introducing IMPRESS (frosty)

[Snowflake]

MARISSA STAR AND BORN TO IMPRESS

Aboard the tall black thoroughbred, Marissa kind of imagined her self as a medieval princess, or something. Impress moved powerfully, even when he was just walking, so it was only fitting that he be imagined the worthy steed of a knight, or princess. Touching her heels to his sides lightly, she allowed him to switch to trot, and rose in time with his strides. The colt was due to run his first race next week, but Marissa wanted to give him his first taste of the GHF track and it's competition before that, so here they were.

The colt was by Impressario, and out of Born To Fly. Therefore, the son of a Triple Crown winner, and the brother of a Triple Tiara winner (Born To Soar). Impressario was out of HOF Bank On Silver and by HOF Merry Bay King, and entered in the Hall Of Fame himself. Born To Fly was a grade one mare and dam to Born To Soar. To say Born To Impress' bloodlines were great would have to be the understatement of the millennium. The colt tossed his head joyfully, calling a challenge to the horses that shared the track at this moment. He dared them to race.

(note: 2yos only please. No more than two opponents. Workout is on dirt )

[S u N f r O s t ~]

VENTURA AND AMBER BLACK

The daughter of Impressario and Rising Fury stood tall as Amber mounted up into the saddle. Her eyes darted about, looking for other horses, and when Amber finally settled into the saddle and urged her into a walk she responded instantly. She strode with the power of a magnificent beast onto the dirt track, seemingly ignoring Amber's commands even as she followed them with an imperious air about her. She had come third in her initial start, and while both Amber and Ven had been disappointed with that they accepted it. It was expected. They couldn't win every race, especially the first one, especially as a two year old.

As they accelerated to a trot, Amber looked out over the track as she always did and stiffened in surprise. The black colt over there looked just like Impressario! Curious, she let Ven coast faster, and the filly was only too happy to oblige. In no time at all they were riding alongside the black colt, and as Amber looked over the colt's form she grinned widely. There was only one colt who could look like that. Recognizing Marissa Star in the saddle, her grin widened. That wouldn't be Born To Impress all grown up and looking like his daddy would it? Her words were playfully teasing. At the same time, happiness coursed through her. Here was a horse out of her most loved of horses! How could she not be happy?

[Snowflake]

Marissa was humming to herself contentedly when Amber Black trotted up next to her on a familiar looking horse. It took all of 3 seconds to pinpoint who the horse was. Tall, black and a filly, but it was the attitude that gave her away. Yes, this is the handsome boy Impress himself. And that's gotta be his sister Ventura. She replied, grinning.

Impress inspected the filly curiously. He wanted to stop and get a better look, but Marissa nudged his sides to keep him going. His lovely brown eyes sized Ventura up, then he let out a little whinny as his nose touched hers. Awww. Marissa thought, smiling. Either he somehow knew she was his sister or he was interested in making her one of his girlfriends. He was always a gentleman when it came to females, but was often aggressive and dominant when it came to other colts and stallions. Had Ventura been a colt, Impress might have challenged her to a fight by now.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

Spot on, Marissa Amber said with a smile. She was definitely riding Ventura, after all, and the filly was pretty distinctive, what with her beautiful black build, conformation and the flashy way she had been working on the tracks lately. She was the daughter of Impressario and Rising Fury, and that in itself was enough to get spectators to notice her. But when Ven had started working fast and setting quick times right off the bat, the racing world had leaned in for a better look. Ven was talented from a young age as both of her parents had been, and she would remain talented for the rest of her career. Amber had plans for the powerful filly and she would carry them out to completion.

Born To Impress was looking good. Amber ran his eyes over his form, noting muscle and his perfectly correct conformation. He looked mature for a two year old and Amber had no doubt that he would be fast in his initial start. He appeared to be sizing Ven up, and Ven was also sizing him up. When he reached out with his nose and touched hers with a little whinny, Amber wondered how Ven would react. Her personality was independent, powerful and dominant. Ven did not react at all to Impress's nose bump. Instead, her eyes became a bit cold, and she half-glared at the colt at her side. She didn't seem to recognize him as her sibling, which wasn't really surprising, and was taking up the role of a dominant colt. She wanted to race. Amber felt that through the reins. She had competition and she wanted to raze him to the ground.

Amber made sure her hold was secure before speaking again. So, you're here prepping for the Legacy Dirt Stakes right? I noticed his name among the entries.

[Snowflake]

Ventura obviously didn't like Impress. Marissa pulled his nose away before the filly decided to take a chunk out of it or something. Ah well, better they were enemies than friends, really. They'd be facing each other a lot in future. Not that Impress would ever just let anyone win.

Yeah, just getting used to the track today. We'll put in his proper workout later this week. Marissa replied. I saw that Ventura was entered in the turf race. I'd wish you luck, but I'm riding Nature's Dream in that race. She said with a laugh, although she did want to see Ventura win. Just not against any of Star Thoroughbreds' horses.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

Amber smiled a bit as Marissa steered Impress's nose away from Ventura. Marissa knew the background of Rising Fury foals. She was probably expecting Ven to lash out suddenly with a well aimed bite, maiming the blue blooded colt before he even got a chance on the track. Star Thoroughbreds definitely couldn't risk that, and Amber was unwilling for that to happen either. So she also kept Ven on a tight rein. The filly was reasonably unlikely to lash out unless Impress truly annoyed her.

She nodded at Marissa's words. So they were out here doing some recon. Smart. I'd wish you luck in the dirt race as well, except Sweet Inferno is entered and Henna's looking to win! Her words were, of course, very friendly. Now to change the subject. How has Impress's training been going? Any hurdles? Troubles? She was definitely curious to see how he had reacted to training so she could compare it to her own Impressario foal.

[Snowflake]

No, he's been great actually. He thinks he's hot stuff, of course. And he can be aggressive at times, but nothing like Ventura I'd imagine. Marissa replied knowingly with a laugh. It's a welcome change from Rising Fury foals, I can assure you. She added with a serious note. Stalker's Fury's future was currently hanging in the balance. It was touch and go. She might never race again. She might be sold. Marissa hoped Ventura wouldn't have the same problems with attitude, but being a Rising Fury foal meant that that was inevitable. Just hopefully not to the same extent, because Stalker was easily the worst behaved one yet. And it had affected her race performance majorly. Not to mention caused her a lengthly ban from the track.

[S u N f r O s t ~]

Amber nodded. Yes, Fury foals were a handful. After Stalker's Fury, Amber had worried that her blue blooded Ventura would have just as bad a degree of attitude problems. In training, Ventura had been difficult to handle, but it hadn't been as bad as it could have been. True, every staff member had been bitten and treated to a grumpy Ven on several occasions, and Amber remembered well what it was like to get dumped every other workout, but they had broken through. It had been a tough experience, but now Ventura was broken and a good racehorse to boot. So far.

Well, it wasn't easy, of course. The problem with Ven is that she doesn't like to be told no. She doesn't like to have somebody telling her what to do. So when somebody tries...well, I'm sure you can imagine. Amber fondly patted Ven's neck as she talked. The filly had grown up and grown on Amber, as she knew an Impressario foal would. Speaking of Rising Fury, how's she doing? You planning on breeding her to anymore studs?

[Snowflake]

Yes, I can imagine. Marissa replied. And she could remember. Ventura had of course spent her early days at Star Thoroughbreds with her dam. When weaning time rolled around, she was shipped off, kicking and biting to Stride Of Perfection Stables. I'm not sure, at the moment. She's on break this year.. Marissa replied thoughtfully. In all honesty, until she could get Stalker's Fury to the heights of the racing circuit, she wouldn't be concentrating on any new Fury foals.

Shall we get on with it? Marissa asked, grinning and clucking Impress on into canter.