Post by S u N f r O s t ~ on Oct 12, 2014 15:43:41 GMT -5
DEVIL'S FLAIR AND VALENCIA ANDREWS
WISH UPON A STAR AND KRYSTAL YHATE
ROYAL CADENZA AND TIMOTHY ANDREWS
PANDORA AND KYLIE SILVERSTAR
DEVIL'S WORKOUT FOR GOLDEN SLIPPER STAKES
CADEN'S WORKOUT FOR COX PLATE
PAN'S WORKOUT FOR HASTA LA VISTA
Valencia Andrews's devilish grin was recognizable from a mile away. Krystal didn't even have to look hard in order to realize what horse the younger jockey was riding. Valencia only looked that way when she was aboard one horse - Devil's Flair. The hot blooded son of Devil's Flair oozes masculinity and arrogance, and Valencia's own arrogance did not tone it down one bit. Devil swaggered over the turf track as though he owned it. The chestnut looked gorgeous, all muscles and loud confidence. He carried a reputation about him now, built up from his impressive resume in the juvenile races, and that reputation stemmed from his incessant bullying of other horses in a race. Devil lived to push the front runners until they cracked, and sometimes that goal got ahead of other things he should be doing, such as winning the race. But in the end, any race with Devil's Flair entered in it proved to be fast, and after a solid month of rest the colt was looking to be in peak form for the Golden Slipper Stakes.
Krystal knew her own mount was in good condition as well. Wish Upon A Star squarely met the juvenile's gaze eye for an eye and refused to back down. The bay mare had backbone, indeed she did. The winner of the Pegasus Stakes looked beautiful and collected. Spirit gleamed in her eyes and the desire to win roared in her heart. Krystal felt it and nourished it. They had big races to run and win in. The mare possessed mountains of stamina and was their top contender for the Breeders Cup Turf Marathon if all worked out according to plan. Wish had been running an absolutely solid season and things were looking to be set to go for her final season of racing next year. If any horse could improve even more rapidly as they got older, it was Wish. Her older sister Vindictive Fury had done it, and Krystal hoped to be just as dominating by the conclusion of Year Fifteen. Valencia sent a smirk Krystal's way and received one in return. Krystal was nothing less than confident aboard her mount.
A princely neigh echoed from the sidelines of the turf. Krystal and Valencia turned and came face to face with none other than Timothy Andrews. Valencia's older brother didn't quite have her taste for riding horses...though the way he rode Royal Cadenza, they might as well have been the same person. Tim rode his horse with respect for his arrogance and power, and he was all confidence in the saddle. Valencia quirked an eyebrow challengingly at her brother, the only one able to get a quirked eyebrow out of her, and received a grin in response. Tim was conditioning Caden for the Cox Plate against Bella Luna and Infinite Warcry. The odds were probably stacked against them, but if any horse deserved a win it was Caden. The black stallion had come a long way from the year and two months ago when SOPS had bought him, and he was a graded stakes runner of respect now. His last win had come June Week Four in the Malibu Stakes and since then he had been searching. Perhaps in the Cox Plate, Caden would strike gold. If not, he would certainly go down trying his hardest. The five year old knew the meaning of hard work and did not accept defeat easily. His competitors would find a sharp horse on race day.
Last to arrive was Pandora. Kylie Silverstar, shy as always, avoided eye contact as she rode her black filly of intense talent to join the trio of horses on the track. Pandora, on the other hand, was not shy. If anything, Pan curiously eyed her competitors as they approached, and once within distance neighed. She received a response only from Devil's Flair, who was ever the flirt even with the filly he competed and raced against on a daily basis. Wish was preoccupied with being competitive, as was Caden. The two older horses stared each other down as the two juveniles shifted in place. Kylie smiled as Pan dismissed Devil, used to the chestnut's antics. The filly never ceased to surprise. Her talent was enormous and they were seeking win seven in the Hasta La Vista at The Wire this week. A good workout would aid her chances of attaining the coveted grade three title as a juvenile.
The horses formed up, and as assistant trainer Krystal took charge. It was to be a classic workout today. Wish Upon A Star led the charge as the horses all took off, four thoroughbreds galloping in a pack as they took to the turf. Wish was completely comfortable on the turf and fine on the lead for now. This was a pace the mare did not mind. Devil's Flair immediately took his spot on the outside, exerting immediate pressure. Caden, used to being a stalker, took a spot behind these two. And behind everybody, Pandora decided to take the spot of a closer for today's antics. The black filly moved like class personified, the picture of grace and power as she tracked her foes around the first turn. Devil was quick footed, stubborn brilliance. Caden was arrogance. Wish was pure will as the horses rocketed around the track. Devil's steady pressure did not wear Wish down, so instead the chestnut colt comfortably settled on her outside for the journey. Caden followed with measured strides, never too far behind.
Flying down the backstretch and into the final turn, the horses pushed mightily off of their hindquarters and accelerated rapidly. Pandora was perhaps the quickest, showing an amazing turn of foot as she roared on the outside, smoothly boxing Royal Cadenza in. Caden was forced back as Pan flew forward. Wish went with her, with Devil accelerating as well. The three formed a line as they flew down the stretch. Caden angled out, finding a spot, and accelerated to join as they all rocketed down the wire. Class and speed, fire and will, determination above all else - those were the words to classify these horses as they worked right to the wire and galloped out past it. Their conditioning showed clearly, and their speed was as unmistakable as Valencia's and Tim's exchanged smirks as they cooled off. These four were ready to destroy their competitors on the hit list or not in their next starts.
