Thunderhead - Son of Flicka Page #4

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to buy a couple of brood mares.

Rob, that's wonderful,

but do we have to buy them right now?

Well, we ought to... Why?

- What's on your mind?

- Oh... nothing.

Just a minute, young lady.

What are you up to?

Come on. Out with it!

- Hello, Dad.

- Ken. When did you get here?

- This morning. I took the bus.

- You look snappy in that uniform. Let's see it.

Corporal McLaughlin reporting, sir.

- Corporal. So you got your stripes.

- Yes, sir. And that's not all.

Here.

- Oh. A report card.

- Go on. Look at it.

"Mathematics, 92."

"Latin, 94. Composition, 100."

- Aren't you proud?

- Proud? I'm dumbfounded!

This is wonderful, Ken.

Why all this sudden thirst for knowledge?

- Well... Well...

- Go on. Go on, tell him.

Well, Dad, I thought

if I made good in school,

you might lend me the money

to enter the Multnomah County races.

Races? Here we go again.

Mr Sargent said he'd fix it

so I'd be able to ride in the race myself.

- You can't depend on that horse.

- He's all right now. He's just fine.

- He might win.

- He will.

- If he does it'll mean $5,000.

- Just think what we could do with that.

It would help put Ken through college

and you could fix up the ranch.

Nell, I'd like to see that horse run

as much as anybody.

But with incidentals and everything,

it would cost $500.

It's not that $500 would break us, but the way

things are now, I can't afford to take the risk.

- Yes, Dad...

- I'm sorry, son. Maybe next year.

OK, sir. It was just an idea.

Rob, he's been counting on it.

He's worked so hard.

- What's that?

- Just ajockey shirt.

Ajockey shirt?

- "The Goose Bar"?

- I thought Ken might like it.

- What's that you have?

- Oh.

Just some Furness Marble Hoof Lustre. I...

I bought it to shine

Thunderhead's hooves with.

Hoof Lustre.

Jockey shirt.

Guess you got me outnumbered. You win.

- Oh, Rob.

- Dad!

- That does it.

- Ought to. You can see your face in 'em.

Hello, Dad. Thunderhead

looks pretty good, doesn't he?

You don't look so bad yourself.

Check everything?

- Everything.

- I'll have a look. Don't want to do a nosedive.

- I'll be all right.

- Just like riding at Charley Sargent's ranch.

- Jockeys up.

- I guess that means me.

Yup. Jockeys up.

Don't let the crowd bother you,

or the jockeys, either.

- I won't.

- There's not a better horse out there. Or rider.

- Thanks, Dad.

- Good luck, son. We'll be cheering for you.

The horses are coming out

on the track for the sixth race,

the Victory Handicap for three-year-olds,

going one mile.

The purse is $5,000 in added money.

This event was won last year by Iron

Mountain, owned by Mr William Palmer.

The horses are on parade. On the rail

is Tar Cool ridden by Buddy Farnsworth,

Molly R with jockey Connelly is next.

Happy Days is with jockey Clyde Jennings.

Morning Star is number four

with jockey Robert Lloyd.

The milk-white horse is Thunderhead

with owner Ken McLaughlin in the saddle.

There's Ken. Yoo-hoo! Ken!

Storm Warning is number seven,

with jockey Walter Carter.

- What do you think of your son now?

- He looks awfully small down there.

This is no time to start worrying.

He can take care of himself all right.

- Thunderhead looks like a million.

- I'll settle for 5,000.

On the outside is Stepmother,

ridden by jockey Howard Conley.

- Whose is that black?

- That's Fleetway from the Johnson stable.

- He's liable to be a good horse.

- Not as good as Thunderhead, I bet.

Fleetway, the favourite in the race,

is being ridden by Bobby Thomas.

The horses are going into position.

Thunderhead is giving the starter

a bit of trouble.

They're having a difficult time.

Now the horse is settling down. He's quiet.

And Thunderhead is being led into position.

There they go! Thunderhead has refused

to come out of the starting gate.

He's jumping in the air.

Now Thunderhead is going out to the field.

It's Molly R in front by a head.

Swinging Door is second.

Thunderhead is trailing.

Passing the grandstand the first time,

it's Molly R in front by a head.

Fleetway is second,

and Thunderhead is trailing.

Around the first turn.

It's Fleetway taking the lead by one length.

- Molly R is second by a head.

- That's the boy.

Stepmother is fourth by one length.

Morning Star is fifth by a head.

Storm Warning is sixth,

and Thunderhead is trailing far back.

- Into the back stretch...

- Run, you jack rabbit!

Come on, Fleetway! Come on!

- Stepmother is fourth.

- Let him out!

Thunderhead is trailing far back.

Into the back stretch.

Thunderhead is beginning to run.

There goes Thunderhead into contention.

Going down the back stretch.

Come on, son!

Swinging Door is second by a head.

Molly R is third.

Thunderhead is fourth on the outside

by a half-length.

- Come on.

- Stepmother is third.

It's Fleetway in front by a length.

Thunderhead is second.

Molly R is third.

Now it's Fleetway and Thunderhead.

- Come on, Thunder.

- Come on!

Fleetway and Thunderhead,

head and head. Fleetway on the rail.

- Now Thunderhead is taking the lead...

- Stay in there. Stay in there!

You don't see racing like that,

you just dream about it! Come on!

- Stay in there!

- Come on, Thunderhead!

Oh, wait a minute. Something has happened

to Thunderhead. He's stopped.

The field is going past him. It's Fleetway

going across the line to finish the winner!

And Thunderhead is leaping over the fence

into the infield. He's running away.

Doggone you,

you good-for-nothing loco cayuse.

Why did you do it?

Why did you throw that race?

I told you Mom and Dad

were counting on you.

Gus and Tim had money on you.

So did Mr Sargent.

Now you've ruined everything.

Oh, stop it. I don't care if you are sorry.

I'm through. You hear? Good and through.

Thunderhead.

What's the matter with your leg, boy?

Just keep that leg bandaged till you get him

home, then have your own vet look at him.

He's going to come back next year and win.

He's going to win a lot of races.

- He is going to run again, isn't he, Doc?

- A bowed tendon can never be depended on.

- It won't cripple him.

- He'll be good as a saddle horse.

But he'll never be able to put on

that burst of speed a racehorse needs.

I'm afraid Thunderhead's track days

are over, Ken.

Come and get it.

There it is.

- How is he, Gus?

- Coming along, boss.

- Another month, he should be good as new.

- Oh, that's fine.

Say, uh, Gus.

I was talking to Charley Sargent

at the races the other day.

Ja?

He tells me he has quite a lot of work

over at his place.

You know...

- What's the matter?

- It's sagging. Hildy's been swinging again.

- Things have been slack around here.

- She's got it all loose.

Mr Sargent tells me he could use

a couple of good hands at his place.

Hanger needs taking up. Would you

hold up that end just a minute, boss?

I thought maybe you and Tim

might like to go to work for him.

Ja, boss.

You know, with the herd as small as it is now,

I could pretty well handle it myself.

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