rejuvination;; (open)

[Snowflake]

Striking Motion && Sarah Star

rejuvination;;

We walked calmly down the trail, on our way for an hour of "rest and relaxation", when it was really another workout for the filly. Just a soothing one, to get her relaxed and ready to run in the Juvenile Fillies Turf in the Breeder's Cup this Saturday, only five days from now.

Good girl. I told Striking with a smile. I know we're going to do wonderful in the race. I thought for a moment. Okay, so I didn't know that at all - in fact, there was a strong possibility we would place out of the top three. That's how tough the field was this year.
I'll always be proud of you, whether we win or not. I added, after my thoughts.

Striking had quickly become one of my favourite horses in GHS's racing string. Her naturally sweet and fiesty disposition was a great combination for a racehorse, and a perfect one for a best friend. She and I had formed a strong bond, which we had used countless times this season to win over other horses. I thought she had potential to match Little Miss Innocent on the turf.

Hoofbeats behind us were coming closer at what sounded like a trot. I steered Striking over, keeping her to the side of the path so the other horse and rider could pass - if they wanted to. If not, I was keen for a chat.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

ooc|: Strong possibility of her placing out of the top three? You've lost your mind; she's going to place in the top three, and you know it.

The bay three year old impatiently cantered along the trail. I had him in hand, but he wasn't listening today. I had been working the other horses so much that he had been neglected a bit. I knew that he needed to release some of his energy, and was happy to feel the breeze blowing across my skin. Short To First was one of the few horses who wasn't racing in the Breeder's Cup. Even though I knew he could blow everybody away with a little more training, he was still a maiden, and therefore he didn't qualify for entry.

I spotted a chestnut ahead of us, an agile two year old filly, and gulped as I recognized Striking Motion. The filly had it out to win in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, and I was nervous. Krystal and Onya were together almost every hour of the day, but I knew Krystal wouldn't be able to stay away from Passionate Class for very long either. It was a tough situation, and making the two have stalls next to each other was impossible because of their personalities.

I forced a smile on my face as I rode up beside Sarah and her filly on my beautiful bay colt. Foto showed no change of mood with Striking next to him; he only examined the trees flying by at our rather fast trot.

Hi Sarah. My greeting would have been longer, but I was nervous. Being up close to a top competitor in the Juvenile Fillies Turf was making me itch with nervousness.

[tigrisrunner]

The filly was big. Big and beautiful. The picture of pure sophisticated health. Maggiletti stood strong near the rail at Green Horse Fields with her big blue eyes on the track. Two horses cantered over the track with their heads high, pure racers. Maggie narrowed her eyes on the horses. Even from here she could tell there was no way they would top Royal Assault in height.

Almost half a year ago, Royal Assault had been a magnificent unknown. Today she was considered the biggest threat to the Juvenile Filly Turf favorite Strike the Win. Even when the filly with the tornado stood six months ago she had had an imposing figure. From Ripley's calculations that filly had grown three inches. And she was only a two year old!

Maggie stroked the filly's soft black nose. Maggie smiled to herself and leaped aboard the filly's powerful back. She wore a light racing saddle. From six months ago she had improved in manners. The filly moved only at Maggiletti's gentle commands and moved with fluidity. Her problems with stopping after galloping out had been handled with the experience of the up and coming trainer Ripley Marsh. Royal Assault snorted as a bay colt loped on by. "Let's go little lady." Little of course was used ironically.

Maggiletti moved the filly into a canter clockwise with the track. It was how Ripley usually worked her horses first to switch up their leads. Maggie moved with the filly's long movements. She always seemed to take one extra moment suspended in the air. Her movement was comfortable to sit. Maggie stood further in the saddle. Then she set her out in to a gallop. It was a fast one. The filly continued to breathe easy. It was the picture of four mile gallops Ripley had the filly doing each day to improve her stamina. It was Ripley's hope that the filly only improved with age.

Maggie urged the dark filly forward. Her strides coming faster and faster and faster. But Maggie was confident this was nothing. Maggiletti slowed her down into a canter as the pair came next to the bay colt and unsurprisingly, Striking Motion, the chestnut filly who was to be Royal Assault's next target. The black filly snorted, her breath appearing like flame from a medeval dragon. Maggie smiled inwardly. Yup she had been right. The filly was a monster compared to them.

"Hi, I'm Maggiletti Reynolds. I'm the assistant trainer to Ripley Marsh at Battle Brook Stable." Maggie offered a kind smile to the two women. "This is of course Royal Assault." She cast a blue eyed glance in Striking Motion's direction. Then her gaze flickered to the bay colt. "This is Short to First?" She never forgot a horse ever. The colt had been impressive in the Aaroni Stakes. It was the same race Ripley had sent Native Flame out in. The powerful bay colt from Battle Brook had won, but the fight the smaller bay had impressed her. Green Horse Fields had to be the best place she had ever seen.

[Snowflake]

ooc|: *shrug* I hope so. It is a tough field. (:
btw Ripley we are on the trails lol.

I looked over my shoulder as the hoofbeats drew closer. Amber Black, and a bay colt I vaguely recognised but couldn't name we trotting briskly towards us. I pushed Striking into a trot finally, as I saw Amber's horse was being hot to handle this morning. Amber and her colt drew next to us, the bay falling into stride with Striking. The filly pricked her ears in interest, eyeing the colt's attractive face.
Amber smiled as she greeted me. Hey I smiled back. Ready for the Breeder's Cup? Suddenly I recognised the colt as Short To First. We had had the Breeder's Cup and Triple Crown conversation together, with Amber riding him and me riding Euphoria, almost three months ago now. I grinned in recognition, and suddenly a third set of hoofbeats could be heard approaching behind us.
Hi, I'm Maggie Reynolds. I'm the assistant trainer to Ripley Marsh at Battle Brook Stable. This is of course Royal Assault. The rider said, as she slowed her mount to trot by Short To First's side. I instantly recognised the other filly as Royal Assault, one of the biggest threats in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Hey, I'm Sarah Star. This is Striking Motion. I smiled back in a friendly way, but I was a bit bothered by how great Royal Assault looked.

[hunterjumper]

_{Millie let the tall bay stallion make his own way down the track, and over the tree roots. Then she gathered up the reins and pushed Prancer into a nice smooth trot. The once strong and frisky racing stallion, had now calmed down. He was out of racing, and was just let out in the pasture to graze. Millie had decided to get Pracer back into work. She had missed the bay dearly, but had only just realized how much. She looked ahead, and saw several pairs of horse and rider. And pushed Prancer into a slow canter. Millie halted him next to the others. "Hi."}

[S u N f r O s t ~]

ooc// Here is the posting order; Snowflake, Sunfrost, Ripley, Millie. No more people join please.

ic// Foto slowed as a dark bay filly appeared on his other side. The equally dark bay colt dropped behind the two fillies, and then dropped back even further when another bay appeared. He didn't want to be anywhere near the front of the three horses. My hand traced random patterns on his neck as I examined the horses and their riders. I smiled at Maggiletti welcomingly. That's some filly you've got there. I have to say, she's made me quite nervous for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Striking, too I added, glancing at Sarah. Yes, this Short To First, or Foto. I'm surprised you recognize him. Still a maiden, too.

My gaze moved to the rider on the dark bay. Hi I said to her. I don't think I know you that well, or at all. Your stallion I'm not entirely sure of. I'm Amber Black, by the way. I glanced back at Royal Assault and her rider, realizing I hadn't introduced myself to them. This handsome guy is Short To First, or Foto, if you didn't hear it before. You probably don't know him. Actually, that's what I say to everybody, and they always know him.

The bay colt was trotting very, very fast. You'd think we would be in front, but his pace was deceiving. He was taking such small strides that it was impossible for him to get in front of the three. With a deep sigh I angled him outside of the other horses, and he roared in front of them with a snort. I glanced back at the other horses. He's a bit energetic today. Hasn't been out for a while. I would have asked for a race, but Assault and Striking likely had to rest up for the Juvey Fillies Turf.

[tigrisrunner]

<sub>Royal Assault pawed the ground playfully as we moved into a soft walk to circle away from Striking Motion and Short to First. Maggie stroked the filly's shoulder. She was twitching with excitement. Maggie smiled at Sarah. "Hi Amber. Your colt ran in the Aaroni Stakes. He's magnificent." Maggie's blue eye settled longingly on the bay. He was truly amazing. The near black filly snorted, shaking her head and prancing to the left as another horse and rider joined them.

The stallion was a tall bay and had a star perched perfectly on his head. Maggie had been constantly criticized for loving horses more than people. In truth Maggiletti felt in most aspects horses were better than people. Maggie dragged her gaze from the stallion as Royal Assault flattened her ears at the stallion. Maggie backed her up a step to get her attention. "Sorry about that," Maggie said to the newest rider. "Bee is a bit touchy at first..." Once again the blonde rider looked up at the stallion's rider and laughed. "Hi I'm Maggiletti Reynolds."

Amber was talking so Maggie looked toward her. "Your colt is right to be a bit prancy. Ripley wanted me to send Royal Assault on a two mile gallop today. We do a lot of stamina work at Battle Brook." Maggie shrugged. "I usually like fast, but so far its been working." With a smile Maggie said, "Anyone else feel like a run?" She glanced toward Sarah and Striking Motion. She didn't know the trainer's schedule and wondered if Striking was up to a run this close to a race.</sub>

[Snowflake]

I shook my head, smiling apologetically. Not us. Striking tossed her head, ridding herself of the pesky flies. The race was five days away, including today. Striking had another light work tomorrow, then a four furlong breeze, then a final light work, then the race. It would hurt her chances to run her now.

ooc|: sorreh. Low on muse.

[hunterjumper]

Millie turned to the girl who she knew as Amber Black, and her horse who she recognized as Short To First, though she hadn't seen the colt on the track, she had seen Amber out with him a few times before. "I'm Millie, and this is Prancing In The Darkness, " Millie smiled to Amber, and looked the handsome colt up and down.

Prancer was getting figity. "Stand still boy." Prancer walked sidewards towards Sarah Star, and her pretty chesnut, Striking Motion. "Hello, I'm Millie," Millie smiled to Sarah. "And as you might remember, you sold this boy to me as a two year old." I looked down to Prancer, patting his neck. He arched his neck, then stretched it out torwards Striking. Millie watched him closely, she didn't think that he would snap at her, he wasn't like that.

Whilst Prancer was still, Millie turned her head towards another horse and rider. She didn't know who they were, so she introduced herself. "Hey. I'm Millie Daveys, from Oak Hill Farm, and this is Prancing In The Darkness," Millie smiled to the rider and then admired her horse, a pretty, almost black filly. "Your horse is beautiful, Royal Assault, right?" Millie questioned her guess, but she recognized the filly from some where.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

I nodded to Millie and let a pleasant smile break out on my face, and then lapsed into silence while Millie made trivial, polite chatter with the others. My eyes were fixed on Royal Assault and Maggiletti, considering their offer for a run. I had just given Foto an extensive five mile workout - two miles might be difficult for him after that. But that was a day ago. He should be able to hold up, I knew.

Foto and I would be up for it I said smoothly to her. He just did an endurance workout himself a day ago. Two miles should be easy compared to what we put him through. I laughed. The way I phrased it made it sound as if we tortured him through a huge session, which we hadn't done. But enough of that. I nodded in understanding as Sarah declined the offer. You could be the finish line I joked. Speaking of which, where will it be? Oh, and would you like to run two miles as well Millie?

Foto shifted impatiently under me. The walking was boring to him now. I hoped we could just get on with the race before he decided to start it himself.

[hunterjumper]

Prancer soon got bored again and shifted. I focused my attention to Amber. Yeah we'd be up for two miles. I'm sure Prancer would love it. Prancer shook his head and let out a neigh.

ooc- no muse.