Post by Dante on Aug 1, 2012 12:29:21 GMT -5
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DEVIL'S CRUSADE
workout with
TOBIAS LANCASTER
for the
SPRING CUP GRADE FIVE TURF[/b]
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He lived on energy drinks and bananas, and a few things (though usually he puked those back up) and mainly energy drinks, if that wasn't mentioned. Prison Hill Stables was on something of a workout blitz, and typical of Skylark, he wanted most to train alone. Tobias assumed it made sense. Each horse was different, and Connor and Skylark working together was interesting at best. They might do it time to time, but right now wasn't one of those times. The result was that Tobias had to get up crazy early and drive to the track, where a horse was waiting for him.
Devil's Crusade was barely visible in the beginnings of dawn. The four year old black stallion had interesting past season, but this year was shaping up well. A place, and then a win, and he was here to help it carry on into the Spring Cup. That was this workout was for. Ten furlongs, on the turf.
"You awake?" Skylark looked equally tired, and Tobias had to feel for the trainer. Miles Muse was in some trouble with the GHF committee, and the weight of everything fell to Skylark Fletcher. The trainer could handle it, but the curve was immense on a skeleton staff.
"I am, what about you?" Tobias asked, as he used a fencepost to hop up on the black stallion.
"About as awake as you." Skylark said with a laugh, smacking Crux as he tried to bite him. "You know what to do. Keep him obscure in this race. It's the grade fives, so the field should be a fair size. We entered early, so I don't know who you'll be facing, but I know they'll be plenty of other leg types. Keep in in the center and keep him unnoticed until the end, then go for broke."
"Gotcha." Tobias tipped his helmet to the trainer, and then turned and made for the gate. The dawn gave the track an almost mystical, magical air to it, though Tobias would have preferred to curl up and go to sleep. It was cold and kind of dark. But Crux was having none of that. He was most certainly awake and fresh, and practically towed Tobias along to the gate. He wanted to race. He wanted to go, and Tobias supposed he had a job to do. "All right, all right, boy, I get it."
The duo went into the gate rather well, and Tobias smacked his arm with his stick. Crux's head shot up, but he didn't panic at the jockey's own attempt to wake himself up. He got himself situated, and right afterwards, the gates opened up and Crux went flying with them. He didn't break terribly fast, but given his running style, that was okay. Tobias kept Crux near the rail, but not so near he could be too easily boxed in. The horse was okay with it happening, and give his distance range, Tobias wasn't too worried about it early on. The race would string out nearer the end, and that gave them room. Being box did make them prone to some driving by the back, but it was a risk that came with the position. Nothing was free, after all.
As the two ran, Tobias kept track of how Crux felt. Thus far, he felt pretty good. He was confident on his feet and held steady. Tobias had to wrestle with him a bit, but he was a four year old stallion, after all. That quite often came with the territory, a bit of push and shove. With practice, he would get better about it, especially as he got older.
They came into the curve at six furlongs, and once they got out of it, began to move forwards. For some leg types, this would be too early, as they still had four furlongs to go, but Tobias intended to creep Crux on up, which took time, and so they had to start earlier. Plus, if he moved early, it could play on the minds of the closers, who would see it happening. Either they'd assume he was closing and go, or they'd have to speed up to keep up. Or, if they held their spot and took off later,he would be moving up, and while it was unintentional on his part, Tobias and Devil's Crusade would still be in their way. He made Crux weave a little on the empty track ti simulate it, and get him ready for what was to come, before they crossed the ten furlong mark and slowed back down.
"How'd we do?" Tobias asked Skylark, as the trainer came to meet them just off the track.
"Good. The competition will be fierce, but we'll see how it goes. Take the race as it comes, Tobias, and we should do reasonably well." Skylark nodded, then yawned. "Can I go back to bed now?"
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WORKOUT STATS
words| 816
workout surface| Turf
distance| 10 furlongs
horse| Devil's Crusade
jockey| Tobias Lancaster
type| closed workout (do not reply)
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