“Aidan, why don’t you tell us a bit about your proposal?” Ethan said, interrupting his thoughts. “Harper told us you’d like to stay on and train Phoenix for stakes races. What would that involve?”
He faced the curious gazes at the table. “I’ve trained horses in Ireland for the past decade and won many grade stakes, such as the Irish Derby. Some trainers like to get a horse ready to hit, then move to the next one. I tend to seek out a quality horse for a longer period of time. I think Phoenix is a winner. I’d like to stay on the property and train him for the next six months and see if we can win some races. The road to the Derby is competitive. I’m not sure if he’ll be able to deal with the pressure, or even take to the horse-racing circuit, but I want to try. If that’s what you want.”
His gaze settled on Harper. She was listening intently, meeting his eyes with her own demands, as if trying to probe beneath his surface words for truth. “You really believe after seeing him run just once he’d be able to go to the Kentucky Derby? Isn’t that a bit ambitious?”
“Yes.” He couldn’t help the confident smile that curved his lips. “With that type of speed and the right training, I think I could get him there. He’s the right age. And I don’t take on a horse I don’t one hundred percent believe in. Do you?”
The challenge took her by surprise. She jerked back a little, wet her lips, and came back with her own challenge. “It’s not all about belief. You should know that. I’m more interested in the long game here, and making sure my horse is comfortable and not pushed too hard. What if Phoenix doesn’t take to the training?” she asked bluntly. “Are you going to drop him immediately? Will you make us pay whether or not he runs? How will your contract read?”
“We can negotiate, but if a horse isn’t what I believed, I’m always prepared to walk and void the agreement. We can put in a clause about that. What I don’t do is give up easily, though. Sometimes the best runners have difficult personalities, and they get stuck. They need time to get unstuck. That said, the horse’s needs will always come first.”
Harper lifted her chin and narrowed her gaze. “And if I tell you to do something you don’t believe is good for the horse?”
His lips firmed. “I don’t do it. The horse’s welfare always comes first. No exceptions.”
She nodded, her face softening. “Good.”
“What would you need from us?” Ethan asked. “Money? Time? Marketing? We’ve never been in this position before. We’ve been strictly a rescue organization.”
“I understand. In my eyes, that’s a benefit, because you’ll be open to my training and not question my every move.”
Harper snorted. “Believe me, I’ll be watching your every move, Irish.”
He flashed a grin. “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t. Gotta keep me honest.”
“Are you?”
“Am I what?” he asked.
“Honest?”
A chill skated through him. He reached deep and told her the only truth he lived by. “‘Truth speaks even though the tongue were dead.’”
Ophelia slowly nodded. “Yes, truth will always rise, even beyond the lies. I believe that, too.”
His gut clenched, but he ignored the reaction and squared his shoulders. Best to return the conversation to racing and away from his past. “I’ll map out the extensive schedule of training and races we want to enter him in. I’ll work with him every day. I require room and board and a small daily living expense. The big money comes with a percentage on any wins Phoenix has.”
Mia wrinkled her nose. “I’m really sorry, but would you be able to clarify the process for me? I’m good at betting on horses, but that’s where my talent stops.”
Aidan smiled. “Of course. I think it’s important everyone here knows how this works. First off, in order to qualify for the Derby, a horse needs to accumulate points throughout the racing season. The season kicks off in May, but we’ll begin racing Phoenix in August. Depending on the race and the stakes, first, second, and third place earn a certain number of points. They tally them up, and if Phoenix’s total puts him at a high-enough ranking, we can enter him into the Derby.”
Mia nodded. “Makes sense.”
He held up his hand and began ticking off bullet points with his fingers. “Since Phoenix is young and has no real racing history, we’ll begin by training him for a stakes race. There are grades one, two, and three races, with one earning the most recognition and money. I’d like to start Phoenix off with two lower-grade races at Saratoga. It’s an important track and not too far from here. If he does well with those, it will allow us to enter him in higher-grade stakes and compete against a field we’ll likely see for the Triple Crown.”
“What are the bigger races?” Mia asked.
“There are a few. There’s the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, the American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park, and the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. I’d plan to skip the first two and target the Champagne at Belmont, which takes place in October. Again, we’d avoid having to force Phoenix to travel far, which can be a bit stressful in the beginning of a racing career. After that, we’d shoot for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. That goes off in November. It’s a huge race and racks up a number of points for the Derby. It’s quite difficult to get in to compete, though—a horse must win or place in a grade-two or -three stakes race.”
“If he wins either the Champagne or the Breeders’ Cup, will he qualify for the Derby?” Mia asked.
“We’d have a damn good chance,” Aidan said with a smile. “If he happens to win the Champagne Stakes, we get a ticket straight to the Breeders’ Cup, which is an amazing feat and would allow us to use the winter to rest him and continue light training until the spring. Then there’re a few big races held right before the Derby. I’d focus on the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack next April—again, it’s local and a perfect time for him to compete. If he does well there, we’d get the opportunity to run in the Derby. Does that make better sense?”
“Yes. And let’s say he wins the Derby. What happens next?”
“After the Derby, there are two more races to complete the Triple Crown. The Preakness, which is held at Pimlico in Maryland, and the Belmont, which is held in New York. If a horse wins all three, he’s a Triple Crown Winner and goes down in history.”
“A good goal to have,” Mia said seriously. With that level of focus, it was easy to recognize that she was an ambitious, assertive businesswoman who’d achieved success in a competitive industry.
“Playing devil’s advocate, what if he struggles in some of these important fall races?” Kyle asked curiously.
“We can still have a shot in the spring if he wins some of the big stakes races, but if he’s been doing poorly all fall and I’ve run out of options, I doubt we’d decide to continue. At that point, we can end the contract if both parties agree. Again, I’m negotiable on clauses and terms.”
“How much will this cost?” Ophelia asked, sharing a glance with Kyle.