Horse

When Jarret and Lexington meet Gil Patrick, Jarret believes that Lexington will finally be ridden by a jockey worthy of him. Patrick is known for his patient, intuitive, and honorable treatment of his mounts, and for the ferocity with which he challenges opposing jockeys.

After their first workout, Patrick approaches Jarret and demands, “How long?” (270). Jarret realizes he cannot hide Lexington’s condition from a fellow true horseman. The reader is not yet told that Patrick is referring to Lexington’s growing blindness. Jarret has been afraid to inform Ten Broeck, as he fears the news may result in severe injury or even mortal danger to Lexington. Patrick understands. Jarret explains to Patrick that because the race is against the clock, with only pace horses participating, the risks are minimal. Jarret insists that Lexington is as capable as ever, especially because he is in peak physical condition. Patrick concurs, agreeing not to say anything to Ten Broeck for the moment.

Jess worries Lexington’s bone abnormality stemmed from a traumatic injury. Catherine explains that the malformation grew over time, so slowly that Lexington likely felt no pain. Catherine suggests it could have occurred secondary to an imbalance of his cranial bones, but also considers that a bacterial infection could be the culprit. They take a bone sample to send to the Smithsonian’s lab.

Theo joins Catherine and Jess for dinner. Catherine announces, “I know who you are, Number Three” (275). Catherine was an avid polo disciple while a student at Oxford, and she was crushed when Theo quit. Theo directs the conversation away from polo.

As they discuss the inclusion of servants and enslaved persons in 19th-century artworks, Catherine, disagreeing with Theo’s opinions, suggests that not everything has to be about race. Theo isn’t surprised to hear this from a white person, but he does not want to engage further, so he politely excuses himself. Accompanying him to the door, Jess asks if anything’s wrong, but Theo only kisses her goodbye and leaves. When he leaves, Catherine says to Jess, “Hard to say the right thing, these days” (277).

The day of the “Race Against Time,” Jarret notices that the track, usually padded with soil, has been stripped at Ten Broeck’s insistence, creating a flatter plane for optimal speed. Jarret declares the conditions dangerous, but Ten Broeck ignores him, only commenting on the condition of Jarret’s clothing. When the race begins, Jarret watches Lexington struggle to find optimal footing. Lexington’s final time is 7:19:75, besting Lecompte’s 7:26 record. Lexington’s shoes have come loose. Jarret states that he knows Lexington’s feet must be hurting. Ten Broeck blames the shoes, lamenting that Lexington could have been faster.

General Wells changes his mind about snubbing Ten Broeck, gunning for a rematch. Patrick insists Jarret must tell Ten Broeck about Lexington’s worsening eyesight. Patrick believes Ten Broeck will call off the challenge, but Jarret is convinced that Ten Broeck would never call off a race with so much fame and fortune at stake. Jarret believes that Lexington can defeat Lecompte, but he worries that if Ten Broeck knows about Lexington’s blindness, Ten Broeck might compromise Lexington’s safety. Jarret believes his only hope is for Ten Broeck to go on believing that all is well, so Ten Broeck will act in Lexington’s best interests.

On the day of the rematch, Ten Broeck is puzzled by the scarcity of bets on Lecompte. Scott explains that Lecompte is recovering from colic and has been performing below his standard. Lecompte makes a valiant effort in the first heat but Lexington triumphs with a 7:23 winning time. For his safety, General Wells withdraws Lecompte before the second heat. Lexington has become the “greatest horse of the era” (288).

Theo endures a series of disappointments. Not only did the exchange with Catherine bother him, but he and his friends had also been forced to cancel their trip due to wildfires scourging Yosemite. Additionally, Theo had a discouraging meeting with his advisor on the changing subject matter of his thesis.

While researching, Theo reads a description of a Thomas J. Scott painting he has not seen. Considered Scott’s finest work, the portrait is described as depicting Lexington with his “groom,” known as “Black Jarret” (292). Theo is further intrigued by references to Lexington’s blindness, a detail neither he nor Jess had encountered. Last known to have hung in the New York City offices of the paper Turf, Field and Farm, the whereabouts of the painting are unknown.

Jarret writes to Ten Broeck, asking to purchase his emancipation. Ten Broeck announces that he has known of Lexington’s blindness for some time and attacks Jarret’s integrity, claiming he had been waiting to see when Jarret would tell him. He informs Jarret that he has sold both Lexington and Jarret’s enslavement. Jarret, terrified of being separated from Lexington, cries, “You—you’ve sold our horse?” (296). Ten Broeck has purchased Lecompte and will be moving to England. He claims he intended to bring Jarret before he learned Jarret was lying to him. He says that Jarret is at fault for his continuing enslavement, as Jarret could have taken advantage of the automatic emancipation that would have occurred in England, had he not betrayed Ten Broeck’s trust. Ten Broeck reminds Jarret that it is within his legal purview in Louisiana to confiscate Jarret’s earnings from Lexington’s wins, painting himself as magnanimous for not doing so. Jarret is relieved to hear that he and Lexington have been sold to the same man: Robert Alexander, a breeder in Kentucky. With Alexander, Jarret will care for Lexington as he begins his retirement as a stud.

Lexington’s lab results show that a dental infection likely compromised the delicate bones over the sinuses and resulted in the growth in his skull. Catherine posits that this could have occurred from a singular episode of overeating; if Lexington had consumed a significant excess of food over a short period of time, some of the grain he ingested could have migrated into his sinuses. Untreated, the infection would have caused gradual inflammation damage to the optic nerve, resulting in progressive loss of sight. Catherine believes blindness might have saved Lexington’s life; she learned that Lecompte died soon after arriving in England. Useless to Ten Broeck, Lexington had escaped his exploitation. Ten Broeck died broke and alone in California, his body discovered by a man who had come to purchase racing trophies he had resorted to hawking.

In January of 1861, with the United States on the brink of Civil War, Kentucky finds itself in turbulence, as a state whose residents are polarized in their allegiances. When first he came to Woodburn, Robert Alexander learned that in addition to being an exceptional horseman and trainer, Jarret possessed an unrivaled memory for Thoroughbred pedigrees and bloodlines. Jarret became the primary record keeper, barn manager, and consultant on all matters relating to buying, selling, and breeding at Woodburn.

Over the past six years, Lexington has sired dozens of foals, and those old enough to have begun racing have already proven themselves worthy of their father’s legacy. Jarret rides Lexington each morning, Lexington’s unwavering trust in Jarret allowing the two to navigate Woodburn. Scott has gifted another painting to Jarret, which hangs in the cabin Jarret shares with a woman named May. Devastated by the sale of her husband, May was left alone with her young son, and Jarret had invited her to live with him. Her husband’s fate unknown, May’s heart still belongs to him, but she and Jarret share a warm companionship.

As Annie unwraps her family’s painting, Martha resolves that she will pay at least $100 for it, even if it is determined to have no value. Martha is stunned by the striking resemblance the horse in the painting bears to Royal Eclipse. Annie tells Martha that according to her family history, the horse was named Lexington. Martha is stunned; Lexington, in addition to his considerable fame, was also the great-grandsire of Royal Eclipse.

Martha realizes that the painter demonstrates considerable talent, but she does not have the confidence to assign a value. She wants the painting for herself, but, not wanting to risk undercutting Annie, resolves to have it assessed by someone with expertise in the realm of 19th-century equestrian paintings.

This chapter comprises the text of a letter written to Julien while Scott is serving in the Union Army in 1963. Scott is relieved to hear that Julien is safe in New York. He provides Julien with an account of the men with whom he spends most of his time, and his role as a medic. He expresses his relief that Julien had not been among the people to see them off, sparing him the emotional parting he observed between his fellow soldiers and their wives.

Martha brings the painting to billionaire Paul Mellon. Mellon is an owner of fine racehorses, certain to appreciate the opportunity to own a portrait of Lexington. Mellon is interested in the painting, so Martha suggests that he take possession of the painting for a week so he can consider it and present her with an offer. Mellon agrees, but Martha is annoyed when she does not hear from him for a month. A call to his home reveals that he and his wife are in Europe. Against his secretary’s protests and offers to contact him, Martha instructs Mellon’s secretary to have the painting packaged so that she can collect it from his home.