts back to the race, they were now approached the second turn.
Time went by, Satan could not be worn down. The other horses were fighting to keep up with them, but they couldn't. Alec watched Night Strider's jockey give his horse his head. So, he'd been holding back, too.
And as if by magic, Night Strider accelerated. Alec, slightly panicked, looked down the track. No, it wasn't time to give Satan his head yet. The colt was desperately trying to keep with Strider, but he couldn't. More angrily, Satan let out a frustrated snort and tugged harder. Alec knew his colt hated to be left behind. The other horses were directly behind them now.
They approached the third turn as the crowd cheered wildly. He could see people waving signs for Satan. Alec smiled. There were fans, yes, in the thousands. Satan brought him out of his train of thought: they were approaching the last turn. Night Strider was ahead of them, leaving them in the dust. Heading his horse towards the rail, they rounded the turn sharply. Then, Alec gave his colt his head.
Satan exploded forward, speed from a cash of energy that had been kept hidden. Night Strider was getting closer. Alec's heart was beating fast—they were approached the wire—Satan snorted again and caught up with Night Strider—
And passed him, a head in front of the other colt. Night Strider's jcokey looked stunned as Satan's fans bellowed out joy as Satan won the race.
As they went to the Winner's Circle, Alec smiled. He was his father's son. Alec's mother and father waved, as Henry joined them. All looked joyful and proud of the colt, who held his head high for the press.