the Staunch Avenger colt I had bought. He was a good looking devil and Jack asked what that “good looking” colt was and who he belonged to. I was just seeing him for the first time myself. I asked, “You like him? Even though he’s gray?” “You bet!” said Jack.
THE VALENTINE’S PRESENT
I said, “Well, sweetheart, I’m glad, because he’s your Valentine’s present.” So far, so good. Then I said, “That’s not all, honey. Do you want to see the rest of your present? You’re getting his mother and the foal she’s carrying too.” Once we got them home, I thought Jack would give the mare back to me because she was gray, but she was such a big, beautiful, sweet natured thing that he fell in love with her. Mighty Class (TB) was her name. Jack named the yearling colt Navy Blue (TB). Mighty Class gave us some wonderful foals, and Navy Blue went to the track wearing our silks. I must say, those gray horses made the pastures shine. Jack was a firm believer of never returning a gift and he didn’t return his Valentine’s gift that year. When I finally fessed up to my subterfuge, I was completely forgiven.
One year, a few weeks before Valentine’s Day, I got a call from a good friend, an astute horseman, telling me that a well-bred gray Thoroughbred mare in foal to and her yearling colt by Staunch Avenger (TB) were for sale at an unbelievable price for all three. There were a couple of problems. The first was that my husband had threatened to send me to the moon if I bought any more horses, and the second was that he did not like gray horses. Top all that off with the fact that we did not own any Thoroughbreds; we were Quarter Horse breeders. But I just could not resist the deal, so I bought the package—sight unseen—without my husband’s knowledge. There was a problem of how I was going to get them home without putting my head in a noose. I enlisted trainer Brent Morris’ aid. He went to Aubrey, Texas, and picked up the pregnant mare and her year-old colt and brought them back to his place in Weatherford. I still hadn’t told my husband about my purchase. Then a light bulb went off. Valentine’s Day fell on a Saturday we’d already planned to be in Weatherford to watch one of our Quarter Horses run. Jack was tired and didn’t want to make the long drive to the races that weekend, but I talked him into it. Next I had to talk him into going early to stop by Brent’s barn. When we got to Brent’s, there were four or five yearling colts in the paddock in front. Of course, one of them was
PatsHorseTales.com
71
