Post by S u N f r O s t ~ on Jun 20, 2012 12:51:44 GMT -5
WILDLY NATURAL AND AMBER BLACK
SILLENIA AND KRYSTAL YHATE
TURA'S AND SILL'S WORKOUT FOR THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST INVITATIONAL
Though she was usually the one who avoided dominance, Tura had changed in her final season of racing. She had sought to get up in front and had been successful, flying to the lead, sometimes with only an inch to spare before the wire. As Amber mounted up in preparation for what would be the black mare's second to last race, she couldn't help the tears that pricked her eyes. She longed to let them go, let them roll down her face, but she couldn't. There was some reporter poking around the track, and she appeared to be set on digging up the dirt on stables. So far that had only happened to Akita Rose Stables, but Amber knew that at any moment the situation could change in a heartbeat, and Stride Of Perfection could be targeted. But they had nothing to hide; thus, she sat straight and tall in the saddle, and as she and Tura trotted she bounced with the motion and relaxed.
Tura moved with the grace of an experienced racehorse. She knew what was going on and she also knew what she needed to do today. She would be joined by Sillenia, the four year old mare who had recently ascended to grade one and was a bit of a surprise on the track. She could place well or even take the win in some ridiculously competitive fields and come away with some good press to her name. Most recently her claim to fame had been in the Dubai World Cup, placing second only to Moondance and beating Vindictive Fury, Flashy Wings and others. Boy had the press eaten that one up! Amber smirked at how happy Krystal had been, riding off of the track that day. Even Henna had been happy with Flash's fourth, accepting it for what it was in such an amazing field of horses. So now it was Amber's turn to step it up and keep the happiness flowing. This year had been stressful, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been when prepping Impressario for the Breeders Cup Classic. That had been hell, but she would gladly welcome it back if it meant more racing success.
The dark bay mare Sillenia appeared in the corner of her vision. They had appeared almost silently, and Amber was surprised at their stealthiness. She eyed Krystal, and noted the woman's small smile as she guided Sillenia slightly ahead of Tura. Tura, who had begun to prance and show off a bit, snapped back to attention and equalized the distance, not letting Sill get any farther ahead of her. She was focusing more now, recognizing a workout partner and rival, and no longer showing off. In her case, that meant she was no longer exaggerating every movement and whinnying flirtatiously to every male horse that passed by. She still threw her head up and down in a very attention-getting way and eyed the horses that passed her as though measuring their worth. Amber both paid attention to and ignored Tura - it was important to know what the horse was doing, of course, but not when you knew the horse as well as Amber did.
I'm a bit nervous today, though Sill feels great commented Krystal suddenly. Her eyes roved the track and the railing, as though searching for somebody. I'm nervous we get targeted like Akita Rose. I want to ride perfectly. I don't want us to have a bad name! She was a lot more worried than Amber was, and she briefly wondered if she should be as concerned. Krystal, listen up. We have plenty of other things to worry about. We have this invitational to prepare for. We have to make sure Henna doesn't break down again. And don't forget the Breeders Cup! Trust me, we're doing great. I can't lose you for a week as I did with Henna. You've got to be on top of your game. Krystal nodded mutely, and then accelerated to a canter. Amber followed behind, just letting Sill have a slight lead, much to Tura's annoyance.
They did their regular warm up and then commenced with the easy mile long gallop that Amber had promised for today's workout. For the Invitational, the only other entry officially declared was Executioner's Apprentice, though Amber knew that Terror Smile was going to be entered as well as others. She didn't know how she felt about her competition, but she did know of several strategies she would use to cope with the race. Tura was a closer. They would stick with their strategy. The race was ten furlongs, so they could end up with a lot of ground to make up. Amber wanted to make sure the trip was easier. Thus, they would never be more than ten lengths off of the leader, whoever that would be. She wondered what Krystal's plans with Sill were, and considered asking.
Hey, Krystal, what are your plans with Sillenia for the race? They were galloping, but Amber had long since mastered the art of speaking while galloping. We'll stick with our closer style of course. Probably hang around you or a bit farther back. She makes up ground a bit faster than Tura I think, so we can risk being off by as much as fifteen lengths. She's got it in her. Amber nodded. That sounds solid. But are you sure she'll be able to close that quickly? Krystal nodded mutely and didn't say a word. Amber realized she should have known better than to question Krystal and just nodded.
The mares finished their gallops and were being cooled down. Sill was still slightly in front. Tura had settled just off her shoulder. True to her nature, she wasn't going to make a big deal about being dominant. She was naturally a bit submissive, but could be made to win, of course. She had proven that many times. Sillenia was her polar opposite in that respect. She preferred to be dominant and was never submissive. It was hard for Krystal to initially ride her because of this, but as all riders do with their horses, she learned. The Tropical Rainforest loomed, and the mares felt great. They had talked race strategy and done an easy workout. They couldn't let their game drop. They had to do well. Tura was nearing her final race, and Sill was nearing her final season. Every race counted.
