Post by Snowflake on Mar 20, 2012 22:37:43 GMT -5
SERAPHIM works for the GIRLS FESTIVAL
The grey filly tossed her head and gave a low, gentle, but spirited rear as she set foot on the turf track. I didn't mind, knowing it was just harmless fun. I nudged my heels to her sides, letting the reins go slack for just an instant so the thoroughbred could move into trot freely. She hugged the outer rail, her strides long and loose, searching the track with her eyes, looking for a challenger. Her ears swiveled this way and that to catch every sound.
I relaxed contentedly. No challenger for Sera today; except for the clock. Urging the filly into canter, I started to go over the competition in my mind for the race this weekend. The race, the Girls Festival, was 6 furlongs on turf and open to fillies grade 5, 4 and 3 only. The race was a qualifier for the Star Festival, in which the top 7 from the Boys Festival would join the top 7 from this race. There were five other entrants besides Seraphim, and they included the up and coming mare White Chocolate, twins Beltane and Axis Mundae, and a few other fillies by the names of Broadway, Unbridled Mystery and Rainy Day.
White Chocolate was the filly we considered the one to beat. She had a record of 20-8-5-4, and seven of those wins were from this season. She'd only lost 3 races this season, and placed second twice and third once in those. It was mid April, so the mare had definitely been busy this year. Seraphim had only started four times this year, for three 3rd places and one win. The win was her most recent start, in the Debutante Stakes. Sera's record was 19-6-3-8. She needed to catch up with Chocolate, and this was the race to win to do it.
We started to cross the track, getting ready to gallop. I leaned closer to her withers, taking in the reins a little more as i glanced backwards for any upcoming fast workers. Since there was no one, I cued Sera to gallop. She burst into the faster pace, accelerating very suddenly. A thrill went through me, just like always.
We veered to the rail, keeping a horse width distance from it. I could feel the power in the thoroughbred's stride, but I could barely feel her touching the turf. She was going so fast it was like we were barely touching the ground. After tearing around the corner without hardly slowing down, I began to urge the filly on, faster and faster. If she had been going fast before, it was nothing compared to what she was about to do. The filly's stamina and speed always stunned me. She responded quickly to my urging with another burst of speed, and was now going right to the top. We flashed by the final furlong marker, but I barely noticed. Three furlongs down, with just one to go. Sera put on a final burst of speed, surprising me a little. She usually saved that last burst for a real race. We surged past the finish and I stood in my stirrups, letting her gallop out and then bringing her gradually back to canter, then trot. We were ready for the Girl's Festival. White Chocolate better watch out...
