Post by S u N f r O s t ~ on Feb 16, 2014 21:00:21 GMT -5
AQUATIC ADDICTION AND VALENCIA ANDREWS
ALUCARD AND HENNA TURATH
THEO'S WORKOUT FOR THE PRESIDENT CUP
ALU'S WORKOUT FOR THE MOTION SPRINT
Both Valencia Andrews and Henna Turath felt on top of the world this morning. They exchanged grins, still wrapped up in the victories and defeats of the Wire Finish Cup and more than eager to continue working to keep ramping up the success. They were on the backs of two sprinters this morning - Aquatic Addiction and Alucard. The two lesser known members of the dirt sprinting division, the two hidden threats among the SOPS roster. Valencia's blood thundered through her veins as she remembered her last ride aboard Theo. The son of Shiver Me Timbers had had a really rough start to the season, but had won a week ago. Granted, it was a minor race, but it had finally given them their grade one win. To have reached that milestone with Theo felt nearly better than winning the Canadian Triple Crown with Icee. They had finally reached something worthwhile, something that would make people take notice of them, and she hoped to make the success continue in the President Cup. Theo was really shaping up now. He had always been surprising, inconsistent with his runs - no run more impressive than the one when he had dead heated with Mastermind - but now he was four years old and he was finally maturing. Valencia could hardly wait to take the racing world by storm. They had had to start small, but her plans for him were coming to fruition.
Henna could practically see the plans hatching out behind Valencia's eyes. She wondered at her own with Alucard. The grade four three year old was not a bad horse, but he had been working on putting it together all season rather than winning. He was due for a win and she hoped it would come in the Motion Sprint, their second major start of the season. Goodness knows we deserve it, eh Alu? she said. As per usual, the stoic three year old paid her no attention, not even a flicker of an ear. He was all focus these days, all coldness, even more so than usual. Henna wondered if the hard-to-read colt was just as eager for the win as she was. She certainly hoped so and thought so. Thoroughbred racing was in this one's blood, and as emotionless as he was Alu's desire and will to win did come out on the track, especially when he muscled his competition around and blew past them in a drive for the finish. I've got faith in you, speedy Alu. Alu once again made no reply, but Henna didn't care. She had seen his ear flick just briefly - a lapse in his mask that showed he actually did care, just a little bit. She smiled.
The two were now moving out onto the dirt track, Amber perched on the rail and watching them acutely. She knew that these two had the potential to storm their divisions from absolutely nowhere. Just like Lynara did as a three year old. Her eyes burned and she resolved to not let Lynara fade away, or the rest of her horses. She focused on them and nodded in approval as they sped up to the canter, and finally to the gallop. Alucard moved like liquid mercury, his eyes emotionless in the sort of way that just hinted at unseen calculation. His acceleration was quickest, and he took the lead by the barest of heads. Theo stuck close to his outside, the four year old intent on the task at hand and enjoying the feeling of the ground speeding away behind him. Valencia resolved to dethrone longtime rival Mastermind by the end of the season. They were behind right now, but boy would they play catch-up.
The two charged into the homestretch, kicking up dirt as they went along. Alu had the rail and he pulled away to lead by a half length, using the distance to his advantage. Theo remained hunkered down in his true closer style. He was coming in sharp off of that win and the exhilaration of grade one filtered from his rider to him. Willingness to please and determination roared in his eyes as they closed out at the three quarter pole and began the final charge down the stretch. Alucard heard them coming, and Henna said go. The three year old accelerated, but Theo had a closing kick like no other sprinter. The majority of sprinters were front runners and preceders; Theo's closing kick was idiosyncratic and blazingly fast from conserved energy. He soared past Alu, but the young colt was not going down without a fight. His muscles heaved as he dug in and slipped beside Theo, sticking with him and not letting him get any farther away before being shut down right at the wire.
They were dead even and Valencia sent a game smirk Henna's way which was returned. The two underdogs were ready to shoot for the moon and make the mark. They were ready to move up and surprise the racing world.
