Horses respond to his urging.”
“He’s quick to take advantage of any situation,” Alec conceded, “that’s for sure.”
“Because he’s smart as well as a strong rider,” Henry said. “He knows when to hold the rail behind a horse and when to swing outside, trying to loop him.”
“Then you don’t think he’s going to have any trouble winning this one?” Alec asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Henry answered, his gaze still following the horses to the post. “Manny is the best rider in the race, but the filly is too green.”
The filly was slipping and sliding, giving Manizales a hard time. “But she’s game,” Henry added. “She can’t walk in this stuff, but maybe she’ll prove she can run in it. I don’t think they’d have her out there otherwise.”
“Even so,” Alec said, “she only sprinted last year. A mile will probably be too much for her.”
“We’ll soon find out,” Henry said. The chestnut filly along with the others was walking toward the starting gate.
Alec huddled deep within the protection of his warm raincoat. The rain was continuing without letup. Worse still, lightning streaked across the sky and thewind picked up, driving the black clouds overhead. The filly reared in front of the starting gate.
“She’s liable to jump out from under Manny,” Alec told Henry.
“So might the others,” the old trainer commented. It was almost pitch-dark now and the driving rain was whipping across the infield with gale-like force.
Alec burrowed deeper into his raincoat. “Maybe the starter will hold them off a moment.”
“I doubt it,” Henry said. “He’s ready to pull the string.”
“I’m glad I’m not out there. That wind could sweep you right out of the saddle.”
“With no help from your horse,” Henry agreed. “I’m glad you’re not out there, too. I got a feeling we’re going to see some fantastic racing … a real ‘Perils of Pauline’ kind of thing.”
“What’s that?” Alec asked without taking his eyes off the starting gate.
“A movie serial I used to see as a kid. It was a real cliff-hanger, with one stirring climax after another.”
“Wow!” A bolt of lightning split the sky, and Alec was able to distinguish the silks of the riders as their mounts reared in the starting stalls. “I still think the starter ought to hold them off,” Alec said.
Henry agreed, saying, “Maybe he’ll have to now.” Several horses had already backed out of their stalls and were fighting their riders. Henry tried to ignore the storm by concentrating on the horses.
“It’s a big field for such a track,” he said. “First Command has every right to be the favorite. He likes the distance and can run his race on any sort of footing.But he’s too straight in front for my taste. Moonshot is too long-striding for this muddy going, I think. He’ll be afraid to stride out. Hayloft won’t like the track for the same reason. But Novice moves up in slop like this. Look at him. He looks like a tall bird wading in the water. Nice hind legs, too.…”
Henry went on with his comments but Alec kept his eyes on Manizales’ chestnut filly, Bitter Sweet. She had a habit of getting into trouble, regardless of the footing, but he wanted her to win.
Another lightning bolt cracked the heavens, and Henry put his hand on Alec’s arm. “I want you to watch the way Manizales can whip smoothly with either hand, and the way he switches,” he said nervously.
“I don’t even carry a whip,” Alec said, annoyed at Henry’s constant prodding.
“You might someday. Every top rider should know how to switch smoothly. Watch Manizales.”
They cringed at the crackle of still another bolt of lightning. Nor were they alone in this. Most of the other huddled spectators were now looking fearfully up at the heavens rather than at the horses.
Alec turned his gaze back to the starting gate. With eight horses in a race there was always danger of a traffic jam under the best of
“He’s quick to take advantage of any situation,” Alec conceded, “that’s for sure.”
“Because he’s smart as well as a strong rider,” Henry said. “He knows when to hold the rail behind a horse and when to swing outside, trying to loop him.”
“Then you don’t think he’s going to have any trouble winning this one?” Alec asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Henry answered, his gaze still following the horses to the post. “Manny is the best rider in the race, but the filly is too green.”
The filly was slipping and sliding, giving Manizales a hard time. “But she’s game,” Henry added. “She can’t walk in this stuff, but maybe she’ll prove she can run in it. I don’t think they’d have her out there otherwise.”
“Even so,” Alec said, “she only sprinted last year. A mile will probably be too much for her.”
“We’ll soon find out,” Henry said. The chestnut filly along with the others was walking toward the starting gate.
Alec huddled deep within the protection of his warm raincoat. The rain was continuing without letup. Worse still, lightning streaked across the sky and thewind picked up, driving the black clouds overhead. The filly reared in front of the starting gate.
“She’s liable to jump out from under Manny,” Alec told Henry.
“So might the others,” the old trainer commented. It was almost pitch-dark now and the driving rain was whipping across the infield with gale-like force.
Alec burrowed deeper into his raincoat. “Maybe the starter will hold them off a moment.”
“I doubt it,” Henry said. “He’s ready to pull the string.”
“I’m glad I’m not out there. That wind could sweep you right out of the saddle.”
“With no help from your horse,” Henry agreed. “I’m glad you’re not out there, too. I got a feeling we’re going to see some fantastic racing … a real ‘Perils of Pauline’ kind of thing.”
“What’s that?” Alec asked without taking his eyes off the starting gate.
“A movie serial I used to see as a kid. It was a real cliff-hanger, with one stirring climax after another.”
“Wow!” A bolt of lightning split the sky, and Alec was able to distinguish the silks of the riders as their mounts reared in the starting stalls. “I still think the starter ought to hold them off,” Alec said.
Henry agreed, saying, “Maybe he’ll have to now.” Several horses had already backed out of their stalls and were fighting their riders. Henry tried to ignore the storm by concentrating on the horses.
“It’s a big field for such a track,” he said. “First Command has every right to be the favorite. He likes the distance and can run his race on any sort of footing.But he’s too straight in front for my taste. Moonshot is too long-striding for this muddy going, I think. He’ll be afraid to stride out. Hayloft won’t like the track for the same reason. But Novice moves up in slop like this. Look at him. He looks like a tall bird wading in the water. Nice hind legs, too.…”
Henry went on with his comments but Alec kept his eyes on Manizales’ chestnut filly, Bitter Sweet. She had a habit of getting into trouble, regardless of the footing, but he wanted her to win.
Another lightning bolt cracked the heavens, and Henry put his hand on Alec’s arm. “I want you to watch the way Manizales can whip smoothly with either hand, and the way he switches,” he said nervously.
“I don’t even carry a whip,” Alec said, annoyed at Henry’s constant prodding.
“You might someday. Every top rider should know how to switch smoothly. Watch Manizales.”
They cringed at the crackle of still another bolt of lightning. Nor were they alone in this. Most of the other huddled spectators were now looking fearfully up at the heavens rather than at the horses.
Alec turned his gaze back to the starting gate. With eight horses in a race there was always danger of a traffic jam under the best of
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