The Black Stallion's Courage (16 page)

“How bad is it, Doctor?” Jean Parshall asked gravely.

The veterinarian shook his head. “You'd better not figure on racing him again, Miss Parshall.”

The young woman turned and left the stall.

“Don't take it so hard, Jean,” Henry said kindly when she came up to him. “He's done more than most horses do in a whole lifetime.”

“I know, Henry,” she said without looking at the trainer. “It's just that … well, he was such a game little horse. He never quit trying, even against the big ones when everyone knew darn well he was beaten. He was going after Eclipse when it happened. I saw him slip coming off the turn.”

Don Conover came out of the stall and stood with them. “He'll make a good stallion for some farm, Jean,” he said quietly. “Look at it that way. It's the horse business. We'll get a good price for him and—”

She shook her head. “I don't care about the money,” she interrupted. “I want a good home for him. It's the only time I've ever regretted not having a stock farm.”

Henry said, “Would you let him go for twenty thousand dollars, Jean?”

Alec turned quickly to his friend. They didn't need
another stallion and twenty thousand was just about all they'd made toward the new barn! Getting the filly to finish the Belmont had earned them fourth place and a purse of $5,000.

“I know you could get more,” Henry added, “but you said you wanted a good home for him. That's all we can afford to pay.”

Alec watched Jean Parshall turn to her trainer and then saw them both nod their heads in assent. Alec's gaze shifted to the ring where Black Minx was being walked by Mike Costello. He realized then that she, too, was going home. Her racing days, like Wintertime's, were over. Henry had made all the arrangements.

Later the trainer said, “I guess I'm an old fool, Alec, but we'll send them back together. That's the way she's wanted it all along.”

“You don't sound so old, Henry,” Alec answered quietly.

Only the afternoons were different during the days that followed. The spring meeting at Belmont Park closed with the running of the Belmont Stakes and then came the opening of nearby Aqueduct Race Course. The great stands at Belmont were empty and silent but the stable area remained unchanged, for most of the horses stayed at Belmont and went to Aqueduct only to race.

Alec watched a long horse van being loaded one afternoon. “Couldn't Aqueduct run its programs on its own stabling area?” he asked Henry.

“It's not so big,” the trainer said. “They'd find it pretty difficult, I guess. Anyway, what's a half-hour ride when we're comfortably settled here?”

Alec left his seat on the barn bench to go to the paddock where Peek-a-Boo grazed beneath a shade tree. Yes, it was easy to remain at Belmont Park and be content. He ran a hand under the Shetland pony's heavy forelock, trying to comfort her in Wintertime's
absence. The blood bay colt had been sent to the farm with Black Minx that morning.

Henry joined Alec at the fence. “To look at you you'd think Black Minx had it real tough bein' sent home,” the trainer said.

Alec smiled. “I don't mean to look that way. I guess I just feel awfully disappointed in her.”

“She got beat by Eclipse,” Henry said quietly. “That's the best excuse a horse could have.”

“She had the speed to go after him,” Alec answered. “She was going nice and easy coming off the turn, then Wintertime slipped and that was when he bowed the tendon. When Billy began pulling him up she went all to pieces. I had an awful time getting her to finish the race.”

“She's a top filly,” Henry said, “but she's no Black. She's got her mind on other things besides racing. Horses got to
feel
like racing to race well. They've got to be happy at it. If they're unhappy and you can't help them, you'd better just forget them for a while.”

“She felt like running in the Derby,” Alec reminded him.

Henry nodded. “That was
her
race, Alec. She wanted to run that day and she was the best three-year-old in training at the time.”

“But you don't think she could have caught Eclipse on Saturday even if she'd been at her very best?”

“No, I don't,” Henry said. “As far as Eclipse is concerned Black Minx had better stick with the fillies. He's a great horse, Alec. Mark my words. Someday soon I want you to stand off where you can see him race.
You've been ridin' behind him too much. You've lost your perspective.”

Alec grinned. “I've got to admit that I haven't seen much beside his hindquarters—and they're pretty powerful ones at that.”

“Eclipse really turned on the speed in the Belmont,” Henry said. “He really did. He stayed with you and Billy Watts when you were sprintin' your fool heads off, and then he smothered you with a still faster burst of speed comin' around the bend, and he
stayed
. I wish you could have seen it. I wish you could.”

“I was busy,” Alec said.

“He moved so easily and swiftly that it was hard to believe even when you
did
see it,” Henry went on. “Yep, he sure made an army of new fans Saturday. They saw a race to tell their kiddies about when they got home.”

Alec said, “It was an easy way to pick up eighty-two thousand dollars, all right. In fact, we didn't have to work awfully hard for our five.”

“No, we didn't,” Henry agreed, “seein' we only had an injured horse to beat.”

Henry turned away from the fence and Alec followed him.

“I guess you're still sore at me for buyin' Red,” the trainer said.

“I wasn't sore before so why should I be sore now?” Alec asked. “You handle our money, so if that's what you thought best to do with it, why—”

“Aw, Alec, you
know
I feel the new barn's more important than another colt. It was just … well, you know
how it is … anyway, if I had to do it over again I wouldn't do it.”

Alec put his hand on the old man's arm. “Sure you would, Henry. You know darn well you would.”

They walked the rest of the way to the barn in silence. As they reached the door Henry said, “Well, it just takes one big purse to build it, anyway.”

“I'm not worrying about the new barn,” Alec answered confidently. “The Black is sharp and full of run. He'll make the money for us in a couple of jumps.”

“It won't be
quite
that easy,” Henry cautioned. “Remember he's goin' to have to cope with Casey
and
a lot of weight on his back.”

Alec grinned. “Then it'll take us a little longer. A few more jumps, a few more races.”

Henry nodded his big head. “I guess so. I can't see us
not
makin' enough money to pay for the new barn, not these days with the purses so high. Just as long as he stays sound—”

“Don't even think he won't,” Alec interrupted gravely.

“I'm not thinkin' it. I just happened to say it.”

“Don't even say it,” Alec begged him. “We're down to a one-horse stable—a big horse, but still just one horse. If anything happens to him we can't go anywhere but home.”

The next morning Alec, wearing a T-shirt and jeans, rode the Black onto Belmont's training track. Its surface of sandy loam was more like that of the Aqueduct strip than the main track. The sun wasn't up yet and the air felt cool on Alec's bare arms. It was exhilarating to be out so early and he was as eager to run as
the big horse beneath him. Holding the Black would be a difficult job this morning.

Henry rode Napoleon beside them. “Don Conover wants us to push that bay gelding of his,” the trainer said. He wasn't looking at Alec but at the Black's hoofs. “I thought he missed a step back there,” he added nervously.

“Stop worrying,” Alec said. “There's nothing wrong with him. I'd feel him give way if there was.” He noticed the winter jacket Henry wore and the rubbers on his feet even though the ground was dry. Henry was being very careful of himself these days, almost too careful. “How far does Don want us to go with him?” Alec asked.

“Six furlongs,” the trainer answered, his eyes still following the Black's strides. “But maybe we shouldn't, Alec. He just
might
have taken a misstep back there. We can't be too careful. You know as well as I do what the stakes are.”

The stallion almost jumped from under Alec before he had a chance to answer Henry. He waited until he had him back in a walk again before saying, “If we can't work him, we can't race him.”

The trainer nodded thoughtfully. “Will you be able to hold him back?” he finally asked. “Don thinks his horse would like to feel he's winning. He's raced second to Casey the last three times out.”

“I'll hold him,” Alec promised.

“Go around once with me,” Henry ordered, pulling the shank between them.

The Black bowed his neck against Alec's snug hold but he didn't shake his head or try to break away. He loped along easily beside old Napoleon.

Henry watched him all the way around. There was no evidence of a misstep in the Black's strides. “I guess I was wrong,” he told Alec. “But you got me worryin' so, talkin' like you did about us bein' down to a
one-horse stable.
”

“I'm sorry I ever mentioned it. Anyway, he's as sound as they come so you don't have to worry.”

“Oh, I'll worry all right,” Henry answered quietly. “I always worry.”

Don Conover was waiting for them with Gunfire, a bay gelding. Alec knew him to be a fast handicap horse who'd won a great deal of money for the Parkslope Stables. When this horse was good he was very good indeed and it took Casey to beat him.

Don Conover said, “I appreciate this, Henry. He needs to be pushed hard and I don't have anything in the stable to push him with.” His gaze shifted to Alec. “But I don't want you to catch him. I think if he gets his head in front and finds he can keep it there it'll mean a big difference in his next race.”

Alec nodded. “Sure, Don,” he said. “We'll keep close but behind.”

The young trainer's eyes turned to the Black. “I hate to make a workhorse of him.”

“Stop talkin' and let's go!” Henry said impatiently. “I haven't had coffee yet.”

The exercise boy riding Gunfire took him into the first turn at a gallop. Alec waited until the gelding was some ten lengths beyond and then sent the Black after him.

For the moment the track was clear except for the two working horses. The Black's eyes and ears followed
the horse ahead of him as he bent into the turn. Alec kept him at a gallop. Both horses were to break into a run at the six-furlong pole, which was just off the first turn going into the backstretch.

“Easy, Black,” Alec said. “Easy.” He was standing in his stirrups, doing his best not to close the gap too fast between the two horses.

At the six-furlong pole the gelding broke into a hard run and the Black, too, leaped forward, taking hold of the bit. Alec sat back in his saddle, the wind whistling in his ears. As both horses began settling into their strides, the long back-stretch lay before them.

Alec took the bit from the Black and kept him under a snug hold. Gunfire was using his top speed early and was holding on to his long lead. Alec let out a wrap of the reins. Don wanted his horse pushed and they weren't pushing by staying so far behind.

The Black's speed came with a burst as if all his pent-up energy had been released at once. Swiftly the gap between the two horses closed and as they swept into the far turn Alec took up on the Black again. For a few strides the stallion shook his head in his eagerness to go on. Alec took up another wrap of the reins and the Black slowed obediently.

The gelding was leveled out two lengths beyond. His long ears were flicked backward as though he'd actually been listening to the Black coming up on him. His strides came faster as he pounded into the homestretch. He began pulling away.

When Gunfire was good he was awfully good, Alec reminded himself, and he was good today!

Alec felt the Black reach for the bit again as he sent
him after Gunfire. He kept it from him but the stallion surged forward with mighty leaps. The gelding took up the challenge and fought him off furiously.

The last furlong pole flashed by, and for a second Alec forgot his instructions in the boiling heat of the stretch run. The leather slid through his wet hands and eagerly the Black took advantage of the extra rein, drawing alongside the gelding in one jump. Then Alec caught a glimpse of Henry and Don far down the track, seated astride their stable ponies. Quickly he took up rein. The Black shook his head furiously and his teeth sought the bit again. Alec kept it from him and the gelding was in front as the horses swept beneath the finish wire.

When Alec had slowed the Black and was turning him at a walk, Henry rode up and said gravely, “Get off, Alec. I think he missed a step in that left foreleg.”

All the way back to the barn they watched the Black's strides carefully and found nothing wrong.

“Still, I want to make sure,” Henry said. “I'll call the vet.”

“Let's not look too hard for trouble, Henry,” Alec pleaded. “As long as he cools out all right, I don't see any reason for a vet.”

But Henry had his way. The next morning, even though the Black's legs and hoofs were cool to the touch and he walked soundly, Henry had Alec pull off all four shoes. The veterinarian found nothing wrong but Henry insisted upon his taking X-rays. These, too, disclosed no injury anywhere.

“I hope you're satisfied now, Henry,” the veterinarian
said. “I've never known anyone to do so much worrying before we found anything wrong.”

“We've got a big stake in this horse, Doc,” Henry answered.