But he shouldn’t let himself think too much about Pam today, for Henry had told him it affected his riding. Henry was right. When Alec thought of the girl he loved, it was difficult to keep his mind on anything else.

Pam had left Hopeful Farm for Europe over a month ago, leaving behind memories so vivid they would always be a part of him.* But Alec wanted more than that. He wanted to be with her during the Christmas break. This was the last day of the track meeting and he looked forward to a two-week vacation before racing resumed in January. If he could get away from duties at Hopeful Farm, he would fly to Europe if only for a few days. He had named the beautiful filly for Pam as a Christmas present to her.

Alec’s gaze turned once more to the empty stands as he recalled the dark Saturday afternoon in November when Aqueduct was jam-packed with eighty thousand people watching the running of the classic Empire State Handicap. Pam had raced the Black that day—to prove to herself as well as to Henry and the huge throng of fans that she could hold her own with any male jockey in the land.

Later, back at Hopeful Farm, she had said, “Letting me ride the Black was the greatest thing you could have done for anyone.”

Alec remembered his answer. “You’re not just anyone, Pam. I love you.”

“And I love you, Alec. More now than ever because I know what you gave up for me.”

“I don’t want you to go, Pam. I want you to stay. We’ll get married.”

He never doubted her love but it hadn’t been enough to keep her with him. Pam wanted more time to seek out new experiences and challenges, all that life offered one as young as she.

“It’s too soon for both of us,” she had told him with tears welling in her eyes. “I’m not ready for marriage even if you think we are, Alec. And I think too much of marriage not to be ready for it. It’s the greatest challenge I’ll ever know and I want to make it work. I want to have more to give you than I can give you now. Please, Alec,” she pleaded. “I want to stay here with you but don’t let me change my mind. Let me grow up a little more, then we’ll be together always.”

When she’d finished, the tears were falling over her high cheekbones and down her face. Alec had put his arms around her and held her close, feeling emotions that went deeper than any he had ever known.

“I understand, Pam. I’ll wait a while and then come after you.”

“That will be best of all …”

Alec shook his hooded head and wiped the wet snow from his face with a gloved hand. He had to stop thinking of Pam or he might make the riding mistakes Henry predicted. The old trainer had told him repeatedly, “It’s no time to think of Pam or anything but your work, Alec! This is a tough business. Keep your mind on it!”

Racing was no longer a sport but a business to both of them. It had to be with all their farm and racing expenses. But Alec did not like to be shouted at or treated like a boy. He was a man and he knew exactly where he was going and what he had to do. Today’s race, the Merry Christmas Handicap for three-year-old fillies at a distance of six furlongs, only a few hours away, was part of it.

Alec jogged off the infield, heading for the jockeys’ room and the warm whirlpool bath that awaited him.

* The Black Stallion and the Girl

POST TIME!
2

Later that afternoon, with the horses in the paddock for the running of the Merry Christmas Handicap, the public address announcer gave the final weight changes for the race, concluding with “number eight, Pam’s Song, three pounds over.”

Henry Dailey tightened the cinch about the filly’s girth and growled at Alec Ramsay.