Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. or the song in this chapter.

Chapter 6

Kenshin's and Rosary's road to the Breeder's Cup.

It's July 30th and Nick, Lita, Howard, Rosary, and Kenshin are at Saratoga. Everything is unpacked and settled at their new farm in Lexington. Now they are going to be at Saratoga for a while. Today Rosary is going to race in the Go For Wand Stakes. Not a lot of people think a mare can come back from an injury and an illness. So the betting public have Rosary as the 80 to 1 long shot. The other reason Rosary is a high price is because Quiet Song is in the race. Right now the announcer is saying "Here are the fillies and mares for the Go For Wand Stakes. Number 1 is Poison Oak, Number 2 Quiet Song, Number 3 is Rosary, Number 4 is Anastasia, Number 5 is Gypsy Queen, and Number 6 is Lovey Dovey."

The fillies and mares warmed up then headed to the gate. Soon all six are off and running. Poison Oak took the lead followed by Gypsy Queen, Rosary, Quiet Song, Anastasia, and Lovey Dovey. They ran down the homestretch then turned on the backstretch. Now Poison Oak and Gypsy Queen have the lead. Followed by Rosary, Quiet Song, Anastasia, and Lovey Dovey. At the turn for home Rosary, Quiet Song, Anastasia, and Lovey Dovey. Made their moves. Rosary and Quiet Song have the lead with Anastasia and Lovey Dovey right behind them. Neither Rosary nor Quiet Song want give up the lead.

Just then Rosary and Quiet Song changed leads and charged toward the finish line. The crowd went wild as the two champion females charged toward the finish line. Both Rosary and Quiet Song crossed the finish line together. Howard pulled up Rosary and began cooling her down. Five minutes later the announcer said "We have a dead heat both Rosary and Quiet Song win." In the winners circle Quiet Song's trainer and owner announced. That this was her last race against the fillies and mares. Now Quiet Song is going to race against the colts. Quiet Song's trainer said "Her next race will be the Traver's stakes against Kenshin." It's August 27th today is the Traver's Stakes.

Today is Kenshin's first race after after his triple crown win. Quiet Song is going to challenge the triple crown winner. Right now the horses are on the track. The announcer said "Here are the horses for the Traver's Stakes Number 1 is Rebel Rocket, Number 2 is Quiet Son, Number 3 is Kenshin, Number 4 is Neptune, Number 5 is Atlas, and Number 6 is Copy Cat." The horses warmed up and headed to the gate. Two minutes later they are off and running. Rebel Rocket took the lead followed by Atlas, Kenshin, Quiet Song, Copy Cat, and Neptune. They ran down the homestretch then turned onto the backstretch. Now Rebel Rocket and Atlas have the lead. Followed by Kenshin, Quiet Song, Neptune, and Copy Cat.

At the turn home Kenshin, Quiet Song, and Neptune made their moves. Kenshin took the lead an didn't look back. He won by two lengths because Quiet Song is a tough cookie. It's October 29th and today is the Breeder's Cup world thoroughbred championships. To get here Rosary won the Pennsylvania Derby and the Beldame Stakes. And Kenshin won the Jockey Gold Cup. Rosary has won the Breeder's Cup Distaff. Right now seven colts and a filly are on the track for the Breeder's Cup Classic.

Soon they are off and Rebel Rocket has the lead. Followed by Copy Cat, Kenshin, Tiz Storming, Quiet Song, and Atlas. They ran down the homestretch then turned onto the backstretch. Now Rebel Rocket and Copy Cat have the lead. Followed by Kenshin, Tiz Storming, Quiet Song, and Atlas. At the turn for home Kenshin, Tiz Storming, and Quiet Song made their moves. The three of them battled are battling for the lead. Down the homestretch they battled. Howard yelled "Come on Kenshin let's win one more race!" When Kenshin changed leads so did Tiz Storming and Quiet Song. Not wanting to tie or lose.

Kenshin changed leads again and found more speed and started slowly pulling away. The crowd went wild as Kenshin won the race by a neck. Nick and Lita decided to retire Kenshin and Rosary. The next year in May Nick bred Kenshin to Rosary before owner of mares started booking their mares to breed with Kenshin. Right now Howard is napping in Kenshin's paddock. Kenshin is grazing near by. What Kenshin and Howard don't know is that there is a mountain lion near by. He has suck into Kenshin's paddock. Howard woke up and saw the mountain lion coming toward him. He gasped and yelled "Mountain lion!" From across the paddock Kenshin heard Howard yell. So he snorted and ran toward Howard.

The young man is slowly trying to back away. Suddenly Kenshin stopped in front of Howard and reared. The mountain lion roared and started fighting with Kenshin. When Kenshin went back all fours the mountain lion bit Kenshin's neck. Just then Nick appeared and shot the mountain lion. Kenshin was lead into his stall where he fell to the ground. Lita called the vet while Nick and Howard tried to stop Kenshin's wounds from bleeding. Soon the vet came and started taking care of Kenshin. An hour later the vet came out of the stall. He shook head and said "I don't think he'll survive. I'll put him down for you if you like."

Nick shook his head and said "That's ok you've done all you can." The vet left and Nick and Lita looked in the stall. Howard is sitting next to Kenshin petting him. The colt is still laying in the hay. Nick sighed and said "It's a good thing that he's not booked to breed a bunch of mares. And at least he got Rosary pregnant." Lita said "He also gave the United States a triple crown after thirty years without a triple crown." That night Howard stayed with Kenshin. Sitting outside Kenshin's stall is Nick and Lita. They are making a photo album for Howard. Nick and Lita are filling it with pictures of Kenshin. They've managed to get baby pictures of Kenshin from Azeri's owner.

In the morning when the roster crowed. Howard woke up he saw that Kenshin's eyes are closed and he isn't breathing. The young man started crying and yelled "No!" Lita and Nick came in and saw that Kenshin is dead. That day the whole U.S.A found out what happened. And they took it as hard as they did when Barbaro died. Nick and the stable hands buried Kenshin in the field behind the main house. The next year in April Rosary gave birth.

She had a copper chestnut filly that has a white spot in the shape of a rose on her forehead. The filly also has a white X on her left cheek. She has been named Kenshin's Rose thanks to her markings. When ever Lita, Nick, Howard, and the stable hands here the song Remember By Josh Groban. They stop what they are doing and remember Kenshin. As a yearling Kenshin's Rose showed everyone that she's going to be a champion just like her parents. Seven years later Howard is riding a eight- year-old Kenshin's Rose in her last race. The race is the Breeder's Cup Classic and she's leaving the field in her dust. She's been racing since a two-year-old like her mother Rosary.

Just like her sire Kenshin she won the triple crown against the boys as a three year old. She can beat the best fillies and colts in the country and the world. Because she's won the Breeder's Cup Classic three times. The only things that slowed her down where minor injuries and illnesses. Now that Kenshin's Rose has won her last race. She will be retired and start her new career as a brood mare. Thanks to Kenshin's Rose Kenshin's legacy will be passed on for generations to come. And thoroughbred racing fans will tell the next generation of thoroughbred racing fans about Kenshin and the great horses of their time. So Kenshin's story will be passed down for generations to come.

The End!!!!

Here are the lyrics for Remember by Josh Groban.

Remember, I will still be here
As long as you hold me, in your memory

Remember, when your dreams have ended
Time can be transcended
Just remember me

I am the one star that keeps burning, so brightly,
It is the last light, to fade into the rising sun

I'm with you
Whenever you tell, my story
For I am all I've done

Remember, I will still be here
As long as you hold me, in your memory
Remember me

I am the one voice in the cold wind, that whispers
And if you listen, you'll hear me call across the sky

As long as I still can reach out, and touch you
Then I will never die

Remember, I'll never leave you
If you will only
Remember me

Remember me...

Remember, I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory

Remember, when your dreams have ended
Time can be transcended
I live forever
Remember me

Remember me
Remember... me...

Thank you to all that read and reviewed.