Post by Cavallo on Jul 9, 2012 12:48:10 GMT -5
Ice stood stiffly in her paddock her eyes looking disinterestedly about..as Nightshade raced along their fence-line challenging Arachne who was in the next paddock over.
She shook her head and mane at the two year old antics. Nick shook his head as he approached the paddock gate and whistled. Nightshade dropped her challenge and raced over to Nick, head and tail carried high.
Hey there Atropa...are you harassing Arachne again? He patted the young filly's neck. Nightshade was an impressive filly. She had just come off her first race with a win. Nick couldn't have been more proud....but he wasn't here for the Requiem daughter...nope his eyes locked on the loping 3 year old.
Seeking Stardom, Ice, was a gorgeous gal with impressive old SS and MHS lines. She'd gotten one race in in her 2yo season...due to their late re-entry, but Nick quivered with excitement...Ice would now have a whole year to dominate the dirt track. The excitement was palpable.
Ice approached Nick as he then opened the gate and clipped the lead line onto her halter.
Come on Ice...we have work to do.
Atropa stood at the gate neighing at being left behind.
Ice stepped smoothly alongside her handler as they entered the barn. He tied her then to the cross-ties and set about the process of tacking her up.
There was a big race ahead, the January Maiden Dirt and the field was huge. Including Ice there were ten entries...it had gone down one horse when they had to scratch Predator for breaking his maiden...secretly...Nick was pleased. He hated running more than one of his horses in a race.
The field was a very mixed one...you had some four year olds, three year olds and two year olds....Nick couldn't help, but wonder how this race would turn out. He was glad that he would be riding Ice on race day...it would allow him to use his 20+ years of race experience, an advantage to say the least.
As Nick brought out the racing tack, Ice's whole demeanor did a 360! Her once lacksadasical posture was now standing alert. Her auds perked forwards and she let loose a shrill whinny as her right foreleg stamped on the concrete.
That's right girl...you know. He fed her the bit then situated her saddle pad and saddle. He stepped back and slapped the filly's neck affectionately. She fairly pranced in place as Nick unclipped her from the cross ties. He grabbed the reins and led her out of the barn, mounting up and asking her for a canter.
The time it took to get to the track was a wonderful warm-up..already his arms were feeling the strain from holding the filly back...she wanted to run....
When it came to racing, Ice had her dam's amazing sense of being able to intensely focus. There would never be a horse or person that would distract her from what she knew her job to be....racing.
The track came into view and Ice did a sudden leap of excitement. Nick smiled as he settled back down on the filly. Her motion smooth and animated.
There were a lot of mid-pack runners in this race...Ice was a versatile runner, but she prefered to either close or stalk the leaders...there were already two other closers...and they would have a hard time of charging through the huge mid-pack... Their best bet would be to run with the one other possibly two.. stalkers in the race. If they ran on the outside of the rail behind the leaders...they would positioned well out of the wind...pressuring the leaders...wearing them down until the end....then they'd already be on the outside and able to challenge for the win...with enough stamina to fend off the closers or rallying mid-packers.
This was the best scenario...there were horses with more experience on the field, but it didn't make them better. Nick slapped the filly's neck as they took off at a gallop down the stretch.
Ice ran with exhilaration...she was sheer poetry in motion...but this race would require more than beauty it would be a hard run...a hard race...but it would only serve to sharpen their skills this season...Nick sense they were on the verge of something great this year....Ice was capable of pulling off the most astonishing upset and was not one to be written off...then again...
The less they suspected them the better they could run on the field. Nick smiled as he breezed the filly for the next three furlongs...
Yes...let them underestimate them...
