spilled secret

[Snowflake]

I sighed and dropped the dandy brush back into Loose Truth's grooming box. I put my hands on my hips and heaved another sigh, surveying the petite grey filly critically. What are we going to do about you, sweet girl?

Rock and roll, honey, don't you know..

Loose Truth had done abysmally in her first race - fifth place in a six horse field - certainly not what we had been expecting. Then in her second race, we had been in the lead in the final furlongs, when the filly had just dropped off the pace. We had only just placed second. The trouble was, I was sure the filly had just been messing around out there. Not even trying, not really wanting to win. I wanted to be wrong about that though - Lucy had so much potential to be a great racehorse, especially considering her bloodlines.

Nothing compares to, a quiet evening alone..

Troubled, I frowned and left the stall to fetch the filly's tack. She looked after me intelligently, her big, soft brown eyes watching me go. I wandered into the tackroom, racking my brain for some sort of solution, or something. If Loose Truth didn't win soon, there was the possibility she would be sold on. GHS had too many horses to have time to devote to problem horses. And there were plenty of two year olds that had already won within its stalls.

I returned to the filly's stall, laiden with a small exercise saddle, bridle, martingale and exercise bandages. I glanced at my watch. Shoot. I muttered. I was due on the track in ten minutes. I would have to hurry. Dammit. I turned off my iPod and set to work.

Ten minutes later, I jogged to the track with Lucy in tow. The thoroughbred filly pranced behind me excitedly, keeping up with my face with such ease and grace it tore my heart open. Why wouldn't she stop messing around in races and just win? I knew she could do it.
I stopped her next to the mounting block and vaulted on lightly before she could dance away. Good girl, Loose. I clucked, sending the sparky grey onto the turf. James nodded in approval at me, smiling at Lucy's eagerness.

I looked ahead and saw Sarah riding Super Sparky at a blindingly fast gallop on the dirt. The chestnut had won his first race last saturday, along with Studly Dudley. Here's The King had placed second behind Sparky, and Rush Hour had been third in her race. Bank On Glory, Justa Muffin and Silver Stalker had all broken their maidens in the last three weeks. It was only Here's The King, Rush Hour and Loose Truth now.

Vicky - You'll be working with Sarah and Striking Motion, Marissa and Simply A Flyer today. James called behind me. I raised one arm to show that I'd heard, and proceded to warm Lucy up while we waited for the other two pairs to join us. Lucy was feeling really fresh today; she was really bouncy and eager to run.

I heard Striking's high pitched, very female whinny, Flyer's instant, somewhat throaty reply, and then Lucy's equally shrill greeting. The chestnut and the bay fillies were trotting onto the track 100m down from us at the gap. I turned Lucy through a few figure eights and circles while we waited for the other two horses to catch up.