The man who bought me gave me to another man, named Sullivan "Sul" Traug. I hated Sul, and he hated me. The first thing he did when he got me was cover up my markings so no one would know who I was. He trained me, and had the exercise rider use a special whip that hurt more than my leg had.

The exercise rider didn't want to hurt me, but he needed a way to earn a living, and no one else would hire him around here, wherever "here" was. I knew this because he whispered it to me as he rubbed me down and reapplied the markings-cover stuff.

One day, after weeks of my harsh treatment, he told me was leaving, that he got another job. He promised he would report Sul to TOBA (Thoroughbred Owners' and Breeders' Association) and get me out of here. He knew who I really was, and he didn't believe I deserved this. After telling me that, he grabbed his saddle and left the barn. I never saw him again.

The weeks turned to months. Finally, one day, I was brought out to race. I was racing the worst horses I could imagine.

"They're in the gate. Now they're off in the sixth race, a six-furlong sprint, here at Mahoning Valley. The number 5, Reposssss, has taken the lead and is drawing away down the backstretch. Roarkie is second, followed by Calkiss, Ma Homie, the favorite, and Yat Onthewahter. Entering the turn, Repossess is still increasing the lead. He's ahead by 30 already! He's just destroying this field! Repossess comes to the wire 44 lengths in front in a sprint!...It's going to be Calkiss second, Roarkie third, then Yat Onthewahter, and then Ma Homie, whose 6 race winning streak has been broken." No one seemed to recognize me.

After that race, I was shipped far away. This time, it was a place called Tampa Bay Downs. We stopped once on the way there, and as I looked around as I was led outside to pee, I felt little white, cold, things landing on me. I recognized it. Snow. It must be winter already!

I was led back into the truck. I arrived at Tampa Bay to see no snow. I was confused until I realized I must be very far away from where I saw the snow.

Sul trained me with the stupid, painful whip. There were slash marks from where I had bled from it down my sides. They would never go away.