Chapter 8 – The race
It hadn't rained in Los Angeles for months, so the ground was dry and hard, and the top soil was loose. Thirty-nine horses at full gallop over that kind of terrain could lift a lot of dust into the air, and so they did.
Diego was coughing with his eyes semi-closed, having a hard time to keep them fully open while running through the middle of that dusty cloud. Now that he had left the pueblo behind, he slowed down because all that dust would do no good to his lungs, nor to Apollo's. He hoped the dust would settle soon, and then they could pick up the pace. Besides, he was sure all the others would slow down pretty soon too because the horses could not maintain that frantic pace for eight miles. To run off at top speed at the start line only served the purpose of putting on a show for the spectators, and it wasn't really practical. After that initial burst of energy, showing off their potential top speed, the game of finding a more comfortable pace for the horses would begin, away from the critical eye of the onlookers, and then Apollo should catch up with the other horses.
Slowing down also gave Diego a bit of time to think. What was Felipe trying to tell him? If he understood the signs correctly, two other men were about to help Manuel Contreras to win the race by any means. He had to be alert to identify who these men could be, and keep an eye on the professional jockey.
Manuel had won the sprint race with ease in a legitimate way riding on that Quarter horse, but now he was riding an Anglo-Andalusian, and winning the long race would not be so easy because he didn't have the edge anymore. Lots of very good horses were taking part in it; some full of stamina, speed, and grit, like the petite Arabian mare.
The same as Ramón had done before, Diego smiled thinking about her name: Vittoria. He entertained the thought that maybe all the females with that name were petite, fiery and gutsy winners destined for victory.
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Esteban could not see Diego anywhere. After the initial stampede at the start, he had slowed Zeus down to a slow gallop, laughing at the unexperienced amateurs who had carried on at top speed. Their horses would probably burn down after the second lap, and then they would not be able to carry on much further unless they trot or canter slowly.
About fifteen horses were ahead of him already, and looking around he could not see Apollo in the large group he was in, which meant Diego was really lagging behind. They got to the first solid-built obstacle, made of several horizontal large logs creating an ascending, wide slope, and while some riders took the longer route around it to avoid it, Zeus jumped over it with ease.
Esteban considered waiting for his cousin but he didn't want to lose more ground, so he carried on at the same speed, wondering where the hell Diego was.
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"He'll catch up with the others soon, don't worry," Emilio said, trying to cheer his brother up.
"What the hell was he thinking? This is so embarrassing. Maybe you were right, and it is a very bad idea Diego is taking part in this race. He can't possibly win. If anything, he may hurt himself."
"I have faith in Diego. I think Apollo got frightened by the gunshot, that's all. He'll catch up with them," Victoria said, hoping her words would become true.
"He is going to be swallowing dust all the way. There is a reason why everybody wants to be in the first row at the start, you know? Well, never mind. At least Esteban seems to be doing well. Ah, here is Felipe," Don Alejandro said, moving to a side to make some space for the youngster at the bench, between Victoria and him. "Felipe, did you get the dulces de yema?"
Felipe nodded, handing over a box containing the little soft cakes made of sweet yolks.
"Splendid, thank you," Don Alejandro said, opening the box to offer one to Victoria first.
"Thanks. I saw you talking to Diego right before the start, Felipe. What happened?" Victoria said with the little cake in her hand, before she took it to her mouth.
Felipe shrugged his shoulders.
"Nothing. I wanted to wish him good luck," he signed, taking one of the sweets from the box as well. He placed it in his mouth, munching it, and looked at the other side of the pueblo where the riders should come in at the end of the first lap. It would take them several more minutes to complete it.
"These cakes are awesome!" Victoria said, taking another one from the box. "I need the recipe. Where did you buy them?"
Felipe pointed at the market stall.
"I'll talk to that woman later. Maybe she can share it with me."
The De la Vega's continued eating cakes and making small talk while waiting for the riders to finish the first lap and reappear at the pueblo.
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Diego started to catch up with some of the slower riders at the end of the first lap, close to the last obstacle. That jump was the largest of the four, the closest to the pueblo, and it was marshalled by Sergeant Mendoza and Private Márquez. It was a double jump, which had two sturdy fences close together so the horses could not take a full stride between them, but not so close that they could jump over both fences at once. To clear the jump, the horses had to bounce between both fences, landing on their hind legs before they would immediately take off again with their front legs over the second fence.
The role of the marshals at these checkpoints was to redirect the horses that had refused the jump, to follow the diversion route before they would continue, or they would be disqualified, hence losing valuable time.
Most riders were avoiding that particular jump, taking the longer route. When Sergeant Mendoza saw Diego approaching, he thought he was going to take the diversion as well, and he was greatly surprised when Apollo cleared the jump with ease, flying over the sturdy fences, bouncing neatly way above them, the same as Zeus had done.
"Way to go, Don Diego!" Mendoza said, elated, clapping enthusiastically.
"There he is!" Vitoria cried when Diego shortly after entered the final long stretch at the pueblo. "Go, Diego, go!" she shouted when he passed by the stand. He saluted her, waving and smiling.
"At least he is not the last one anymore," Don Alejandro said, still grumpy.
"Oh, have a little faith, Don Alejandro. It is only the first lap. Still another three to go."
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At the second lap, Luigi was ridding comfortably on Vittoria in the middle of the pack, saving energy for the final lap, when he planned to overtake everybody. The Arabian mare was built for endurance, and she would be capable to increase her speed greatly when the other horses would be tired and slowing down.
Right after the third jump, a wide natural ditch, the saddle girth snapped. The saddle slid then, dragging the rider along, and Luigi fell on his side crashing hard on the ground while the mare carried on running.
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By the time Esteban completed the second lap he had already outran some of the riders who had continued to gallop at top speed from the beginning, and he was at the head of the race, in fifth position. When he passed by the stand, he heard the happy cheers of the De la Vega's, and he lifted his right hand like a winner, with a broad smile. Despite what she had said, Victoria was also cheering on him enthusiastically, which lifted his spirits even more.
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Diego jumped over the ditch for the second time that morning. When he saw the Italian immobile on the ground not far away from it, he stopped Apollo and jumped off the saddle to check on that man.
"Are you all right?" he said, turning him over.
"Man, that was some crash," the Italian said, taking a hand to his bruised forehead. "The girth snapped, and I lost the saddle."
"Where are you hurt?" Diego asked when the man complained when he tried to lift him up.
"The shoulder. I think the collar bone is broken."
"Lancers, you have a casualty here!" Diego cried.
The marshals had not realized the Italian had fallen, because they were looking in the direction of the incoming riders. They came quickly to help Diego to carry the injured man to the side of the track, to avoid further damage if the other riders ran over him.
Diego grabbed the saddle and put it out of the way too. He looked at the girth, but he could not see any clean cuts to suggest foul play. The leather strap was torn, but no one could put their hand in the fire to say it wasn't due to natural wear and tear.
"Get the doctor. I have to carry on," Diego said, climbing back on Apollo to continue the race. He had to run fast now to catch up with Esteban, because he still didn't know who were the men involved or what they were up to, and he had lost a lot of time already helping the Italian.
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"What's the matter with him now?" Don Alejandro said when he saw Diego passing by as fast as Apollo could go. "Slow down! You have another two laps to go!" but Diego didn't even bother to look at the stand this time.
"Well, he certainly is racing now," Victoria said. "Vamos, Diego!"
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At the end of the third lap Diego caught up with Esteban.
"Where have you been? I missed you."
"Busy. I've been busy. Have you seen the professional jockey, Manuel Contreras?"
"I think he is two horses in front of me. I believe I am the fourth at the moment."
"Be careful with him. Don't get near him. He is playing foul."
"Is he? How do you know?"
"I found out what he is up to at the start line, when I got distracted. He has two other riders helping him. I think they tampered with the girths. Two of the best riders got unsaddled, and at least one of them had a damaged girth. They may have damaged ours too, I don't know. Beware if it becomes loose, because next you will find yourself on the ground."
"I saw the Mexican walking before. His palomino was missing."
"Yes, that was one of them. I saw him by the second jump, the brushed fence. The other was the Italian with the Arabian mare."
"Are you staying with me all the way to the end now?"
"No. There is another lap to go, and I made Apollo run too fast to catch up with you. I have to give him some air after this titanic effort. You carry on. Take care," Diego said, pulling gently from the reins to slow down Apollo. The horse complained, lifting his head, because he wanted to carry on galloping along Zeus, but in the end he slowed down, happy to run easier to catch his breath.
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The man on the chestnut horse thought Diego could be a great danger for Manuel after all, the way he was running now when he overran him at top speed. As he had not tampered with his girth, something he regretted now, he spurred his mount ruthlessly to catch up with the Andalusian, but his horse was not fast enough to do so. However, after what it seemed like a brief chat with another rider, that dark bay Andalusian slowed down. He saw this as an opportunity to charge against Diego. He got to his side and forced his mount onto Apollo, pushing him to the right. As a reply, Diego pulled from the reins to lean to the left and the horses pressed against each other's flank while they carried on galloping, approaching the last jump. The man hit Diego with his whip then, and he had to protect his head and face with his left hand until he managed to grab the tip. They both pulled from the whip forcibly until Diego snatched it off and threw it away behind him.
"What the hell are you doing?" he shouted. "Get away from me!"
The man replied by back-kicking Diego's leg several times, until he managed to push it out of the stirrup to make him lose his balance. Unfortunately, the stirrups got tangled in a bizarre way and the riders could not separate the horses when they were about to take the last jump. Already too close to the fence to avoid it, Diego spurred Apollo to jump over it, but the other man pulled from the reins of the chestnut horse while still trying to untangle his foot from Diego's lose stirrup. The chestnut horse halted abruptly in front of the jump while Apollo tried to carry on. Apollo got dragged back by the saddle, losing his balance, and crashed against the first sturdy fence. The same as the other rider, Diego fell awkwardly, crashing against the second fence head-on.
"Madre de Dios!" cried Sergeant Mendoza, running towards Diego and the other rider. They were both unconscious, lying immobile on the ground between the two fences. "Márquez, get everybody down the diversion while I get these men out of the way!"
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