#GULFSTREAM RACE TRACK

[brightwaypainting]

Attention to Detail in Everything We Do

[eponiesracing]

gulfstream horse racing

Gulfstream Park, located in Hallandale Beach, Florida, is a premier destination for thoroughbred horse racing, offering year-round live events. Notable races include the Grade I Florida Derby and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes, attracting top-tier horses and jockeys. The track features multiple surfaces, including dirt, turf, and Tapeta, providing diverse racing experiences for enthusiasts.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from the BBC:

Atmospheric river storms have wreaked havoc on the West Coast, and are getting bigger. These scientists chase them in the sky to predict where they will strike.

In January 2024, Anna Wilson was sitting aboard a Gulfstream IV jet, observing a deceptively calm-looking sea of white clouds over the northern Pacific Ocean. Through her headphones, Wilson – an atmospheric scientist and extreme weather expert – could hear her colleague give a countdown. At the back of the plane, another colleague dropped slim, cylindrical instruments through a chute, into the brewing storm below them, to measure its strength as it approached the US West Coast.

The type of storm they were tracking is known as an atmospheric river – a weather phenomenon that has been attracting more and more attention in recent years, as scientists and the public race to understand its sometimes devastating impact. Research suggests that atmospheric rivers are getting bigger, more frequent and more extreme, due to climate change; and the damage they cause is getting worse.

Often described as rivers in the sky, atmospheric rivers are a huge, invisible ribbons of water vapour. Each can be several hundreds of kilometres wide, and transport 27 times as much water as the Mississippi River. They are born in warm oceans, as seawater evaporates, rises and moves to cooler latitudes. When the vapour reaches a coast, such as California, it flows up a mountain, cools, and comes down as rain or snow – enough to wash down hillsides causing landslides, and bring torrential rain, floods and deadly avalanches.

On the US West Coast, atmospheric rivers bring the heaviest rains, warmest storms, major floods, extreme coastal winds, and landslides. They can come in groups – known as "families" – with several of them striking a place within days. The brewing family of storms Wilson and her colleague were flying over was in fact formed by four atmospheric rivers, which later caused heavy snowfall in California and floods in Oregon in January 2024.

The basic questions remain the same for each atmospheric river, says Wilson, a field research manager at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. "Where is it going to make landfall? How strong will it be? How long will it last? And we continue to get better at [answering] that," she says.

The flight Wilson was on in January was part of Atmospheric River Reconnaissance, or AR Recon, a joint project with the US Air Force, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) and other partners. Using "hurricane hunter" aircraft normally deployed for observing hurricanes – the NOAA Gulfstream jet, as well as two or more Air Force aircraft – teams of scientists fly over atmospheric rivers, and drop instruments called dropsondes into them.

"Atmospheric rivers are interesting and cool but you can't see them, actually, because it's water vapour," Wilson says. "And they're really close to the surface, they are usually focused on the lowest few kilometres of the atmosphere."

Wilson points out that they tend to travel under cloud cover, which hides them from conventional weather observation tools like satellites. "It's really hard for the satellites to sort of see through that, to what's going on at the near-surface. So the point of flying the aircraft through them is to be able to drop our sensors, and get these foundational meteorological measurements – temperature, air pressure, wind and moisture," she says.

The atmospheric rivers Wilson and her team were monitoring in January were part of a series of 51 atmospheric rivers that hit Washington, Oregon and California between autumn 2023 and spring 2024, 13 more than the previous season. Knowing when and where such a storm will arrive, and how powerful it is, helps people on land prepare for what's coming, and for example, empty the right reservoirs in time. But Wilson and her colleagues' flights, which started in 2016, are also part of a wider scientific effort to better understand atmospheric rivers – including their surprising benefits.

[transgenderer]

Pegasus and Dragon is a 110-foot (34 m) tall statue of Pegasus defeating a dragon in Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida. It is the third-tallest statue in the United States after the Birth of the New World in Puerto Rico and the Statue of Liberty in New York.

The statue complex is 200 feet (61 m) in length and 115 feet (35 m) in width. Pegasus is made of 330 tons of steel and 132 tons of bronze. The dragon is made of 110 tons of steel and 132 tons of bronze. Pegasus will feature a 5D dome theater in a rock formation underneath it. The dragon is surrounded by musical fountains. At night the statue is home to a fountain show featuring 13 musical pieces, 350 fog nozzles, 116 water nozzles, special LED lighting and the dragon breathing fire 20 feet during the show.[2]

Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States.

i think there's no good uncopyrighted images of this thing so wikipedia doesnt have a picture on their page which seems like a shame. if i have any followers nearby i humbly request you take a picture and add it to the page

[horseracingtips]

Pegasus World Cup Picks

Saturday January 25th 2025 Gulfstream full card horse racing handicapping picks laid out & how to play them Inside Information, La Prevoyante, Pegasus Turf, Filly & Mare - selections for more tracks: Santa Anita, Aqueduct, Fairgrounds, Oaklawn, Southwest Stakes over 35 years handicapping experience pays go home winners!

[thesoulofmiami]

Gulfstream Park’s Taste at the Track: Tacos and Tequila 7/27/24

Gulfstream Park’s Taste at the Track: Tacos and Tequila Saturday, 07/27/2024-, 01:00 pm-04:00 pm Gulfstream Park 901 S Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach, Florida, 33009 Website Cost: $60 – $80 Gulfstream Park’s “Taste at the Track” Tacos and Tequila edition is returning on Saturday, July 27th. The premium unlimited tasting event merges the excitement of live thoroughbred horse racing with…

[therealcrimediary]

In an exciting development for local horse racing fans, Guineas winner In The Headlines is set to compete in the Dixie Crackers Champagne Stakes on 30 March at Santa Rosa Park. This highly anticipated event will see the 2023 Guineas champion racing out of Gate 3 alongside other top contenders such as St James and St Ann's Stakes winner, Super Bird, and 2023 Gold Cup winner, Hello World. The Grade III Champagne Stakes is Race 4 of Race Day 3 of the 2024 local horse racing season, featuring a 1,800m contest on the turf with a purse of $43,885. A total of five races have been framed for the day, with the first race kicking off at 1:10 pm. Fans attending the event can look forward to a day filled with excitement and entertainment, as the Arima Race Club has announced that entry and parking will be free for all spectators. In addition to the thrilling on-track action, there will also be live entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. For those who want to catch the action from other tracks, there will be live simulcasting from Gulfstream Park in Florida, featuring the Florida Derby and the Gulfstream Park Oaks. This promises to be a fun-filled day for racing enthusiasts of all ages. The participation of In The Headlines in the Dixie Crackers Champagne Stakes has generated a lot of buzz among fans and pundits alike. As the reigning Guineas champion, In The Headlines will be looking to continue his winning streak and stake his claim as one of the top horses in the country. With tough competition from Super Bird and Hello World, the race is sure to be a thrilling battle to the finish line. Racing enthusiasts can expect a high-quality field and competitive action in the Grade III Champagne Stakes, making it a must-see event for all fans of the sport. The Arima Race Club has organized a full day of racing for fans to enjoy on 30 March, with five races scheduled to take place throughout the day. The first race will start at 1:10 pm, kicking off an afternoon of exciting horse racing action. With top horses and jockeys set to compete in each race, spectators can look forward to a day of intense competition and thrilling finishes. In addition to the live racing on the track, there will also be live simulcasting from Gulfstream Park in Florida, allowing fans to catch all the action from both local and international races. Overall, the Dixie Crackers Champagne Stakes promises to be a highlight of the 2024 local horse racing season, with top contenders like In The Headlines, Super Bird, and Hello World set to battle it out on the turf. Fans can expect a day of high-stakes racing action, live entertainment, and free entry and parking for all. Whether you're a seasoned racing enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out with the family, the Champagne Stakes at Santa Rosa Park is sure to deliver excitement, thrills, and top-class competition for all. Don't miss this chance to witness the best of local horse racing in action on 30 March.

[ponyconductor]

Gulfstream Park: Key Horses for Friday 2/23/2024

Goose egg Thursday at Gulfstream. We left the track off the hook after a strong Wednesday and now we must make up for it. Only winners today, losers not allowed Skip. Race 2: 7½ Furlongs. (Turf) F.Mdn 89k #8 Lady Astoria (5/1) – This filly ran an impressive 2nd switching to the turf off the bench last time. She missed the break then chased the pace 3-wide and uncovered around both turns.…

[dailyhorseracingselections]

The Long Shot Report – Gulfstream Sunday 6-25-2023

Playable Long Shots

Gulfstream

6-25-2023

Click here to purchase The Long Shot Report

Race 1:  #2 Arak (Place $4.80)

Race 3:  #1 Morning Colors (Place $5.60)

Race 4:  #2 Renya de Verano

Race 5:  #4 Double Down Dennis

Race 6:  #1 Sarawat (Place $7.60)

Race 7:  #3 Riverboat Richie

Race 8:  #5 Joya Del Sur

Race 9:  #6 On Alert (Show $2.60), #7 Principia

Which types of bets should you make? Win/Place/Show? Or Exactas? Or Pick-4? Maybe the jackpot Pick-6? Whichever approach you take, remember that each type of bet is a unique strategy. If you play Win bets and Trifectas, well, those are two different pools and thus require two different levels of patience and understanding. Hopefully you are tracking your approach to both, and hopefully you aren’t playing win bets on the favorite because that’s the most direct path to losing money.

[mommydearestella]

NAIOP

HAS ANYONE WHO HAS ATTENDED ANY OF NAIOP’S MEETINGS OR EVENTS IN JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA OR SOUTH FLORIDA EVER HEARD ANYONE DSICUSS THE CAMPAIGN OF TERRORISM DIRECTED AT ME, THE KILLING OF MY BELOVED PETS, ANY PROPERTIES ASSOCIATED WITH ME SUCH AS TWO MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES IN JACKSONVILLE WITH HAP CONTRACTS.  CAPRI VILLA APARTMENTS, HURON SOPHIA APARTMENTS WHICH WERE SOLD JUNE 17, 2021 AND THE DEEDS ARE RECORDED ONLINE 06-30-2021 IN DUVAL COUNTY FLORIDA.  THE BUYERS WERE CAPRI VILLAS ACQUISITION LLC AND HURON SOPHIA ACQUISITION LLC FOR ABOUT 40K PER DOOR.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL ME AT POWELL8863@GMAIL.COM OR POST DIRECTLY TO THIS BLOG.

[horsesarecreatures]

“This is an original 1960 photo of Bald Eagle and Sam the Flamingo at Hialeah Race Track. Bald Eagle was owned and bred by Captain Harry F. Guggenheim and his Cain Hoy Stable. He was by Nasrullah out of Siama, who was the 1960 Broodmare of the Year, by Tiger, a stakes winning son of Bull Dog. Bald Eagle was a full brother to One-Eyed King, the winner of the 1959 and the 1960 Donn Handicap; and a half brother to: Dead Ahead, the winner of the 1962 Roamer Handicap; and to the unraced Whistle a Tune who produced Batucada, the Mexican Champion Two Year Old Filly; the Mexican Champion Three Year Old Filly and the Two-Time Mexican Horse of the Year. Bald Eagle made 29 starts with 12 wins 5 seconds 4 thirds earning $689,556. At two in 1957 in England, he won the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes. At three in 1958 in England, Bald Eagle won: the Dante Stakes; the Craven Stakes over Nagami, the winner of the 1959 Coronation Cup, and Pinched, the winner of the 1957 Royal Lodge Stakes. He finished third in the St. James's Palace Stakes behind Major Portion and Guersillus. At four in 1959 in the United States, Bald Eagle won: the Suburban Handicap over Talent Show, the winner of the 1959 Boardwalk Handicap, and Plion, the winner of the 1959 Whitney Stakes; the Washington D. C. International Stakes over Midnight Sun, the winner of the 1959 Prix Lupin; and Tudor Era, the winner of the 1959 Hialeah Turf Cup; the Gallant Fox Handicap, while setting a new track record, over Whodunit, the winner of the 1959 Sunset Handicap, and Whitley, the winner of the 1959 Excelsior Handicap; and the Saratoga Handicap over Grey Monarch, the winner of the 1959 Eclipse Handicap, and Amerigo, the winner of the 1957 Coventry Stakes. He finished second: in the Aqueduct Handicap to Hillsdale and ahead of Tick Tock, the winner of the 1957 Sport Page Handicap; and in the Manhattan Handicap to Round Table and ahead of Coloneast, the winner of the 1958 King Philip Handicap. Bald Eagle was third in the Massachusetts Handicap behind Air Pilot and Day Court, the winner of the 1959 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap. At five in 1960, he won: the Washington D. C. International Stakes over Harmonizing, the winner of the 1960 Man O’ War Stakes, and Zabeg, the winner of the Russian Derby; the Gulfstream Park Handicap over Amerigo and On-and-On, the winner of the 1959 Ohio Derby, with Sword Dancer finishing fourth; the Metropolitan Handicap, while setting a new track record, over First Landing and Talent Show; the Widener Handicap, while setting a new new track record, over On-and-On and Talent Show with Sword Dancer finishing seventh; the Aqueduct Handicap, while setting a new stakes record, over Intentionally, the 1959 Champion Sprinter, and Warhead. Bald Eagle was second: in the Man o' War Stakes to Harmonizing and ahead of Sword Dancer; and in the McLennan Handicap to On-and-On and ahead of Tudor Era. He was third: in the Jockey Club Gold Cup behind Kelso and Don Poggio, the winner of the 1960 Gallant Fox Handicap; and in the Woodward Stakes behind Sword Dancer and Dotted Swiss, the winner of the 1960 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap. Bald Eagle was named the 1960 Champion Handicap Horse. He began his stud career in Kentucky and then stood stud in France from 1971 until his death in 1977. At stud his best were: San San: the 1972 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Too Bald: the winner of the 1986 Bed O’ Roses Handicap and who was the 1986 Broodmare of the Year and the dam of Exceller and top sire Capote. Barely Once: the winner of the 1969 St. Louis Derby”

- Horse racing Legends

[brightwaypainting]

[eponiesracing]

gulfstream park horse track

Gulfstream Park, located in Hallandale Beach, Florida, is a premier Thoroughbred racetrack renowned for its year-round racing schedule and diverse wagering opportunities. The track features a one-mile dirt oval, a synthetic Tapeta surface, and a seven-furlong turf course, accommodating various racing styles. Notable events include the Grade I Florida Derby and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes. Beyond racing, Gulfstream Park offers a casino, dining, shopping, and entertainment options, making it a comprehensive destination for sports and leisure enthusiasts.

[rideonruffian]

2022. f. - Bodexpress x Fracci (by After Market) 

Sire Bodexpress first made headlines when losing his jockey at the gate of the 2019 Preakness Stakes, but later become a Grade I winner and set a track record for a mile at Gulfstream Park. He entered stud at Barton Thoroughbreds in California in 2021. 

Dam Fracci, who is unraced, is from the family of Millenary (by Rainbow Quest), who won the 2000 G1 Irish St. Leger among other graded races. 

The filly is one of the first for her sire. 

Photo (X)

[horseracingtips]

Pegasus World Cup Picks

Saturday January 25th 2025 Gulfstream full card horse racing handicapping picks laid out & how to play them: Pegasus Turf, Inside Information, La Prevoyante, Filly & Mare selections for more tracks: Santa Anita, Oaklawn, Southwest Stakes, Aqueduct, Fairgrounds, more sent to your email 35+ years experience pays go home winners!

[dopescotlandwarrior]

Bluegrass-Chapter Thirteen

                             A special thank you to @statell​ for all your help

Previous chapters at AO3

Chapter Thirteen

Jamie and Jason took Runner to the airport on Thursday morning. It was a chilly morning and Jason used a heavier blanket for transport to the airport with a lighter blanket under his arm for the flight and his time in Florida.

Runner was fussy. Tossing his head in the air and pulling on the lead. He was very unhappy about life this morning but when it was time to board, he walked up the ramp and backed into his in-flight stall, like the dutiful Thoroughbred he was. The two men waited on the tarmac for the plane to take off and then walked back to the car.

“How are things going with Molly, lad?”

“Great. She and Lulu are really fun to be around and they both cook so that’s awesome. I bought a bunch of food yesterday and just left it in the frig. Molly works a lot of hours, so I have tons of time to sit on the porch and look at the fields. I like it there. No, I love it there, it’s nothing like New York.”

Jamie smiled thinking of how different Kentucky was from his home in the Highlands. He wondered if he would ever go back and decided he would love to take Claire to Scotland someday when their lives settled down.

Claire and Michael studied previous year's race videos from the Gulfstream Stakes. They often got lost in the hours of video until someone would come to pull their attention away. Today, it was Jamie that reeled them back and they all scattered to get packed.

The weather in Kentucky was moderate most of the year and October marked a significant dip in humidity. As the state dried out, the clouds of summer were rarely seen. It was still comfortable to ride all day and the nippy mornings would warm up to low seventies by noon. Nothing about Kentucky made Claire think of bathing suits and pools. But for their three days in Florida, she could think of little else, besides the race.

Claire could feel the hike in humidity and warmer air as they left the airport, making the beach an exciting idea for the afternoon. Jamie put them in a hotel five minutes from the track and right on the ocean. They stopped at the track and checked on Runner to find his mood had not improved. He was restless and paced in his temporary stall. Claire held his face and he let her know he was afraid of this strange place and asked her to race him.

“Yes, that is a good idea Runner, let’s get you ready for the track and take a look around.”

Michael was able to change her exercise time on the track and Jason worked his magic to calm the colt and let him know he wasn’t alone.

“With all your trophies and wins, I forget you’re only two years old Runner, still a baby really. It’s okay to be scared, buddy.”

Jamie and Claire got to their room on the seventh floor and Claire was wide-eyed at the ocean they could see and hear from the French doors. She jumped up and down and threw her arms around Jamie’s neck telling him how perfect this was. When they returned to the track, Jason was waiting with Runner, brushed, picked, and saddled.

Claire started to warm him up and was ready to release him to breeze when the right side rein slipped out of her hand and swung from the bit making the colt scared and ready to bolt. She could not reach his mouth to grab the rein and he wouldn’t stop until another horse suddenly appeared in front of them, then another horse. Two jockeys caught up with him and stopped him. One handed the rein to her and they ponied her back to her groom.

Claire’s grateful smile was hard to resist and both jockeys made her feel better as she thanked them profusely. Runner was asking why she wanted to scare him, telling her he was already scared. While Jason ran to get the second set of reins, Claire held Runner’s head and sang him a song from the top forty. Other horses exercising on the track passed them several times and Runner suddenly lifted his head high tossing Claire onto the dirt track on her bum. He was excitedly repeating “Sham! Sham!”

Jason held the bit and offered Claire a hand to stand up. He couldn’t figure out what was so funny after losing her rein and then getting tossed on her ass, but something surely was. He gave her a leg up and off she went as Michael came up next to Jason.

“You wouldn’t believe what just happened!”

Michael listened to Jason shaking his head. “Let’s hope they have lots of stuff planned for the afternoon that keeps her mind off it. Once she starts over-thinking and decides it could have happened during the race she may never ride again.”

After an hour and a half workout, Claire kissed Runner a dozen times and handed him to Jason. She looked around for Jamie and Michael explained that his new broodmare had an accident while loading for the trip to her new home at the compound. Michael pointed to where he was, and Claire took off running.

“Yes, thank you. My vet is here now so please send the pictures and I’ll call you back.”

Jamie clicked off looking irritated. “Those idiots let my new mare get injured the day we are supposed to pick her up. They were vague about what happened but they’re sending pictures of her wound in just a minute. Claire got up and kissed him on the lips and then rubbed his shoulders until he asked her to look at the pictures.

“That is a cow kick if I’ve ever seen one Jamie.”

The front leg had a gouge in it with loss of hair and tissue. “Can she be transported like that?”

“How long is the trip?”

“Ten hours and Rupert is there already. Should we wait to talk to Rupert, see if there is more we don’t know?”

“Yes.”

As soon as Jamie clicked off Claire grabbed his hand and told him to hurry. It was time for the beach! She raced through the hotel room pulling out her beach clothing which consisted of cut off shorts, a billowy top, a big hat, and flip flops. She pulled at Jamie until her feet were in the warm sand.

Claire spread a blanket and tossed off her clothes as Jamie’s eyes almost popped out of his head.

“Sassenach! Ye look, ye are, I think ye, umm that is a wee suit ye have on there.”

Claire flopped down on the blanket and put her big hat on before patting the blanket next to her. The beach was crowded, and Jamie noticed two guys who smiled at Claire as they walked by. He was in front of them in seconds as they both crashed into his stationary body.

“Ye dinna need to come back this way lads.”

Claire could see Jamie’s muscles bulging and got to her feet to calm him. . The two guys smiled even bigger and Jamie lost his mind pushing her behind him and scowling at the men. By the time the situation was over, and the men were gone, Jamie asked, “Mo chridhe, come with me to swim, aye?” Claire hoped this would alleviate his foul mood.

They waded into the warmest waves Claire ever felt in a large body of water. It was like dropping into a warm, buoyant bath and when they were deep enough, she threw her arms around Jamie’s neck and kissed him feeling his hands slide up and down her body. Claire broke the kiss when she felt the bow behind her neck come loose. Her suit had a single rope that ran through loops on the bottoms and top, holding it to her body. A very clever design that she fell in love with at the store. Now that the rope came loose the suit seemed to float up to the surface of the water.

Jamie’s eyes were big as saucers when he saw her bathing suit floating. Claire grabbed it and tried to figure out how to get it back on, but she was failing miserably. They had gotten quite far from shore so no one could see her naked body under the water, but the two of them together could not get it back on. The horrified look on their faces caught the attention of a ski boat that came up on them with two young couples. They asked if everything was okay and one of the girls could see Claire holding the suit to her under the water.

“I have a suit like that,” she giggled, “I can help.”

The girl jumped into the water and five minutes later Claire had her snug suit back on. She thanked the girl profusely with huge relief and they went on their way. She and Jamie decided it was time to head back to the beach and walked straight through to the hotel. That was quite enough beach activity for one day. With her big shirt, shorts, and big hat back on, Claire still felt naked and couldn’t wait to get more clothes on. Once back in the hotel room they dissolved in laughter until tears ran down their cheeks.

Claire told Jamie bad things happen in three’s, so she was done with any more accidents. Jamie was trying to stop laughing and asked her what she was talking about.

“Well, first my side rein broke and I couldn’t stop Runner until two other jockeys stopped him, then he tossed me into the track and I landed on my butt, then the two idiots at the beach, then losing my suit.”

“What?”

Claire’s head snapped up at the sound in Jamie’s voice.

“I will be back Sassenach. Rest. You have a big race tomorrow.”

Claire watched Jamie disappear and the door close behind him. When he didn’t come right back, she pulled the French doors open to the breeze and filled the giant tub to relax and think about the race.

Jamie paid the taxi driver and ran to Runner’s stall looking for the bridal and broken reins. He almost had a heart attack when Claire told him what happened. He could not find the broken tack until he walked the aisle and saw them in a trash receptacle. He studied the leather and realized it was the clasp that fell apart. He would examine her tack before every ride from now on.

When he held Claire that night he wondered if she was nervous about the race. Maybe she couldn’t sleep. He leaned on one elbow and looked at her face, already lost to her dreams.

Claire ran from the taxi in the pouring rain and found Jason getting Runner ready. She had worked him out earlier that day and he felt really good, calm, and ready. Then the rain ripped the clouds open and it had been pouring steadily since.

Michael joined them and Claire ripped the daily from him to check the odds on Runner.

“What the fuck Michael?”

Sham was favored to win with Angle Light second and Runner third. Michael reminded her that both horses had raced and won in the rain, Runner was yet untested. He had run in the rain while training at the compound but that wouldn’t count today.

“Ah, Claire, could you ask him if he wants to race in the rain? We could pull him if you think he will lag behind the others.”

“Well, I would love to Michael, but that would require a gift that allowed me to talk to animals.”

She left to follow Jason who launched her into the saddle and wished her luck. She looked at Jaime with the smile she reserved just for him. As they were loaded into the gate, Runner was flashing pictures of him beating Sham. They were coming out of number seven in a nine-horse race and Claire told Runner not to lollygag too long. She was green to a wet racetrack just like he was and wanted to use any advantage.

When the gate flew open Runner jumped forward in his race lane once the others were away. He didn’t pick up speed like he always did coming out of the first turn and Claire worried that he was afraid of the rain. He told her he couldn’t see through the rain and he would get hurt running into another horse. She told him to listen to her hands and she would guide him. She took over the race at that point pulling back on the reins which told him to run faster, using direct rein to steer him away from the other horses.

It took several seconds for Runner to see that Claire was guiding him as he saw horses fade to his left and right. He was still behind the pack going into the second turn and Claire was sure he couldn’t win but she pushed for him to place. Runner dug in and covered ground as Claire watched for an opening. He felt a hard rein to his left and moved that direction until he was on the rail and stretching his body to accelerate. When the rain let up a bit he could see Sham in the lead, and his mind closed to everything except catching Sham.

The first- place jockey tried to close in on the rail just as Runner zoomed past him on the left and ran for the finish line. It was close but clearly, Runner won the race. Claire stood in her stirrups and held her crop above her head in the now iconic move the crowds had seen so often. Runner and Claire proved the handicappers wrong and the crowd was blessed with another rocket performance from the horse that couldn’t be beaten.

The reporter from Sports illustrated shot pictures of Claire and Runner throughout the race, including her winning posture and brilliant smile. Midnight Runner was a superstar in his opinion, and he was about to rock their world.

The rain had stopped just in time for the winner’s circle picture and Claire jumped off the colt and kissed Jamie. Before they were off the track, she ran to catch up with Runner and made Jason stop. She held his face and thanked him for trusting her. Like magic, a hole in the clouds opened up and rays of sunshine hit them like a directed beam of light. Runner felt the warmth and dropped his head so Claire could press her cheek against him.

“Thank you, Runner.”

All the spectators that had gathered to congratulate her were politely quiet for their moment together, but once Runner was led away, they clapped and yelled questions. Later when they all emerged to go back to the hotel, William Nock was waiting for them outside. He walked up to Claire and smiled like a proud member of her family, which she did not have. It made the hair on her neck stand up and she felt a connection to Nock she couldn’t explain.

“You ran a good race, Claire. I saw you take over and lead him. How did you know he needed that today, you’ve never done that before?”

“He told me he couldn’t see; he couldn’t break out.”

“Well, I’m glad he had that kind of faith in you. I’m glad he told you in time. Congratulations.”

Claire stared after Nock with eyebrows raised. Did he actually believe her?

When they were back in Kentucky, Claire laid in Jamie’s bed, exhausted but very happy about the race. Runner would have a three-day break before he was saddled again, which meant rest time for her too. She felt relief right down to her bones. When she felt Jamie get into bed, she was fighting to keep her eyes open for him. He saw her exhaustion and held her as she lost the battle and drifted away to sleep.

Jamie held Claire against him and kept his body still so her slumber would go too deep to notice any movement. The sexless weekend left him wanting her, but it also heightened his need to protect her. He thought about how much her life had changed since he called her in that day to help Runner find his inner horse. She was still the sweet girl he had always known but now she was a competitor with an iron will to win. Aside from providing medical service to his yearlings, she had no interest in riding them to glory as she did Runner. She would not pursue riding once Runner was done racing. So putting her practice on hold, and devoting her time to racing was all to get Runner as far along the road to the Derby as possible because it would help him, Jamie.

He tried to have her faith in Runner, but he never expected them to get this far undefeated. Every time they won it took him a full minute to wrap his head around the truth of it. If she made it to the super-six, millions of people would see him run. After that, he expected Runner to be too exhausted to keep winning because the races were harder and closer together. He would encourage her to quit when he started losing. By that time his one in a million horse would have blessed his future with prosperity and he would pull him from the track.

“Rest sweetheart and feel my love and gratitude for what ye’ve done.”

When the next race approached, Runner could feel a change in the energy. His mood got cranky and he stuck his nose in the corner of his stall, refusing to interact with Jason. When Claire was told about his mood, she walked into his stall with new 8X10 glossy pictures and taped them to the back wall. Runner snorted and pawed at his bedding. He sent flashing pictures of beating them all as Claire told him who was favored to win. The next day Jason found the pictures on the floor of his stall, ripped and trampled on. He left the tattered pile for Claire to see.

Runner’s daily workouts were a dream come true as he was gaining experience with all levels of running, his legs were sound, and even with regular racing, he had gained weight on Michael’s feeding regimen. Claire and Jamie took both Runner and Porcelain into the field each day for a period of low-stress grass munching and flirting. It was one of the ways they kept him calm between races.

Claire had provoked Runner with new pictures of the horses he would run against. By transport day he was practically bouncing with energy and kept asking everyone to race him although only Claire heard this. Jamie suggested that Jason hang on tightly going up the ramp and thank goodness he did because Jason could barely keep his feet underneath him.

“What the hec got into him? Did you see the way he ran up the ramp Jamie?”

“Yeah, Claire’s been taunting him with the horses in the race tomorrow, now he can’t wait to beat em.”

“Claire taunts him? Interesting. How?”

“Well, it starts with the pictures, then she tells him what the odds are for win, place, and show, but that only works when he isn’t favored to win. Otherwise, she skips that part and just tells him they are gonna beat him. It makes him a little nuts.”

Jason stopped walking and stared at Jamie, squinting one eye closed like he was waiting for the rest of it.”

Jamie turned around when he didn’t sense Jason next to him, “come on.”

“Do you have any idea what you just said?”

“I’m not daft if that’s what you mean.”

“Jamie, you just said Claire tells Runner the odds, who’s favored to win, like he understands her.”

“This isn’t a conversation for the weak, Jason. Forget I said anything.”

“Will you please stop a minute? You are the most honest and level headed man I know. Suppose you tell me when you left your sane mind and started believing Claire can talk to horses?”

“The first day I met her, two years ago, when she cut that colt out of his dead dam and saved most of my horses from a mass poisoning. You watched the race two weeks ago, ye saw her take the reins and move the colt around the track. Ye know why she did that? He told her he couldn’t see through the rain and didn’t want to get hurt.”

Jason shook his head like Jamie was talking crazy. He still wasn’t moving, and Jamie turned around again and walked back to him.

“Claire has never jockeyed a horse until the day she climbed on Runner, about four months ago. She is the first and only person to ride him, although she was terrified of racing, he told her it would be fun and she would be a winner on him. He also tells her when to tuck, and when to hold his mane. She’s a complete novice, never uses the whip, but uses psychology to motivate him. Do you think that is possible if she isn’t talking and listening to him?”

“Yes, because she doesn’t talk to horses, Jamie.”

“C’mon kid, now we’re late.”

Jason stared at Jamie all the way home, just like he suspected he would. A seed was planted in Jason’s mind and he would watch Claire and Runner together, looking for obvious communication. They had two prep races before winter break and if she kept winning, she would enter the super-six in the spring. She only needed one win and he would pull her off the colt and burn her silks, thanking God she was healthy and unharmed. If Jason truly understood her it might help when things got crazy after the break.

Claire looked out the window of the taxi at the famous Santa Anita Racetrack. She was so excited when she saw the track and imagined running this thrilling race in the morning. Michael caught up to them and Claire grabbed the racing program from under his arm smacking the publication and announcing Runner was favored to win. That was the very best welcome to California.

Runner was excited, she could feel him ready to explode and she calmed him by insisting he save that energy to win the race. Every horse that passed them during exercise he flashed images of beating them and Claire laughed. “It’s a good thing you’re only two years old buddy, it’s pretty easy to psych you out!”

Jason watched them breeze and watched Claire laughing and yelling at Runner. He decided that must be interpreted as communication to Jamie and shook his head. After the usual dozen kisses on his face, Claire released the colt to Jason.

“Jason dearest, could you use the heavy blanket tonight. He got cold last night and hardly slept. Thank you, sweetheart.”

Jason watched her jump into Jamie’s arms where he held her, feet dangling in the air. He looked at Runner and apologized for the oversight with the blanket, then decided he was losing his mind.

It was a beautiful day to race and Runner looked ready. Jamie was pulling on reins, bridal clasps, and the girth, testing the tack until Claire took it out of his hands. Everyone was excited as owners, trainers and jockeys prepared for the race.

Claire was ponied out to the gate and loaded into third position in a ten- horse race. She was so ready to do this and told Runner he was running his own race, like always.

When the gate slammed open, Runner was out of the gate within seconds of the other horses and showed the crowd how he could gallop like he was in a parade. Claire giggled to herself wondering how pissed people were getting for betting on him to win. She had to correct his lead in the first turn, but he recovered the time lost when he stretched his body and leaped from stride to stride. He was slightly right of the middle passing horses left and right because he had something to prove today, he had to beat them all. Claire was getting nervous because Runner couldn’t catch up to the lead horses. He ran in fourth position for a quarter-mile and Claire finally pulled back on the reins, the signal to speed up. She almost shot right out of the saddle when he turned on the power and passed every horse on the outside, winning the race by three lengths.

“Jesus Christ almighty you crazy horse! Runner you almost gave me a heart attack! Once for running slow, the other for running so fast.” Claire could feel him slowing a bit and figured he was done flaunting his win and started to pull him back. When she came around the turn, she saw Jamie. Michael and Jason, all smiling and waving. Claire pointed her crop at them and thrilled them with her winner’s smile.

Claire would not let the track pony lead her to the winner's circle until she heard the man calling the race to announce them as the winner. Somehow, she missed it the first time.

“The winner of the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile is Midnight Runner, second place Sham, third place, All The Money.”

“Okay, we can go now sir.”

The handler looked up sharply at Claire and saw the honest happiness in her face. It was suddenly his pleasure to pony her to the winner’s circle and once there he wished her luck in future races.

Later, when they were preparing Runner for transport Claire thanked Jason for using the heavier blanket the night before. He was first to the stall each day and last to leave so no one could have seen which blanket he used. So how did she know?

When they arrived back at the compound late that evening Claire was happy for a few weeks off. They only had one race in November, at the end of the month. After that, they would winter at the compound and come back strong in the spring for the Super-Six. Michael made the decision to halt all training for three months and let Runner eat, rest, and put on weight. He presented the research to support his decision and Jamie and Claire agreed. The last prep race was at Churchill Downs. After that Jason and Michael would fly home for Christmas and Claire and Jamie would spend the Holiday together.

Claire cooked and baked daily after the morning exercise with Runner, and Jamie was in food heaven. His mouth would start to water as soon as he was out of the truck. Being together meant long walks in the Kentucky afternoon with both horses following, and talks about philosophy, destiny, and the path they were on.

They were walking back to the compound with two sleepy horses when Jamie asked Claire about the day of the poisoning.

“Ye had to touch my shoulder lass and threatened not to help me if I wouldn’t let ye. What was that all about? What did ye see when ye touched me?”

“I felt your despair…so deep I feared I would fall into it and never come out. A sorrow so sad it laid waste to the landscape of your soul. I felt the same sadness when I lost my parents and I was afraid of it because it knew me and might pull me in again. It was hard for me to get away from it but after, I knew for sure you were telling the truth.”

“Do you ever listen to my thoughts Sassenach, without me knowin?”

“Certainly not Jamie.”

“I wouldn’t mind, ye have my permission. If ye ever lose faith in me, before ye judge me please look at my thoughts. Okay, lass?”

Jamie stopped and turned his crystal blue eyes on his love. Whenever he looked directly at her she knew he could see right into her soul and the tears stung behind her eyes.

“Of course, I promise. Partly because you’re so cute, but more because I can’t live without you anymore.” The second half of her sentence was almost a shy whisper that yanked the heart out of Jamie’s chest and spun it around a few times. He kissed her until Runner gave him a nudge to keep going, it was dinner time.