All That's Left

Dispersal

"Fasig-Tipton" the banner read as i walked through the entryway. I hesitantly crossed the threshold. The next time I passed these doors, I would have 2 horses left: Look Sun's last colt, and a mare. I took my seat and waited to see who would take the 15 horses I had to sell.

"Hip 240 goes for $400,000 to Coolmore." Hip 240, a talented 3-year-old by Line of David named First in Line, had already won the FrontRunner S. Now, he would be running under the same colors as Giant's Causeway had.

There went my family's hope for a Kentucky Derby.

More of my horses were sold.

"Hip 247 goes for $900,000 to Stonestreet." Hip 247 was a turf runner, a gelding by Mucho Macho Man named Last Man Standing.

My family's greatest active horse, sold.

"Hip 252 goes for $375,000 to Someday Farm." I couldn't believe that Smarty Jones' owners were here, and they had bought my grey 2-year-old filly by Oxbow. Her name was Carry On.

A future champion was now out of my care.

"Hip 254 goes for $750,000 to Kaleem Shah." She was a retired mare, 5 years old now, and she had won 4 Grade 2 and 3 Grade 1 races. The daughter of First Defence was named Garde First.

"Hip 255 goes for $600,000 to Sagamore Farm." My last horse to be sold was a 4-year-old colt named Wallis. He was by Far From Over and he had won the Belmont and Haskell the previous year, but suffered a leg injury after the Haskell. My dad had decided switching him to grass might put less strain on his leg and help him recover. So far this year, he had only won an allowance race at Gulfstream on the turf.

I stood up and took his reins from the walker. I led him out to his new owners, who stopped talking and moving when they saw me.

Sagamore's owner, Kevin Plank, motioned to me to stop, probably thinking I was just a commonplace groom. I stopped and held Wallis' head still as Mr. Plank looked him over. Once he had gotten a good look, I led him into a van so he could be shipped off to begin his new life.

"You were my best friend other than Lexus, you know that, Wall? I'm sorry I'm losing you, but I'll come watch you wherever you race, ok? You go run fast for your new owners now." I rubbed his blaze, then stepped away and out of the van. I looked back and saw that Wallis was staring at me as if he was thinking, "What are you doing?" I sighed and turned around to find myself face to face with Mr. Plank.
"Who are you?" He asked me. "I'm Wallis' old owners' daughter, Lila Griffith." Mr. Plank looked confused for a minute. "I thought...I'm so sorry for your loss." After a quick conversation, I left Wallis, Kevin Plank, and my old life behind forever.