Derby Dreams (Acropolis #1)

Chapter 5

The coffee coloured colt pranced around the paddock. His neck was arched and his coat gleamed. His saddle rested on top of the purple saddle-cloth that said his name: Tooth and Claw and the number twelve. There were thirteen other colts in the field and they were all snorting and dancing but Tooth and Claw was regal; saving his energy for the race ahead. He flicked up his dark ears when he saw the jockeys enter the paddock. His coat prickled with excitement and he felt a hand soothe his neck.
"He looks jolly good." Lady Eliza told Kat and James as they watched TC walk around the ring. She was clinging to the arm of her husband, Lord Gordon Forest.
"He does. He looks worth every penny of the offer I got for him earlier." Lord Gordon agreed, "although maybe that should be cents!"
"You got an offer for him?" Kat asked, tossing her whip from hand to hand.
"Seven million dollars." Lord Gordon said without raising an eyelid. Quite how he'd made his money Kat didn't know but he had and seven million dollars would barely be noticeable.
"Wow." Kat said, she looked over at the colt, "we'd better bring this home then."
"No pressure, darling. You'll do your best." Lord Gordon kissed the top of her helmet as she prepared to mount up.
"Thanks." Kat clenched her fists then wiped her clammy hands on her breeches. James patted her shoulder and led her over to TC.

TC was not in the mood. He'd swished his tail as he loaded into the gates and given loud snorts of complaint as they stood still. He'd broken lazily, shrugging along at the back of the field as his ears flopped sideways.
"Come on boy." Kat murmured to the colt as they thudded away from the crowds in the first turn. TC didn't show the slightest bit of interest in her words. He kept his gentle pace, strumming along in fourteenth place. Kat shook up the reins a bit, TC gave a lazy extension of his stride. The red pole flashed past, telling Kat there was a half mile left. Kat switched her whip to her inside hand and flicked it infront of TC's eye as she did so. The colt woke up. He lengthened out and he began to power forward. There was no room on the inside rail though, if TC wanted to get to the front he'd have to go wide.

"She's woken him up now." James commented to Lady Eliza as they stared through binoculars onto the track.
"He's still a long way off!" She replied, looking a little worried.
"He's a good horse."
"You mean it's going to come down to a speed duel." Lady Eliza was well read in the habits of her former son-in-law.
"I didn't say that."
"How much speed does this horse have?" Lady Eliza asked. James raised an eyebrow.
"Let's find out."

TC wasn't even digging in yet. His strides were carrying him easily over the dirt and within striking distance of the leaders. The turn was sloping away from them and Kat kept on at the colt. The powerful hindquarters of the colt kept pushing him forward, his strides going two to one with the tiring horses on his inside.
"Okay baby, let's switch on the go!" Kat murmured under her breath. Tooth and Claw flattened his ears and went flat to the boards. Kat's breath floated away as her horse suddenly accelerated. TC had decided to go for it. He breezed past horses as they came into the stretch. The cheers surrounded them as they set sail for the leaders. TC was in fighter mode. His coal black hooves dug into the dirt and he tore up the track. He struck alongside the leading horse then proceeded to rip the lead to shreds and conquer the Breeders Cup Juvenile with pricked ears.

"What a horse!" Lady Eliza all but squealed as they joined TC on the track. The colt may have been sweating but he wasn't tired. He carried his head high, nobly gazing around as cameras flashed.
"Well done." James told Kat, patting her knee as TC walked in circles. The chocolate colt nickered to James and James slipped a hand over the velvety nose.
"To you too." he praised the colt. Kat smiled and dropped a kiss on the silky, golden mane. A blanket of golden flowers was laid across the colt's withers. TC turned his head to lip the flower, unsure of what they were.
"Good boy!" Kat murmured. The colt followed his owners and his trainer to the Winner's Circle and stood proudly, showing that he was still full of energy.