don't count us out

TDI LIVE THIS LIE AND AMBER BLACK

They had come so far, and it was surprising to Amber that they had. Yes, surprising, yet at the same time not too surprising. Falsehood had three wins this year, all from monthly dirt races. That alone would lower the opinion one had of him. Yet Amber knew that Falsehood had talent. Had he shown this talent? Amber went through his life story and considered this question with careful thought.

Falsehood had been bought as a yearling from Tropicana Dreams, Inc. He had been in their annual weanling sale. They had been one of the many parties interested in him, and they had had the good luck to receive him. He was now the last they had of the TDI bloodlines. By TDI Secrets Of Excalibur and out of Definite Glory, he was bred to be talented and bred to be a racehorse. As a prospect he had garnered some further acclaim before starting as a two year old. He had come fifth in the Juvenile and won two races by the end of that year. When he turned three, he had been the premier competitor from the stable in the Triple Crown. He placed third in the Derby and Preakness and ended the season with a second in the Dirt Mile. Now this year, his four year old season, they were still expecting great things from him. He had recently won his way into grade two, with three wins to go until grade one. He didn't strike many as a good racehorse, but he had pulled a surprise when he placed second in the Sweet Stalker Memorial Stakes. And Amber wanted to keep pulling out surprises.

She mounted the gray stallion and got him going in a canter on the dirt track. The usually arrogant stallion was quieter today, being alone, yet alert. His eyes swam around the track, looking for a competitor, but found none. Amber wanted it that way. She wanted them to have some alone time, time to think of their plans for the future. They had a lot to accomplish next year, their final year of racing. Amber wanted to go out with a bang. She wanted to show the world just what they had been missing with Falsehood. She did not want to be counted out as they had been for the majority of this year. He had been the surprise horse turned grade two. By the end of next year, he would be the unsurprising horse winning the Breeders Cup Classic.

Amber started their workout with these thoughts in her mind. She never let them go as they worked to bring their dreams into reality.

DASHING IN THE FIRELIGHT AND HENNA TURATH

They were one. The gorgeous light bay five year old thoroughbred mare was one with the rider that graced her back. It took almost nothing from Henna to get her Fire to do as she asked. Like a pillar of flame they accelerated from their trot to a canter, and then to a gallop. It was long and swinging, beautiful in every way, yet for some reason their long efforts were not being rewarded.

Fire had an interesting life story. As a two year old she had showed average talent. As a three year old she had showed nearly none and then had been injured by Jessie James, Amber's hellion of a stallion. Through Henna's loving care Fire had been nursed back to racing condition and had begun her four year old season. Her rivalry with her sister Moondance was guided and nurtured throughout the year. She had risen through the ranks to grade two and had won a lot of respect in the process. Henna had been over the moon with excitement for the mare's five year old season, her final year on the track. Yet something had happened. Their work had not lessened, yet their performance had. They were no longer respected. They were looked at sadly, as shreds of their former glory. Yet Henna believed that very little had changed with them. So what was the reason for this sudden departure from greatness? What had happened that had caused this?

The gallop of her mare was long strided and smooth. She was a mid pack runner, by Dancing In The Moonlight and out of Dash For Cash. These bloodlines, through her sire, produced typical late bloomers. But Fire's bloom at four was now overshadowed by defeat at five. And Henna couldn't help but think of the other Fire in the stable, Fire Dancer, Krystal's three year old filly by Native Flame and out of On To Dancing. Now those lines were something good, yet that Fire was also having problems. And with what origin? Henna could not find a reason for it. There truly was none. Fire showed rare moments of greatness. Put together, the two Fires would have made one hell of a racehorse. Yet right now they were fragmented and nobody really knew why.

Fire and Henna continued to gallop. And as time passed, they grew faster. They grew needier. They wanted to prove to the world in some way that they weren't done. They wanted to prove that they still held class within them. They needed a proving ground. They needed to show off what they could do. All of this they needed, and more. And all they would do to achieve it would hopefully be rewarded one day. They had one win to go until they reached grade one. One. And they wanted it so badly that Henna wondered how she would ever feel if they did not get it.

AXIS MUNDAE AND AMBER BLACK

The best way to describe the black filly was as headstrong and powerful. She was more like a colt, and built like one too, but she was sexually a filly. And a filly she was currently proud of. The three year old daughter of Warlock and Hall Of Fame mare Little Miss Innocent had just reached grade three with a win last week. Amber had been proud. She was young, Axia, and she had demonstrated some degree of talent. Which was not surprising, given her bloodlines. And Amber knew that next year, the filly would be able to give them more.

They had time, plenty of time. The filly danced underneath her as though understanding this, and Amber couldn't keep the smile from her face as they began their warm up. They would sprint today, sprint, and set some lightning fast fractions. She wanted the world to notice them and see them. She had marked down the filly Seraphim as their rival. Being the same age as Axia, it only made sense for them to do so. Yet in Amber's opinion, Sera had been more successful than them so far, and the racing world would likely agree. So they would seek to make the opposite true. They would rise above the level of their rival.

They couldn't get to the gallop soon enough. The mood of this workout was half joyful and half determined as Amber gave the cue and hung on for dear life. They blew into a determined gallop, and Amber felt as though the world was disappearing around them. They sprinted, and she could feel Axia's joy. She could feel Axia's desire to continue at this speed for however long she could just because she liked it. And Amber wanted to keep going, too. She liked this as well. Yet if they continued, she might ruin everything they had worked for thus far into Axia's just dawning career.

She was young. They had plenty of time. Though they hadn't shown it yet, it wasn't worth counting them out of becoming champions. If not the personality, Axia had the blood, and as their four year old season dawned she would prove it.