"My but he's a chipper fellow", Tony commented to Liz as the barn manager stalked off.
"He's just pissed off that we successfully gamed their system. I heard about this trick some years ago when one of the family farms pulled it. It works once. After that they manually look at your applications. Max and I figured this was the time to pull it. Besides, we don't need you eating that pony gruel the track delivers through the gags." Liz pulled a bag of food pellets out of her purse and gave it to Tony. "Here's breakfast. By lunch time we'll have you stocked up."
"Thank you Liz! I'd hug you but", Tony gestured with his forearms. "I don't suppose you can work some magic about this?"
"Sadly, no. This is considered standard pony treatment. There was no consent form, it's just the way it is. Once you get in the winner's barn the restraints will be removed when not racing. That barn is also run by a different person so I really don't care what this barn manager thinks. Hopefully you will perform well enough we won't have to deal with him much longer."
"Agreed", Tony gave an equine nod. "By the way, check out my neighbor across the way."
Liz turned around and scowled. "Give me a few minutes, I want to check something." Liz walked out of the stall to survey the neighborhood in the barn. She retuned with a large frown. "Now I have a whole new reason to yell at the barn manager, not that it will help if I do. Apparently he has decided that you are a joke and has housed you with the non-competitive family ponies and the prisoners. I've heard they sometimes do this to get the non-serious competitors to quit." Liz glanced at the Texas paint pony who was back to glaring and pounding his right fist into his left hand. "This piece of pony crap behaving himself?"
Tony laughed, "No...I might have jerked his chain a little." Tony's trademark grin was back in place. A growl emerged from across the hall. Liz fought to not laugh.
"Would you like me to protest and get you moved?" Liz was dead serious as prison ponies do occasionally break confinement.
"Absolutely not. This is a good reminder about what I can expect on the track. I look at him and it reminds me what a contact sport this is." Tony leaned around Liz and loudly addressed the Texas pony, "He inspires me. I want to meet him on the track so I can plant my hoof in his face."
The paint pony stopped pounding his fist, now he was laughing through the gag and made a bring-it motion with his hands.
"Not now sweet cheeks", Tony responded. "Plenty of time on the track. Besides, if you pull another stunt like last night they may not let you race, and honestly that would be a shame as I so want to kick your tail."
The paint horse laughed some more, gave Tony a thumbs up, and went back to pounding his fist.
"Message received I would say", Liz commented
Liz took Tony out to the training track and gave him a workout alongside Amaranth. After the workout Tony walked up to Amaranth who nuzzled him. When their heads touched Tony heard "missed you" in his head. He shook his head to clear it.
"Something wrong?", Liz asked.
"Nope, I'm cool", replied Tony. "Thought I heard something."
---
Liz returned to see Tony that evening around 7pm after the other trainers and stablehands had mostly cleared out. "I have news." she stated. "You'll be in the 5th race tomorrow, that's the good news. The bad news is the post draw. You'll be running out of gate 2 near the rail with a prison pony on both sides. Expect the field to pour on you like molasses. The fact is that race is half penal ponies. It's a 10 pony race."
"Oh man", Tony responded. "That's one hell of a first race."
"Indeed", Liz agreed. "I spoke with Max and told him the situation. He gave me a message for you that he said you would understand. The message is, 'Tell him this is the Brubaker Stakes and to race accordingly.'"
"He's right, I do understand", Tony commented. "Tell him message received and expect broken pottery."