Through The Dirt and Fame (major revisions)

Chapter Twenty-Three

-Kentucky Oaks Day-

Today was the day that Emily met Duchess. I looked to the filly as they exited the paddock and into the track. I was afraid, afraid we might lose.

I sat down next to Jack in out seats.

"All we can do now is hope everything goes as planned." He said, I nodded in agreement.

I looked behind us, and saw Caitlyn with her team. I want to win, I want Emily to prove she's better than Duchess. But the only way to prove that, is right now.

"5 minutes to post!" I was getting nervous as the fillies entered the gates.

"God, id do anything to get the winners feeling right now." I said, and Jack nervously laughed. I knew he felt the same.

-Nicole's POV-

Emily was the last the load into the gates, the gates made the world smaller as we entered, I looked to my left and saw Red Hot Untapable who was one of the first to load. I looked to my right and saw War Light, who loaded before us. I looked down farther at post 10, I saw Duchess and Rosie staring straight a head. Emily started to get a bit uneasy, so I looked forward, straight a head, and pet her neck.

Then the gates slammed into each other and the bell rang, we were off and racing! As soon as we exited War Light slammed into us, and Emily bumped back, pushing War Light into Accusation who bumped Duchess Of Winter. Quickly I corrected Emily and she settled into stride. The field formed as we headed into the first turn, I had lost sight of Duchess, all I saw was dirt flying in my face.

Into the first turn, Emily was settled behind Super Savvy, and she waited patiently. I looked the field up and down before seeing the familiar gray coat of Duchess in third. The leader was Sound and Light, who was obviously just the pace in the race, Scandalous was about a length behind her.

Into the back stretch, Emily moved outside of Super Savvy and inched her way to the front, she passed, Tapit's Sky, then Tonalist's Princess who was squeezed at the start as well, then Accusation and Red Hot Untapable, then Unapologetic and War Light. I looked between Emily's ears, I saw Sound and Light and Scandalous starting to fade, leaving Duchess with the lead.

Into the home turn, Emily knew who her main problem was, and she saw her. Emily stepped up the pace and passed The Rose Petal and California's Debbie, then Sound and Light and Scandalous quickly dropped past us. Emily pricked her ears forward, she saw Duchess and she was closing on her.

The turn turned into the start for home, and Emily picked up slightly, she was at Duchesses tail now, the match was on. Emily was about half a length up Duchess and Rosie urges Duchess along asking her to get away from Emily. But she wasn't picking up, I smiled slightly, and made a kissy noise into Emily's ears and she picked up, the two were now head to head, I whipped Emily hoping she'd drastically speed up.

But she didn't.

She stayed with Duchess. I slid my hands up and started urging along with Rosie, chirping, whistling, yelling and The occasional whip. The stretch seems to last forever, I saw the wire approaching and the crowd get even more louder. My heart was pounding in my chest! I kept pushing, and pushing, and pushing Emily! Hoping she'd give me some more speed!

The wire flew behind us and I heard the final parts of the call.

"And it's too close to call! Emily The First and Duchess Of Winter hit the wire together in the match we were expecting! The fillies were 26 1/2 lengths away from The Rose Petal in third! The official time is 1:42 flat!" I stood up in my stirrups.

I didn't know who won. I looked to Rosie, her face read that she didn't either.

"That was some race Nicole." She said, and I nodded. We were both out of breath. We turned our fillies back to the stands and waited in front of the winners circle for the official results.

I dismounted and ran over to Jack and Nathan.

"What the hell was that?!" Jack yelled, I flinched slightly at his anger.

"How am I suppose to know?! Why don't you ask your filly Jack?! She's the one who wouldn't pick up like usual!" I yelled back.

"Did you even ride her like uasual?! Were you holding her back?!" I was mad, just as much as Jack was.

"No I didn't! I rode her like I always do Jack!" Nathan stood between us.

"Will you two knock it off? This is not the time to be pointing fingers Jack!" We both shut up.

The announcer started again.

"The official results are in! The winner of the 2019 Kentucky Oaks is," I waited, prayed, and hoped it was Emily. "Duchess Of Winter by a heartbreaking nose!" The photo was put on the screen the moment he said Duchess won. Automatically, my heartbroke.

I looked at the photo and saw that it was Duchess by a nose. I walked away from Jack and Nathan, and grabbed my saddle and weighed, I looked back to see Emily walking back to the stables, and Duchess getting her Garland of Oaks put over her shoulders.

If there's one thing I knew.

It was that, it's over for me...