Nova

disaster at Delaware

Alexandra

" I'm not so sure it's a good idea" I tell Willifred as I stroke the neck of a neverous colt. " he's really on edge and last time he was this neverous we got lucky" I tell the senior trainer. Currently were at Delaware Park when Nova's sire Bloodless Day made his maiden and hopefully so will Nova in a couple of weeks. " he'll be fine Alexandra, your worrying for no reason" Willifred tells me. Reluctantly I turn Nova towards the green starting gate and let a gate assistant take hold of Nova. Nova lifts his head up as he goes into the starting gate but doesn't resist. As soon as the gate closes behind the dark bay colt, Nova freaks out rearing up in the confined space. Starting gate stalls were never large to start with and Nova already being larger then most thoroughbreds at 17 hands there isn't a lot of room left if something happens. As Nova rears up I lean forward and grab his silky mane before there's a firing pain in my head and my world goes dark.

Several hours later

Slowly I return to consciousness but by bit. First my hearing returns and I can hear the steady beeping of some mechaine. Then my sense of smell returns and I can smell the strong scent of bleach. Bit by bit I start feeling again and I relize I'm laying on a bed. My eyelids feel heavy but eventually I mange to open them. " hello" I speak each syball taking great effort. " your awake" Anna tells me as she comes into my view. " where am I ?" I ask my cousin as I try to sit up. " the local hospital and how do you feel?" Anna asks me. " pretty sure I got the mother of all headches, my ears are ringing, every thing is blurry, I'm seeing bright lights and since when did you have a twin?" I ask my cousin confused. " your lucky you just got a concussion" Anna tells me as she pushes me back down. " I sure don't feel lucky. What happened anyway?" I ask her. " You and Willifred were schooling Nova at Delaware when he reared up in the gates. It was scary since by the time we manged to get him out of the gates your helmet was destroyed, you had a massive gash on the side of your head and where unconscious on his back." Anna tells me. " okay where's Nova ?" I ask my cousin remembering if I got the mother of all concussions that Nova could very well have injured himself. " he's at Delaware since he somehow escaped with a few minor cuts on his head and he's been cleared to continue his training in a few days" Anna tells me. " I think I figured out why Nova acts up in or around the starting gate" I tell Anna as I relize he type he's acted up there's always been a crowd around. Back in Kentucky when he nearly broke Anna ' s arm, when he sent me flying a few weeks later and here at Delaware. " it better be good since Willifred is about ready to geld that colt himself if something like this happens again. Willifred puts up with alot yet BD didn't nearly kill someone and Nova's not even three and he's almost killed two people" Anna tells me. " it's not hormones were dealing with but fear. It's not the starting gate it's the people whenever there's very few people around he's a pro in the gates but more then a dozen and he'll act up" I tell Anna. " I mention it to Willifred, now you get some rest" Anna tells me sternly