Post by Cruisey on Jan 19, 2014 19:47:42 GMT -5
FLYING SOLO & JOHNNY GARNER
INFERNO & TALIA SMITH
DEVIL'S BLESSING & SAMMIE PICKETT
This was it. The Spring Cup had finally arrived at Green Horse Fields and everyone at Firestone was busy getting their recent entries relaxed and prepared. They had 3 boys entered. Inferno and Devil’s Blessing were both up against each other in the Grade 5 Turf race, and Flying Solo was in the Grade 3 Turf Sprint race. Carter was looking at the field for both races, and it was likely to be very close races. With three completely different racing styles in the Turf Sprint, it would definitely be a battle to the finish. In the Grade 5 Turf, each horse had at least one win under their belt this season, but it seemed like Dare to Impress had the most experience out of all. Carter had no doubts for the three colts, as long as they were prepared.
Two furlongs was all they would be running today. Short, clean and effective. The three energetic colts moved out onto the track. All three loved to run, and they knew that running was exactly what the track was for, and they were soon gated, ready for the work. Solo’s rider thought over their strategy for the race. He would put Solo behind Fern and Cian at the beginning, forcing the other to become a front runner for the race, and remain not far behind for the majority of the race before taking him on in the stretch. With any luck, they'd have the distance between themselves and the closers to be able to close off the race without too many issues.
The gates opened, and the colts broke quickly. Cian was the leader as usual, his bay coat flashed in front of Fern and Solo. His head high, and dark eyes glinting, they moved up the turf at a good pace. Fern settled behind in second and Solo was trailing behind, stalking the two leaders. Johnny pushed the stallion onwards, urging him up the short distance and felt the horse respond to his request. That was the thing with Solo; once he knew he could trust you he didn't really question you on the track.
The turf was firm and currently dry, not that it would matter to the other horses all that much, but it was always good to be prepared for what was to come. The horse’s legs moved in a four beat, then a pause, and the sound was a pleasant constant to the jockey, who was preparing himself for the second half of the work when he had agreed with the trainer to push him, and quite hard, for the finish.
With the first furlong over, and the horses up to a good speed, the jockey started to drive the colt and hard. He cracked the crop against his ride's rump, and urged him forwards. Solo responded well, his pace increasing quickly at the jockey's command. He reached his top speed quickly, and so his speed levelled out, but he did not slow down. He was moving quickly, proudly. As they passed the post, it ended up being Fern in first, Solo in second and Cian in third. They would give this race their best shot.
