It was only then that Alec realized what Henry meant. His face grew a shade paler and then he said again, “Put it on him, Henry.”
Jimmy moved closer to them, wide-eyed in his surprise. “What are you two arguin’ about?” he asked. “The colt’s ready to go. Come on now. They’re waitin’ for us.”
Neither Alec nor Henry paid any attention to Jimmy. Silently they stood looking at each other. Henry’s face was whiter than Alec’s and deep lines cut into his heavy jowls.
“I had this hood made,” he said. “I paid for it myself. It’s mine, and now I’m takin’ it away. I’m takin’ it because Bonfire doesn’t need it any more … or you either.” He turned away and walked down the paddock row, his strides coming fast but his shoulders slumped like those of an old, old man.
Alec stood still, but Jimmy made use of his legs. He ran after Henry, catching him at the paddock gate. Henry pushed Jimmy away from him, and then was lost in the great crowd.
Jimmy returned to the stall and stood beside Alec, his thin lips moving a long while before the words came. “Why? Why now?” he kept repeating.
Alec knew why, but there was no point in telling Jimmy now.
The paddock judge called, “Hurry up your colt, Ramsay! You’re holding us up!”
Alec put on the bridle. “Come on, Bonfire,” he said. “We’re going out. We’re going clean.”
“ALL THE WAY HOME …”
18
The announcer said, “The horses will now go behind the gate for the third heat of the Hambletonian.”
They passed the stands in the final two-column parade with introductions and warm-up scores over. They were in their post positions earned as a result of the previous heat. Bonfire led the parade, the first horse in the first tier. Directly behind him came Bear Cat.
Alec’s eyes left Bonfire only for the track marshal riding before them. Beyond the marshal at the top of the stretch awaited the mobile gate. Alec paid no attention to the nine colts following him or to the eight others across the track. But he knew they were there, that all eighteen would be going behind the gate to race as hard as they’d done in the two previous heats. He didn’t take for granted, as did almost everyone else, that this time it would be strictly a two-colt race. He assumed nothing in so large a field where anything could happen to change the complexion of a race. He hoped only to get Bonfire out in front, giving him a chance to race as he’d done before.
Alec looked at Bonfire’s clean head, bare of anything but the light, open bridle. His colt did not turn to the left or the right. He kept his eyes straight ahead, his ears pricked, watching the gate come closer and closer. He knew very well what was about to happen. He was ready and eager. He didn’t seem to miss his red hood.
Alec wasn’t furious with Henry any longer. Whatever anger had been in him had left the moment he had seen Henry merge with the crowd, taking the hood with him. There was no getting it back, no turning back. It was too late for anger. All that was left was to accept what Henry had said: “I’m takin’ it because Bonfire doesn’t need it any more.…”
Alec hoped desperately that Henry was right. “I mustn’t even say I hope he’s right,” he told himself. “I must know he’s right.” Never before had he doubted Henry’s judgment. Why doubt it now, when so much depended on the outcome of this heat?
They passed the mobile gate with its barrier wings folded and clear of the track. A short distance farther on the marshal waved his riding crop, signaling their release. Alec turned Bonfire, as did the drivers of the other colts in the first tier.
It wouldn’t take long to find out if Bonfire needed the trick hood. Racing room would be close moving behind the gate. Any second Alec would know the answer.
Over the public-address system the announcer said, “The horses are now in the hands of the starter, and are moving behind the gate.”
The stands quieted as the wheels of the limousine began turning and the colts in the first tier followed the barrier wings. Behind them came eight other colts.
“Bring up your colt, Bauder!” the starter ordered. “You’re lagging.”
Alec had Bonfire close to the moving gate without touching it. The rail to his left seemed to stream by, going faster and faster as their speed increased. The position on Bonfire’s right was open as Bear Cat strode behind the others in the first tier, his brown body alongside Alec.
It was just like the start of the second heat, Alec thought. Silas Bauder would bring Bear Cat up with a rush, attempting to have his colt going at top speed when the gate opened.
But this time the starter was insistent. “Come up, Bauder, or we won’t go off!”
Bear Cat began inching toward the barrier wings, his head now at Bonfire’s hindquarters.
Alec glanced past the brown colt to Lively Man in the third post position. Ringo had his colt’s nose touching the barrier, ready to get away fast, determined to make up for having lost the rail to Bauder in the previous heat.
Bonfire was steady. He kept his eyes straight ahead while Bear Cat came up closer and closer on his right. Instinctively Alec moved the small finger of his right hand. But no cord was tied there. There was no eyecup to be closed.
The beat of hoofs mounted. The crowd was on its feet, no longer shouting with shrill voices but hushed in expectation of what they were about to witness. Faster and faster the field moved down the stretch until hoofs and engine rose in a mighty crescendo.
In that ever-mounting rush to the starting line Alec kept his eyes on his colt, watching for the slightest movement that would indicate Bonfire’s fear of Bear Cat. But his colt saw nothing but the speeding gate before him, and his demands to be turned loose became stronger and more insistent.
Alec’s small finger moved again, and this time he realized what he was doing. He closed his finger over the line to keep it still. He wanted no reminder. And yet he felt his tension mounting. He kept his eyes on Bonfire’s head and ears. There still was no sign that Bonfire had any fear of Bear Cat, now racing alongside stride for stride a little behind the gate. Certainly Bonfire knew of Bear Cat’s presence but it wasn’t bothering him. If Alec needed any other assurance that Henry had been right, it was in his hands. He felt Bonfire’s determination to get out in front of those racing beside him, his tremendous will to win.
The lines were wet from Alec’s perspiring hands. He glanced at Bear Cat. He found himself moving his little finger again. Hot, salty perspiration stung his eyes. He was anxious, worried—for himself or for Bonfire? The leather in his hands was slipping and he dug his fingernails into it to hold it fast.
Bonfire shook his head at the tight rein. Too tight, Alec knew. He’d drawn back on the lines. What had caused him to do that? Bear Cat had his nose ahead of Bonfire. Alec told himself to loosen up, to give his colt a little more line. Nothing was wrong. Bonfire was going well. They had the pole position. The best position. A short mile for Bonfire, and at the end of it the famed Hambletonian.
A few more strides to go to the starting line. Bonfire shook his head again, angry now. They were dropping back too far! as Alec tried to loosen his hold on the lines, he found that his hands were trembling.
His colt was steady but he wasn’t. Had he been depending upon the hood more than Bonfire? Was that what Henry had meant all the time? “I’m takin’ it because Bonfire doesn’t need it any more.” But there’d been something else. Hadn’t Henry added, “… or you either”?
That was it! Alec’s heart pounded hard as a rush of anger swept over him—anger at himself for what he was doing to his colt! He let the leather slide through his fingers, giving Bonfire full line.
The colt’s release came a fraction of a second too late. The barrier wings were no longer in front of the large field. Bear Cat was more than a stride ahead of Bonfire, and Lively Man was a half-length beyond Bear Cat, with Ringo rushing him as he’d never done before!
Alec raised his hands, urging Bonfire on, but he was sickened by the handicap he’d forced upon his colt. He
knew the effort it would take not to lose the rail to Lively Man and Bear Cat. Already Ringo was starting to move his roan colt in front of Bear Cat. He was using his whip, getting every possible bit of speed from Lively Man.
Alec felt cooler, calmer. He had to think fast now. There was no time for anything else. It was what he needed.
He lowered his hands, slowing Bonfire from that desperate early drive he’d begun. He knew he couldn’t prevent Bear Cat from taking the rail from them. But it would still be a short mile for Bonfire. He wasn’t worried about Lively Man, and he’d send Bonfire after Bear Cat going down the backstretch.
Approaching the first turn he saw Ringo cut sharply in front of Bear Cat. Bauder slowed his colt to avoid an accident, enabling Bonfire to move up on Bear Cat. Alec saw the anger in the old driver’s eyes at Ringo’s careless and dangerous move.
Now Lively Man was in front and on the rail with Bear Cat just behind and to his right. Alec began moving Bonfire off the rail. He didn’t want to be pocketed there in back of Ringo. Soon Lively Man would tire. Bear Cat was moving alongside him even now, sweeping into the turn. Lively Man was slowing sooner than Alec had expected. The roan colt’s strides were becoming very heavy and sluggish.
Alec glanced back at the field coming up on his right. He had time to move all the way out from the rail and go past Lively Man with Bear Cat. He gave Bonfire more line, drawing him wider on the turn, and then began moving up just behind and to the right of Bear Cat.
He saw Ringo glance at Bauder as Bear Cat raced by, and then the young raceway driver went for his whip again. For a second the roan colt stayed with Bear Cat under Ringo’s tireless urging. But then Lively Man had no more left to give.
Alec was closer to Ringo than anyone else when it happened. Lively Man stumbled and regained his stride, only to stumble again. Alec slowed Bonfire, realizing what was coming. Then Lively Man went down!
Ringo’s arms swung wildly as he tried to keep himself from being thrown from the sulky, but there was nothing for him to grab hold of. He was pitched forward, striking the track on one side of his colt and rolling away from him.
Alec had pulled Bonfire to the right, and now he pulled him harder at the sight of Fred Ringo sprawled on the track before them. Everything he did came instinctively. He caught a fleeting glimpse of Ringo’s face as it was turned toward him, and then he waited for the heavy thud of Bonfire’s hoofs on flesh. But miraculously Bonfire managed to avoid the driver.
Only when it was over did Alec’s mind begin to function again. Above everything else he could remember what Ringo’s face looked like—a murky gray in color, not unlike the face of another whom he hadn’t avoided. He shook his head to rid himself of that horrible mental picture. Where did he have Bonfire? There was the press of horses all around him.
The announcer’s voice came over the loudspeakers. “The field passed Fred Ringo without injuring him or his colt,” he assured the crowd in a calm voice. “Now at the quarter-mile it’s Bear Cat in front by two lengths. Princess Guy is second. Mismatch is third. Lord Bobbie is fourth. The rest of the field is bunched. King Midas is on the rail and just ahead of High Noon. Bonfire has dropped back after having run out to avoid the accident. He’s in the middle of the field.”
Now Alec was able to see the colts racing on either side of him and in front, all so close, leaving no room to get Bonfire clear of them. He could only wait and hope for something to break after they came off the turn. No short mile for Bonfire now. Nothing but a grueling, tortuous road that might never be opened to them. Dead end? Was that it?
No, he had to find a way out for his colt! Then why wasn’t he looking for it? Why was he holding Bonfire back, just waiting and hoping for the breaks to come their way? Why wasn’t he making his own openings?
The grouped field came off the turn and entered the backstretch. There was no change in positions, still no room for Bonfire to get clear. Far ahead raced Bear Cat followed by Princess Guy, Mismatch and Lord Bobbie. Were they to be the only ones contesting Bear Cat’s right to win this race?
Tangiers was directly ahead of Bonfire, and to that colt’s right were Star Queen and four others spread across the track. Star Queen had come off the turn a little wide and didn’t move any closer to Tangiers going down the backstretch.
Alec saw the opening there but disregarded it. He wasn’t going to risk hurting Bonfire in an attempt to go through such a narrow hole. He wasn’t afraid, he told himself. He was just being cautious for the sake of his colt. It was much smarter to stay behind, to wait.
He gave Bonfire no command but the colt suddenly shifted stride, pushing his head into the small opening. Alec realized it was too late to stop him. Bonfire already had his body between the sulky wheels on either side of him. Alec measured the distance with his eyes, and then decided there was just enough room for his sulky. He gave Bonfire more line and they squeezed between Tangiers and Star Queen. But once more the road was blocked. Alec slowed Bonfire to keep him from running into Silver Knight, who was now in front of them.
Bonfire’s will to win had so far got them only a length closer to the front of the packed field. And Bear Cat was drawing farther away. Yet Alec had responded quickly to Bonfire’s gameness, to his refusal to wait. He felt some of his colt’s courage sweep back to him, driving away all caution, all thought of Tom and Ringo or anything but the race to be won.
No more waiting. One move at a time, one length at a time brings us closer and closer to where we want to be!
Still wanting Bonfire to go as short a mile as possible, Alec looked at the colts racing between him and the rail. No chance to make a move there. No room at all. On the outside, there was an opening between Cricket and Victory Boy. But how would he get Bonfire over there with Star Queen in his way?
Alec glanced at the big chestnut filly just off to his right. He waited a second more before making his move, and then edged Bonfire over. Slowly, ever so slowly, he forced Star Queen out with him. One stride at a time he moved Bonfire over to the opening between Cricket and Victory Boy—and then he went through!
Again there were colts in front of them, but Bonfire was on his way. “One move at a time,” Alec kept telling his colt, “one move at a time!” And then he took Bonfire over on the inside, this time between Chief Express and Big Venture.
Drivers shouted at him angrily, but he kept moving Bonfire more and more to the front until only King Midas and High Noon were between him and the leaders in the distance. To pass them he had to take Bonfire outside again. He’d given up all hope of a short mile for his colt. All he asked was a chance to race! Alec bore out again, and this time Big Venture and Bonfire drew alongside High Noon and King Midas. For a second the four colts raced stride for stride, and then the blood bay colt went to the front.
Alec and Bonfire had reached their goal! Only empty track was between them and the leaders. Bonfire went forward eagerly as they swept into the second turn.
The call came over the loudspeakers, “At the half-mile, Bear Cat has increased his lead over Princess Guy by four lengths. Lord Bobbie is next. Mismatch has dropped back to fourth. And then comes the rest of the field. Bonfire is on the rail and in front. He’s followed by King Midas, High Noon and Big Venture. Cricket is …”
Alec had Bonfire where he wanted him, and going around the turn he slowed his colt. Bonfire fought but Alec refused to give him more line. The colt needed a rest. They’d gone a half-mile the most difficult way. Repeated short bursts of speed were more demanding on a colt than a sustained drive. He kept Bonfire close to the rail, ignoring the field behind him and refusing to look at the colts ahead. “Let’s rest now,” he told Bonfire. “Take it while we can get it. It won’t be for long.”
He heard the hoofs behind him coming a little closer but he wasn’t worried. Neither King Midas, Big Venture nor any of the other colts had the speed left to catch up with Bonfire or the leaders.
They entered the long back straightaway that led to the final turn. But to Alec no
thing mattered now but a “breather” for his colt. He’d learn all he wanted to know within a very few seconds.
He was about to ask a lot of Bonfire, perhaps too much after what his colt had been through. He would give him free line all the way to the finish. The time had come. They couldn’t wait any longer. He released Bonfire. Now it was all the way home or nothing!
As the blood bay colt sprang forward, Alec looked ahead. Mismatch was the closest to them and losing ground before Bonfire’s mounting speed. He was off the rail and Alec decided quickly not to go around him.
Mismatch was a beaten colt, his strides coming fast but getting him nowhere. Bonfire reached him sooner than Alec had expected. He had his colt moving into the opening between Mismatch and the rail before he realized how small the opening was. For a second he tensed as Bonfire’s hoofs narrowly missed the other sulky wheels. Then the blood bay colt went through with wheels turning hub to hub. Bonfire went to the front, bearing down on Princess Guy and Lord Bobbie who raced in Bear Cat’s wake.
Silas Bauder and his brown colt were moving into the last turn. Their lead over the others hadn’t been lengthened going down the back straightaway, but Bauder was content. Bear Cat was comparatively fresh and ready to go an all-out drive to the wire. It had been a short mile, an easy mile for the brown son of Phonograph.
Alec already had Bonfire in his final drive. Would his colt last? Bonfire was gaining on Princess Guy and Lord Bobbie. The turn was just ahead. Alec didn’t want to take Bonfire wide around it. He wanted to save every foot of ground he could for his colt. Princess Guy was on the rail with Lord Bobbie matching her stride for stride.
Alec moved Bonfire a little away from the rail approaching the turn. Yet he kept an eye on Princess Guy, knowing that sometimes she was inclined to swing a little wide going around turns. If it happened this time she’d take Lord Bobbie out with her, and perhaps leave an opening on the rail for him and Bonfire to go through! Neither of the drivers ahead seemed aware that Bonfire was so close. But soon they’d know.
The Black Stallion's Sulky Colt Page 15
