THOROUGHBRED 63 STARSTRUCK

Can a fan's love go too far?Christina is thrilled by Wonder's Star's recent wins on the track, but with Star's success comes some very strange and very creepy activity around the farm. First, someone breaks into the Whitebrook barn. Though physically unharmed, a jittery Star compels Christina to fly home abruptly from New York. Luckily, Christina's new friend Jessie is there to support her.For safety's sake, Christina is forced to move her renowned horse after the breakin. But when trouble follows Star to Whisperwood and then to Tall Oaks, she begins to fear for Star's wellbeing . . . and for her own. Christina may be left with only one option: to move Star to Townsend Acres, where the security is excellent, but where her nemesis, Brad Townsend, is surely up to no good. . .Ages 8+

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

Thoroughbred #63: Starstruck

Chapter One

"Come on, Firewall," Christina Reese urged through gritted teeth. The teenaged jockey crouched over the bay Thoroughbred's shoulders, her eyes focused forward on the rumps of the horses ahead of them on the Saratoga racecourse. The colt could barely handle the August heat on the New York racetrack. Firewall's muscles bunched and strained as he ran, his sweat-slicked neck dampening the reins Christina gripped as she encouraged him to try harder. The crop Firewall's trainer had handed her in the viewing paddock hung from Christina's wrist, unused.

Christina knew that whipping the horse wouldn't get any more speed out of him. He was running his hardest, but it wasn't going to be enough. Ahead of them, seven much faster horses were crossing the finish line.

When they finally galloped past the grandstand, Christina settled her weight onto the tiny racing saddle and pulled Firewall into a tight circle. The exhausted colt slowed willingly, and as soon as he stopped, she hopped from his back and patted his sweat-glistened shoulder. The colt's sides heaved and his muscles quivered from the exertion of the race.

"You tried your best, boy," she murmured, gently rubbing his poll. The young racehorse stood quietly, his head lowered and his breathing labored. Christina glanced around and saw the colt's handler striding across the track to meet them.

"Tough luck out there," the groom commented, taking the reins from Christina. He eyed the exhausted colt and shook his head. "He was just outclassed."

"Yeah," Christina said with obvious disappointment, unbuckling the saddle and slipping it from the colt's back. "But he gave it everything he had." She watched the handler lead the horse down the track, shaking her head. Nothing like coming in dead last, Reese, she told herself as she pulled her helmet from her head. What a great way for a Belmont-winning jockey to show her skills.

Christina headed toward the backside but paused at the winner's circle to offer a smile and a thumbs-up to Tommy Turner. The winning jockey was posing for a photo with the owners of his mount. Tommy's grin broadened when he saw Christina, and he gave a nod in her direction.

Christina could hardly believe that it had been just a year and a half since Tommy had helped her get her jockey's permit. Since then she'd done nothing but work to improve her skills as a jockey. She had quickly won the thirty races she needed to get her license, losing the asterisk that had marked her as an apprentice jockey, or "bug," on the racing programs. The highlight of her career had been winning the Belmont, the third jewel of the Triple Crown, on her amazing colt, Wonder's Star.

Christina had thought winning such a prestigious race would make her life better, but instead it only seemed to have increased the pressure she was under as a jockey. Owners expected that she could climb onto any old horse and bring it in for a win. Firewall had been a classic example—the three-year-old had been on the track four times and had yet to so much as show in a race.

"It isn't like I could run for him," Christina muttered to herself. She sighed as she left the track and headed for the jockeys' lounge. She didn't have any more rides scheduled for the afternoon's program, and she was looking forward to a soothing shower before she met with Firewall's owners to review the race.

When she walked through the doors of the lounge, she saw her cousin, Melanie Graham, dressed in Dreamflight Stables' silks.

The petite blonde wrinkled her nose at Christina. "Maybe you'd better be a little pickier about the horses you race," she said, rolling her eyes. "I've seen plow horses move faster than that snail you were on."

Christina pressed her lips into a thin line. "Thanks for stating the obvious," she said dryly. "But the owner is a friend of Ben and Cindy's, so I took the ride as a favor to them."

Melanie chuckled. "Ben al-Rihani may own Tall Oaks Farm, but that doesn't mean his friends know anything about racehorses."

Christina pulled out the band that held her long hair back and shook her red-brown tresses loose. "According to Cindy, the owners are very nice people, but they'd never been involved in racing until they bought Firewall," she said patiently, despite Melanie's sarcasm. Cindy McLean, a retired jockey and now head trainer at Tall Oaks, was a close friend of the Reese family.

"So they didn't have a clue when they bought that colt," Melanie concluded, shaking her head.

Christina nodded. "But I promised them I'd do my best with him, even though his recorded works just about guaranteed a lousy showing."

Melanie raised her eyebrows. "So you went out there ready to lose?"

Christina looked her cousin squarely in the eyes. "No," she said firmly. "I went into the race hoping I could use what I know as a jockey to help that colt run better."

Excerpted from Starstruck by Joanna Campbell
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.