Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2012 22:41:28 GMT -5
TERROR SMILE && KOSOKU
Hailey was riding the grey champion, Terror Smile, while Becky was mounted on her gorgeous skewbald thoroughbred, Kosoku. Aiden had come but only would watch as his mare was worked by Hailey. The trainer had suggested this to him after their last race, seeing that Aide was being a bit too easy on the filly. She understood where he was coming from but if Smiles was going to start winning races again, she needed some encouragement. Aiden hadn't showed Smiles the whip once, ever since she came back to racing. Smiles didn't show the ferocity as she usually did last season because of this. It was as if she didn't remember how to be competitive and how to run without encouragement; something she did all of last year. In her first start she had gotten a third place and then in her second she had gotten another third place. Thirds were a rarity last year, which caused Hailey to think that her filly had forgotten how to hold grudges. Somewhere down deep, Smiles remembered, but she just needed that fire to be brought back up to the surface.
Kosoku was the "new" two year old colt. Smiles hadn't ever got a look at him before now and now she couldn't keep her eyes off of him. Hailey almost saw it as "Why is this colored horse being worked with me?" Kosoku had been, like usual, very mellow as they headed out onto the trail. He handled it like a real trail horse would which brought Smiles to start underestimating him; in her eyes she was going to beat this horse with ease. Her 16.3 hand high frame towered over his short 15.3 hand high frame. She walked in next to him with her head held high in protest. Hailey smirked at her behavior; "This is just mockery of my ability," was what Hailey pictured Smiles was thinking. Kosoku had been dominating the turf sprint races however. With two wins and two seconds in only four starts. He was definitely one to be reckoned with even though he didn't look like much.
As they found themselves on the beach, the ocean breeze filled the air. The wind swept through the three horse's manes giving them a wild look. As soon as the new scents filled the horse's noses, Kosoku's head shot up with curiosity. Cherokee, ridden by Aiden, followed the two racehorses onto the beach. Hailey turned back to look at him, "You can watch from here if you want." Aiden nodded. Hailey turned back and said in a low voice to Becky, "Okay, follow me." She kissed to Smiles who took off at a nice long canter down the sand. She tossed her head in the wind, knowing exactly where she was. A year ago she had been ridden on this beach before going forward to dominate the turf that year. This was a place of revival for her.
Kosoku had never been on the beach before but already seemed to enjoy it. Without Becky asking him, he took off after Smiles as soon as she broke into a canter catching up to her quick. Hailey glanced back, "Slow him down... I want her to think that she's got this, okay?" Hailey looked down at Smiles who hadn't realized the pinto had caught up to her so quick. Not yet, anyways. Becky leaned back and pulled up on the reins, Kosoku threw his head and started to crow hop after Smiles when he had been pulled up all the way to a trot. Becky sat his hopping and turned him in a couple of circles before continuing after Smiles at a trot. The pinto pinned his ears back and pulled on the bit with all his might, his dominance showing completely.
Suddenly, Hailey turned Smiles around and stopped her. Kosoku almost bolted at his chance to get in front of her, but Becky kept him in check. Hailey nodded to her, "Let him gallop out for a couple of furlongs up the shoreline until you get to those rocks up there," she motioned with her finger to a big cliff up in the distance. "Let him run as he pleases once Smiles gets up alongside him. Go when your ready." Becky nodded and let Kosoku walk forward a bit before kissing to him. With her okay, the flashy colt bolted away on the spot. Behind him, Smiles half reared in surprise. Hailey kissed to her and Smiles was away, quickly. Her eyes were glued to the multicolored two year old as she spread out, matching his pace and then taking it up a notch. She was closing the gap of 5 lengths... 4 lengths... 2 lengths. Becky glanced back at the fast closing Smiles and then turned back to look at her hands, that were so tightly holding her colt back from sprinting away. This speed was nothing compared to what he could usually run.
Smiles bobbed her head, as if asking for a challenge. She was barely breaking a sweat and she'd caught up to this mockery of a horse in only a second or two. Hailey let her run as she pleased, her reins loosening. Smiles took this as the okay to go and she shot forward, prepared to flatten the pinto completely. She wasn't expecting the burst from him as she got near his flank, however. Kosoku, who had sensed the filly's presence had broken away from Becky's hold without her okay. His ears flattened against his skull, his legs outstretched, as he launched away from this filly. In a matter of seconds he was eight lengths in front of her and surging. Smiles pinned her ears back as if confused and then took off after Kosoku. She caught the youth, quickly but she was running at a blinding speed that she wasn't used to. It was a sprinting speed that she was running at now; not the usual classic speed that she was used to.
Kosoku once again launched away from the older mare. Smiles was in absolute shock. How could he be running so fast? In anger and in determination, she caught him as if she was on fire. This time she would not let this two year old, skewbald, colt, run away from her. How did he in the first place? Was she not as mighty as she thought she was? Of course not. This was a pinto, shorter than her, unseasoned. She was better than him in any and every way! When he tried to outrun her the final time, Smiles was waiting for his move and overtook him. She nosed her way in front, eyes glaring into his. Kosoku snorted and pushed himself harder. He refused to back down. No one would beat him! No one!
The two jockeys, both of their horses running at their hardest, neck and neck, spotted the finish line only a few hundred yards ahead. The cliffs. Now it was their turn to push for the win. Becky was the first to wave her whip on Kosoku's side. He saw it's quick motion and heard the quick snap. It gave him a new determination and he charged harder, harder than ever down the shore. His hooves hardly hit the ground before they were back up again. He was flying across the water. Smiles seemed to realize that the finish was near as well. She was beginning to give in to the exhaustion of the fiery pace they had ran at. She saw the pinto edge his nose in front, flying. Hailey gave her one last kiss and waved the whip at her side. For the first time in a long while, Smiles saw the whip swipe the air beside her and crack before returning to her jockey's side.
The whip seemed to start turning the gears once more. The last time she'd seen the whip being waved at her side was when Sillenia was about to pass her and then her life had nearly ended. Now, the pinto that she thought wouldn't be able to beat her was nosing his way in front, trying his hardest. A newfound fire lit in Smiles' eyes. She pinned her ears flat against her skull and took flight. No way was she going to let another horse nose their way in front of her! It was time for revenge. She was going to get revenge on every horse in her way. She was going to race Sillenia and beat her and nothing would stand in her way of doing so. The grey mare took flight like a hawk and swooped forward. Her strides lengthened as she carried herself to charge away from Kosoku, who was taken aback by the mare's sudden speed burst. She was probably the gamest horse he'd ran against yet. He tried to outrun her once more but it was too late. Smiles had found herself, lost and a bit ruffled, but she had found herself, nonetheless.
As they swept past the cliffs, Smiles had gained an eight length lead and was still surging away from that loss at the Breeder's Cup. She was running from that awful break down. No, she refused to be beaten again. How she had allowed it in her last two starts was a mystery, but now she was back... She was going to earn her title as turf queen and take it from Sillenia, once and for all. It took Hailey about a furlong more of endless surging before she could finally pull Smiles up to a reasonable pace to return to where Becky had already gotten to Aiden. They sat in silence, beholding the champion mare, as she galloped back. Her coat glistened in the morning sun and her eyes still were full of light. Hailey had a feeling that the light in her eyes wouldn't fade away so easily this year.
No one spoke. No one broke the silence that was meant to be. The only sound came from Kosoku in annoyance at his defeat. Nothing needed to be said. Everyone knew what would become of Terror Smile over the next several months. She would arise from her ashes and it wouldn't matter who would be riding her because she was now hungry for revenge. She would run faster than any horse and harder than any horse because she knew she had to so she could face Sillenia. The only horse to ever defeat her twice.
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