Bloodless Day

Not So Good

Jersey Boy lost his race. Then the Derby contender in Florida got cast in his stall and pulled a tendon. It would take too long for him to recover for him run. Once I learned what cast meant (stuck while laying in the stall), I was bummed. Derby fever on Piperson Farms was officially cured for the year.

But Jack and I were carriers. The joy of the biggest race of the year sang through our veins, but it wasn't this year's race that we lived for.

I steadily grew better. Jack taught me a few tricks- recognizing holes in the pack, front and back runners, how to stay just off the leaders. I spent hours watching videos on YouTube, searching for something- anything- that I could add to my jockey's toolbox.

"It's not a lawyer or a doctor. But it's certainly something interesting to tell people at dinner parties," Mom had sighed when I told her and Dad what I wanted to be.

"You've only been doing this a few months. Wait a bit to decide on a career. Okay?" My dad advised.

So when I arrived at the farm on the first day of spring break- blessed weather, so warm and welcoming!- I wasn't entirely unsurprised to see Bloodless Day standing, shining and still, near the entrance of the farm. "Hey, beautiful," I cooed. He flicked an ear at me but didn't react otherwise, which was completely unlike him.

Then I noticed the open horse trailer. And Lilac, holding him on the end of a lead rope, talking to someone only vaguely familiar. I jumped to the only logical conclusion.

"Lilac! They're selling him?" Pedaling faster, I pulled up next to my friend, panicking. Bloodless Day remained calm, though he'd had an unfortunate encounter with my bike the week before. He should've been panicking, but instead he remained calm, staring out over the pastures. Drugged for the trailer ride. "Why didn't you tell me?" The back of my eyes prickled, but I swallowed them down. I would not cry in front of BD's new owner.

Smiling broadly, Lilac shook her head. "No, they're not selling him. I'm riding him. His first race is at the end of the summer."

The woman Lilac was talking to turned to me and offered a hand. "Hello, Anna. You're the one that did a marvelous job catching that psychotic stallion, if I recall correctly."

I accepted and shook, mind reeling. "I remember you! Marcela Jamie. But that means..."

Bloodless Day shook his head then and vibrated with a deep, thrilling neigh. The real Bloodless Day whinnied back from somewhere in the shedrows, shriller, angrier. With this one's movement, he revealed a stunning white star on his forehead. "So Far So Good!"

Lilac burst out laughing. "Did you think this was BD?" I nodded sheepishly. "Thank goodness it isn't!"

"How's that old rascal anyways?" Marcela asked generously. She and Lilac turned to conversation while I studied So Far So Good.

Now that I knew he wasn't Bloodless Day, it was easy to compare and contrast. A few months ago, BD had been scruffy, long maned and vicious. Now he shimmered and glittered, well groomed and muscular, with an arrogant tilt to his head. Physically, So Far So Good and BD looked similar. Same dark, impossible shade. Roughly the same height- BD may have been an inch shorter, but it was hard to tell. They had the same build though, and aura of power.

But while BD was a wild, tightly coiled spring of fury, a god of war, Goodie was a respected ruler. There was a dignified look in his eyes as he surveyed his new home. 'I am king', he said, 'and this is my kingdom.'

Jack came out just then. He looked once, twice, again, at the stallion. I laughed. "It's So Far So Good!"

"Can I just call him Red?" Lilac asked. Marcela thought this was hilarious. I didn't get it, but I didn't need to; Jack let out a loud whoop and came wheeling over. And only then did the two year old stallion spook, but his reaction was only to stiffen and lift his neck, snorting loudly at the wheelchair.