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Several room named Whitfield reappears with Minerva She’s a chestnut, about sixteen hands high, and reat horse," Whitfield says "She’s raced in fifty-three races She’s won eleven, and placed or shown in thirty-five"

She bends down to scratch her nose on her knee

"Coh this"

I’ in the clocker’s toith Gael, Dad, and Jack, watching Bryant Townsend breeze around the track atop Lucky Strikes, one of Mr Goodwin’s prized horses The stallion won the Preakness three years ago

"That’s complete shit, Townsend! Complete shit! You can do better than that!" Gael is five feet tall, but when he yells, he s (nearly aa rocket, not a Thoroughbred

And Gael thinks that’s coirl, but he knohat he’s doing on the racetrack I take a deep, rattled breath and tighten loves I can do this

Gael turns toover to Minerva The mare s her ears atup froroom to mount

"Thanks, Whitfield"

"It’s Rory," he says

"That’s a girl’s na an exercise boy is athe reins between ers, I squeeze her flanks with both heels to get heron her back, floith her body Minerva knows racing is what she’s all about--her graceful gait is measured and sure-footed Heck, Minerva could probably train exercise riders herself, she’s such a professional

If I get the job, I wouldn’t be the first female exercise rider at Cedar Hill--Dad told me two other woh of a novelty that a lot of the staff have stopped working to watch

I steer Minerva out onto the track and wait for Gael’s signal He raises a hand and I useher up over the course of a lap The sound of her hooves relaxesa surfboard over gentle ocean waves

When I pass the clocker’s tower for the second time, I take off and we fly around the track At the first turn, I urge the horse faster and into a breeze

"Good job, girl!" I yell, as dirt splatters onto les and face

On the final turn, Minerva jerks her head to the side and I have to hold on to her reins as tight as I can, ht into the wild blue yonder Getting her back under control makes us slon and adds seconds onto my time God Do Jack and Gael think I’m complete shit?

As I cross the finish line, I pulad I’ve shohat I can do Even if I don’t get the job, I tried my damned hardest I pat Minerva’s neck and brush her hair, whispering how beautiful she is as she whinnies and slows to a canter

After cooling down, I dismount, wipe the dirt off o face the ot what it takes to start working," Gael says, cleaning his sunglasses on his shirt "What do you say we get her started on Monday, Jack?"

"No," Jack says, andon Monday"

"No?" I whisper

A sly grin sweeps across his face "No I want you to start tomorrow, at River Downs in Cincinnati" He turns to face Gael and my father "She’ll warets the job or not"

"But," Dad starts, until Jack raises a hand

"She’ll wear a helmet and vest, and I know she’ll take every precaution to keep herself safe She says she’s been around horses her whole life--let’s see if she’s ready for the next level"

"She’s not ready to ride Star," Dad says "That horse doesn’t want anybody riding him"

"She handled him well today," Jack says "She kept him calm, which none of the rest of us seem to kno to do That’s what he needsher, then I want her taking care of hiuy to take orders froe boys, but Jack moves and speaks with authority Dad nods once

"Thank you," I say to the on ure out how to keep Star calm He needs a win bad"

"Ahe there with an eyebrow raised "I didn’t realize it was happy hour already"

Jack steps up to his father "I ht hire Savannah as an exercise rider"

Mr Goodwin stares me down "What?"

"She had an excellent tryout, and like I told you earlier, she caught Star on foot Maybe she can figure out how to handle hiood hand in the barns It’s probably best to assign her there," Mr Goodwin says, and I shake et stuck working a crappy job after I graduate high school