Willow King (20 page)

She looked to the old trainer. “Surprise? What kind of surprise do you have?”

The rest of their troop arrived, and John signed them into the restricted area.

“Let me give you mine first.” Mr. Ellis reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope.

“What's this?” Katie said as she ripped it open.

“Those are Jester's lease papers. He wasn't doing so well in Cindy's care, so I'm giving him back to you a little early,” said Mr. Ellis. “She'll have to make do with her old horse until she learns how to take responsibility for herself and the animal.”

“Thank you!” Katie gave the stable owner a big hug. “This day couldn't be any better.”

“I wouldn't say that.” John stepped forward and tipped his hat at a jaunty angle. “I might be able to improve it a bit,” he drawled, trying to drag out the suspense.

“Come on, John, we're dying to know!” said Mrs. Durham.

“Well…,” the old trainer began. “It seems there was this little gal who had a lot of faith in this crooked-legged colt. She worked real hard with him and turned the colt into a great racehorse. She unknowingly inspired a foolish old man to invest some of his retirement savings on the preliminary entry fees for a big race in Kentucky.”

“You didn't!” Katie squealed.

“I did.” John shut off the hot-walker and gave King a sip of water. “Get over here and pat the horse that's taking us all to the Kentucky Derby.”

“I can't believe it!” Katie moved on shaky legs toward the walker.

“We're going to the Derby.” The words tumbled from her lips in a barely discernible whisper.

Jason placed a supporting arm around Katie's shoulders. “Not only are we going to the Derby, but I just know we're going to win that race!”

“Not so fast there, lad,” John cautioned. “Katie and King have come a long way, and they've accomplished something they can be proud of. King is a great horse, and I think he's got a shot at the Derby, but it won't be an easy race. You're talking about going against the best horses in the world.”

“John's right,” Mr. Ellis said. “You'll be up against the best Thoroughbreds the sport has to offer. Only one horse can win, but it's an honor just to be in that company.”

Katie weighed her thoughts. She knew in her heart that King could do it. He was destined to be a champion. But with all the trouble they'd had just getting him to this race, would they be able to pull together and make it to the Kentucky Derby? A shadow of doubt floated across her mind. She turned her eyes to John.

“Do you think we can do it, John?” Katie held her breath, waiting for his answer. Old John always knew what was best. She trusted his judgment; he hadn't let her down yet.

John smiled his proud, encouraging smile. “I think
you
can do anything you set your mind to, Katie girl.” He looked her straight in the eye and patted her shoulder. “Follow your dreams, lassie.”

Katie hugged the old trainer, then turned and threw her arms around Willow King's neck, whispering to the eager colt.

“We'll give it our best, won't we, boy?”

Just then the opening chords of Jason's favorite song drifted out from a radio in the test barn office.

“I'd say this calls for a celebration dance,” Jason said as he held out his hand to Katie.

Katie looked at his hand, then into Jason's eyes. He held her gaze, and she could feel him willing her to accept his offer. She looked around at all the others standing there. She wanted this dance so badly. She knew it by heart, but if she messed it up, all the people she loved the most would witness her clumsiness.

King nickered and shoved her with his nose, as if to push her toward Jason. In the seconds that everyone waited to see if she would accept the invitation, the last few years flashed before Katie's eyes. She remembered how valiantly King had fought for his life on the day he was born and all the courage and determination he had showed since then. How could she do any less?

And if she messed up…?

She looked into the faces of the people surrounding her. These people loved her no matter what. If she fell down, they would pick her up, and she would go on and try again. King had taught her that. Why had it taken so long for her to figure it out?

She smiled and placed her hand in Jason's waiting palm. He moved her into the sweetheart position and guided her into the opening steps of the dance. For the next two minutes, Katie blocked out everything except the foot patterns and the glow of affection on Jason's face.

She didn't even realize the song had ended until everyone clapped. She was still on her feet, and Jason still had all his toes, so she must have done it right. She blinked back the burn of tears. She had done it. She had really done it!

King tossed his head and whinnied. Katie patted his damp neck. “Thanks for the lesson, boy.” She dried her eyes on his blanket before she turned to face her family and friends. Jason gave her a wink, and Katie smiled warmly at him. She wasn't good at giving speeches, but everyone was looking at her so expectantly.

“W-well…,” she stammered. “I hope everybody likes roses and mint juleps, because we are going to the Kentucky Derby!”

A cheer erupted from the group, and King snorted and danced around at the end of his lead line. Katie placed a steadying hand on his halter. “Easy, King. You'd best save your energy. We've got a date for the first Saturday in May. Let's go show Kentucky what we're made of!”

author's note

The Thoroughbred breed is only a little over 200 years old. Today all registered Thoroughbred horses, known as “hot bloods” because of their high spirits, can trace their ancestries back to three Arabian sires. These three sires were crossed with workhorses and then successive generations were refined and crossbred to achieve a horse that was capable of great speeds.

In 1894, the Jockey Club was established to register these horses. There are approximately 37,000 new Thoroughbreds registered per year, with a total of 430,000 currently registered with the Jockey Club. The only colors eligible for registration are bay, chestnut, sorrel, dark brown, and gray. The registry did away with the registering of black-and-white horses a few years ago, as it was felt that those colors were covered under dark brown and gray. There are no palominos or buckskins in this breed. Not long ago, “crop-outs” (paint horses that come out of two registered Thoroughbred parents due to recessive genes) could be registered, but they were not allowed to breed. Today they aren't even allowed in the registry.

Most Thoroughbreds stand an average of 16 hands and weigh roughly 1200 pounds. They are known as the fastest breed on earth, with the exception of the quarter horse, which is the fastest horse at distances of a quarter-mile or less. Thoroughbreds are used in the show ring as hunters, jumpers, and dressage horses, and also as steeplechasers. But they are most famous for racing. The Triple Crown and the Breeder's Cup series are America's most famous horse races.

For more information visit
www.equineonline.com
.

about the author

CHRIS PLATT
has been riding horses since she was two years old. At the age of sixteen, she earned her first gallop license at a racetrack in Salem, Oregon. Several years later, she became one of the first women jockeys in that state. Chris has also trained Arabian endurance horses and driven draft horses. After earning a journalism degree from the University of Nevada in Reno, she decided to combine her love of horses with her writing. Chris lives in Nevada with her husband, six horses, three cats, a parrot, and a potbellied pig. Her previous books include the award-winning M
OON
S
HADOW
, S
TORM
C
HASER
, W
ILLOW
K
ING
, R
ACE
THE
W
IND
, and many books in the popular T
HOROUGHBRED
series.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 1998, 2010 by Chris Platt

Cover illustration copyright © 2010 by Paul Bashem

Cover design by Loraine M. Joyner

ISBN: 978-1-4976-3892-1

This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

345 Hudson Street

New York, NY 10014

www.openroadmedia.com

EBOOKS BY CHRIS PLATT

FROM OPEN ROAD MEDIA