The road to recovery would be long for Theworldisahead, but she made it, and that was all those close to her cared about. It wasn't the end to her career that she deserved, but she went out on a winning note. She won by a nose over Crime Buster, and Overthealps was 3rd, but Crime Buster was DQed for her incessant interference. Sein Falla called every day to see how Theworldisahead was doing, and I thanked Overthealps' jockey for his support. He ended up getting an Eclipse Award at the end of the year.
Speaking of which, that was where I was when I made the decision that Theworldisahead would not step foot on a racetrack again.
The champion 3 year old male went to 41 Gun Salute. We had already won champion 3 year old filly, and now Horse of the Year, which Theworldisahead was nominated for, was about to announced.
The announcer, the legendary Tom Durkin, stepped up to the mic.
"With no juvenile experience, a Grade 1, Kentucky Derby qualifying stakes debut seems an unlikely spot for a such a horse. But the winner of this year's Horse of the Year has proved everyone wrong in just 9 months, and few horses of this era have the power to do that. I now present this award to Taylor Reinhold, owner of Theworldisahead."
Holy crap. She won.
I clumsily made my way to the stage, almost pulling a Jennifer Lawrence in the process. I proudly accepted the award. Then I realized I had to speak, and I didn't have anything prepared!
"I can't express how much this means to me, especially after the recent tragedy Theworldisahead experienced. If I had known she was going to win, I would have brought her here to accept her awards. Everything you saw from Theworldisahead came from her. She is entirely self-made. I'm a first-time trainer, and I did what I thought was best, and obviously, I wasn't always right. Theworldisahead will miss everyone dearly, especially John Velazquez and her stablemates..."
There was whispering. I realized I hadn't officially retired her to the public.
"Yes, she will retire to my farm to become a broodmare. Theworldisahead's career has ended, and for all you owners with a 3 year old filly, you've go to take up the reins and give this business another hero, because these people certainly deserve one."
I quickly exited the stage, and it wasn't just me who exited that building. All of my hopes for Theworldisahead exited with me. Who knew how she would do as a broodmare? I doubted she would settle down enough to be a mom.
Yet Theworldisahead proved me wrong one last time.
She went on to be the mother of 2040 Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Never Look Back. Her daughter Trailmaker won the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint an astounding 3 times, along with 2 wins in the La Troienne, a Kentucky Oaks win, and 2 Apple Blossom H. victories. Theworldisahead's son Step Into the Light won the Santa Anita Handicap twice, the 2042 Preakness, 2042 Santa Anita Derby, 2041 Breeder's Cup Juvenile, Haskell, Travers, and Pacific Classic. Her daughter Seek It Out won every Pennsylvania stakes race there was at least once. There were other winners, too, but her best was the small grey colt named Unknown Courage. That was exactly what he had: courage. He was much like the Paynter of his day, facing laminitis, a stomach surgery, a broken ankle, a splint, a bitten-off tail, and a starting gate accident that left him blind in one eye. He still managed to become one of the best turf horses of his generation. After winning the Epsom Derby and Champions Stakes, he came to the US, where he won the Makers 46 Mile, Woodford Reserve, Pacific Classic on dirt, Secretariat Stakes, and Joe Hirsch Invitational. At the end of that year, he was flown to France to run in the Arc De Triomphe, which he won in record time. The next spring he won a race at the Dubai World Cup along with the Prince of Wales Stakes. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame the year after his retirement, and a year later, Theworldisahead joined the ranks of the champions whose legacies are using in the National Horse Racing Hall of Fame. She was considered by many to be one of the greatest mares to ever run, and many wishes there could have been a Zenyatta-Ruffian-Gallorette-Theworldisahead match race.
In 2056, after being pensioned for 3 years, Theworldisahead but me when I came to visit her. She seemed miserable. She wouldn't let anyone near her and refused to eat. I had a feeling that she thought her time was up. Just as I made the call to have the bet come to euthanize her, a shrill whinny pierced the air. I sprinted outside to see my prize filly rear, pawing at the air, warning the heavens of her arrival, before collapsing. She was dead when I reached her, and she was buried on the farm.
Now, only the heavens lay ahead for Theworldisahead. She had now left the world behind.
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This is it guys, the end of this story. I'm glad it's finished, to tell you the truth. Now, you can all go read The Iceman Cometh! Thank you all so much go putting up with this! Happy reading and creating!🏇🏆
Be ready for the Preakness this weekend!
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All Her Own
AdventureTaylor has loved horse racing since she was 10. She never had a chance to really get into the business, despite watching horses train at her uncle's farm, until she gets an odd, rare opportunity at her uncle's funeral. After buying a foal, it is Tay...
