Taking Chances: Kayla's Chance

While Mik made calls to arrange for Dingo’s burial and the insurance agency, I gave Bo a call and explained the situation.
“Damn,” was the response.
“This isn’t just some suspicion anymore,” I said. “Al Rosery or another barn could be paying someone to eliminate their competition. And guess who their biggest threat is?”
“One black two year old,” Bo said.
“Any word from where Off the Record is going next?”
“He won his race at Belmont. He’s shipping up to Santa Anita in a couple of days.”
“At least he won’t be near Centerfold.”
“If Al Rosery is paying someone on the inside, Off the Record doesn’t need to be anywhere near Centerfold. I’d be looking for that inside eye.”
“Well who gave Dingo the ‘tranquilizer’ this morning?”
“Kay I’ve worked with people like this before. They won’t be stupid enough to do the dirty work themselves. They may plant stuff or sneak it, but they won’t actually risk themselves.”
“I highly doubt these people are known for their brains.”
“Their bosses think for them.”
“Well who’s working there…or who was working yesterday?”
“Me, Jaime, Louis, Pat and Marty.”
“And we can’t be sure it was any of them.”
“Well the only other two people working up here are Jose who hasn’t been back since Dingo’s race and Guillermo and he’s had food poisoning.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Well we can rule out you and Jaime and Jose.”
“Why?”
I blinked. “Well you-”
“We can’t rule out anyone Kay. I’m the newest hire. That makes me the biggest suspect. Just because Jose was leading Dingo, ten grand could easily override a dislocated shoulder. And Jaime fed the morning Dingo had the drug in his feed and didn’t say anything. We’re the three biggest suspects.”
“You could never be a defense lawyer.”
He laughed. “It’s a good thing I’ve never had an inclination to be a lawyer.”
I smiled.
“But I could be a private investigator. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open okay?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
“Yeah. See you soon.”
I ended the call and was tempted to throw the phone against the barn wall. The only thing that stopped me was remembering how much the phone cost and knowing my dad would never buy me a new one.
Instead of standing around brooding, I took out my all purpose saddle and grooming box and went to get Risky.

Once I had the mare tacked up, I rode her out to the farm’s biggest pasture. Silver followed on a cotton lead attached to her leather halter that I needed to get a name plate for. I felt bad because I hadn’t been here to work with the filly and it showed.
She was extremely independent and hated leads. She was also nippy and snagged my leg several times. That was all going to change.
I opened the gate and made Risky stand patiently while I closed it. Then I took the lead off Silver and watched while the filly took off at a gallop across the field. Risky’s head shot up to watch the filly. She snorted and started after her foal. I checked her and started down the exercise path that was used for conditioning.
Risky objected for a few moments, then calmed when Silver started following. I kept my own watch on the filly and noticed she liked to keep ahead of her mother. A positive sign if she was going to race.
I put Risky into a trot and let her stretch her neck down. The mare was still very flexible. I hoped Silver had inherited that particular trait.
Silver let out a squeal as her mother passed her and picked up a canter to get ahead again. I smiled. She held the lead and was constantly looking back at us to make sure she was still ahead.
We turned into a wooded area where I knew it had been completely cleared for the horses’ safety. I urged Risky into a canter and we quickly caught up with Silver. The filly was irritated and nipped at her mother. Risky laid her ears back and scolded the filly with a bite to her neck. Silver squealed and raced ahead.
Risky was in racing mode now and quickened her pace to a gallop. Silver whinnied and to my surprise, matched her mother’s pace. Curious, I crouched low on Risky’s neck and urged her on. The mare increased her pace and glanced back to check on Silver.
Her ears were tipped back, her head high, and she was speeding up. While she wasn’t able to totally catch up and pass her mother, she stayed right on Risky’s flank. After a while though, the filly started tiring and I eased Risky back to a walk.
Silver blew past us before she slowed as well. Breathing heavily, she turned and pranced back to her mother, tail flagged out behind her. She snorted her victory.
“The hell you won’t be any good on the track,” I said, reaching down to scratch her ears. She nipped at my fingers and I grabbed her upper lip. “We do have to work on those manners though.”

Over the next few days after morning workouts, I took Risky and Silver out to the fields for exercise. Afterwards, I worked with Silver on her manners and ground training. On the positive side, the filly’s manners improved. On the negative side, Bo had no idea who had put etorphine into Dingo.
Centerfold was at Del Mar now, training decently. The handicappers weren’t impressed. Articles read: “This was the colt that beat Think Fast?” “He expects to beat Off the Record?” Fortunately, one small time article had taken into account his suspended trainer and his favored jockey being across the country. But that was a small town paper that no one paid much attention to.
The colt’s race was the second week in September. I was going up three days before the race to breeze the colt, then coming back the afternoon after the race. Then the weekend after Centerfold’s race, Silver was being weaned.
Since Risky hadn’t been bred again, there was no rush. She was already on the bay stallion Supreme Affair’s covering list for next year. I’d gone with my father to see the stallion and had loved him on sight. His conformation was nearly flawless, he had muscles everywhere, and he had one of the best attitudes of any stallion I’d ever encountered. He was playful without being aggressive, handsome without being arrogant and submissive without being a pussy. He’d more than a million dollars in purses with over a dozen Grade 1 wins.
The day before school went back into session; I put Risky in her stall and tied Silver next to her. Risky kept a close eye on her filly for the first few minuets, and then gave in to the lure of the hay net. Silver, on the other hand, was curious about everything. Other horses going in and out were fascinating, gusts of wind was exciting, and hay and leaves dancing down the aisle were things to be played with.
“What a beautiful girl!”
And there went my good mood. I continued grooming as the high heels clicked down the aisle and Becky the bitch came into view.
“And so big! Just a few more months and I’ll take you home and you’ll have the best trainers that don’t give their horses drugs.”
I rubbed the skin on Silver’s neck and pinched it a few times to get her used to the procedure before vaccinations. I could ignore Becky’s words. But then, she put her hands on my filly.
Her manicured hand came up to pay my horse’s jaw. Silver’s ears went back in dislike and distrust and she snapped at Becky.
“You little bitch!” she shrieked and her hand came back to smack Silver across the muzzle. The filly squealed and jerked back.
I lost it. I ducked under the cross ties and landed a solid right hook on Becky’s pretty little nose. She shrieked again and grabbed for my hair, but I’d been raised on too many fights with Mik to cat fight. I went for a gut punch and landed a solid one. I came in for another one before strong arms pulled me off
“Lemego damnit!”
“Easy Kay!” Mik called, tightening his grip.
“I’ll have you arrested!” Becky screeched. “You assaulted me!”
“And you’re trespassing,” Mik said icily. “And you struck and individual on my property. If you take it to court it’ll look a lot like defense on Kayla’s part.”
“Who’s going to believe you? Your trainer gives drugs to his horses to make them run. But I guess that back-fired didn’t it?”
“Get off my property,” Mik all but snarled. “Before I call the police.”
“You’ll be hearing from my lawyers,” Becky snapped. “I’ll sue you for assault.”
“Please do,” Mik challenged.
Becky’s mouth opened, and then closed. With a prissy, “humph,” and as much dignity as she could muster with a bloody nose, her heels clicked down the aisle.
“I’m not going to go after her Mik,” I said when he didn’t let me go.
“I’m not taking any chances. Damnit Kay you need to learn to control that temper.”
“She hit my horse! I want her to file charges. That’s animal abuse, trespassing, and she attacked me. Just because she lost-”
“Okay Kay. Take a deep breath and calm down. She won’t have the guts to press charges.”
“Did you catch what she said though? ‘Who’s going to believe you?’ What if they’re planning something else? What if Dingo was just setting the stage for something bigger?”
Mik released me and didn’t speak for a moment. “Kay I think you’re paranoid.”
“That’s what you said before. Now there’s a very promising three-year-old buried behind the stable.”
The look on Mik’s face made me want to take the words back. “I’m sorry,” I said at once.
Mik didn’t say anything for a moment. When he did speak, my jaw dropped. “Maybe you’re right.”
I’d been waiting years for Mik to say that to me. Now, the only response I could muster was, “what?”
“Maybe they’re up to something. I’m not sure what, but it would probably be good to stay on our toes.” With a frown, he turned to walk down the aisle.
I regained my composure from the shock, but all I could call after him was, “did you say I was right?”