Harris again concentrated on galloping horses in the mornings.
In August, she rode in her first race at Arlington Park. Still, the mounts were hard to come by. She would go weeks without an assignment, and she became discouraged.
In November, Harris finally received the kind of break that had so seldom come her way. For a race on Nov. 7 at Hawthorne, no one wanted to ride a horse named Wildwood Pegasus, who, some jockeys feared, was infirm. She seized the opportunity and persuaded the trainer Charlie Bettis to give her a chance.
Harris finished third that day, and Bettis rewarded her by keeping her on the horse. With Harris aboard, Wildwood Pegasus won his next start, on Dec. 1. The victory opened some eyes, and Harris' business has increased.
She is enjoying some success, and that means she has to be careful.
"My problem is an everyday struggle," she said. "I have to watch myself. There have been times when I'm not sure I could have handled success. There's a fine line between being happy and being manic. I can't start thinking that I'm going to win the Kentucky Derby. There are times when I need a reality check."
"I have had so many ups and downs," Harris said. "I've had so many relapses. Now I have steadiness and am in a good environment. People around the racetrack become your family, and they stick with you through thick and thin. I like it here, and I'm happy. The horses have changed my life."
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