2.
When Cindy woke it was dark outside and the digital clock sitting next to the head of the bed read three in the morning. Cindy kept her eyes closed, half expecting to smell the sweet scent of hay and see Champion's dark chestnut head hanging over her, nickering expectantly for breakfast. When she opened her eyes, it was a shock to see her old room in the dark.
Taking a glance at the clock, Cindy groaned, realizing she had been out like a light for hours. Everyone was in bed, and people wouldn't be down at the barns until another two hours. Cindy noticed the covers had been pulled over her and her shoes had been tugged off. Her suitcases were lined up against the wall, unopened and looking orderly. It was most likely Beth's doing, Cindy smiled to herself as she kicked off the covers, feeling too refreshed to fall back asleep.
Instead she wandered around her old room, looking at the familiar faces in framed photographs. There were several of herself and Heather Gilbert, her best friend. Cindy remembered receiving a letter from Heather detailing all her plans of going to college in California. Cindy frowned to herself, knowing she had missed her best friend's high school graduation in May. Then again she had missed everyone's high school graduation.
With her career visibly in sight, Cindy had worked even harder at school, finishing up a year early so she could pursue her dreams of becoming a jockey. It had definitely been something her boyfriend at the time, Max Smith, had looked down upon. He had wanted Cindy to stay in high school another year, and then enroll into the University of Kentucky together, but Cindy had refused. Looking back on Max's reaction to her refusal, Cindy recognized their relationship may very well have ended there. He had always felt like he was second fiddle to her riding, and after Cindy had graduated the time she and Max spent together was often tense and forced. Of course, when Ben had entered the picture things only got rockier.
Cindy groaned, her frown turning into a scowl at the thought of the handsome son of Sheik Habib al-Rihani, who had bought Champion. Ben had seemed like such a nice guy, and she in all her foolishness had fallen in love with him at first sight, breaking up with Max and following Ben to Dubai. She never would have guessed that Ben would stab her in the back, agreeing with his father that Cindy shouldn't ride horses simply because she was a woman.
I understand, Father. A woman's place is not on the track.
Every time Cindy remembered those words she had to squeeze her eyes shut to keep from crying. This time it wasn't working.
"Damn it," Cindy whispered angrily, swiping at her eyes. "He isn't worth crying over. Stop it."
The words had little effect and Cindy found herself ripping open her suitcases, searching for her diary. She went through each compartment, searching for the book Samantha had given her for her seventeenth birthday, knowing it was there somewhere. But when she opened up the last pouch in the last suitcase, not finding the pretty floral print book, she practically broke into tears, sitting back and pressing palms against her eyes, realizing in all her rush to leave Dubai she had left the most important thing.
"Great," Cindy muttered to herself, sniffling and wiping the remains of her tears away. "That's just great. Ben will find it, he'll read it, and he'll discover what a child I was being."
Just the thought of someone reading all her painfully blind drivel about how much she thought she was in love with Ben made her feel like crying again, but Cindy kept her cold reserve up, looking at the scattered remains of her suitcase.
Quietly, she picked out a pair of beaten up jeans and a white tank top before standing up and heading for the bathroom, figuring she might as well start the day early.
Cindy slipped out of the dark cottage quietly, walking out into the warm August night and making sure to softly shut the screen door behind her. The farm was dark and silent, barely visible if it weren't for the small barn lights over the doors.
She set out, not sure what she was going to do with her time, but certain of who she was going to visit. Cindy walked over the gravel road and stopped outside the main training barn, letting herself in without worry of waking anyone up. She carefully closed the sliding door behind her and walked across the concrete aisle, looking in on horses she had met yesterday and familiar faces.
Zenith, Fleet Goddess' two-year-old filly, was dozing on her feet, her bright chestnut coat glimmering underneath the dim barn lights. Next to her was Wonder's Lady, a yearling out of Ashleigh's Wonder and by Deputy Minister. Cindy last remembered the honey chestnut as a weanling, gallivanting around the paddocks like she had seen Res Mira do the other day. The chestnut filly had been growing into herself well, looking like a promising prospect for the farm.
Cindy moved further down the aisle, walking by the beautiful hoary son of Townsend Princess. The gray yearling was still unnamed, and Cindy stopped outside his stall, watching the young colt as he laid in the bedding, his slate silver neck glowing and his dark mane and tail fanned around him. Cindy grinned to herself as she watched the colt sleep, wondering what she would call him. Ashleigh had given her the opportunity to name him yesterday, but Cindy had decided to take her time thinking of a name. It would have to be something majestic, like his sire.
Cindy watched the colt sleep a while longer before moving on to the next gray, Glory's Joy. The silver filly was just waking up, shaking out her dark mane and shoving herself to her feet, unfolding delicate legs to send her towering above Cindy.
"Hey, girl," Cindy murmured, reaching up and running her hand over Joy's silver splattered forehead, smiling. "You remember me, don't you?"
Joy snorted casually at Cindy, ducking her head down to sniff at Cindy's pockets, finding nothing.
"Sorry," Cindy smiled. "But you're breezing today. I'm not allowed to give you any treats."
Joy snorted disdainfully at Cindy and turned her head, looking up the barn aisles, her dark brown eyes surveying everything.
"I can take you for a walk, though," Cindy said, reaching up and grabbing the leather lead rope, connecting it to Joy's halter. "For old time's sake. I don't think I'll be able to ride you for your work."
Joy nickered excitedly when Cindy opened he stall door, leading the filly out and shutting it behind her.
The two walked quietly over the trails, Joy's silvery body making her look like a shade in the dark, like some vision floating through the air. Cindy walked next to the prancing filly, admiring her silently. She had missed so much when she went to Dubai that even the experience she had had in the sunburned desert couldn't make her not regret missing the filly's training. Even Champion, with all his personality and speed, couldn't make her not miss Joy. This filly was Glory's first foal, and in Cindy's heart she would always be hers.
Cindy glanced at her watch and noticed that the farm would be waking up soon, and she should be getting the filly back to the barn. The last thing she wanted was Ashleigh panicking and thinking the filly had somehow gotten out during the night.
Joy shook her black mane and arched her silver neck, following Cindy down the trail and into the rows between the paddocks, her dainty dark hooves clomping earthily on the green grass.
Cindy slid the filly back into her stall just before the barn door rumbled open for the day, Ashleigh standing with a clipboard in one hand as she tried to shrug herself into a white and blue windbreaker.
"Hi, Ashleigh," Cindy greeted, getting a startled jump from the older woman.
"Cindy!" Ashleigh let out a gasp, nearly dropping her clipboard. "My gosh you startled me."
"Sorry," Cindy smiled shyly, still feeling awkward around the famous retired jockey. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"Oh, it was nothing," Ashleigh chuckled, walking into the barn. "What are you doing up already?"
"I woke up early and didn't want to go back asleep," Cindy said, patting Joy's nose. "So I decided to come down here and have a talk with Joy."
"Well, you slept for a good long while," Ashleigh nodded, coming up to take a look at Joy. "I bet you're rested."
"Completely," Cindy nodded, taking a step back as Ashleigh slid inside Joy's stall, running one hand over the filly's back and hind legs.
"Is she ready for a breeze?" Cindy asked, watching Ashleigh pat the filly on the shoulder.
"Uh-huh," Ashleigh nodded. "Ian and I have decided on four furlongs for this morning. We're shipping up to Saratoga tomorrow, but I wanted to get a breeze in her before then."
"You're taking her to Saratoga?" Cindy asked, raising an eyebrow. She had just gotten back and already everyone was leaving for the fall races.
Ashleigh nodded, walking out of Joy's stall and fastening the guard behind her, giving Joy a pat as the filly followed her to the aisle. "The Breeders' Cup will be up there, and we've got two runners already. I thought if we got Joy accustomed to the track up there early and got a few good races in her she might have the ability to compete also."
Cindy snorted. "She's definitely got the ability to compete, Ash."
"Oh, I know," Ashleigh nodded. "I just want to take things easy with her. She's smaller than I thought she'd turn out to be."
Cindy nodded, cocking her head at the beautiful filly, who was dangling her silver gray head over the stall guard, pricking her ears at Cindy.
"You can come if you'd like," Ashleigh said, glancing at her clipboard and barely paying attention to Cindy's response. "It's not like we don't have enough room in the van."
"Yes," Cindy nodded, barely having to think twice about it. "I'd love to go."
"Good," Ashleigh said, looking up from her clipboard and heading to the office. "We're leaving six o'clock sharp tomorrow."
"I'll be there," Cindy nodded, turning back to look at the filly with a smile as Ashleigh disappeared in the training office. Joy grunted softly in her stall, pressing up against the guard and placing her muzzle in Cindy's hands.
"I'll be where ever you'll be," Cindy said, dropping a kiss on the filly's nose and scratching her chin before whispering: "I can't wait to see you out on that track. You were meant for it."
The farm woke up quickly when the hot summer sun began to peek above the rolling hills, sending warm rays over the farm and creating long shadows. The track was a bee hive of activity, with horses going through their paces, new exercise riders that Cindy couldn't keep track of were on their backs, guiding them through long gallops to increase stamina. Cindy stood by the rail of the training oval, watching with a characteristic frown of concentration as Fleeting Angel flowed into the turn, galloping full out with Ann in her saddle, pumping on the filly's neck in encouragement.
"She has all sorts of reserves," Ian was saying, watching the bay filly thunder down the track, her dark hooves kicking up a spray of dirt as she beat by the rail, skipping past the ending mark in a flourish.
"That's it," Ian nodded, grinned excitedly. "Fifty-four flat for five furlongs. I'd say she's ready for the Alabama."
Cindy didn't say anything as Ann pulled the resisting filly down to a slow gallop, the filly ripping past the gap with her head thrown up and her mouth gaping, her dark bay body glistening with sweat.
Fleeting Angel was a tremendous thing to watch when she ran. The filly was big and imposing, almost like a female version of her half-brother, Wonder's Warrior. It was not surprising to Cindy that she had managed to climb to the top of her division after a slow start the year before. Angel had been a gangly two-year-old, and still not sure of herself. This year, however, was a completely different story.
"She's ready!" Ann called to the gap as she trotted back with the filly, Angel snorting and picking her feet up with exaggerated motions, pausing to wheel her hindquarters around and half rear, showing the whites of her eyes.
"Whoa, babe," Ann murmured, guiding the filly back to the gap and vaulting off of her back, Angel skittering on her long legs as Ian took the reins, leading her off the track.
Angel let out a distinguished snort and followed Ian onto the gravel that made up the gap, stopping when he handed her lead to Cindy and bent to take a look at her legs, nodding with satisfaction.
"Hard as a rock," Ian announced, patting the filly's shoulder. "Just like a Dominion foal. Cindy, hon, why don't you lead her back up to the barn. Len and Vic have their hands full already."
"Sure," Cindy nodded, gripping the lead rope and clucking to the filly, getting Angel's attention as she led the eager filly up to the training barn, leaving the training oval behind her. The dark bay snorted and arched her neck, prancing next to Cindy, her metal shod hooves clicking against the gravel of the walkway up to the barns.
The filly looked so much like Fleet Goddess, Cindy thought to herself, rubbing her free palm against Angel's dark muzzle, feeling the soft skin before the filly pulled her nose away, bouncing around Cindy with a loud squeal.
"Whoa," Samantha laughed as Cindy entered the training barn, Angel clomping onto the concrete aisle after her, her white-marked dark head held high and regal. "Speak of the devil."
"Huh?" Cindy asked, pushing back a strand of bright blond hair as the dark filly wrenched on her arm, making Cindy pull back and send her an stern glare, which didn't stop Angel's demanding tugs.
Ashleigh's head popped out of Joy's stall as she led the silvery filly out into the aisle, where Samantha was already standing tacking up Eleta. Further down, Josie was working on Zenith, the chestnut filly pawing her hoof against the concrete.
"We're going to work Eleta, Joy, and Zenith together this morning, and we needed three riders. I was wanting to time Eleta myself, so I was just wondering if you wanted to take out Eleta this morning," Samantha said, tightening the girth on Eleta as Cindy put Angel in cross ties, undoing the dark filly's girth.
Ashleigh laughed as she put Joy into crossties, saying, "But then it occurred to me that you'd probably want to take out Joy. So, if you think you're up for it, Joy is yours to ride this morning."
"Seriously?" Cindy asked, stunned as she held Angel's saddle in her hands. She couldn't believe Ashleigh was letting her ride the gorgeous filly. She had expected to return to rather mixed emotions with Ashleigh, since it had been Cindy's mistake that had led to Champion running down the famous jockey.
"Consider it a welcome home present," Ashleigh said. "I had planned for Ann to be Joy's regular rider, but she's in full agreement on this one."
"Well," Cindy stammered. "Okay then, just let me get Angel's tack put away and I'll meet you down at the track."
"Sure," Ashleigh said. "Len should be just outside with Townsend Flag. I'll bet he's almost done with him, so he can take care of Angel."
"Okay," Cindy said again, turning and dashing off to the tack room to put away the filly's tack, fairly dumping it in place and hurrying back to the dark filly as the others made their way out of the barn, Josie giving her a smile as she led the plain chestnut filly past her and out of the barn, Zenith's coat flashing gold.
Angel gave Cindy a snort as she un-clipped the cross ties and led her forward and out of the barn, where Len was just finishing with a bay colt Cindy recognized as Townsend Flag, a two-year-old son of Wonder's Pride. The colt had originally been born at Townsend Acres, to a mare named Townsend Star. However, Brad Townsend had not been pleased with Flag's yearling training and sent the colt to auction, where Ashleigh had found him at Keeneland.
"Hey, Cindy," Len greeted, shutting off the hose. "How's the little Angel?"
Cindy laughed as the dark bay filly grunted and laid back her ears at Townsend Flag, tensing up as Len led the smaller colt past her. Cindy put a hand on Angel's shoulder and led her around to the hose.
"She's on her way to Saratoga," Cindy said, remembering her father mentioning the Alabama Stakes, which was a big filly race at Saratoga.
"So I heard," Len called as he put the colt back in his stall, appearing back besides Angel in record time. "And I heard you should be down at the track riding Joy. Let me take Angel, here. I don't want you to be late."
"Thanks, Len," Cindy grinned, letting the older man take the filly's lead rope as she dashed off, running full speed down to the track, where she could see horses being led on and off the track. On the gap were the three fillies, their varied coats shimmering in the morning light.
Cindy slowed to a jog as she approached the gap, finally stopping next to Ann as the older girl was getting her instructions from Ian.
"Ah, Cindy," Ian said, nodding to her. "Here's what we're going to do. We're taking Joy, Zenith, and Eleta at four furlongs out of the gate. I want the three of them as close as you can make it all the way through. I don't care how fast Joy wants to run, you can't let her run away from them. This is as close to a competitive situation with other horses as I can make it, and these three are fairly evenly matched. You got it?"
Cindy nodded, taking the hard hat Samantha handed to her as Mike led Joy up to her, the delicate silver filly tossing her head and dancing in place. Ann and Josie were already launching up on Eleta and Zenith as Cindy got a leg up into Joy's saddle, the beautiful young filly arching her white and smoky neck as Mike let go of the bridle, letting Cindy move the filly out onto the track.
Riding Joy was heaven to Cindy. The filly started out into a trot, her dark legs lifting and falling, her breath coming in delicate snorts as she pulled up next to Zenith and Eleta, looking ethereal next to the earthy colors of the other fillies.
"How do you like it?" Ann asked as she slid Eleta into a light jog, the bay filly tossing her star-marked head.
"It feels wonderful," Cindy said simply, rising in the saddle as she urged Joy into a soft canter, feeling the filly change gears smoothly and pick up the pace, her dark mane rising lightly from her neck, slapping against Cindy's hands. In the back of her mind Cindy couldn't help comparing riding at Whitebrook to sneaking onto a horse in Dubai. It felt so wonderful to feel like she belonged on a horse again. In Dubai, it had practically been forbidden for Cindy to think outside of taking care of Champion. No wonder she had gone stir crazy in that small quarantine stable.
"I'll bet," Josie laughed, patting the solid chestnut underneath her. "I mainly ride Warrior, but when I get the chance to ride her it feels like a vacation."
Cindy grinned, nodding her agreement. Riding Joy certainly did feel like a vacation, and when the filly launched into a light gallop, it was all Cindy could do to stop smiling. She had felt this when she had helped work the filly in yearling training, exactly a year ago, but this was something else.
"There's the gate," Ann said, slowing Eleta down, the bay prancing to an energetic walk. Cindy slowed Joy down, the silver filly lowering her head and sliding gears again, crab walking up to the gate as she tossed her beautiful head.
"Hey, Tom," Josie greeted the man leaning against the gate in a short sleeved gray t-shirt, beaten up blue jeans, and boots.
"Hey, Jo," Tom nodded, smiling and pushing a tanned hand through his mousy brown hair. "Took you guys long enough to get here."
"Ever the impatient one," Ann rolled her eyes, grinning down at him. Cindy, on the other hand, frowned deeply, having no clue who this man was.
"You must be Cindy," Tom said, patting Joy's neck before taking her bridle and leading her forward.
"I am," Cindy said with a curt nod.
"I'm Tom Beck," he said, looking up at her with dark brown eyes. "The assistant trainer."
"I didn't know Whitebrook had assistant trainers," Cindy said, confused.
"They do now," Tom laughed. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here. Now, you are going in the one hole."
Cindy nodded and gathered the reins, letting Tom lead Joy into the gate, the filly walking in without a problem. After her, Josie was led in with Zenith, and then Ann on the outside on Eleta.
"Okay," Tom said. "You girls ready?"
"Ready," they said in some stilted unison. Cindy was tense in the saddle, waiting for the gates to slam open with the switch of the lever, feeling the explosive edge Joy had as she stared out at the gate, jumping on instinct as the gate doors suddenly flew open with a loud bang.
Joy flung herself forward, galloping out of the gate with the other two fillies and speeding up on the rail, Zenith and Eleta running up on the outside of her.
Cindy glanced at the two other fillies and remembered her father's words. She wasn't supposed to let Joy have her head. They were supposed to stay as even as possible, and with the tugging on the reins, Cindy knew that was going to be difficult to do.
Joy flew down the track, her light gray body bending against the rail as they turned into the far turn, heading for the homestretch already as Ann and Josie kept their fillies close together, Joy just a head in front.
They were running fast, three sets of legs hitting on the ground hard and keeping up a frenzied staccato beat as they ran abreast, Joy continuing to put her head in front, her breaths coming in quick rasps and snorts as air was forced in and out of her lungs.
Cindy sat tightly on the filly's back, moving as the filly moved, the other two fillies keeping the pace well into the homestretch.
It was a fight for Cindy to keep a hold on the filly's head, refusing to let her all the way out. Finally, Cindy say Ann give Eleta more rein, the bay filly suddenly pushing forward almost as a signal for the other two to give it their all.
Joy and Zenith took off after Eleta, pulling even again as the rail sailed by, the fillies fighting it out to the wire to see who could get there first, heaving and lunging, hooves striking down at the dirt hard.
Cindy urged Joy on the rail, pushing the filly and feeling her shift, blowing forward to shove her head in front as soon as the last marker flew by.
Cindy dropped off of Joy's neck as soon as they were past the marker, beginning to pull her up as Ann and Josie began to slow down, the fillies lowering their heads and dropping to a canter, looping down the track and turning.
"Excellent," Ian called as soon as the three girls were in hearing range. "Forty-four for the half!"
Ann chuckled and patted Eleta's neck. "Welcome to the world of racing, girl."
Cindy smiled and ran her fingers through Joy's dark mane, grinning at the knowledge she had gotten Joy's head past the marker first, and knowing that this was only the beginning.
Later that day, Cindy stood in front of a large mirror in the bridal shop Samantha had decided to employ for her wedding, staring at herself in the expensive yellow bridesmaid dress. Cindy frowned at her image, realizing that yellow didn't do much for her. Then again, it was Samantha's wedding, and she was going to act like the dress was the next best thing to racing.
"What do you think?" Samantha asked, walking in after the tailor was done adjusting. "I know yellow is a little bold, but I wanted something to go with the season."
"I think it's wonderful," Cindy said, running her hands over the soft material, not exactly comfortable with wearing a dress. It was such a seldom thing that Cindy felt foreign to even the idea.
"You're just saying that," Samantha laughed, shaking her head. "Even Ashleigh said something."
"No," Cindy insisted. "Really, I like your whole autumn theme. I think it's great."
"Really?" Samantha asked, sitting down in a chair to watch Cindy twirl around in the dress for effect.
"Uh-huh," Cindy nodded, giving an extra twirl for emphasis, stopping herself before she got dizzy. "What does your dress look like?"
At the question, Samantha's face lit up and she got up, opening a closet next to the door and pulling out a large bag on a hanger. She unzipped the bag and produced the beautiful white dress, smiling.
"It's simple, but I think it's stunning," Samantha said, holding it up for Cindy to see.
Cindy had to agree with her sister. Everything about the dress was simplicity, but wedding dresses could look so gaudy if they were overdone with lace and bows. Samantha's was a simple cut, without sleeves, and a flowing skirt that trailed over the ground. Cindy was sure it would look fantastic on her sister.
"You are going to look so beautiful," Cindy grinned, hugging Samantha. "Everything is going to be great, I'm sure."
"Thanks," Samantha smiled, zipping the bag back up. "I'm so nervous, though. I'm just sure it's going to rain on this perfectly arranged outdoor ceremony."
"Don't worry," Cindy laughed. "It wouldn't dare rain."
"Thanks," Samantha said quietly, putting the dress back in the closet. "That doesn't help my nerves though. You'll understand when you get married."
Cindy rolled her eyes and laughed. "Right," she scoffed lightly. "I'm a train wreck in terms of relationships if you compare me to you."
"Oh, I know you, Cin," Samantha chuckled as she closed the closet and eyed her sister. "One day you're going to fall madly in love with someone."
"Not any time soon," Cindy shook her head, wrinkling her nose.
"Okay," Samantha laughed. "Let's just focus on getting you out of that dress without stabbing you with one of those two hundred pins."
Cindy automatically winced as she felt the metal lining around the hem of her dress with her bare ankles. "Yeah," she agreed. "That sounds like a really good idea."
