Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2013 23:47:43 GMT -5
TERROR SMILE RIDDEN BY AIDEN SMITHWITH
IRON MAN RIDDEN BY DANIELLE KIRSCH
Aiden sat atop the large grey mare, his eyes trained on the fog that engulfed the track, while his mind raced. He was just recently given the responsibility to get Triple Krown Racing back up and running. It's previous owner, Hailey, had gotten a very bad disease and couldn't run the stable anymore. Aiden had stepped up to take charge, being close friends with Hailey and having been with the stable for too long to let go. Aiden would never let go.
He frowned and grasped a lock of Smiles' mane, running it through his fingers. He looked between her ears which were pinned up, and her head was raised high in alertness. It was as if she was watching ghosts race through the mist. Aiden belonged on the back of thoroughbreds and he would never belong anywhere else. Becky had left the track to reside in the show ring. She left the farm and moved overseas to train. Aiden's heart swelled at the thought of everything about her. She had called it off with him right after telling him about her decision to move out of the country and leave the racing industry. Aiden didn't know why she had and it had been bugging him every single day.
He missed her but he had other things he had to worry about. He needed to move on and begin training the stable's horses. Aiden had a couple of goals he wanted to reach this year and those goals would not be achieved unless he started to get his horses to win. The first goal was to get a horse of the month award. He didn't know who with quite yet, but hopefully with Terror Smile. He loved Terror Smile. She had a special place in his heart and he wouldn't trade her for any other horse in the world. He smiled and stroked her neck. Her eyes were still watching the silent ghost horses and she didn't even acknowledge that Aiden was stroking her. Another goal was the Breeder's Cup. That was going to take a LOT of work but it would be worth it. Smiles deserved a Breeder's Cup title before she retired to the breeding shed. He didn't know how he would take that, thinking back upon her recovery from her first and only Breeder's Cup.
Aiden turned himself in his saddle. Terror Smile finally took her attention off the fog and turned to look at what her rider was looking at. Their eyes fell upon a girl riding towards them through the fog on a grey stallion. As they grew closer, the stallion was revealed as Iron Man. Aiden nodded to her, "Good morning, Danielle." Her crystal blue eyes fluttered up from Iron Man's ears to look at Aiden and spoke in a german accent, "I told you to call me Danni. Danielle's too long." She smiled, halfheartedly. Aiden nodded, "Will do. Did you have any trouble with him?" Danni shook her head, "Nope. Let's get going... I'm ready to start working." She put hunched forward, ready to let him take off at a lope down the turf. Aiden held out his hand, "Give me the whip. You won't need it." Danni looked at him, a little confused and then handed over the whip without hesitating, and then clicked her heels into Iron Man's sides.
Iron Man and Danni took off down the stretch at a lope and Aiden kissed to Smiles, taking off right behind them. Iron Man's strides were short and powerful, almost jerky. Danni sat low on his back taking in Iron's short strikes to the earth. Terror Smile's lope however was very graceful and beautiful. Her legs struck out and barely hit the ground before they were back in the air. She looked as if she was floating across the turf and Aiden felt like he was floating. This was one of his favorite things about Smiles. Other horses didn't have her smooth, effortless movement.
Aiden held Smiles back, allowing Danni and Iron Man to take up the front freely. Danni looked back at Aiden and slowed Iron down a notch, allowing Smiles to catch up. "So what's the plan for today?" Aiden looked at her, "Well I was hoping to get a time on you guys breezing and just try to get our horses polished up. They've been sitting for awhile without any racing that they are getting a bit sloppy. A couple works and they will be race ready again." Danni nodded, "Okay so what do you want to do first?" Aiden looked over a her and shrugged, "Wanna breeze them together and I'll time us?" Danni smirked, "Yea. Race you to the wire from the 1/2 pole?" Aiden frowned, "Breeze to the wire from the 1/2 pole." Danni just smiled and pushed Iron Man forward into a fast gallop.
Aiden sighed heavily and kissed to Smiles, pushing her forward to catch up to Iron Man. Once they were caught up, Aiden let her loose and she rushed up to meet Iron Man. Danni glanced over at the grey mare and squinted ahead, in determination. She let Iron Man loose. He didn't push forward, only stayed the speed. Danni whispered in a barely audible voice to Iron, "Gehen." Iron's ear flickered back and Danni put her hands forward onto his neck, letting him go forward. As Iron Man began to respond to her, they swept past the half pole. Aiden clicked his stop watch and let Smiles go completely. She spread out and began to eat up the ground, going forth to challenge the fast moving, Iron Man. Aiden was now just a passenger.
They rounded the turn, Danni giving Iron ever amount of encouragement she could without interfering with the breeze. He traveled fast but Smiles still ate up the ground from beneath his feet. She took up every bit of rein that she was given and was charging forward, determined to destroy. Iron Man galloped on, but didn't have the self-encouragement to be able to beat her. They swept under the wire and both jockeys stood in their stirrups. Aiden slowed Smiles down and looked over at Danni, "You guys did good." Danni shook her head, her face grim, "Not good enough." Danni was determined to improve. She was going to make Iron Man better, no matter what she had to do.
Aiden's eyes widened. He could tell Danni was not one to give up easily. She seemed hard headed and determined to win. Aiden nodded, "We'll work on it." Danni was still frowning, thinking. "Don't worry... He's an amazing stallion once he gets into it." He could tell that Danni was not going to stop until he was the best he could be and Aiden liked that.