Wind Runner

Chapter Eighteen; The Triple Crown

The day starts at dawn, with Rick pouring a light meal into my food bin. I eat quickly, then move around my stall impatiently. Surprisingly the press is here already, some at my stall. Apparently despite my winning the Derby and the Preakness, not many have bet on me. The Belmont is a grueling one and a half mile race, and many do not think a filly could win. No the favorite is a huge palomino stallion from Canada named Sun Runner. Personally I didn't like him. He seemed too proud and boastful. To me at least. The humans couldn't get enough of him.

I peek over at Red who had done the same thing at the same time. We bumped muzzles and I shake my head, Red wrinkles his nose, trying to get the whips of hay off his muzzle that had been stuck to me. I snort and pull it off for him, and he bobs his head gratefully. We don't talk, just stand there. I think that we're both to nervous to talk. Well at least I am. Red doesn't look nervous.

Despite being against each other in the race, there's no rivalry between Red and I. We stand by each other and wait until it's almost race time.

The sound from the track area begins to grow louder as people start to arrive. I'm back to pacing my stall but a sharp snort from Red brings me back over by him to stand still.

"You'll tire yourself out before the race even begins if you keep that up."

I just bob my head and stay by Red, who is a very patient horse.

People come by to see me, and I usually stay in shadows in the far back of my stall except when kids come. Then I go to the front and stretch my nose out to them. They pet me and talk to me and all that. And I stand for them.

Eventually everyone is chased away when the race is starting. They go through pre race rituals while we horses are led out to the walking ring. We walk, well, some walk some prance.

I'm carrying 121 pounds today. Geldings and Colts carry 126.

The jockeys come out carrying their saddles and we are tacked up. The call for riders up comes, and Joey is boosted into the saddle. Plans are made, and reminders said.

I ignore their talk, instead returning the glare of Sun Runner. A shifter like Red and I. He rears and bugles challenging me. I rear, ears back and forelegs pawing the air.

"Face it filly. You'll be at the back of the pack. I'll be leading everyone down."

"Don't brag about it if you haven't raced it yet Sunny."

He pins his ears at me and bared his teeth.

"Where's your mate to keep you in line?"

"Haven't met him. I should say the same to you."

"You should have died when we drugged you."

Our argue would have continued, but our trainers broke us up then sent us off to line up.

I stalk along, ears back. I am number seven, Sun Runner is three.

But I will beat him.
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The moment has come. I stand in the gate. Silence surrounds us, and the crowd is silent.

Briiiiing!
The bell rings, the gates fly open, and we erupt out. I have the bit in my mouth and I will not listen to anyone but myself.

Joey tries to take the bit back, but I have it and I won't let go.

I surge to the front, my strides fast and sure. The crowds roar is deafening, but I have my sight on the track and I hear nothing but the steady pound of my heart.

I am aware of Sun Runner next to me, and he moves ahead, but looks at me tauntingly, challenging me.

I surge forwards, baring my teeth at Sun. Our jockeys say something to each other, then suddenly the pressure against me is gone and Joey is urging me on.

I leap forwards, and we sweep around the third turn, with a few more to go.

Sun is even with me, then draws ahead. We are running lengths in front of the pack.

I move forwards again, then a memory comes to me, my great great grandfather, Secretariat, as he runs down this track. He'd been a shifter who'd given up his human form to be a racer, and while I've not given up my human form, I'm still a racer, following his tracks,

I lunge forwards, then keep going. I'm running, running as Secretariat did all those years ago. I leave Sun Runner behind, and he tries to keep up, but I leave him behind.

The crowd is silent as I take the last turn. I am flying full speed, dirt flying from my hooves. The crowd erupts into immense roars, and I fly past the finish wire 45 lengths ahead!

I take another lap while I slow down, the crowd is going crazy and I buck out in excitement.

I did it.

I won the triple crown!

I prance to the Winners Circle, and the flower ring is placed around my neck. Cameras flash everywhere and people are clamoring for a look at the horse who broke Secretariats record. And a filly at that!

I rear, and Joey laughs as he holds on. The press snap many pictures of me rearing. I come down, and after many pictures and many admirers, I'm returned to my stall with plenty of security people to keep the crowd back.
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I'm eating dinner when Red pokes his head over the wall between us. He'd gotten third, not that that was very impressive today, said he. He looked a little worried.

"Jinx, look out your stall. But be careful."

I cock my head, but carefully look out. What I see makes me snort in surprise and anger.

It's Sunny, he's outside my stall. Then he shifts to a tall pale skinned blonde haired and blue eyed man. He speaks spitefully to me, threatening me.

"Watch your back shifter."

He walks around a corner and vanishes, and I move back over to Red, who looks wide eyed at me.

"Ryder my herd is here. That isn't strange enough, my alpha is here too."

"Why is that strange?"

"Well we have this one place we have chosen as our territory to give up our gypsy habits and Alpha Adam doesn't leave there much. For him to come means two things.

Either he somehow found his mate and she's here,

Or the shifters stables is here."

"Shifter stables?"

"A stable run by shifters who race other shifters. I have suspicions that the group that attacked us last week was them, and maybe Sun Runner was part of it too."

I'm silent, thinking.

"Alpha Adam is here?"

"Yes, he's coming to meet me so we can leave, I'll ask if you can come too."

"Wait, join your herd?"

He nods.

"I'm sorry, but, I left my herd my herd for a reason. I'm not ready to join another one."

Red nods.

"Well you'll visit me often right?"

I nod.

"Of course."

"Well Alpha Adam will be here tonight, so I need to turn in. Night Jinx."

"Night."

I turn and lean against the back of my stall, falling asleep quickly.