As far as I can remember there was only one older horse that was ever able to come back after being retired and that was Citation.”

“That’s your quote, not mine,” Henry said. “I’m not worryin’ about the Black bein’ able to make a comeback, so don’t you worry, either.”

They turned down one of the long shed rows and found the Black’s stall open and waiting for him. As Alec led his horse inside, he heard another reporter say to Henry, “All this doesn’t sound as though you have much confidence in Black Minx winning the Preakness next Saturday.”

“What makes you think I haven’t got much confidence in her?”

“Well, your need for a handicap horse like the Black and a hundred thousand dollars for that new barn.”

“Nothin’ to do with the Black,” Henry said. “The filly will win us all the money we’re going to need to build the barn.”

Alec bent down to remove the Black’s shipping bandages. The lower half of the door was closed and Henry was in the next stall with Napoleon.

“I’m told your filly didn’t have much left after the Derby,” Alec heard the same reporter remark.

Henry snorted. “You ever know a Derby winner who had?” he asked sarcastically.

“I only meant that a different winner could easily turn up in the Preakness.”

“I suppose so,” Henry snapped, coming around to the Black’s stall door. “Why don’t you wait and find out?”

Alec looked up from rolling the leg bandages.

“Now get this and that’s all for today,” Henry told the press. “We got the Black here to give him a crack at comin’ back, and that’s all he’s here for. We’re taking him up and trying him. It’s as simple as that. If he doesn’t come along or takes a lame step he’s through and we ship him home fast. As you can see for yourselves we don’t have to take much weight off him. He’s been outside a lot and running. I got every confidence he’ll race for us. But if he doesn’t we haven’t lost anything because we’d be here anyway with the filly. And we’re not worryin’ about the Black hurting himself in training because he could do that at home running in the fields. That’s all I have to say. Now get on with you and let us get down to work.”

Alec was rubbing the Black’s legs when Henry finally entered the stall and knelt down beside him in the straw.

“Alec, why did you have to do it this way?” the trainer asked sadly. “He hasn’t got a chance in the world of doin’ us or himself any good!”

AGAIN, THE DERBY

4

Alec stopped rubbing the Black’s legs. “Why do you say that, Henry?” he asked. “Haven’t you always wanted him to come back?”

“But not like this.”

“Like what?”

“All the fanfare without a bit of preparation for his return,” Henry answered. “The track handicappers will pack enough weight on him to stop a freight train. They’ll mash him!”

Alec couldn’t help smiling at Henry’s outburst. He turned to the giant stallion who was pulling at the special clover hay Henry had got for him. “Such a poor, weak little horse,” he kidded.

“It’s no time to joke,” the trainer flared.

“I’m sorry, Henry. I only meant that if we think he’s the greatest horse in the world we must expect others to think so as well, and that includes track handicappers. After all, it’s their job to equalize the field by weights, to give every horse in the race a chance to win.” Alec turned to the Black again. “I don’t think he’ll break down under what they assign him in his races.”

“Maybe not,” Henry said gloomily, “but he won’t win any races, either.”

“We don’t have to run him,” Alec reminded the trainer. “If we think he’s being given too much weight to carry, we’ll keep him in the barn.”

“That’s exactly what I mean!” Henry said, stalking to the stall door. “What good will that do him or us? He might better be home.”

Alec bit his lip in sudden anger.