Post by Cavallo on Oct 24, 2012 11:58:23 GMT -5
They were going to be facing off with Fire Dancer. Michael smiled at the two horse race with two flame inspired names. The barn crew had been cracking jokes about the race all week...Man those two horses are really going to set that track on fire....Look out here comes the FIRE POWER! The joking wasn't coming to an end, but they were all rooting for the Oddside x Vintage son. The colt had lines older than GHF, rare and proven, Fire was doing a great job this season with only one place out of the top three.
Michael eased the vibrant chestnut into the back-stretch as they began to complete their warmups. FS Mockingbird, Fire's half-brother of the same age had just won his race last week, claiming the title of a Grade One. Michael gritted his teeth. It was putting it mild to say that this was a moderate rivalry between brothers. Nick had been all smiles ass he'd led his Oddside son Jay off the track. Michael and Fire had simply shot dirty looks at their brothers all week. With eight wins to his name, Michael and Fire were just two wins from reaching grade 2...Which would indeed be a big accomplishment considering this was Intrepid's first full year back on the tracks.
As the pair cruised down the back-stretch, he unleashed the Fire and like a comet he took off. It had been an entire month since the colt had been entered in a race and during that month, Michael had tones, conditioned and trained the colt. Things were really starting to heat up on the tracks and he was going to be sure that Fire would have what it took to perform.
It wouldn't be an extremely fast paced race, but Michael would have to be ever mindful of Fire Dancer. She liked to run mid-pack, but with the limited field she wouldn't have the joy of being in the middle of things, but it shouldn't affect her too much. Fire was very much a front runner and with no competition on the front end, they'd be free to run as they pleased. Nick had also mentioned during the week, that Fire Dancer, due to her long legs...didn't break as fast as most horses. Usually, with a large field this wouldn't matter, but with a two horse field this could make all the difference.
A plan began to form in his head as he guided his flaming gem around the track. They would have to break hard and fast, secure a gap that would be too energy costly for the filly to close down on, back off and wait for her speed challenge and charge in the back stretch, where they would be waiting in full reserves...
It was a shot.
