"Just a few more minutes," you say sleepily as you feel your mother nudging you awake. She nudges again, harder this time.
"Okay, I'm up," you say, flinging the covers back.
You sit up and look around. then you begin to laugh. It isn't your mother. It's your Uncle Bill's horse, Straight Shooter. And you're not at home. You're on the floor of a horse stall at Churchill Downs.
With a twinge of excitement, you remember why you're here. Today is the biggest horse race of the year. It's Kentucky Derby day. And Straight Shooter is entered.
"Hungry, aren't you, Shooter?" you ask.
The horse nods his head and stamps his right front hoof impatiently. Not only is shooter fast, he's smart too.
"We'll see what we can do about that," you say as you quickly roll your sleeping back up and get ready for morning chores.