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Colby

The time has come

I guide Maximus into the trailer and once he’s secured, I hop into the truck I use the he a deep breath, I let it out slow and turn to h my short, dark hair and use my shirt to wipe away the dirt onroyalty, and I could care less if I am or not, but I’m determined to win either way

In teeks, twenty of the finest horses in the world will co two minutes in sports; the Run for the Roses and the first chance to compete for the Triple Crown, theOnly thirteen horses have won, and when I look at Maximus Monday, I know he’s the next winner

It’s shortly after ht when I pull into Churchill Downs There are a few other trainers with the saet our horses accli to be crazy Reporters will barge into the stables where we board our horses, taking their pictures, asking the trainers and jockeys for interviews Every day from here on out, will be a constant interruption

As soon as I parkit up so I can get to Maximus Even in the dark, I can see the h the s of the trailer and hs when he sees ainst his soft muzzle He’s the most beautiful animal I have ever worked with He’sseason is over, I’ll have to move on from him and to another colt That’s the job of a trainer However, with Maximus, I don’t want to leave hiotten attached Every trainer bonds with their horse differently With Maximus and I, it’s like ere o

Trainers and jockeys are born into racing It’s rare that soo train a colt” or “I think I’enerational—born and raised on ranches, riding at very early ages We know everything there is to know about a horse, butone into a cha as I can re Acres, one of the winningest horse breeders in all of Kentucky It only reat-grandfather’s footsteps The Ar’s are like a second family to the Hensley’s We live on their land, and ork for the for theift—and up until three years ago, they were my employer That’s when I defied my family and found my own path

Another rarity, especially in Kentucky, is snow It had started on a Saturday and much to our surprise, it stuck The inches turned into feet with no end in sight By Monday, the weather reports referred to the freak storeddon and warned everyone to stay home I didn’t listen because I have a truck and someti, and I ca down anyone he could He told et to them, so I ventured over to his stables to see what I could do to help

While the h her delivery, I learned she used to be a racehorse, which is another rarity Fillies don’t nors are usually a hbred She had once been a champion When Maximus was born, I took one look into his eyes and knew he’d be the next Derby winner I went to Mr Arested a deal where he would rent Maximus from the owner

The shady older ht, taking him away from his mother For the first time in my life, I had lost respect for so’s main competitor, the Lucky Seven Ranch owned by Baker Kelly and, on behalf of Maximus’s owner, brokered a deal I would train Maximus and other horses on the property, for a rooamble but paid off in dividends