Post by Cavallo on Sept 8, 2012 11:02:11 GMT -5
Kyle rode his black mount in lively fashion. This colt knew not what it meant to be calm. His crown thrusted excitedly up into the air, as they cantered lightly over the springy turf. Jax was simply loving the feel of the turf, the morning dew creating a cooling sensation on his muscled and admirable form. Kyle couldn't help, but smile. While, lively and energetic, Jax wasn't his typical ride. He usually got the aggressive and psychotic horses like his precious Atalanta and her twin brother Warlock...so Jax was literally a breath of fresh air. While definitely not a beginner riding horse, he was definitely not a red ribbon horse...he was just...competitive....and extremely so. Kyle kept a firm hand on the black colt as they finished their three furlong warmup. He looked up to see Jeff and Abastor finishing up their warmup as well.
The Bucephalus son was on point and a little edgy today. He looked fantastic. Jeff had ridden Augusto lined horses his entire career and it was weird to say the least, to see the new kid at the barn riding one of Nick's precious colts. There was one thing that Intrepid held the market on and that was the Augusto bloodline. The deceased stallion had forever left his imprint on the stock here at IR. Kyle tried to quell the green demon of jealously from rising, but he just couldn't help, but think that he should have been assigned to the black two year old. Jax suddenly gave a little buck, mid-stride taking advantage of Kyle's absent mindedness. Brought back to reality he managed to rein in the colt.
Part of him had wondered what on earth Nick had been thinking purchasing this colt....It wasn't that the colt was bad or incapable...no quite far from that....He admired the colt...Jax dripped with raw talent, but both Abastor and Jax ran similar fields.. Why divide their time further, when they could focus solely on their stock...and not outsides?
But Nick had been insistent. "This colt is going to be a huge turf threat and you're going to make him one." The colt had originally been bred by Oak Hill and the ebon colt boasted of amazing lines..both from GHF and MHS. That's what the hook had been. Sired by ARS' Jazzman and out of Livin' the Dream, this colt was half sibling to Once Upon a Dream (Merry Bay King) and the currently racing Jazzaway and newborn Jazzasoliel out of Nick's own Sun Chaser. Kyle had rolled his eyes at his cousin, not understanding his logic...What did that even mean..making him a turf treat?! Was this his twisted way of bringing him into the "trainer's world"? He toyed with the idea as he pushed Jax forward towards the gates...Why wouldn't he just train his brother? Why him? He thought of Michael's possible reaction to figuring out his brother's intention. His face drew tightly into a grimace. Yes...this won't go over well at all...
As soon as Jax saw the gates, his action became even more fluid and animated. He knew what the gate meant...running. Pure unadulterated running! Kyle smiled again at the colt's exuberance, his mind distracted from his brooding thoughts. Jax seemed blissfully immune to his dark thoughts and Kyle was glad... He stopped the colt and turned to see where exactly Jeff and Abastor were running...Nick had specifically wanted the two worked out together for the coming race. He quickly spotted the loping Aba and gave Jeff a wave.
Abastor was in high spirits today. His last race had been in February and Nick had pulled the colt to allow him to develop some more over the past month. The rest, conditioning and training had settled well with the black colt and that was putting it mildly. His last outing had been a fueling 3rd place behind Snow Storm and Blue Me Away. The colt had been on a straight winning streak and Jeff and Nick had tracked the colt closely the month of March. He was sharp as a tack, but there was no mistaking that Aba wouldn't be tame and indifferent to the rival colt come race day. He'd won the Juvenile Unicorn Horn and recently The Wire Finish Cup Juvy Turf. Nick had scratched Aba then, with his eyes on the Magic Million. There would be no question about it, Aba was ready to demolish the rival black colt. As the duo had done their three furlong run, Aba had simply been pure poetry in motion. His eyes were alert and he was keenly aware of Kyle and Jax breezing on the track. He emitted a competitive huff every so often, but minded Jeff's leg as he pushed the black demon forward. He shook his crown, but obliged....a fire flickering in the depths of his oculars.
With a firm hand and a smile, Jeff admired his stunning mount. Abastor was not a horse to be taken lightly on the track and he'd been utterly flattered when Nick had assigned him to Nick's former ride. Their first encounter had been eventful to say the least and his right forearm bore the scarring evidence of their bonding process. Since that fateful day, the two had been bonded inexplicably. Jeff caught Kyle waving and waiting for them at the gate. He thought he saw a brooding look on his mate's face and then suddenly it was gone, masked by a smile as Jax and he waited by he gates for them.
Something isn't right between us... The thought played through the stage of his mind, but he gave the thought no voice and simply returned the smile and wave. As they drew nearer, Jeff slowed down the speedy Aba and pulled the colt alongside his stable mate.
Jax and Aba locked eyes and competitive spirits where unleashed and in full swing. Aba attempted to give Jax a reprimanding nip, but Jax quickly side-stepped auds flattened and was about to return the gesture, when Kyle spun the colt, preventing an all-out war. Kyle rested Jax a good distance from Aba, who simply stood proud and glaring at the other black.
What a sight they must be...already people had stopped their activities and were giving their attention to the two black colts. Jeff and Kyle grimaced a smile and Kyle couldn't help, but think about the irony of what had just happened...their colts competing...ha. It wasn't just horses competing now.
Sorry Kyle... Jeff offered a sincere apology as he tried to bridge the gap he felt between him and the Boss' cousin. He didn't know what he had done to cause this distance he felt, but he was going to do his best to amend the situation.
Kyle waved off the apology with grace. No worries... He did a quick check to make sure Jax was good, finding no issues he returned to Jeff and Aba. So...Nick wants us to gate these two and break 'em. The competition is going to be fierce and Aba's arch nemesis will be there too.....So will mine... Kyle thought the thought, but said nothing as he continued on the instructions for their exercise.
Both Jax and Aba are fresh and well rested...and both conditioned. Blue will be the heavy favorite, but Nick says don't worry about that. Blue has bested Aba once and he's been training a whole month to take this colt on. There's no clear front-runner for this race, so the pace will be slower than normal..but you and I both know that Aba and Jax don't run slow. So if Blue takes the lead, Nick says to feel free to drive the colt like crazy...the pace won't be an issue. If Aba is forced to take the lead, then be mindful of Blue. Nick says to run him as a preceder of possible though. Jax and I will be running in the back with a new horse from Bowen Acres and Ode to Glory will be running in the middle. We need to be careful of Ode...with Aba or Blue running outside of their normal leg, she'll definitely try to take advantage of this.
He paused and looked to Jeff, eyebrow arched..Any questions?
Jeff had been listening attentively and Kyle had talked strategy, but one issue he had left out was how he and Jax were going to run...in the finish. He pondered that point, but let it go as he shook his head "no" and smiled.
Shall we then? Jeff offered as he pointed Aba to the first gate. Kyle watched Jeff and his mount enter and he pushed Jax forward with the grit of determination. Jax moved confidently forward, sensing that his rider wanted to crush his opponent as much as he did. The two black colts loaded and they eyed each other passionately, each waiting their chance to break like lightening.
Jeff and Kyle locked eyes and smiled - albeit falsely - as they gathered themselves into position. Kyle couldn't help, but think...this is trouble what we have here...double trouble...and he wasn't referring to just the horses.
The gates released and the two black shadows broke on stride and thundered down the turf...the battle for dominance had begun and it was coming from more than one direction..
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