Taking Chances: Kayla's Chance

“What?!” I exclaimed, whipping my head around to look at the television screen where they were displaying the photo of the two colts crossing the finish line. My jaw dropped. I’d never seen a true dead heat-a tie-before. But the two colts had managed to pull it off. They’d crossed the line at the exact same time. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
The stewards could decide to call it a tie and make both colts the winner. But splitting the prize money would piss off the two winners and The Breeder’s Cup board didn’t want to give out two two million dollar purses.
“That’s not possible!” Becky shrieked. “Off the Record won!”
As if to silence her, the loudspeaker crackled and the announcer came over the loud speaker: “After reviewing the race, the stewards at Santa Anita racecourse have made the decision to award the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile along with all points and prizes to the colt that ran the best race-”
“Obviously Off the Record-” Becky began. Everyone around her, including Al Rosery, shhed her.
The track announcer hadn’t stopped: “…has been decided that the winner of the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile is…number eight: Centerfold.”
It took a moment for the announcer’s words to sink in. Then Bo broke me out of my trance. “I told you he was going to do it!”
All the cameras were on the colt now. And he knew it. His head shot up and his ears pricked. I hugged his neck, barely noticing all the cameras and reporters.
“You did it boy,” I told him. He bobbed his head as if in agreement.
In one corner of my mind, I heard someone say: “I know where my money’s going on Derby Day.”