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    One Eyed Jack
    One Eyed Jack
    One Eyed Jack
    Ebook150 pages2 hours

    One Eyed Jack

    By Tom Leftwich

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    About this ebook

    He’s closing fast,a length, a neck,a head Bang! He won! In a photo! There’s nothing likeit! Join with me the feel of winning a horse race You root , yell, scream and jump as your horse moves to the front and what a feeling of joy. You helped him every step of the way. A thrill a minute at the race track combined with a love story between two unlikely people that share the common bond of love for race horses. An honest young woman hires a crooked low class trainer to train her One Eyed race horse. It’s a 100 to1 bet that it won’t work out , but someone else was pulling the strings. Join this ol’Peanut Butter horse trainer as he takes the young ladies Horse farm to the pinnacle of success using skills training cheap horses for lower class Races while competing with the best and crookest of trainers. Share with me the disappointment and super joy that everyone associated with race horses experiences. Place your Bets , but not the Farm! And hope your horse comes outta the gate. One of mine didn’t
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLulu.com
    Release dateAug 20, 2020
    ISBN9781716640063
    One Eyed Jack

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      Book preview

      One Eyed Jack - Tom Leftwich

      photo

      CHAPTER  1 Old Man Lyle Peanut Butter Trainer 

      Yeah, I’m Cy Hayworth the horse trainer, whatta you want? This impatient question coming from a well dressed middle aged race horse trainer at the Aqueduct Race track In New York. A pretty lady of Thirty or so answered, I’m Sue Conway and Mister Hayworth I was referred to you as the top Trainer in the country. My Grandfather was Charlie Conway , owner of the Kentucky Conway Ranch. He recently passed and I promised him that I would grant him his dying wish. To have his horse One Eyed Jack trained and given a chance to run on the track. Would you take him in your Stable ?

      Cy exclaimed, Miss Conway , I‘m sorry to hear about Charlie , but I already told him a year ago that I wouldn’t take on a handicapped race horse.  It’s too tough winning with one that’s a hundred percent. One Eyed Jack is a gelding at that and really has very little value for anyone. I know he comes from a very impressive line of Champions, but Ma’am a blind horse is dog feed. No, I have no room for him or the training headaches he represents. You won’t find a trainer here that would take him on, but you might try ol’man Lyle down at Bowie or one of the other cheap tracks. I don’t know where he is at the moment, but check the Racing Form . He’s gotta horse running somewhere .Look for Bud Lyle in the losing trainers section. He could maybe stick your horse in a cheap claimer.

      Sue thanked him for his advice and penciled the Bud Lyle name in her calendar pad. Disappointed once again, she had already contacted twenty trainers and received their refusal. Thinking, Well I’ve got a lead on one anyway, I’ll find this ol’man Lyle. Maybe I can convince him to at least help me out a little. Grand Pa’s death was a real disaster , but I’m glad it brought things out in the open for me and Brian. Tears filled her eyes as she boarded a bus to Baltimore and later ran over all the late issues and heartbreaks she had gone through.

      When she married Brian, she realized she was too young. Old enough in years but too young in experience and she never saw through his deception. He had used a young naive girl to further his own ends and feather his nest with ownership of the very successful Kentucky thoroughbred Conway Farm. Sue’s whole life had been spent around race horses and having ridden from the time she could sit on a horse, her dreams were filled with becoming a Jockey and beyond that she wanted a family. Brian had destroyed her dreams and in addition to that he had taken over management of the Farm and now it was in almost hopeless financial trouble with a mortgage requiring drastic reduction of livestock. It was this condition that had her looking for a trainer for One Eyed Jack, dreaming and hoping that he could be trained for racing and help get her out of trouble.

      Fortunately, Grand Pa had made a living Will, but had stipulated that full ownership of his Ranch and horse raising business was to go to Sue alone. There would be no other inheritors.  Brian, her husband was livid. He had worked as an administrator of personnel and felt that he was going to be named in the will as a co- owner. Grand Pa had nixed that idea, because he had known of Brian’s unfaithfulness to Sue. She was his only blood line relative. Her Mom and Dad were killed in a car wreck when she was ten and  Grand Pa raised her. Brian divorced her before Grand Pa died and could not attach any part of the Ranch. Sue gave him their town house and automobile as settlement during their divorce .Brian was agreeable to the divorce ; he wanted nothing to do with the almost certain bankrupt facing the farm and felt he should get out while he could with as much as possible. The Farm was laboring under a huge mortgage.

        Fortunately they had no children , although Sue had wanted a family. She had given up her dream of children and riding race horses when Brian ridiculed her. A great weight had lifted from her shoulders now and she gave all of her time and energy to  Grand Pa’s Race horses. She had a two man crew to handle most everything, but brought in a weekly service to clean the Stables. Sue herself had made these changes and the  Kentucky Conway Ranch was now operating with a much reduced population, but in the black without a ten man crew and pretty Secretary for Brian. Grand Pa’s stallions were top of the line and were In  demand from breeders around the world.

      Reflecting on her past, she dozed off. Her open purse fell off her seat and a white haired bearded down at the heels looking ol’man grabbed it from the floor and dumped everything in the aisle. Sue awoke with a start to see this apparition stealing her purse, she exclaimed, No! you Thief, Gimme my purse!

      The man quickly handed it to her , saying, I’m sorry , I tried to pick it up for you. Ma’am , I wasn’t trying to steal it. With the other passengers all turned looking Sue stood up and said, . I’m sorry I though you were taking it. I fell asleep. I’m sorry. The man said. Let me help.  As he began picking up her contents. With hand fulls he helped her get everything . As he picked up her purse calendar,  He exclaimed, I’ll be damned! Where’d you get this? Sue at a loss said,  the Drug store I think. Why?’ He said, No not the damned Calendar! My name lady! That’s my name . I’m Bud Lyle."

      Sue said, This is unreal. I’m sorry, I’ve gotta be dreaming. I’ve been under a lotta stress lately Your name is really Bud Lyle?  Bud replied , Yes it is . where did you get it? Sue asked , Are you a horse trainer? I got the name from Cy Hayworth at Aqueduct . I was looking for the trainer ol’man Lyle. His name is Bud Lyle. It’s quite a coincidence  that you would have that same name. Bud replied, Yeah, it’s hell of a coincidence ain’t it. That Bastard Hayworth just stole my last horse in a damn Claimer. It was supposed to be an Allowance, but some body managed to shift things around. Yeah I’m a horse trainer Ma’am, but right now I’m outta horses. Buckley’s Boy was my only horse and that Bastard slapped a Claim on him yesterday. I gotta good price and the Purse was good , but I need a pay day horse. They don’t come around that often. That Bastard’s just trying to rub it in telling anyone to come look me up for training their horse. Whatta you got? 

      Sue said  Mister Lyle , it’s a miracle that we ran into each other on this Greyhound bus, but from your attitude, I don’t think we can  do business. Bud said. Ain’t no miracle lady, this bus runs between Bowie and Aqueduct every day. I’m sorry if you don’t like my attitude, but you don’t know what I’ve had to go through over the years with that Son of a B. This is the last straw. Ok , who are you and whatta you lookin for? If I can’t help you maybe I know someone who can.

      Sue was hesitant to talk further, but said,  I own the Kentucky Conway Farm. I’m sure you’ve heard of my Grand Pa Charlie. He passed away last year and I’m running things now. He bred some of the finest Racehorses in Kentucky.  A foal was born from that Leota Mare and sired by Hoover Jack . Grand Pa fell in love with the little colt , but it broke his heart when the colt lost an eye. My ex husband took it upon himself to have the colt gelded. Grand Pa had a heart attack when arguing with my husband about doing such a stupid act. I promised him on his death bed that I would see to it that One Eye would get an opportunity to run on the Race track. His conformation is fantastic and now as a two year old ,I’m obligated to put him in training. I just need to find a trainer that is willing to handle a one eyed horse. I’ve heard of others that raced. Yes mister Ol’man Lyle, I’d love to find a trainer. You’re not really that old are you? Why the white hair and beard. You remind me of Colonel Sanders.

      Bud replied, I’ve always had white hair. The beard covers some ugly burn scars that I don’t wanna explain to every Tom Dick and Harry. Yeah I’ll be forty six this year, but ol’man Lyles is what everyone knows me by. I owned a one eyed mare years ago. They take a lotta special handling to begin with , but come around to be just like any other horse. Mostly it’s being sure you let them know you’re on their blind side  or you won’t need a reminder. As they get older  they aren’t as boogared by stuff. Which eye is blind Mrs Conway?

      Sue replied, It’s the right eye and he’ll kick at you if you walk up on him on that side.

      Bud said, Mrs Conway, I’m sorry about my attitude earlier, but your horse interests me. You say he’s the son of Hoover Jack and out of a Leota mare. Ma’am, that is a hell of a combination. Have you tried to sell him? Sue replied . Yes, as a long yearling but no takers. Keenland won’t touch him. Besides, he’s not for sale until Grand Pa’s wish is granted.  Bud said, Ok , let’s start over. Yes, I’m ol’man Lyles and if it’s ok with you , I’ll wrap things up here at Bowie and get out your way to see Jack.  Are you interested or do you want me to get outta your hair. I do know a few trainers that might be interested.

      Sue replied , If you can clean up your language, I’ll overlook the Old Man thing.  The fact that we ran into each other is a miracle in itself. Maybe this is the beginning of a good thing. I’ll give you my number. Come on out as soon as you can.

      Two weeks later Ol’man Lyles showed up in Kentucky at the Conway Ranch; only this time he had a haircut trimmed beard and clean clothes. He didn’t resemble his name. Sue was totally shocked and surprised when the clean looking and well dressed Bud entered her office, she exclaimed, Lord , Mister Lyle you have changed! I had no idea it was you when Charlie yelled I had a visitor. I was expecting the Waste disposal folks. Bud laughed  and said,  Don’t be too hasty. I’ve been referred to in that manner before. Mrs Conway, I’m here with my suitcase and I can bunk with your crew.

      Sue replied , No Bud I’m not Mrs Conway. I’m actually Sue Conway Miles divorced. My Conway name carries  Racing Thoroughbred respect and I intend to keep it that way. Your quarters and office are next to the Tackle and equipment shop.  Gimme a minute , and I’ll introduce you and show you around.

      Later after looking over the Ranch, Bud replied, If it’s Ok ,I’ll call you Sue. I’m not too good at formalities and Sue , if I take the job, I’ll still want to run a few horses and stable some here . I have a new apprentice Jockey and a stable hand that’s been with me a long time. They’ll earn their keep helping me. The crew bunk house will be great for them. If we can work something out, this would be great. I’d like to get closer to your horses and meet this One Eyed Jack. Can you bring’em in from pasture? Sue replied, Bud , I’m not sure that I want to stable a bunch of cheap claimers here. This is a horse ranch and not a racing stable. I thought you understood that.

      Bud replied , I thought you understood when you asked me out here that I was a cheap claimer trainer. Sue that has been my life and yes I’m willing to train your horses , but don’t expect me to start wearing riding britches like the upper crust and if I have to make that change , I’ll give you some other names to call and head back to Bowie.

      Sue said, " I guess I don’t really understand racing folks. My Grandfather was just a breeder and seldom got involved with the actual races themselves. I, personally love the racehorses and always dreamed of riding one. You Know , Bud, in spite of our differences and your desires to change the nature of my Ranch, I feel my Grandfather could see this coming especially with a one

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