4.
"In Shadows is Dominion's son," Ashleigh said, sitting back in her leather chair in the main office of the training barn. "And he's out of In Time, an In Excess mare. She won a few graded stakes races in New York before she was retired. Edgewood Farm, where Dominion raced and where he now stands at stud, bought her when she was six, bred her to Dominion, and In Shadows was the result. He was her first foal and after that she's produced the Canadian champion filly Out In Blue."
Mike nodded. "What about In Shadows' record. What does he have under his belt?"
Ashleigh grinned. "I know we don't pay attention much to Canadian racing, but that's where he was the end of his three-year-old season. He won the Canadian International by three lengths."
"Canadian International?" Cindy asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "Isn't that a grass race?"
"Yeah," Ashleigh nodded, "And it's a grade I event."
"Why was the Canadian International winner at auction?" Samantha asked, pushing back her wild red hair.
"His owner died," Ash explained. "And her daughter, her heir, didn't want to own any race horses."
Samantha nodded and sat back, looking at Cindy and smiling reassuringly. She knew Cindy's attitude toward competition.
"What are you planning for him?" Cindy asked, sitting forward, eagerly awaiting Ashleigh's answer.
"I've reviewed the tapes of his races," Ashleigh said, tapping a black video cassette tape on her desk. "And he looks like he'd go just as well on dirt as he did on grass. I want to send him to Santa Anita for the remainder of winter."
Mike shrugged. "I'd have to see the tapes," he said, looking at the black cassette. "But Santa Anita sounds good."
Cindy's heart dropped to her feet. Glory was going to Santa Anita. What if they ran against each other?
"What about Glory?" She suddenly burst out, eyes wide with fear. She looked up at Ian, who rubbed her back in response.
Ashleigh looked at Cindy and smiled. "I never said I was going to run In Shadows against Glory, Cindy. I just want to keep my options open. The biggest purses are at Santa Anita, and we own In Shadows one hundred percent. There will be no purse to share with him."
"We're heading Glory toward the San Pasqual," Mike added. "That's a grade one race and he's practically a shoe in for it."
"In Shadows can make his first start in the San Fernando," Ian suggested. "It's a grade two - something we can use to test his ability on dirt. Get his feet wet."
Ashleigh nodded. "I like the plan. Glory is already entered in the San Pasqual. I can enter In Shadows for the San Fernando tomorrow."
"Great," Samantha said happily. "And I'm entering Shining for the Santa Monica Handicap a week later. This is going to work."
Cindy sat in silence, barely listening to the conversations about Shining and In Shadows. She didn't have to worry about In Shadows running against Glory yet, but she knew Ashleigh would have to consider the Santa Anita Handicap eventually. Cindy shook her head angrily at herself. What did she even care? Glory was proven the best three-year-old colt last year. He was a shoe in for the Eclipse Award in two categories, for pete's sake. What did In Shadow's mean to her?
Cindy leaned back in her chair confidently now. Glory was the champion of Whitebrook, and nothing was going to change that.
"Whoa!" Ashleigh cried, sitting deep in the saddle and reining in the giant horse. Cindy frowned deeply, watching Ashleigh struggle with the un-harnessed power of In Shadows. The colt was definitely having his way in this work.
"Shadow!" Ashleigh reprimanded, just as the colt came to a sudden halt and reared, whinnying and snorting in exasperation. Cindy rolled her eyes and walked Glory around the outside of the track, her eyes darting to watch the colt's behavior every few minutes. So far, Ashleigh had managed to get the rambunctious colt out of the gap, onto the track, and that was it. In Shadows put up a fit as soon as he hit the dirt.
Cindy had made her second circuit with Glory and was approaching the gap, getting closer to the black colt and Ashleigh. Glory pricked his ears at the colt and nickered stopping nearby. In Shadows squealed and shied away, shaking his head, bouncing Ashleigh in the saddle.
Ann was standing next to Mike outside the gap. Her works with Mr. Wonderful and the other horses had been exemplary, as usual, and she was watching the black colt with steady eyes.
Ashleigh groaned and finally jumped off the colt, gripping his reins as he trotted around Ashleigh excitedly.
"I don't think we should've introduced him to the track this soon," Ashleigh sighed, pulling off her helmet and running her hand through her light brown hair. "He's going crazy."
Mike nodded, glancing back as Samantha walked up, her work with Shining already done. "Sam, do you want to take Shadow back up to the barn? We're going to postpone his work for a few days."
"Sure," Samantha nodded, shrugging.
Cindy smiled smugly. In Shadows wasn't anything to worry about.
"Wait up," Ann said, walking out to the track. "I'd like to try him," she told Ashleigh. "If you don't mind, I've handled tons of colts like this."
"So has Ashleigh," Cindy blurted out before she could stop herself. Ashleigh glanced over at Cindy and shushed her, then turned to Ann. Cindy frowned, sitting back in Glory's saddle. The gray colt tugged on the reins quietly, stamping a hoof.
"Do you think you can do something with him?" Ashleigh asked, holding the black's reins.
"Yeah," Ann said. "I'd like to at least try to reason with him before you end the session."
Ashleigh nodded and sighed. "Sure. That's why you're here, after all."
Ann took the reins and gathered them at the base of the black's neck. Ashleigh gave her a leg up and Ann jumped onto the huge colt, landing gracefully in the saddle, quickly and firmly setting her feet in the stirrups.
"Okay," Ann said. "Once around at a light gallop?"
Ashleigh nodded her head. "Right. Let him get the feel of it." She stepped back as In Shadows whinnied and shook his head, then reared up on his hind legs. Ann sat glued in the saddle, raising her hands up and grasping his long jet mane. In Shadows squealed and came down on all fours again standing tensely, flicking his ears around, trying to test the new rider on his back.
"Okay, boy," Ann murmured soothingly. "Let's go," she said softly, turning the colt around with gentle hands and nudging him into a trot. Shadow kicked into a trot eagerly, tossing his head in excitement as Ann moved him around the turn, letting him slip into a laid back canter.
Cindy sat on Glory's back, watching Ann expertly guide the black colt into a hand gallop, controlling him effortlessly now. Shadow only attempted to duck into the rail once, shaking his head, trying to go faster. Ann held him back, though, and Shadow obeyed, flicking his burly black ears back, paying attention.
"Look at that," Ashleigh laughed, watching the black colt come around the far turn at an easy gallop, ears back, listening to Ann attentively, eyes focused on the track.
"He has great movements," Mike commented, grinning as Ann galloped Shadow past, standing up in the stirrups and lightly pulling the colt down to a canter with a series of half halts.
Cindy sighed dramatically to herself and watched as Ann turned Shadow around, heading back to the gap. She was good, Cindy bemoaned to herself. Much better than she had thought.
"What did you do?" Ashleigh asked, taking Shadow's reins as Ann jumped off the tall colt's back.
"I figured he must have a sensitive mouth," Ann said, reaching up and scratching the colt behind the ears. "He wasn't throwing himself into the bridle when you had him on the track."
"Of course," Ashleigh groaned, shaking her head and watching Ann and Shadow, who was butting his head playfully into the girl's side. "We'll have to make sure to use nothing but a plain snaffle on him."
Cindy dismounted Glory and walked up, letting the two colts eye each other. "Is this the end of the day for Glory?" Cindy asked, staring at Shadow.
"Yeah," Mike said, nodding his head. "You can take him up to the barn, Cin. He did great."
Cindy frowned and nodded, leading her colt up to the stables.
"I'm going to put you up on Shadow full time," Cindy overheard Ashleigh say to Ann as she walked away. "And, if everything goes well, I'd like to have you as his jockey."
Cindy groaned to herself when she heard Ann's ecstatic screech of surprise.
"I don't know about this," Cindy sighed to Glory, putting him in cross ties and taking off his tack. "But don't worry, boy," she said, setting her mouth firmly. "That colt can't hold a candle to you."
Glory snorted and pricked his ears at her, pawing at the floor eagerly, clearly wanting to get to his paddock. Cindy laughed and hugged the gray's thick neck, patting him. "You are the world to me, boy," she whispered into his mane. "I'll make sure everyone thinks you're the best at Whitebrook, if not the whole country."
"Cindy!" Beth McLean shouted up the stairs. "Cindy, you're going to miss the bus!"
Cindy sighed, running her hand through her short, blond hair, wet from the warm water running over her skin. Everything in her body hurt.
Glory had been energetic again this morning, casually flipping Cindy over his head and into a pit of mud, hence the shower. Cindy didn't usually take showers after works, there wasn't any time, but this work warranted one.
"Okay!" Cindy called back. Reaching forward, she turned off the water and grabbed the towel, dried off and was out of the bathroom in a flash. She pulled on jeans, a thick wool sweater, and her Nikes, treads worn down to nearly nothing.
It was the first day of school back from Christmas break, and it had already started off horrible. Ann had put in a stellar work on both In Shadows and Mr. Wonderful, and Cindy still couldn't even control one thing her own horse did. It was like being stuck in a continuous nightmare. Ashleigh had even made Ann Mr. Wonderful's jockey, which had surprised Cindy, and made her scared. What if Ashleigh suddenly decided to let Ann ride Glory? Cindy stopped and shook her head. Glory meant more to the farm than In Shadows and Mr. Wonderful all together. Ashleigh would never do that.
"Cindy!" Beth yelled, marching up the stairs. "Where are you?"
Cindy jumped when she saw her mother's body appear in her doorway. "I'm sorry," she immediately apologized. "I was daydreaming."
"Well, you missed the bus," Beth said, sighing. "And I can't give you a ride into school today, I have an appointment."
"What about Sam or Dad?" Cindy asked.
"Samantha has a morning class and your father went to Keeneland to look over a racing prospect for the farm."
"What am I going to do then?" Cindy asked, sighing and sitting on her unmade bed.
"I'll call Laurie and see if Ann has gone to school yet," Beth said. "She could probably give you a ride."
"Okay," Cindy said, groaning and getting her backpack. This day had just gone from bad to worse.
The dark blue Ford Explorer honked outside and Cindy walked out of the cottage to meet it, frowning as she saw Ann wave to her from inside the car. Cindy forced a smile and waved back, jumping into the passenger's seat and buckling up.
"Missed the bus?" Ann asked, smiling.
"Yeah," Cindy nodded her head, leaning back and crossing her arms.
"Are you feeling okay?" Ann asked, pulling out of the Whitebrook drive and heading for the highway into Lexington. "That was a nasty fall you took."
"I'm fine," Cindy muttered, looking out the window, listening to the radio music.
Ann glanced at Cindy out of the corner of her eye and frowned. She was definitely picking up on Cindy's terseness around her, especially when Glory was involved.
"I just hate this," Cindy groaned, pulling on her gym shorts and slamming the locker shut in the changing room. "Why did Ashleigh and Mike have to hire a new exercise rider?"
"I think Ashleigh is more strained than you think," Heather commented, sitting on the bench, legs crossed. "I mean, she did just have a baby."
"I guess you're right," Cindy frowned, sitting down next to her friend. She hadn't thought about Christina, Mike and Ashleigh's new daughter. The little girl had been born on Christmas Eve, after Ashleigh had been kicked by a horse. Christina could have died, but by some miracle they had saved her. Ashleigh, being the fighter she was, bounced back and had been home only three days before she flew to New York for the auction. Mike hadn't wanted her to go, but Ashleigh was adamant, insisting that she go to the auction.
"Why are you worried about Ann?" Heather asked, pulling her hair back into a high ponytail. "I mean, does it have to do with Glory?"
"Yes and no," Cindy sighed, leaning back on the bench. "I think Ann's a great rider, but I just think about what if Ashleigh decides she isn't going to ride because of the baby? If she does that, I bet Ann will ride Glory."
"Why's that?"
"Ashleigh is letting her jockey both Mr. Wonderful and In Shadows, two big horses in our barn," Cindy groaned. "And then I'm afraid that In Shadows may turn out to, well, overshadow Glory."
"How can you even think that!" Heather exclaimed, rising up and looking at Cindy forcefully. "Glory is the fastest colt in the country! You said that yourself, Cindy. In Shadows isn't going to steal the spotlight from anyone, especially Glory."
Cindy just sat there, not knowing what to think.
"Besides," Heather continued. "Didn't you tell me over the phone that In Shadows had raced mostly over grass? He probably won't even be able to run on dirt. How can he be better than Glory if they aren't even in the same races?"
"That's true," Cindy said, nodding. "There isn't any certainty that he'll take to dirt."
"And as far as Ashleigh not riding Glory," Heather shook her head. "You remember when she couldn't ride him when she was pregnant and it was a disaster trying to find riders? She wouldn't do that again."
Cindy nodded, finally feeling confident again.
"You're right," she conceded. "I've been stupid about all of this. Glory is going to run in the San Pasqual in a few days and he's going to blow everyone out of the water."
"There you go," Heather smiled brightly. "Now, I think we'd better get out to the gym before we're counted absent."
Cindy and Heather grinned and jumped up, running out of the locker room and to the gym. They were playing volleyball today and Cindy was sure her team was going to win.
