3
GABRIELA
To the right, there was a shriek so loud, it nearly broke my pre-race trance but I noted it as I’d been practicing in my online mindfulness course, and let it go. I’d find out later my gate neighbor had his leg crushed against the cage so hard by his horse he’d lag behind at the start, leaving me the perfect opening.
Prancer’s stomping footsteps crunched into the warm dirt of the track as we waited for the starting gates to open. This might not be Church Hill Downs, but every time we entered the track to train, it felt like a helium balloon filled my chest. An intense focus descended over me so that when we took off, all I could see was the spot between his ears.
It was as if that special place existed to pinpoint my sight like a rifle scope, and sling shot us both towards t
