Post by Kenren on Sept 21, 2011 12:59:12 GMT -5
Adrian "Scotty" Martin && Seattle Sun
It was always exciting, bringing the horses onto the track for morning works. It was one thing to take them around their track at home; they were used to that, and very comfortable there. However, bringing them to the racetrack was always an exhilarating experience, as they knew very well where they were and what was to come. Especially the more experienced horses. Scotty tightened his hands on Sam's reins, guiding him onto the still relatively-empty track. The colt, though not out-of-hand, was eager as they moved onto the turf, tugging at the reins and even half-rearing once. Scotty let the horse work out his jitters, moving him into a canter to warm him up and get his mind focused on the work ahead. After a minute or so he felt Sam relax into the pace, becoming very much the behaved horse he normally was. Scotty could understand his feelings; the colt loved the environment of the track, and even he sometimes had lots of excess energy. Seattle Sun had done during the month or so since he'd become a part of Valkyrie Stables, but he had yet to secure a win for his new owner. Without the pedigree of many of the horses he raced against, he had to rely on experience and works such as these to give him an edge over the competition.
When they reached their starting point, Scotty pulled Sam to a halt, circling him as he waited for the way to clear. They'd be going nine furlongs in preparation for Sam's next race, the Thunderstorm Stakes. Though the distance was the upper limit of what Sam was comfortable with, it was a good distance for him overall. He could be a sprinter, and a good one, but he could tell within moments of the race starting what pace he was supposed to hold. It was up to the jockey to cue him into the distance. Scotty stilled Sam's movement, and though the horse pranced, he listened. "Go!" Scotty yelled, though the slackening of the reins was all the encouragement Sam needed. The colt was off, hooves churning over the turf surface. Scotty guided the bay to the rail, checking his speed so he didn't wear himself out. Sam obliged, keeping a steady pace as they came around the turn. Sam was waiting for his cue to bolt, pressure hard on the bit, but he didn't push without Scotty's signal. Finally, in the last two furlongs, Scotty let Sam loose, and the colt responded immediately, lengthening his stride and digging in to cover more ground. His puffing breaths could be heard all around, but the only thing Scotty was aware of was where the wire would be and the bobbing of the colt's head before him. Another moment and they were through, Scotty standing in the stirrups to slow the sweating horse. Sam handled like a champ, and his time would be good. The question was, would these workouts be enough to set off his career and take him to the next level?
Status; Closed