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Authors: Bonnie Bryant
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Monk’s first jockey. They won two races together last year.”
“What happened?” Carole asked.
Stephen’s smile faded and he shook his head, lookinggrim. “That was a bad situation. What happened was Monk’s third race. It was a longer one than he’d run in before, and the trainer was a little worried that it might be too much for him. He told Duncan to hold Monk back for most of the race, and let him go only at the end.”
“So Monk could conserve his strength?” Carole asked.
“Right,” Stephen said. “That was before we knew what an all-around great racer Monk really is. But anyway, Duncan decided he knew better than the trainer how the race should be run—he took Monk straight to the lead and kept him there wire to wire.”
“So he won?” Lisa said. “Then what was the problem?”
“The problem was Duncan deliberately went against the trainer’s orders,” Stephen explained. “There was no reason for that kind of performance. Monk could easily have won by running the race the way the trainer wanted. And worse, if he had had just a little less stamina, he might have been so badly tired that he could have injured himself, or dropped back and finished out of the money.”
“So why did Duncan do it?” Carole asked.
“Nobody knows,” Stephen said. “Personally, I think he might have been showing off for someone. He’s not an easy guy to get along with—he’s always trying to start feuds or rivalries with the other jockeys. In any case, the trick with Monk cost him his job with Mr. McLeod—and one of the best mounts of his career.” He shook his head. “I think Mr. McLeod might have forgiven Duncan evenafter what he did if he had just apologized for it. But he wouldn’t. And when Mr. McLeod did fire him, Duncan blew up and went a little crazy. He even threatened Mr. McLeod.”
The Saddle Club exchanged wide-eyed glances.
“He threatened him?” Carole said. “What did he say exactly?”
Stephen shrugged. “I don’t remember exactly. It doesn’t really matter anyway—Duncan is just a blowhard. Deep down he’s not a bad guy, really. He just needs to learn to control his temper.”
At that moment one of the grooms poked his head around the corner and told Stephen that the trainer needed to see him.
“Well, I’ll see you girls later,” Stephen said, turning to follow the groom. “Don’t forget to cheer for me and Monk in the big race.”
“We won’t,” The Saddle Club promised in one voice.
As soon as Stephen was out of sight, Stevie turned to her friends. “See? My revenge theory wasn’t so crazy after all,” she said excitedly. “Duncan must be the one. I’m practically sure of it.”
“But, Stevie,” Carole protested, “you’re also practically sure that Kelly Kennemere did it,
and
that Eddie did it. They can’t all have done it.”
“It had to be Duncan,” Stevie said. “It makes perfect sense. After all, Stephen just said that Duncan threatened Mr. McLeod.”
“He also just said that Duncan would never do anything about his threats,” Lisa reminded her.
Stevie waved that argument aside. “I still think Duncan Gibbs belongs at the top of our suspect list,” she declared.
“Y OU KNOW ,” C AROLE commented a few minutes later, “we’ve been spending so much time trying to solve this mystery—”
“Or
possible
mystery,” Lisa added.
“Okay,
possible
mystery,” Carole said, “that we’ve hardly had time to check out the other horses who’ll be running in the Preakness.”
“True,” Lisa said. “Let’s go see a few of them. I’d love to get pictures of them.”
Stevie shrugged. “Well, all right,” she said a little grudgingly. Then her face brightened. “Actually, who says we can’t do both?” she said. “While we’re looking at the other horses, we can also be keeping a lookout for Duncan Gibbs. And maybe we can talk to people at other stables and try to find out more about him.”
“Okay,” Carole said. “First we
“What happened?” Carole asked.
Stephen’s smile faded and he shook his head, lookinggrim. “That was a bad situation. What happened was Monk’s third race. It was a longer one than he’d run in before, and the trainer was a little worried that it might be too much for him. He told Duncan to hold Monk back for most of the race, and let him go only at the end.”
“So Monk could conserve his strength?” Carole asked.
“Right,” Stephen said. “That was before we knew what an all-around great racer Monk really is. But anyway, Duncan decided he knew better than the trainer how the race should be run—he took Monk straight to the lead and kept him there wire to wire.”
“So he won?” Lisa said. “Then what was the problem?”
“The problem was Duncan deliberately went against the trainer’s orders,” Stephen explained. “There was no reason for that kind of performance. Monk could easily have won by running the race the way the trainer wanted. And worse, if he had had just a little less stamina, he might have been so badly tired that he could have injured himself, or dropped back and finished out of the money.”
“So why did Duncan do it?” Carole asked.
“Nobody knows,” Stephen said. “Personally, I think he might have been showing off for someone. He’s not an easy guy to get along with—he’s always trying to start feuds or rivalries with the other jockeys. In any case, the trick with Monk cost him his job with Mr. McLeod—and one of the best mounts of his career.” He shook his head. “I think Mr. McLeod might have forgiven Duncan evenafter what he did if he had just apologized for it. But he wouldn’t. And when Mr. McLeod did fire him, Duncan blew up and went a little crazy. He even threatened Mr. McLeod.”
The Saddle Club exchanged wide-eyed glances.
“He threatened him?” Carole said. “What did he say exactly?”
Stephen shrugged. “I don’t remember exactly. It doesn’t really matter anyway—Duncan is just a blowhard. Deep down he’s not a bad guy, really. He just needs to learn to control his temper.”
At that moment one of the grooms poked his head around the corner and told Stephen that the trainer needed to see him.
“Well, I’ll see you girls later,” Stephen said, turning to follow the groom. “Don’t forget to cheer for me and Monk in the big race.”
“We won’t,” The Saddle Club promised in one voice.
As soon as Stephen was out of sight, Stevie turned to her friends. “See? My revenge theory wasn’t so crazy after all,” she said excitedly. “Duncan must be the one. I’m practically sure of it.”
“But, Stevie,” Carole protested, “you’re also practically sure that Kelly Kennemere did it,
and
that Eddie did it. They can’t all have done it.”
“It had to be Duncan,” Stevie said. “It makes perfect sense. After all, Stephen just said that Duncan threatened Mr. McLeod.”
“He also just said that Duncan would never do anything about his threats,” Lisa reminded her.
Stevie waved that argument aside. “I still think Duncan Gibbs belongs at the top of our suspect list,” she declared.
“Y OU KNOW ,” C AROLE commented a few minutes later, “we’ve been spending so much time trying to solve this mystery—”
“Or
possible
mystery,” Lisa added.
“Okay,
possible
mystery,” Carole said, “that we’ve hardly had time to check out the other horses who’ll be running in the Preakness.”
“True,” Lisa said. “Let’s go see a few of them. I’d love to get pictures of them.”
Stevie shrugged. “Well, all right,” she said a little grudgingly. Then her face brightened. “Actually, who says we can’t do both?” she said. “While we’re looking at the other horses, we can also be keeping a lookout for Duncan Gibbs. And maybe we can talk to people at other stables and try to find out more about him.”
“Okay,” Carole said. “First we
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