Keeping Tomorrow's Promises

Forth Start

Leo and Tomorrow's Promises sit in the gate ready for the race to begin. It was a short six-furlong race against other beginning racehorses. It was just enough for her to get some experience and see if she was really a racehorse.

"Let's see what that filly can do!" A fellow jockey called down the gate.

Before Leo could answer, the starting bell rang. The filly broke out of the gate on top. She stayed ahead of the field for a few strides then let the would-be leaders pass her. She sat just off the pace in the middle of the pack. When the pack rounded the turn at the 3/8th pole, Leo encouraged the filly to go after the leaders. She pinned her ears and extended her stride. She was about to show the world she was going to live up to the hype.

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"They're all in line. Ready for the start."

The ringing of the gate bell was followed by jockeys yelling and pounding hooves. Sara watched the field pound down the backside with her father's filly sitting midfield. When they start to make their way into the turn, the filly starts to move.

"Come on Promises!" She yelled as the filly flew by horses.

The filly rounded the turn and entered the stretch just behind the leaders. Sara could see her closing with each and every stride. She could hear the crowd roar as the horses pounded down the stretch. She felt her heart racing in her chest. The filly came stride for stride with the leader and the two horses duel down to the wire.

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Leo urged on his mount keeping an eye on the rival on his inside.

"Come on Promesa!" He talked to the horse.

The wire closed in on the pair, both fighting to hit it first. Each horse was in the opposite stride to the other leaving this match down to the bob of the head. When they crossed under the shadow of the wire, neither jockey knew who had won. Leo let out a deep breath finally able to breathe again. Everything in his body begged the universe to have the filly in front, in the picture.

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Sara stood at the top of the leading down to the winner's circle from the clubhouse. The horses galloped back to greet their teams. Tomorrow's Promises and the other filly were grabbed by their grooms and led around while the jockeys talked to the trainers. She watched her dad, back in her direction, talking to Leo as they waited for the announcement as to who had won.

"What an exciting race!" Violet's voice sent chills down Sara's back.

"Ya," Sara kept her voice monotone.

"Oh, I just hope your father's horse got there!" Violet might as well have been talking to herself, "I'll take you all out to a victory dinner!"

"How exciting!" Sara acted happy.

"How have you been?" Violet pried.

"Nice to know you actually care," Sara finally snapped.

"What do you mean?" Asked Violet.

"You take off for days, weeks, even months on end!" Sara yelled, "Then you come back expecting us to welcome you with open arms! You act like you're family! You may be my father's wife but you will never be my mother!"

"The stewards have declared that Tomorrow's Promises is the winner of the 6th race," the announcer broke up the conversation between them.

"Excuse me!" Sara stomped off down to the winner's circle.

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Kenneth sat staring at the empty stall that had once been accompanied by the big grey horse known as Express Line. The horse had been rushed to the local hospital to have surgery performed in hopes of saving the horse's life. George had been furious that Kenneth had made the call and didn't even consult him. But in the trainer's eyes, the horse's wellbeing was more important than his owner's money. Sandego had his head hanging out watching his trainer. The colt would disappear into his stall then return to his "look out post."