The Black Stallion

Miss Elsie. Strides quickened like unleashed springs and still in one line they went for the first turn. No colt gave way, and Tom knew from his vantage point behind that never would there be another fight like this for a first turn. Every driver in the field had decided to make a desperate bid to obtain the lead at the beginning of this race.
    Tom's heart stilled during the fight for the turn. He could do nothing but keep Bonfire's nose close to Miss Elsie's back, hoping desperately that her black filly would reach the turn first… for he would then be directly behind her, and ready to make his move for the lead.
    Suddenly there was a break in the long line across the track and the drivers drove their horses closer to the rail. Only Silver Knight and Frank Lunceford's chestnut colt came on to match strides with Princess Guy; the others moved over toward Tom.
    Sweeping into the turn, Princess Guy, Silver Knight and Victory Boy strode as a team, stride for stride, wheel to wheel.
    Tom kept his position directly behind Miss Elsie, but racing alongside Bonfire now were three other colts. And behind them came the third tier of the last three horses.
    There was no slackening of stride by any colt in the race. They were making one constant bid, and Tom knew this speed was much too fast for so early in the race. But no driver slowed his colt. Spinning wheels were but inches away from one another. O'Neil and Lunceford were trying to force Miss Elsie closer to the rail to save themselves ground going around the turn. But she held firm. The drivers on Tom's right were forcing him, too. But he held his position right behind Miss Elsie.
    Coming off the turn, they entered the backstretch. Princess Guy was moving effortlessly, her hoofs hardly touching the ground in her graceful flight. Tom knew she was flying, for Bonfire was moving faster than ever to keep up with her. Surely the filly would now pull away from the heavy-footed gray colt and the long-limbed chestnut who strode beside her! If the black filly would pull away just a short distance, he'd go along with her to come out from the rail when he was past the gray and chestnut colts, then make his bid with Bonfire to pass Princess Guy.
    But it didn't happen that way at all. For down the back-stretch Silver Knight and Victory Boy matched the filly's long, sweeping stride. No horse or driver gave way—not even those racing alongside Tom.
    They went into the back turn in the very same positions and still fighting. Once more, spinning wheels glistened ever closer as drivers moved over on each other trying to save ground going around the turn. Miss Elsie held. Tom held.
    And at this point in the race, Tom knew two things for certain. One was that he and Miss Elsie had an advantage in that they were close to the rail and taking the shortest route around the track. Two, something had to give soon, for no colts of this age could travel so fast for so long. The killing pace would tell on the colts very soon, and he wasn't even certain that Bonfire had the necessary reserve. Never before had he called upon the colt for a supreme effort; yet very shortly he would ask Bonfire and the colt would give his answer.
    Frank Lunceford went for his whip, coming off the back turn. He made a last desperate effort to get around Silver Knight and Princess Guy. But Victory Boy failed utterly before the ever-quickening strides of the black filly and gray colt, and the golden chestnut began falling back as the field swept down the homestretch for the first time.
    Racing by the standing, crazed people in the grandstand, Miss Elsie opened up her black filly another notch, and now she actually seemed to fly. But Silver Knight had more speed as well, and when Ray O'Neil called for it, the gray colt surged forward with Princess Guy.
    Tom's hands moved on the lines as he too called for more speed. And at the same time he heard the drivers on his right calling to their colts—and some went for their whips.
    Bonfire's muscles gleamed beneath his sweated body, and he responded quickly to Tom's call for more speed. Tom knew then that his colt had no equal. He could feel the power—reserve power—flooding the lines he held. And it was good, knowing there was more to come!
    The blood bay colt went forward with Princess Guy and Silver Knight, leaving the others gradually behind.
    As they swept past the judge's booth, Tom heard the announcer call to the crowd, "Time for the half, one minute flat!" Never had