Through The Dirt and Fame (major revisions)

Chapter Eight

-Arcadia, California Santa Anita-

I sat in front of Emily's stall with a daily racing form. Santa Anita is trying to get over her performance yesterday in the Landaluce. I looked at the front page of the paper.

"Emily is the First and only to demolish the great Landaluce." I laughed at their caption. 'cheesy'. Under the caption was a photo of Emily and Nicole full stride towards the finish. You couldn't really see Emily's single white socks cause of the dirt that covered it, in fact it was the only dirt on her. I looked to her, she stood in her stall head held high and ears pricked forward, probably waiting for someone to take a photo of her. Her marking on her head was a big white streak that ran down her face, very distinct. She looked over to me and stretched her neck out and nuzzled my arm.

"You are such an attention seeker, you know that right?" Emily snorted and stomped her foot in reply. "Alright. I'll love you for one minute, so demanding." I laughed and got up and walked in front of her. "You're a big sweetheart, a little bit feisty, but a good girl." Emily rubbed her head on my chest while I scratched her neck.

"Hey Nathan." I turned to see Jack walking up to us.

"Hey Jack, what's up?"

"Nothing, just thinking about plans for Emily. " Jack scratched behind Emily's ear.

"What's her plans?" Jack's plans were usually stupid, but I'm was always up to hear them.

"We could point her towards the Derby. Run her in the Risen Star, Wood Memorial and Bluegrass Stakes."

"No. She's not running in the Derby. Hell, We don't even know is she can get a mile Jack. Let alone beat the colts. You know who the top colt is?" Jack shook his head. "So far it's October Miracle, that big bay colt that's been dominating at Pimlico, Belmont and Churchill Downs. He's been able to win on their surfaces, tracks, turns and races."

"She could beat him. I know it." Jack was dead set on running her against the colts.

"She's not running against them. Not in the Derby, not in the Preakness and not in the Belmont."

Emily whinnied and stomped her front hooves. I guess she knew I was mad.

"If she can get a mile and above. She's running in the Acorn, Mother Goose and Coaching Club American Oaks. She'll go for the Tiara." I was still mad but I tried not to make it where Emily was uncomfortable.

"What about the Kentucky Oaks and Black Eye Susan's?"

"Fine. But don't get your hopes up. We don't know of she can get a mile. We should be pointing her towards Breeders' Cup...lets run her in the Spinaway." The Spinaway at Saratoga, home track for Emily. If she beat Landaluce's record maybe she can beat the great Ruffian's record. She did knock about 3 seconds off the race record.

"Let's do it." Jack smile, he knew what I was thinking. We have the best sprint filly and best filly in the country, with two starts and two spectacular performances.

-Point of View Emily, Auburn, Washington 3 days later-

I sat down in my living room in front of my TV and turned to TVG. It was about 5 AM. So The Works should be on.

"Up to Saratoga, we got few top 2 year olds here. Including Gray Marvel, Candy Prize, Houdini..." I had to go to the track in about half an hour, I've got to ship all my current racers to Mountaineer, then Keeneland. Except Sapphire City Slew, Tiz The Love and Lady Of Luck. They have the Longacres Mile and Emerald Distaff- "Emily The First by First War out of Emmy's Love, working 6 furlongs. She's running in the Spinaway here at Saratoga." I have my attention back on the TV. Emmy's foal was on The Works at Saratoga. She was big, muscled and beautiful, her one sock stood out so distinctively as she galloped lightly over the dirt track,  and you could just see the familiar white blaze that ran from her forehead to her nose. "Lets take a look at this filly's most recent start, the Landaluce down at Santa Anita. This filly demolished the field, knocking what 2, 3 seconds off Landaluce's record and winning by 22 lengths. Here's the race replay right now."

The Landaluce was put on, it started when they were loading. Emily was the last to load, she's a bit jumpy before loading, Em never did that, but when she broke from the gate, it was like a comet racing across the sky. She automatically won the race right then and there. Her stride was long and powerful, she had a graceful stride, almost like her feet barely touched the ground. Her jockey did nothing but ride with her. I had never seen this from any thoroughbred before. She's just fascinating to watch.

I abruptly got up and went to my computer and searched up some of First War's races.

I found his first graded win. I mostly watched his form. It was a short, fast paced stride, his rider held him under a snug hold-probably waiting to let him run. War in his younger days, was muscular had Emily's build. I searched his Belmont win, which was in June of his 3 year old year. His form was the same, fast, short stride.

I sat back in my chair, trying to remember Em's running style.

'She raced seven years ago. No way I'll be able to remember.' I thought, and leaned forward and looked up Em's maiden.

She didn't start till she was 3, so she had time to develop a little more. In her maiden, she broke slightly behind, but quickly made up for her timing when she went to the lead.

'I can't get a good view,' I sighed real quick and clicked to a different point in the race.

Her stride was small too.

'Maybe if I skip to the Miles.'

Em's Mile wins styles where the same as her maiden.

"Where did Emily get her large stride?" I looked back to The Works, they're cameras were on Emily as she sprinted around the Saratoga turn. "Maybe, I could run Spherical at Saratoga soon. I want to see Emily in person."

I got up and checked my clock in the kitchen.

5:30, 15 more minutes till I have to go.

Sphere was a Derby hopeful last year, injury sidelined him after the Bluegrass. He hasn't raced since. It's about time he came back, he's always liked Saratoga.