Running After the Roses - Part Two
|
|
"Auntie Ash! Auntie Ash!" Sean strained against Martha's hold on his hand as Martha was talking to a friend from another stable. Sean's blue eyes, identical to that of his father and great-uncle, were fastened on Sultan and me. I was walking Sultan back to the barn after a bath. His brown coat glistened in the morning sunshine. "Aunt Martha, can I go with Auntie Ash and Sultan? Please?" Sean begged, sounding every inch the whiny four-year-old that he was.
Sultan's ears perked up at the sound of Sean's voice. Other then me, the little boy was his favorite person. Sean had a habit of slipping the colt apples, Sultan's favorite.
Martha gave her friend an apologetic look, to which her friend just grinned knowingly, and turned to Sean. "Does Auntie Ash want you to go with her?" Martha may have been looking at Sean but the question was really directed at me. "Of course Sean can come with us," I assured her. "He can keep Sultan and his father company after I go to the jockey's room." Martha nodded, her expression showing her thanks.
I held out my left hand. "Come on, Sean. Sultan wants to nap in his stall before the big race." I felt a tiny flutter of the resident butterflies at my mention of the Derby. Ever since this morning they hadn't been as active, almost like Sultan had scared them into hiding, but they still came out occasionally to remind me of their presence.
Martha turned back to her friend and resumed the conversation she'd been having. Sean ignored my hand and instead went up to Sultan. "Hi, boy," he whispered. The horse lowered his head, looking for any apples Sean may have stashed in his pockets. Sean reached up to pet Sultan. I couldn't stop the smile tugging at my lips. Oh, where was my camera when I needed it?
The three of us eventually made it back to the barn and I released Sultan to doze in his stall. Matt took charge of his son while Greg handed me my gym bag.
"Don't freak out, Ash. Everything's going to be fine," the older man advised me. Greg knew me too well.
I settled the gym bag strap on my shoulder and said with more confidence then I felt, "I'll be fine." The butterflies sensed that I would be leaving Sultan and started warming up for their aerobics routine. Greg seemed to buy my false confidence and waved me off to the locker rooms.
I was almost there when a woman I'd never seen before accosted me. "Miss Grant, I'm Sandy Kessler of the Louisville Bulletin. Can I have a moment of your time to ask a few questions?" She had blond curls, sharp blue eyes and towered over me by at least a foot. I was a little bit intimidated.
"Uh, I guess," I stammered.
"You're riding Mischievous Sultan, correct?" Sandy questioned.
"Er, his name is The Mischievous Sultan," I put extra emphasis on the 'The' part of Sultan's name. What I didn't add was that this reporter should already know that fact. It was printed in the program I could see peeking out of her purse.
Undeterred, Sandy pressed on. "It is true that your parents died four years ago in a car crash?" That surprised me. I hadn't been expecting a question like that one.
"Um... I.... Uh..." I was having trouble forming words. It was true. My parents had died in a car crash not long after we'd moved back to Kentucky. I was fourteen at the time and been away for six years. I didn't have any other living relatives and my parents Will stated that I was to go live with my godmother, Mary, in the event anything happened to them. Sandy stared down at me, her expression one of impatience as I struggled to answer her question. Finally I was able to blurt out, "Yes."
"How do you think they would feel if they were alive today and about to see their 18 year old daughter ride in the Kentucky Derby?"
That one was easy, though I didn't say the answer out loud. If my parents were still alive, I wouldn't be a jockey. They would have never approved of me taking part in such a dangerous sport. It was because of their deaths that I was where I was. Mary went to visit her sister one day at No Walkin' Farms not long after I started living with her. Martha took one look at me, a rebellious and bitter teenager, and stuck me on a horse. It was the beginning of my love of horses and racing.
I shook my head, coming back to my senses. "I'm sorry but I need to go to the locker rooms." I tried to be polite. "If you can hold your questions until after the race, I'll try to set aside some time to answer them." I turned on my heel and headed for the jockey room.
Sandy wasn't easily dislodged. "Miss Grant, can you at least answer that last question?" she half shouted, tagging after me. I yanked open the door and slipped inside, letting it shut on Sandy's startled face.
I spent the time before I needed to get ready for the race studying for a history test I had coming up. When the call for jockeys came I was dressed in the No Walkin' Farms bright orange and dark brown stripped silks. In the saddling stall Matt was holding Sultan while Greg waited for me to arrive. I handed him my saddle and then spent a minute telling Sultan how good he would look with the blanket of roses draped across his back. Sultan just rubbed his nose against my shoulder, itching himself on me. Some quick last minute instructions and before I knew it I was on Sultan and riding out onto the track to the strains of 'My Old Kentucky Home.' It was truly surreal.
Sultan warmed up beautifully and when it was our turn to load into the gate, we'd drawn position number four, he went in like the professional he was. I readied myself, pushing all thoughts of screwing up out of my mind and focusing on the race. Sultan settled, as ready as I was for this race. I heard the call that all the horses were in. It was quiet for a few moments. And then the bell rang. |
|
|
Equestri
It was an enjoyment to read :) Good writing!
It was an enjoyment to read :) Good writing!
|
Jan 25, 2011
• 2,110 views
|
|
|
|
Wanderin Boy Memorial
MOD
I really enjoyed reading this =)
Can't wait to read part 3
I really enjoyed reading this =)
Can't wait to read part 3
|
58 days ago
• 2,122 views
|
|
|
|
Milly
You are very good at writing this, you should publish it
You are very good at writing this, you should publish it
|
55 days ago
• 2,117 views
|
|
|
|
Balla Eclectic
MOD
I'm really enjoying this Walker. Your style of writing is very easy to read and of course the subject matter is very magnetic. (feel free to use that as a quote on the cover when it gets published - lol).
Only criticism is that I would love you to expand more on the surroundings.
Having never been to a Kentucky Derby, let alone Kentucky, I'd love to be reading a bit more about the surroundings - the track, the other jockeys, the horses, the sites the sounds, maybe even the smells.
I'm really enjoying this Walker. Your style of writing is very easy to read and of course the subject matter is very magnetic. (feel free to use that as a quote on the cover when it gets published - lol).
Only criticism is that I would love you to expand more on the surroundings.
Having never been to a Kentucky Derby, let alone Kentucky, I'd love to be reading a bit more about the surroundings - the track, the other jockeys, the horses, the sites the sounds, maybe even the smells.
|
55 days ago
• 2,100 views
|
|
|
|
|
55 days ago
• 2,079 views
|
|
|
|
|
49 days ago
• 2,107 views
|
|
|
|
|
May 9, 2011
• 2,254 views
|
|
|
|
|
More News by No Walkin Farms9
|
|
He turned to go down to the track, Martha still holding his hand, the camera’s still following him, when a gasp rose from the crowd. Greg stopped, rotated, and saw what the crowd was reacting to.
Sultan’s jockey, Ashley was slo ...
|
|
I pulled back on the reins as Sultan's stride got even choppier. He was more than happy to comply. Fighting panic, I guided him to the outside rail and away from most of the traffic.
I leapt off Sultan and rushed to steady him ...
|
|
Behind us John and Solo were making their move also. Sultan and I passed Dueling With Deceit, Common Criminal and Pomatia quickly. Solo couldn't keep up and dropped back behind John and me.
Everlasting Endearment hadn't gotten ...
|
|
After the 24/7 interview, Greg and I went back to Belmont Racetrack and met with the camera crew that would be doing some filming for the pre-race show on Saturday.
Apparently they wanted some in-depth stuff so they were spendi ...
|
|
A Production Assistant rushed up and fussed with the microphone attached to my shirt. One of the producers had wanted me to wear my jockey silks but I'd refused. Thankfully Tanner Scott, the reporter doing the interview, had sided ...
|
|
The weekend with the camera crew was passably ok. Gerry Stone, the director, had such a manner where he was in charge and everyone else was there to do his bidding. I didn't really like him all that much. He tried making pointers ...
|
|
He led us to a paddock with a group of yearlings. He whistled and the four horses trotted over to us. Each had sleek Thoroughbred lines and showed good breeding. If John was purchasing one of these horses, I could forget about the ...
|
|
I dashed to my locker, grabbed my books and hustled to homeroom, arriving just in time. The lunch period arrived, it seemed, in a blur. I was sitting at my usual table with Beth and a few other friends when Tiffany approached.
...
|
|
|