Post by S u N f r O s t ~ on Oct 9, 2013 18:12:30 GMT -5
ODE TO GLORY AND KRYSTAL YHATE
ITALIAN ICE AND VALENCIA ANDREWS
ICEE'S WORLD TURF CUP WORKOUT
They were of the same mindset - victory, at all costs. Victory, no matter what, was what they worked towards. To not win meant to come in second. To not come in second was to come in third. To not do any of those things was to fail. Failure was not an option for the black filly and her devoted rider. Failure was not what they did and something that they could not do. The Breeders Cup Turf was one race away. Before that race, they had the World Turf Cup to contend in. It was against the usual suspects - Bella Luna, Flawed Princess and Silent Fury. A field of champions. Nothing less than true ambition burned within Valencia Andrews and Italian Ice. They were of the same heart and the same mind, which was a key part of the reason why they rarely lost when paired together. Their unerring determination had led to a swift rebound after the Turf Triple Crown's Belmont Turf Classic, which they had been hard pressed to prepare for in the first place. The Canadian Triple Crown had fallen to them. And after such a race, they had picked up some victories, the most significant of which was the World Filly Cup just recently. They were sharp going into the World Turf and Valencia wanted the whole world to know just how far Icee was from quitting the scene.
The filly was a true professional now. Horses that were Triple Crown or Tiara winners took no crap from anybody, and Italian Ice was no exception. The versatile filly had risen to greatness and had declared turf to be her surface, with an equal affinity shown for the dirt. Only horses with that flexibility became Canadian Triple Crown winners after all. The filly had taken the Juvenile Fillies Turf before suffering from a lack of management earlier in the year. SOPS had been hard pressed to get her back on track. It was nothing short of extraordinary that they had succeeded so greatly. Little did Valencia or the filly know that they would be joined by the Juvenile Turf winner in his first comeback workout, prepping for the Top Notch Stakes in early January. Ode To Glory was back.
The gray colt had been knocked out with an injury but had started prepping for a return since early November. One month later he was still being conditioned but was ready for a workout. Krystal Yhate felt nothing less than pride as she trotted the gray three year old over the turf track. Ode To Glory had dead heated with Blue Me Away for his win and that colt was currently tearing up the turf track. If anything, it spoke volumes about Ode's latent potential. Krystal had big plans for next season and it all started with a comeback. She burned with the desire to win in that comeback and in every subsequent race afterwards. A similar desire burned within the normally quiet-mannered Ode. He was ready to make a grand return and slay all his doubters. He had missed the track. Krystal felt a sudden, sharp desire course through Ode's veins as he accelerated to the canter. This was the course where he had laid down his greatest victory to date. The most surprising one of his career. And he wanted to show more surprises to the crowd.
Amber admired both horses, her green eyes sharp with calculation. Icee moved like a champion and Ode moved like a horse that hadn't been off the track for five months. They looked gorgeous. Her eyes remained trained on them as they both took off, side by side, into the gallop. Icee stretched out joyfully, her veins thrumming with excitement as she launched over the turf track. Icee loved to compete, loved to win - hated losing. She was all speed on the front end right now, but would quiet it down during the actual World Turf Cup. She had championships to win and Valencia knew both her and the filly really wanted it. The World Turf Cup was a proving ground for the Breeders Cup Turf. And goodness knew that they wanted both of those wins. As for Ode...Krystal felt the sharp desire pang through the reins. Ode stretched out, his quiet manner fading fast. He stuck to Icee like glue and refused to be left behind. He was done being left behind.
The pace continued to increase. Icee pushed it faster and faster, her black legs blurring as she challenged the wind and the colt at her side. Ode To Glory did not yield. The gray was done with that, done with his previous behaviors of noncompetitiveness. A new horse was emerging from the old. Krystal felt the change, and she felt the growing power within the colt that was staying stride for stride with Italian Ice. There was a lot there that had not been there before. Injury had taught Ode well. It had fired up his desires and had made him more dangerous - as well as more rested and ready to rock and roll once Year Fourteen dawned. Krystal hungered for their first race. Even during the Breeders Cup she would hunger for it. It was their time to shine again. And that started with hard work now. Ode might not have been in the racing condition that Icee was in, but his stubborn heart refused to give. The furlongs stretched out to six alongside Icee, who was setting a grueling pace. Ode was beginning to fold. Krystal frowned, took hold of the gray colt and was surprised to find him resisting her. Disobedience was not the norm for the gray, but there it was.
Valencia sighed. Her intuition told her more than Krystal could say in words. She slowed Icee down as they crested seven furlongs. Icee had barely been working. She had been running off of her own desire to win for the entirety of this mini race and was perfectly willing to slow at the end. She'd made her point in every powerful stride, declared her desire for victory by the gleam in her eyes and the attitude present in each facet of her being. She was so ready for the World Turf Cup and so hungry for the win that Valencia had no idea how the racing world could take both of their separate hungers together. Krystal sighed in relief as Icee slowed. Now Ode slowed as well, remaining dead even and panting hard as he did so. His gray coat glistened with sweat, and Krystal pat the colt affectionately. He had run his heart out today and earned the rest of the week off. Come next week, he would work out again. He would condition and condition for his debut start. And he would sure as well be ready to go.
As for Icee...this was her ode to the glory she desired. Her heart beat fast as she strode purposefully over the turf. Only Valencia would have been able to relate to the fire burning in Icee's heart, as the same burned within her own.
