Bloodless Day

The Starting Gate

It's so hard to be happy.

Someone once said, "you know it's a good compromise when neither party is happy about it", and truer words had never been spoken.

Winter ended, but we got summer in return.

Jack rode again, but not on Shamrock.

Bloodless Day was going to race, but not with me.

But all of these were just thoughts shoved into the back of my mind, speaking but not being heard, as I pulled the bridle over BD's sweat-sticky ears. The synthetic blue leather was hot and plasticky in my palms, annoying. "You poor boy," I whispered. "This can't be fun to wear when you're working, huh?"

BD stared at me with dark, unreadable eyes, then lowered his head to my torso and began scratching, rubbing his face up and down against my shirt. It was hard to keep balance with a thousand pound animal leaning against me, but I did and scratched him back behind his ears. Immediately the stallion backed off and tilted his head, enjoying the sensation. "For such a blue-blooded horse, you're really quite goofy."

Snorting loudly, BD shook himself and nudged the halter in my hand, anxious to be washed off. I stopped fooling around and quickly finished untacking him, leading him out to be washed down.

Lilac was already at the rack, spraying water into Goodie's mouth. Both girl and horse seemed to be laughing- Goodie's ears were pricked forwards as he pawed animatedly in the splash-off, muscular and gleaming. I paused to admire him and let Lilac finish up before I brought BD near- the two stallions, half brothers, seemed to have a strange rivalry going on.

BD arched his neck and neighed sharply at the sight of Goodie. I yanked on his rope to hush him, ignoring his deeply indignant expression as he pranced in a circle around me, shod hooves kicking up crescents of dirt. I had to admire him as well- since Jack had taken the ride, he'd developed new muscles. His hindquarters positively rippled with them, veins on his legs and neck gaining prominence, and his coat had acquired a new sheen of healthiness. He was the perfect athlete and seemed just as happy whether I rode him or not.

Lilac turned off the hose and led Goodie from the wash stall, whistling. "He's looking good, Anna! His times have been amazing as well- Dad is thinking of entering him in a maiden at Churchill Downs."

"Really?" Churchill Downs. It was where the Derby was run, where the greatest horses won their greatest races. Just the name seemed special to me. Powerful.

"Really! He's improved so much since you started working with him." Lilac beamed at me from under Goodie's neck, clearly excited on my behalf. Goodie, however, wasn't so pleased for me or his brother and snorted impatiently, tossing his head. "I better get this pretty boy back, though, before he goes nuts. Catch ya later!" And just like that, she was gone.

BD stretched out his neck and sneezed. Good riddance. I laughed and clapped his shoulder. "You're racing, buddy!" The news didn't seem to impress him as I backed him into the wash rack, grabbed the hose, and began to let water slide down his back. He didn't seem to mind, and it was hot out, so I let the wash-down lengthen into a full-out bath, wishing to stay in the water forever. My thoughts wandered off into a soapy day dream, filled with bubbles and apple-scented shampoo.

"Did you hear the news?"

Startled, I whirled around. BD jerked awake, stiffening and flattening his ears, but his threatening pose was marred by the doodles I'd traced on his neck and barrel with soap.

Jack leaped back, his light shirt now darkened with water. "Jesus, Anna, watch where you aim that thing!"

The hose sputtered as I turned it away from Jack. "Watch where you sneak up on me," I countered, not too sorry. The heat would suck that water off his shirt in ten minutes.