Post by S u N f r O s t ~ on Jun 25, 2012 23:58:40 GMT -5
FLASHY WINGS AND HENNA TURATH
BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC WORKOUT
He was the proud image of a lion, head held just so and mane blowing just perfectly in the breeze. The black forelock that fell across his forehead just so completed the picture of greatness that was this colt. This was Flashy Wings, the son of News Flash and Forbidden Wings, brother to the grade one mare Silent Wings, grade one sprinter star Pegasus Wings and grade four Juvenile contender Forbidden To Fly. A rich legacy of success spread out before him, both in the future and in the past, from the highly successful progeny of his dam. He had cemented the greatness of his mother last year with a stellar two year old season. He had been first to every marker of success, the former undisputed leader of his division. This season, his rivals had begun to rise and attempt at taking his crown. Sunset Crusade - the very name of the colt brought a sour taste to Henna's mouth. That colt had destroyed her mental state when they lost to him - and the Triple Crown - in the Kentucky Derby and in many occurrences afterwards. She had broken down and cried and the press had gotten hold of it. But what they didn't know was going to come back and smack them in the face.
Henna Turath was back.
She was going to let nothing stand in her way of capturing the Breeders Cup Classic. They had stolen the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes as well as the Climax Cup. They were facing ridiculous competition in the Classic as well. Limitless Time the closer of death, Moondance the preceder and defending champion, Bank On Greatness the full brother of Impressario and fellow preceder....and Sunset Crusade, the front running colt who had won the Kentucky Derby at this distance and was their rival, their incredibly hated rival. Henna would throw darts at a picture of this colt on the wall if she could. The race would surely be intense. Sunset Crusade would be the speed of it. Moondance and Bank On Greatness would be behind. Flash ran a similar style to them, but she planned to have him shadow the older horses, and swing out and around or way inside in the stretch. Limitless would make the run from the back. Henna had not forgotten how great Limitless truly was. And Moondance had been personally raised here. Greatness was full to Impressario and was going for a fourth Breeders Cup win. Truly, their competition was intense. The Classic had attracted nothing but the best.
Flash was the best in Henna's heart. He was perhaps not as close as Fire was, but he was amazing. Handsome, full of heart, a passionate horse born for racing. His determination was only equalled by the other horse Henna loved dearly. She had felt it last year, nurtured by this year's success. They were growing. There was something growing inside. Something that hadn't been there before was being nurtured. The seed of greatness was something plenty of horses had. It was nurtured by love, care, hard work and rivalry. But this seed had already matured within Flash. Henna had felt it, and known it would only continue to grow. She had discovered it when he was a two year old. But now, as they approached the Breeders Cup Classic and their four year old season, something grew that transcended greatness.
What could Henna call this thing that had no name? All she knew was that it grew and matured within Flash, and she had not seen this in any other horse before.
Stepping hoof on the track, Flash immediately grew more energized. He became difficult to control, like his older and younger brothers, and Henna was hard pressed to keep him in hand. They managed a rather jumpy trot and an incredibly quick canter before she finally managed to half rein the colt in. The three year old was joyfully extending himself and going for a faster pace. He longed to stretch out and run. The ten furlong distance of the Classic would be perfect for him and his current level of desire. It would only be helped by the fact that the other three year old was there. Henna dreamed of their victory to distract herself as she waited impatiently for Amber. Flash was not standing in place today. He was too eager to go. When Amber finally appeared, it was to find Flash trotting in a circle. She stepped into the middle of it. Henna trotted Flash around her head trainer while receiving her instructions.
Five furlongs. Precisely half of the race distance, at a sprinting pace. Amber wanted the colt to be better at sprinting. And Henna had accepted this. So she coaxed the colt into a gallop - except he needed no coaxing. They burst into the pace quickly, and Henna let the colt go. They flew, and as they flew and increased the pace she become aware of the growing thing inside. This feeling, what could it be called Euphoria? Will? Determination in its elemental form? Whatever it was, it felt better than rocket fuel. Henna lived in the feeling, letting it carry her on a breeze. Cloud nine awaited them, and still this feeling would grow. Henna wondered what Flash looked like on film when he galloped. Did his tail stream out behind like a banner while his legs gracefully cut through the air and landed on the dirt with a resounding pound? Did his eyes speak volumes of the nature of his spirit?
The five furlongs disappeared in a little under one minute. Henna wasn't timing it - this was just a guess. She pulled the colt up, gratified to find him sweaty but breathing easily, still light on his feet and ready to go. She met the eyes of the press at the track rail, who looked back hungrily and waited for a sign that her mental breakdown was still impacting her performance. This sign did not come. Henna's gaze locked with Amber's at the track rail. She grinned.
