Post by Anthony Lovasz on Aug 6, 2009 1:19:11 GMT -5
It was a cool morning in Pinewood West Virginia. The dew still clung to the grass, and for the most part all was quiet around the stables. A few horses shifted and nickered to one another, and a bird or two was singing their song. Other than that, the only sound was the soft wind rustling the branches of the ancient trees that surrounded the premises. There were few people out and about this morning, but one of those who was always up this early was Anthony Lovasz, one of Pinewood's only currently licensed jockeys. Most people knew who he was, whether because of his former fame as the youngest jockey to have won the Santa Anita, and having more wins to his name by the time he reached 20 than most jockeys had by the time they were 40. Others knew him simply because of his presence in Pinewood, and it wouldn't take people long to either meet him or at least hear about him.
As he walked into the stable, not bothering to turn on the lights, and just letting the early morning dawn light the barn enough for him to see his horses, he was greeted by two vividly contrasting whinnies. One was loud and bellowing, which belonged to the tall chestnut stud whose imposing structure demanded respect. The other was more quiet and peaceful, belonging to the small gray stallion whose lazy demeanor suggested anything but racehorse. He greeted each horse with an affectionate pat, and lead them together from their stalls. The chestnut, King's Last Stand, automatically maneuvered over to Anthony's left side and ever so lightly touched his muzzle to the jockey's shoulder, which to most people might appear strange, but anyone who knew the horse's story would understand.
King had been a champion, winning all of his races with impressive gusto, never letting another horse withing three lengths of him once he got the lead. But when blindness plagued him for reasons veterinarians couldn't figure, he was sent to an early retirement at a thoroughbred rescue farm. No one wanted to breed him, for fear his blindness would be genetic, so as soon as he stopped racing, he was declared useless. Anthony didn't see things the same way. Believing firmly in one of the greatest trainers to ever bring a horse to the track who stated that "you don't throw a whole life away just because it's a little beat up." He took King into his care, and began training the blind animal. It was no easy task, riding a blind horse, let alone riding a blind horse on a racetrack at a full extended gallop. It took a long long time before he had earned the horse's trust enough to be able to do so, but he did, and it paid off.
Since then, King had regained some of his sight in his left eye, but was still completely blind in his right. When he had been fully blind, he would always walk with his muzzle pressed to Anthony's shoulder since sound and touch were the only things that he could use to be aware of his surroundings, and in this way Anthony acted as his eyes. Since he now had some sight in his left eye, he preferred to have that eye out facing the world with his blind eye to the human he trusted most. He still didn't like being approached by anyone on his blind side, and he was still quite wary of strangers, but he had fallen in love with Anthony's then girlfriend, now wife, while Anthony had been in the hospital after an accident. Since then King absolutely adored both Alex and Anthony, and would get extremely jealous if their attention wasn't fully focused on him.
The gray, Shadow of a Doubt was a totally different story. He had absolutely no bloodlines to his name. His sire had been a relatively unsuccessful jumper, and his dam had been a failure of a racehorse that hadn't ever won a race and had been used as a packing horse once they gave up on her as a racer. When he had been born he was much too small, gangly, and knobby kneed... no one wanted him. But as a yearling he had been out in a pasture and simply for the joy of it, he had taken off galloping along the fence line after a car going down the drive which paralleled the fence. As fortune would have it, the passenger of said car was a racehorse trainer, Mr. Fently. When he'd seen the way the small horse moved, he knew that the animal was born to run... born to race more specifically, and later purchased the colt for a mere $500.
Unfortunately, the sweet little colt who loved to run had some sort of psychological issue with the track and would get violent as soon as he was on the track. He would fight his rider, try to attack the other horses... it was a disaster, and Fently gave up on him after running him in a few races all of which he had either lost because he wore himself out trying to attack the other horses, or was disqualified for attacking the other horses. Again though, Anthony saw potential, and asked the trainer if he could ride the horse. Fently warned the then 18 year old Anthony that the horse was uncontrollable on the track and he would hate to lose his greatest jockey, but Anthony insisted, and Fently gave in.
Within a years time Doubt's name appeared on the list of competitors in the Santa Anita. People were skeptical, most of them saying that even a jockey as great as Anthony Lovasz couldn't bring that horse in for a win, and at post time, Doubt's odds were 80-1, the long shot by far. For the first quarter mile Doubt's focus was on the other horses, trying to go after them instead of racing, and Anthony essentially had to jerk him to the outside rather roughly to get his focus back on the race and the rider on his back. Once that was done, Doubt seemed to fall into the right mindset and took of after the leader, taking up the perfect trailing position with his nose level with the leader's hip. Then with a sudden explosion of speed, he surged ahead, winning by half a length. Unfortunately right after they crossed the finish line, the second place horse misstepped and veered into Doubt, sending both Anthony and Doubt through the rail, the accident that ended Anthony's career for a year.
The trio all had that one thing in common, each one had been great at one time, and had since fallen from their thrones. Anthony couldn't be happier though. He had an amazing wife, and two wonderful horses... or well... did have two wonderful horses anyway. He'd signed ownership over to Alex since he couldn't very well ride and own the same horses. But he couldn't ask for more than he had now. Living here in Pinewood with his friends and family was all he wanted. He looped Doubt's lead up over his neck, and let the smaller horse follow at his own free will. King would have done the same, but with his poor eyesight he could spook at anything, and the last thing Anthony needed was a loose horse at this hour.
Once he reached the pastures, he lead both of them into one of them, and let them loose. True to his expectations, both animals waited a moment then took off like the racehorses that they were. King, being the speed horse like he was lead the way, extending out into a perfect full gallop, his every stride smooth and unstrained. Doubt, being the stalker that he was kept right to King's hip, occasionally nipping playfully at the younger horse's flank as they circled the pasture out of the pure joy of running. Anthony just leaned against the whitewashed fence and stood there watching the two beautiful animals as they galloped about, bucking and rearing, enjoying their freedom. They were both stallions, but they got along like two geldings that had grown up together. It was the perfect morning.
As he walked into the stable, not bothering to turn on the lights, and just letting the early morning dawn light the barn enough for him to see his horses, he was greeted by two vividly contrasting whinnies. One was loud and bellowing, which belonged to the tall chestnut stud whose imposing structure demanded respect. The other was more quiet and peaceful, belonging to the small gray stallion whose lazy demeanor suggested anything but racehorse. He greeted each horse with an affectionate pat, and lead them together from their stalls. The chestnut, King's Last Stand, automatically maneuvered over to Anthony's left side and ever so lightly touched his muzzle to the jockey's shoulder, which to most people might appear strange, but anyone who knew the horse's story would understand.
King had been a champion, winning all of his races with impressive gusto, never letting another horse withing three lengths of him once he got the lead. But when blindness plagued him for reasons veterinarians couldn't figure, he was sent to an early retirement at a thoroughbred rescue farm. No one wanted to breed him, for fear his blindness would be genetic, so as soon as he stopped racing, he was declared useless. Anthony didn't see things the same way. Believing firmly in one of the greatest trainers to ever bring a horse to the track who stated that "you don't throw a whole life away just because it's a little beat up." He took King into his care, and began training the blind animal. It was no easy task, riding a blind horse, let alone riding a blind horse on a racetrack at a full extended gallop. It took a long long time before he had earned the horse's trust enough to be able to do so, but he did, and it paid off.
Since then, King had regained some of his sight in his left eye, but was still completely blind in his right. When he had been fully blind, he would always walk with his muzzle pressed to Anthony's shoulder since sound and touch were the only things that he could use to be aware of his surroundings, and in this way Anthony acted as his eyes. Since he now had some sight in his left eye, he preferred to have that eye out facing the world with his blind eye to the human he trusted most. He still didn't like being approached by anyone on his blind side, and he was still quite wary of strangers, but he had fallen in love with Anthony's then girlfriend, now wife, while Anthony had been in the hospital after an accident. Since then King absolutely adored both Alex and Anthony, and would get extremely jealous if their attention wasn't fully focused on him.
The gray, Shadow of a Doubt was a totally different story. He had absolutely no bloodlines to his name. His sire had been a relatively unsuccessful jumper, and his dam had been a failure of a racehorse that hadn't ever won a race and had been used as a packing horse once they gave up on her as a racer. When he had been born he was much too small, gangly, and knobby kneed... no one wanted him. But as a yearling he had been out in a pasture and simply for the joy of it, he had taken off galloping along the fence line after a car going down the drive which paralleled the fence. As fortune would have it, the passenger of said car was a racehorse trainer, Mr. Fently. When he'd seen the way the small horse moved, he knew that the animal was born to run... born to race more specifically, and later purchased the colt for a mere $500.
Unfortunately, the sweet little colt who loved to run had some sort of psychological issue with the track and would get violent as soon as he was on the track. He would fight his rider, try to attack the other horses... it was a disaster, and Fently gave up on him after running him in a few races all of which he had either lost because he wore himself out trying to attack the other horses, or was disqualified for attacking the other horses. Again though, Anthony saw potential, and asked the trainer if he could ride the horse. Fently warned the then 18 year old Anthony that the horse was uncontrollable on the track and he would hate to lose his greatest jockey, but Anthony insisted, and Fently gave in.
Within a years time Doubt's name appeared on the list of competitors in the Santa Anita. People were skeptical, most of them saying that even a jockey as great as Anthony Lovasz couldn't bring that horse in for a win, and at post time, Doubt's odds were 80-1, the long shot by far. For the first quarter mile Doubt's focus was on the other horses, trying to go after them instead of racing, and Anthony essentially had to jerk him to the outside rather roughly to get his focus back on the race and the rider on his back. Once that was done, Doubt seemed to fall into the right mindset and took of after the leader, taking up the perfect trailing position with his nose level with the leader's hip. Then with a sudden explosion of speed, he surged ahead, winning by half a length. Unfortunately right after they crossed the finish line, the second place horse misstepped and veered into Doubt, sending both Anthony and Doubt through the rail, the accident that ended Anthony's career for a year.
The trio all had that one thing in common, each one had been great at one time, and had since fallen from their thrones. Anthony couldn't be happier though. He had an amazing wife, and two wonderful horses... or well... did have two wonderful horses anyway. He'd signed ownership over to Alex since he couldn't very well ride and own the same horses. But he couldn't ask for more than he had now. Living here in Pinewood with his friends and family was all he wanted. He looped Doubt's lead up over his neck, and let the smaller horse follow at his own free will. King would have done the same, but with his poor eyesight he could spook at anything, and the last thing Anthony needed was a loose horse at this hour.
Once he reached the pastures, he lead both of them into one of them, and let them loose. True to his expectations, both animals waited a moment then took off like the racehorses that they were. King, being the speed horse like he was lead the way, extending out into a perfect full gallop, his every stride smooth and unstrained. Doubt, being the stalker that he was kept right to King's hip, occasionally nipping playfully at the younger horse's flank as they circled the pasture out of the pure joy of running. Anthony just leaned against the whitewashed fence and stood there watching the two beautiful animals as they galloped about, bucking and rearing, enjoying their freedom. They were both stallions, but they got along like two geldings that had grown up together. It was the perfect morning.
