Post by Cruisey on Aug 27, 2015 14:30:41 GMT -5
LIKE A LADY && SAMMIE PICKETT
AJC Sires Produce Stakes* Workout
One race down, two more to go. After a disappointing unsuspecting 4th place in the Golden Slipper Stakes, Like A Lady was not the only one who was furious. There was no reason she had to lose that race – the filly was all fire. But there wasn't much point in dwelling on the past. That was long gone - instead, there was Lady's future. Today's little run was to be now three furlongs on turf, something short and sweet for the angry two year old. The little bay horse was angry as she pulled on the bit, Sammie riding her to the gate. Carter stood on the sidelines, his brows furrowed as he watched Lady carefully. He didn’t know why she had done so poorly – she had beaten the field many times before. He hoped for a better run in the AJC Sires Produce Stakes. Loading into the gate was simple as Sammie pulled down her goggles, anticipating the clean break she knew Lady was capable of.
With a slam, the gates crashed open and Lady broke strong. She dug in and launched into full speed as soon as she found her stride on the turf. Her breath exploded from her nostrils and Sammie could feel her body lower to the ground as she tore up the track. Sammie wasn’t demanding speed from the filly, but she gave it anyways. Sammie was able to maintain control with ease, and Lady was not putting up a fight today. Horse and rider went for the inside rail very quickly, leaving about one horse width at most between them and the rail. The style of a front runner or stalker was generally one of the simplest of all the leg types – you literally both set the pace and stay on top, or stalk the front runner’s every move until they tire out. Lady did both, and she was exceptionally good at it.
Hooves thundered under Sammie as they tore up the turf as she gave Lady the reins and the filly let herself fly, speeding up and ahead of the imaginary field. Some would say she couldn’t be a strong front, but at the end of the race she had more power than most of the front runners, and that power could be channeled whenever Sammie needed. Carter stood on the side, clocking the filly’s time. He watched numbers that didn't seem to be able to keep up with Lady's scorching speed. She clocked in at 0:35.40 and Carter couldn’t believe the numbers from a two year old.
