#also being asked to do shit I wasnt required to because apparently mexican + tshirt with barn logo means free labor

[1-800-internal-damnation]

Fuck it. I'm not giving up. I'm retyping this shit from memory.

Okay. Hear me out. Lance's dad works as a groom for a couple famous racehorses, so Lance grows up around them. Lance is also built like a toothpick so he's encouraged to pursue jockeying (he likes it no problem) and trains to be a jockey riding some of the horses his dad works with. Lance races a horse called Blue Lion Lightning, owned by Alfor and trained by his daughter Allura. Blue Lion Lightning is Allura's first horse that she's fully in charge of so it's kind of a gamble, and Lance is new to the barn. Lance also has a slight crush on Allura, as expected. Enter Keith. Keith's mom, Krolia, was a famous jockey before he was born, setting records with a horse called Empire, owned by Zarkon.

However, at the height of her career with Empire there was an incident involving foul play on Zarkon's behalf that resulted in Krolia sustaining a pretty damning injury that put her out of the sport for a while. The incident was related to disagreements between Krolia and Zarkon, as well as Empire's trainer Honerva. Because of this even after recovering she quits the sport, as cutting ties with Zarkon means she wouldn't be able to work with Empire and it wasn't worth it for her. She settles down with her long time boyfriend Tex and has Keith. For some reason, though (haven't quite figured this out yet) her racing troubles come back to haunt her and she up and dissapears, leaving Keith to grow up with Tex, who isn't involved in horses at all and doesn't bring Keith into them except for taking him to the track a few times as a small child. Keith's dad dies fighting a wildfire when Keith is 14, leaving Keith to theoretically live with his nominated next of kin on his mom's side, only Krolia cut contact with all of them and they arent connected to any of his papers.

Keith goes into foster care and racks himself up a pretty hefty juvenile record (as misguided 15 year olds with nothing to lose tend to do) and ends up forced to complete community service hours at a local lesson and rehabilitation barn that specializes in OTTB (off the track thoroughbreds) through the Retired Racehorse Program. There he meets Shiro, who switched to teaching and barn management from being a top competitor on the hunter jumper circuit because of his chronic illness. Shiro sees that Keith works well with high strung horses and that Keith is lacking direction in life, and gives Keith a suggestion and offer to work at a nearby racing barn once his hours are up.

They become very close and Shiro eventually applies to be Keith's foster brother long term so Keith can keep working with horses easier. Keith accepts to both offers, having recently done a deep dive on his mom with information his dad withheld from him and found out who his mom was (he keeps it to himself because they don't share last names and he can't prove it). It's the final push he needs to pursue horses. His new position as a stable hand/jockey in training under trainer Iverson (who refuses to overlook his record) is pretty rocky, but he gets through it mostly. Mostly as in he ends up getting into a nasty fight with fellow jockey in training James Griffin, which gets him fired.

At this point he's just turned 18 and he ghosts Shiro to avoid having to tell him. Coincidentally, during the last 2 weeks he's still working while Iverson finds a replacement, a trainer from the marmora racing syndicate (Thace) visits the barn to check out one of the horses Keith was working with. He takes interest in Keith but Keith admits he's just here until a replacement shows up for fighting James and that he's not involved with that horse anymore. Thace demands Keith ride the horse (Deluxite) for him (to Iverson's annoyance) and sees potential in Keith. He later gives Keith an offer to ride for the marmora syndicate and possibly be his trainer (much to Kolivan, the head of the group and occasional trainer's dismay in his impulsivity).

Keith starts riding for marmora, with Thace helping him finish the last leg of training to get his certificate. The other jockeys are initially cold to him (namely acxa, who he later becomes friends with) but he proves his worth. He ends up working mostly with a horse thats known as kinda hard to manage named Blade Running and once he get's his certificate starts riding him. Thace says their tempers match. Kolivan finds Keith's riding somewhat familiar but can't place why (he isn't aware Krolia even had a kid 🫣). Keith races with Lance and Lance gets obsessed with him. Lance has pre-decided to start a rivalry because he heard from Allura that marmora is aligned with Zarkon, Alfor's long time enemy (this isn't true and mostly word of mouth just because Kolivan used to work with Zarkon back when Krolia rode for him.) Either way Keith secretly is just as fixated no matter how much he acts bothered by Lance's interactions. Enemies to lovers half closeted not quite 20 teenagers etc etc.

Meanwhile, Lotor, Zarkon's son, is attempting to slowly take over his father's assets and change how his horses and people are managed, to try and dispel the shadiness and rumors Zarkon's known for. This takes Allura's interest, and luckily Lance starts actually falling for Keith just when Allura shifts her attention to Lotor and tentatively giving him a second chance (Lotor like Allura wants to make marmora lose more often). Kolivan eventually finds out Keith is Krolia's son (Kolivan and Krolia were close friends during Zarkon) and as Keith starts winning more races and getting more famous that fact morphs into a sob-success story for Keith (which pisses him off). Shiro sees Keith in a couple articles because of his popularity and considers tracking him down. He talks about it with Ulaz, who is with marmora, and knows Shiro because he's involved in the OTTB program for Shiro's barn.) Just as Shiro's about to confront Keith at work Keith caves and seeks Shiro out at his apartment and apologizes for avoiding him. They make up messily and Shiro eventually goes back to becoming an influential/supportive figure in Keith's life.

As Keith and Lance become more famous, Krolia sees one of his races with Blade Running on tv and realizes that nothing she did couldve stopped Keith from racing. Hesitant, she steels herself and calls Kolivan, who convinces her that no matter how much she thinks Keith hates her its better for her to at least try to be in his life. She shows up at one of Keith's big races after he wins and Keith almost passes out (they have a small fight after once theyre out of camera range but Keith realizes he did what his mom did to him to Shiro and what's in the past cant be changed). Undecided plot point here where Keith gets offered to ride a horse called Ruby's Honor for Alfor and is conflicted about leaving marmora. Krolia also doesnt trust Lotor, and Lance is dealing with the fact that him and Blue arent working well and Allura wants him to start riding a horse called Tron Valiance instead. Lots of feelings, high stakes all around, etc. Regardless, klance endgame and Keith and Lance both find themselves in jockeying.

Side note: James has to get thrown off at least once for tha laughs. Hunk is Lance's friend from high school who's deathly afraid of horses but tries Really Hard not to be. Pidge is Lance's one close friend from the horse scene he thinks he can be honest with since she just kind of hangs around (Matt is a freelance track pony rider and Pidge is bored) They're scary good at predicting outcomes and judging horses but they don't like riding them. Veronica changes her mind about horses and ends up making waves as a jumper with Shiro's help. Keith is best man at Shiro and Adam's wedding. Lotor manages to redeem the Galra horse racing reputation, Zarkon gets exposed for industry blackmail and illegally drugging horses (everything that got covered up with Krolia is aired out essentially). Movie outro music and credits roll. Krolia buys Blade Running when he retires. Wooo.

...Are you picking up what I'm putting down.

watched some kentucky derby clips I may have joked myself into that jockey au 👀