Post by S u N f r O s t ~ on Sept 9, 2014 18:21:57 GMT -5
ETERNAL PHANTOM AND KRYSTAL YHATE
PALISADES PIRATE AND HENNA TURATH
PHANTIE'S WORKOUT FOR BABBLING BROOK HANDICAP
Intense conditioning for the end of season races. That was what Amber Black had called this when Henna Turath had stormed into her office this morning demanding an explanation for the workout today. And Amber, darn her, had just stared at her and calmly explained her evil plan - err, training regime. And Henna Turath had had no choice but to grudgingly accept it. Though she knew they could very well be screwed against the competition she was facing today. Palisades Pirate was a good juvenile, arguably one of the best classic dirt colts currently in training. But he was not good enough to defeat Eternal Phantom of all horses! The demonic black mare was in a league all her own...especially since she had just been defeated in two straight races. Oh yes, the queen of the barn was not in a good mood these days at all, and for a horse like Phantie that meant she was a positive catastrophe in the making for any horse that got in her way. Only the fleetest of the barn could work out with her these days. Henna did not yet count Pyrite among that number.
Young Pyrite vibrated with energy as Henna rode him to the track. He was in his month off and thriving off of all the extra workouts this allowed them to put in him. He was up to galloping a mile and a half most days, and his physique was stupendous as a result. Lean muscle developed over his frame, and new confidence shown in his eyes. He was being worked daily against his stablemates and had even taken a liking to being worked out with cold Alucard. Something about the stoic colt agreed with him. Henna had no idea what, but she was happy to have found the young colt a workout partner. But today's partner...this was not ideal. A threatening neigh was all the warning Henna got before Eternal Phantom herself swung onto the track. The black mare vibrated with dark determination, and her eyes were alit with the fury of her bloodline. Oh yes. This was not a horse to mess with.
Krystal's smirk said it all. Phantie was in brilliant form. She was done with taking her losses, and now her leadership of the division could even be questioned! It was unacceptable. Deadly force threatened, the mare eyed up young Pyrite and snorted her derision. The younger colt, in a rare showing of hostility, actually pinned his ears and stood his ground. Henna cheered silently to herself even as she got Pyrite out of fighting range. Her young colt was growing a background. Phantie snorted, annoyed, but Krystal's smirk only grew. No horse could stick with Phantie right now, in her opinion. She was just in such good form. Krystal knew they had something to prove in the Babbling Brook Handicap against this monstrous field of horses vying for her crown, and she would hate to disappoint. Krystal nodded to Henna, and Henna nodded back. That was their signal. In moments, both horses were off and running.
Pyrite, as was his nature, took the lead. Deadly Phantie dropped right off the pace, a sudden change from her aggression from before. Contrary to popular belief, Phantie was perhaps more dangerous when she played the part of a closer. Closing let her build all of her strength and energy into a killing blow. And Pyrite seemed to know it too. The young colt rolled away from his competition, opening up six lengths within a furlong before settling. Henna was still worried. A gap like this would not turn the tides in their favor. They would need to grow it in order to truly tap the reserves and test Eternal Phantom. Within three furlongs, Pyrite's lead had widened to twelve lengths. To any watcher, it would seem as though Pyrite had this race in the bag. But the horse in the back was a deadly threat...
...and as the pair rolled into the sixth furlong everything became clear. Krystal crouched down, yelling sharply as Phantie exploded with the force of a volcano. The black mare's legs blurred, intent to win surging through her as she demolished the open lengths Pyrite had on her. Eight lengths, six, five, four, two. They pulled up alongside Pyrite in a blur of speed within a furlong. But young Pyrite was defined by heart just as much as Phantie was defined by class. He would not give in. The colt dug in and actually managed to shake off Eternal Phantom for about two seconds. But the black mare would not be denied. The dirt track was hers. Krystal held on for dear life as the mare rolled by Pyrite and finished off the final furlong of this workout in barely eleven seconds. Pyrite finished it in twelve, going strong.
Phantie was barely sweating as she was pulled up. She was simply too determined to demolish the field in her next race, too much in form for something like this to have affected her. And Pyrite had simply gotten some great experience and fantastic conditioning from this workout. Both horses were prepared to surprise and be victorious next time out.
