Desert Wind

Chapter 3

The next day was Saturday and Cindy and Honor were out on the trails around the farm. Samantha went with them, she was riding Lucky Chance. Everywhere there was a hill, Ashleigh had them cantering up and down them, all over the farm. With the smoothness of Honor's canter it was both relaxing and fun.

Cindy could tell that her beloved bay filly was not quite recovered from her race at Santa Anita yet. Honor was not fighting for her head and prancing today. She didn't want to break into a gallop, instead she seemed to be enjoying the slow pace today. She was content to lope along with Lucky Chance along the fences and trails.

Both fillies were moving smoothly and Cindy smiled when Lucky Chance tossed her head and whickered uneasily when a bird dive bombed them before veering off into the trees.

Samantha moved easily with her filly, but the young horse was still looking at where the bird had gone nervously. "Come on Lucky girl, you're fine. And I know you're not scared, you're just looking for a place to sit me in the dirt, aren't you?"

Cindy grinned quietly thinking that Sammy might be right. Shining's beautiful daughter had barely started her career as a racehorse. Although both fillies were three years old, Lucky Chance still preferred to goof around and pull tricks like that.

"Are you still going to race her in the Oaklawn's Princess Donna Stakes next month?"

Samantha nodded and patted her filly's neck. "Yeah, I think she's ready for stakes company now. I've been meaning to ask you if you'd like to ride her in the race?"

Cindy was surprised. "Really? You're serious?"

Samantha giggled, "Of course I am!"

"Thanks Sammy," Cindy smiled, looking at the pretty filly. "I'd love to ride her!"

"I thought you might. I know that I could ask Ashleigh but she's been so busy lately that I thought she could use a break since there is so much going on at the farm right now."

Cindy nodded, since her miscarriage last year Ashleigh hadn't done much racing. She was back to being an exercise rider in the mornings, and Ashleigh had ridden Lucky Chance to victories in her first two starts, but that was a maiden and an allowance race.

And Cindy remembered that the older jockey had seemed really distracted before and after both races. Ashleigh seemed like she was starting to get back into racing like before, but Cindy could see why Samantha hadn't asked her to ride in the filly's next race yet.

"Yeah," Cindy said. "I'd love to ride her in the race."

Samantha smiled. "Thanks a lot Cindy! I was sure I could count on you. And I know you'll do your best."

Cindy grinned back, feeling thankful once again that Samantha had been the one to find her in the barn years ago. Her big sister was still her biggest supporter.

"Maybe tomorrow you can start getting to know each other on the training track a little better. I can take another horse out with you and Honor tomorrow."

Cindy was excited, already thinking ahead to the upcoming race. She was going to be one race closer to getting her jockey's license! "Yeah! That would be great! I can't wait to ride her."

"Honor's looking tired I think we better turn back." Samantha said. "It looks like we've been out here for a while now."

Cindy nodded, ashamed that she hadn't been the one to notice that Honor's mahogany coat was dark with sweat across her shoulders and flanks. Cindy frowned. "I thought for sure that we had her in better shape than this before the season started."

Samantha grinned. "Don't worry, that last race was a tough one so she's probably just not quite herself yet. Besides, you know some horses just need more work than others to get them really fit."

Cindy nodded as they slowed to a trot and then to a walk. They were close to the broodmare paddock and the foals- including Desert Wind were watching them intently. "Let's walk over by the babies."

Samantha nodded eagerly. "I'm going to have Shining bred to Glory this year. I don't know what kind of match that will make on paper, but I have a really good feeling about it."

Cindy giggled. "You know I'm excited about that! That will be great! Shining's heart with Glory's speed and power."

"Honestly I seriously thought about doing it when they both retired, but I didn't because I wanted to send her to a proven stallion. But the foals she's been having aren't exactly what I've been hoping for."

Cindy was shocked. "You've been disappointed in her foals?"

Samantha shook her head. "No, that isn't quite what I mean. I'm proud of Shining and all of her foals. I just wonder if breeding her to a different line would show off more of Shining's distinct qualities. Until now I've been breeding her to the horses that Mr. Townsend's bloodstock advisor recommends for Wonder since they're half sisters. But I think this time I'll just go with my gut. My heart still tells me that Glory would be a good fit for her."

Cindy was elated. "Then do it! I bet they'll have amazing foals!"

Samantha grinned, "Well even some of the best mares usually have a few duds. With Wonder, Fleet Goddess and Shining we've been really lucky so far actually."

Cindy quickly agreed. "Yeah, I know. Most farms aren't this lucky. It's just that I have the same special feeling about Shining and Glory's foal that I have about Desert Wind."

The golden foal had been trotting along side them, tossing his pretty head and prancing proudly. Shining's older dark bay foal trotted up and nipped him on the shoulder and in an instant, both colts were flying. They both tore into a sweeping gallop, racing off toward the top of the hill where their mothers were grazing.

"Desert Wind…" Samantha was quiet for a moment. They both watched as the rest of the farm's foals joined in the game, "That sure looks like an appropriate name for him right now, just look at that stride! He's going to be a monster someday. He's already got his nose in front of Shining's foal and he's the oldest of this year's bunch!"

Cindy giggled. Yep, the golden foal looked both graceful and powerful racing along side the older colt. But they both had a few years of growing to do before it would make sense to really compare them. "Yeah, but it's only what they do on the racetrack that matters."

"Yep, you're right. Anyway we should get these two girls back to the barn. Ashleigh will be wondering where we are pretty soon."

They rode into the stable yard a bit later and led the horses inside. Cindy clipped Honor into the crossties and groomed her carefully. She checked the filly's legs for any heat or swelling and was happy that she didn't find any. "That was quite a workout, wasn't it girl?"

Cindy groomed honor's coat until it glowed like warm maple syrup. The filly leaned into the brush and Cindy giggled taking a moment to rub her there some more. "Would you like to go out in the paddock for the rest of the afternoon?"

With nothing to do in her stall until suppertime, Cindy thought she might like to go out in the paddock instead.

The filly snorted and pawed at the stable aisle as if to say she couldn't wait. Cindy took her out and put her in one of the smaller paddocks near the barn.

Honor took off running at a sweeping gallop as soon as Cindy unclipped the lead, but the filly soon settled down for a nice roll in the grass.

When she got into the barn, Samantha had already put away Lucky Chance. The pretty filly hung her head over the stall door and Cindy gave her a bit of a carrot. "I can't wait to ride you in your next race. I think we'll make a good team, don't you girl?"

The filly bobbed her head and nuzzled her pocket looking for another treat. "Yep, I agree." Cindy said. "I think we'll get along fine."

Ashleigh let herself out of Glory's Joy's stall and came over to Cindy with a smile. "So, Sammy asked you to ride her in the Princess Donna Stakes?"

Cindy nodded slowly. "I mean, as long as you don't mind…"

Ashleigh shook her head. "Of course I don't mind you riding her. It's great to know we've got another jockey we can count on around here. You have a natural feel for difficult horses and this filly will respond to that just like Honor does."

"Thanks Ashleigh." Cindy beamed happily at the praise.

"You may have noticed I've been really distracted lately. Since what happened with the baby last year, I just… haven't been feeling like myself. And while I still love racing with all of my heart, I just think it will be a while yet before I feel… well, normal again."

Cindy nodded and hugged her. "We're here for you, you know. That's why Sammy asked me to ride Lucky Chance. She wanted to give you a break."

Ashleigh sniffled and hugged her back. "Thank you Cindy. Mike and I know that we are really lucky to have you and Sammy and- well, your whole family here. You all really mean a lot to us."

Cindy smiled understandingly. "Well, I happen to know that you, Mike and Christina mean a lot to all of us too. So I think we're even."

Concentrating on school over the next few weeks was getting harder for Cindy knowing that she had two big races coming up, but she was doing her best. Her grades were perfect, but she just wished that she had more time to spend with the horses. Now that Honor and Lucky Chance were both getting into races she was glad that Joy would not start her career until this summer. And by then Cindy would be done with high school since she was graduating a year early. Her parents had been against her moving up to the senior class at first, but since her grades were still all A's they couldn't use that as an excuse to hold her back.

Luckily, school was out in a few more months and boy was she ready. It would be strange to know that Max and Heather were still in school for another year but she would be done, but she had worked incredibly hard to get this far and she wasn't about to give up now. With her future as a jockey looking brighter all of the time, Cindy knew it was worth it to have worked so hard this year.

Cindy sat down at the table with Heather and Max and sighed. "I'm so glad that report is done and handed in now."

Heather groaned. "You mean that big one you were working on for your senior English class? Tell me about it, now I've got one in History from Mr. Benson. It's due in three weeks about the modernization of warfare. Honestly, who comes up with this stuff?"

Cindy shook her head, she didn't know either. She was just glad she wouldn't have to worry about it anymore in another two months. "Do you have to work tonight?"

"Yeah," Heather said. "I do. But I'm off tomorrow. Do you want me to come to Whitebrook and help you exercise Honor over the trails?"

Cindy nodded, "Yeah that would be great. Sammy is at one of Tor's shows this week and Honor seems to miss having company."

Heather giggled, "Well, count me in then! It's so exciting that I know another horse that'll be in the Kentucky Derby and this time you'll be riding!"

Cindy grinned too. "Sometimes I can't believe it either, but so much could happen between now and the race that I'm starting to get nervous."

Max shook his head, "Don't get nervous already. You'll be fine and you said yourself that Honor's workout on the track this morning couldn't have been any better."

The bell rang before they could say anything else, but it sure was nice to have the support of her two best friends.

When she got home, Cindy went straight to the barn where Honor was dozing in her stall. "Hey girl," The filly whickered eagerly, tossing her beautiful head. She wanted out of the stall.

Since she had been worked on the training track this morning, Cindy wasn't going to ride her. But she led her into the stable aisle and groomed her mahogany coat. The filly relaxed in the crossties and was half asleep when Cindy finished.

Ashleigh smiled as she walked by. "Wow, she sure looks relaxed."

Cindy grinned, feeling proud of her work and the filly's beauty. "She still seems calmer than she was before the Santa Anita. Do you think she's okay?"

Ashleigh looked at the filly carefully and smiled. "I do. I think maybe she just grew up a little in that race.

Cindy nodded thoughtfully. "It just seems like she used to be more eager."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Ashleigh smiled. "She's alert and she's happy. That is what matters the most besides, her new focus should be a good thing. The Derby is her next start and she'll need a lot of it to win a race like that."

Cindy nodded. She knew how important the Derby was to the farm. A horse that won it had to be strong, courageous and fast. But they also needed luck to make it that far. There would be twenty horses in the race, and with a field that big it would take a lot of luck and all of Cindy's skill as a rider not to get blocked into tight quarters. Cindy just hoped that she was that lucky…

Three weeks before the Derby, Cindy and the rest of her family were at Oaklawn racetrack for Lucky Chance's start in the Princess Donna Stakes. It was a big field but Cindy was confident that Shining's daughter would be much the best.

The favorite was a small, compact bay filly with a blaze in blue blinkers. But Cindy smiled, looking at her from across the ring. The favorite had never won at this distance before. The Princess Donna stakes was 9 furlongs, but she'd won twice at this track before.

Lucky Chance was new to this level of competition, but the rest of the field would soon find out she was for real. The chestnut filly was shaking her head in the walking ring and trying to chew on her reins.

Samantha looked especially pretty in the new peach colored dress she'd bought just for the race today. Cindy had helped her pick it out. Tor was standing beside her; Cindy thought they made a really good looking pair. Cindy was glad that Samantha had said yes when Tor asked her to marry him next fall, after her sister would graduate from her college studies.

Tor had asked while they were away at the horse show in Virginia, and the engagement ring on her hand was stunning too. It was no wonder that Sammy looked so happy today. And Cindy hoped that she could give her sister the best present of all, victory with her filly.

They were called to the post and Ian gave her some last minute instructions as he gave her a leg up into the filly's saddle. "Stay with the leaders but don't let her get her head in front until the very end. She has a tendency to play around when she's on the lead. And with a closer like Miss Margret in the race, you might get caught at the wire. The favorite should be on the lead. She loves this track, but she's at her best in a shorter race."

Cindy nodded. She and the filly went to the post with the rest of the field. Lucky Chance was behaving well, dancing lightly on her long, slender legs. Once they were loaded into the gate, Cindy steadied the filly. Talking to her softly and patting her neck as they waited for the rest of the field to load.

They had an inside post position today so they would have to get out of the gate quick or risk getting boxed in behind a wall of 9 other horses. Cindy was glad when the gates opened and Lucky Chance hopped out. In two strides she was in front, but Cindy kept a good hold on the reins. She made sure to ease the filly into a fluid gallop. The favorite flew past them, her bay coat gleaming in the warm sun.

Lucky Chance tensed, with her ears pinned back. She was ready to chase them down. But there was still a lot of race left, so Cindy was careful to hold her back without frustrating her. She talked to the filly to keep her calm.

They were half way down the backstretch when another horse started to catch up with them. Lucky Chance tossed her head, making Cindy nervous about the filly hurting herself. She really resented being held back. She knew the filly wouldn't be focused on winning the race anymore if she didn't let her run now.

Cindy let her out a notch and the filly surged ahead. She was starting to catch up with the leader. They might be going faster than Cindy wanted to, but the filly was running easily. She was flying, and Cindy was proud of her but she knew that Miss Margret would make her move soon too.

Just as they swept past the favorite, Cindy saw the gray filly moving up on their outside. Cindy kneaded her hands along the filly's neck, asking her for more speed and Lucky responded. The filly saw them too; she certainly wasn't playing on the lead now! They thundered across the finish line an easy two lengths in front!

Cindy slowed the filly and leaned down to hug her neck. The filly pranced back to the winner's circle as if she knew she was special. "You did it girl! You're a stakes winner, just like your mom."

Cindy smiled for the photos that were being taken of them. She was proud of her ride on Lucky Chance, but she now was more eager than ever for her ride in the Derby.