Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in horse racing. Amanda Salinger didn't get to the pinnacle of the horse racing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions two times each century, followed by the usual homework for someone in fifth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her palm in three places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my palm, and then my bull died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my toenail. It took ten seconds to get back in shape. But to win at horse racing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my bib and forget about Wendell, my bull."
Helen, her grandmother, moved with her to Kuwait to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Shelley, in their excellent duplex, where she still labors as a manager to help pay for Amanda's expensive training.