The crowd began to scream as the fighting horses came thundering toward them. Sun Raider was surging ahead. Cyclone was falling back—the Black had him! Sun Raider was two lengths in front, his jockey batting away with his whip. The Black started moving up. Now he was a length behind. No whip was being used on him—his jockey was like a small burr lost in the stallion’s thick, black mane.

Hysteria swept the crowd as the horses passed them for the second time—the finish wire only one hundred yards away. “He’ll never get Sun Raider!” yelled the sportscaster. The stallion flashed by the stands, going faster with every magnificent stride. With a sudden spurt he bore down on Sun Raider. For a moment he hesitated as he came alongside. The crowd gasped as the Black’s ears went back and he bared his teeth. There was a movement on his back; his jockey’s hand rose and fell on the stallion’s side for the first time in the race. Into the lead the Black swept, past the cheering thousands—a step, a length, two lengths ahead—then the mighty giant plunged under the wire.

The Black rounded the first turn and had entered the backstretch again before Alec was able to slow him down. He knew that only the pain in the stallion’s leg enabled him to do it then. Finally he brought him to a stop.

Alec forgot the cheering thousands as he slid, exhausted, from the stallion’s back. He bent down to look at the wound. There was so much blood! Alec took his handkerchief and wrapped it around the Black’s leg to try to stop the bleeding. “You shouldn’t have done it, Boy,” he said.

A station wagon roared around the track toward them, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. The Black reared as it pulled up to them. Henry and another man jumped out.

“Is he hurt much?” he asked Alec anxiously. “Here’s the track veterinary—”

“Can’t tell. It’s bleeding pretty bad and I know it’s hurting him!”

The veterinary bent down to examine the wound. Henry went to the wagon and returned carrying a pail of water, sponge and bandage. The veterinary cut off Alec’s handkerchief, which was now covered with blood.

The voices of the clamoring thousands stilled, as they realized what was happening on the track. All eyes were upon the small group.

The veterinary straightened up. “He’s lost a lot of blood, but it’s only a superficial wound. Nothing to worry about. Give him a rest and he’ll be as good as new!”

Alec and Henry looked at each other and their eyes were moist. No word was spoken while the veterinary bandaged the Black’s leg. Then Henry broke the silence. “Well, Alec,” he said, “guess you and the Black did it!”

The veterinary stood up. “Okay,” he said. “And now I think they’re waiting for you over at the winner’s circle.”

As Henry boosted the boy into the saddle, an avalanche of cheers rose from the crowd. The stallion’s ears pricked forward and he looked wildly around. Alec patted him on the neck. For the first time he realized that the race was over, that they had won. “You did it, Boy,” he said proudly. “You did it!” The blood raced through his veins and his heart pounded against his ribs as the crowd cheered them on their way back. The stallion reared as they approached the grandstand.