Post by Snowflake on May 11, 2012 5:39:21 GMT -5
BORN TO SOAR AND FURIOUS PASSION WORK FOR SWEET STALKER MEMORIAL
They began their warm up with a trot. Furious Passion kept trying to gallop, but each time he launched himself forward, Marissa was right there with a pulley. The colt was fired up and ready to race - he'd had a month off by now. Born To Soar was side stepping a bit, tossing her head, influenced by Furious Passion's antics. She was also very keen for a race, having last run in the second week of July.
The pair were some of the best in their age group, after last year when Furious Passion became Triple Crown Champion and Born To Soar Triple Tiara Champion. After those spectacular wins, they'd also snagged some HOTY Awards. Furious Passion was Colt of the Year and Best 3yo Colt, where Born To Soar snapped up four awards - Best 3yo Filly, Best Dirt Horse, Filly of the Year and Racehorse of the Year. Sarah grinned just remembering her feeling of ecstasy after winning the award.
So far this year, Sophia had come home with five wins, five seconds, and one third. Most of the second places were due to Vindictive Fury's sudden amount to her potential. Sarah hoped Born To Soar would get a win in her next race - she didn't like seeing as many seconds as wins on her filly's record. Overall, the young superstar mare's record had come to 50-25-15-7. Her consistency was 94% - She'd only ever placed out of the top 3 three times.
Furious Passion hadn't had such a great year this year. He hadn't run as many times as his stablemate, and this year he had won twice, placed twice, and showed twice in 10 starts. His overall record was 47-15-13-9, which was a consistency level of 78%. Marissa really wanted this win for the colt - he needed a boost of confidence, before he killed someone.
Pressing her colt into canter, as Sarah did beside her, Marissa was going over the race in her mind. The Sweet Stalker Memorial Stakes was G3+, ten furlongs on dirt. It was a field of five, including them. Close Racing had send their filly Xalbadora. She'd won three of her fifteen starts this year, and placed 4th or worse in the rest of them. Marissa didn't think she was a threat, as she hadn't won since the Spring Cup G4 Dirt, but maybe the filly could pull a surprise. Stride Of Perfection Stables had sent the other two entrants. Flashy Wings was the winner of this year's Preakness and Belmont Stakes, and was obviously having a great year. with his record standing at 25-13-5-6, he was definitely a force to be reckoned with. SOPS's other entrant was TDI Live This Lie. He'd recently gotten his G2 win and wasn't having a bad year. But since his three wins of the year had been in the monthly dirt stakes, he wasn't considered a huge threat.
As previously agreed, the pair broke into gallop at the six furlong marker. They were just going to gallop four furlongs easily, then a quick blow out on the final two. The huffing sounds of the horses breathing quickened, and their ears turned back from the rushing wind. As they rounded the turn and the straight stretched out before them, each horse naturally began to quicken their pace. Two furlongs to go! Sarah glanced over at the colt. Passion was aggressively gaining speed, pulling ahead rapidly. She cued Born To Soar and the filly made a break for it.
It wasn't a race, but the horses sure were treating it that way. Each of them fought hard for first place, but there wasn't enough time. They flashed by the finish. Grinning slightly, Sarah slowed her horse. Born To Soar dropped back to canter, then trot on cue. Furious Passion circled back to meet them, a slight sheen of sweat forming on the colt's neck. Marissa scratched behind his ears affectionately, also grinning. It was going to be a good race, that was for sure. Both were certainly ready to win in the Sweet Stalker Memorial Stakes.
