Post by Kenren on Mar 19, 2015 22:30:46 GMT -5
Ode To Glory & Halexia Suhail
Beautiful Liar & Desmond Drake
Stalking The Stars & Clarimonde Tusaint
Beautiful Liar & Desmond Drake
Stalking The Stars & Clarimonde Tusaint
Hal narrowed her eyes, looking past Minske as he tightened Ode's girth. He looked up at her, but didn't follow her gaze. "What's up?" he asked, giving the patient grey a rub on his shoulder as he waited for the woman to spill whatever was running through that eccentric mind of hers. She worried her lip with her teeth for a moment, then said, clearly puzzled, "How can Savita fire up at literally every little thing and her brother not fire up for anything? Do you know how long I've been trying to get even the smallest blush out of him?" Of course. Minske glanced over his shoulder now, and saw Clarimonde coming down the lane aboard Stalking The Stars. The pretty black mare was very easygoing, and had no need for a pony to take her out - that, and she'd just never misbehave for Clari. The boy had an iron will and the horses seemed to sense it. They weren't afraid of him, but they also tended to not test his dominance. Minske sighed, looking back at Hal with a rueful smile. "You could just leave him alone if you know he's not going to respond. And I agree it's weird that they're so difference, but Savita mentioned that they were raised separately when they were younger, so maybe that has something to do with it." He glanced up, realized that Hal wasn't really listening at all, and sighed. "Anyway. Get going, slacker." Hal winked down at him, then turned the big grey stallion out toward the track.
They'd known Ode To Glory was going to be good coming into this year, but he was doing even better than they'd hoped. He'd won two of his four races so far, and had done it with style. If he was this good early on, they could only imagine how good he'd be later in the year. Minske turned back to check Star's girth, keeping comfortably silent as the boy seemed to like. They weren't friends, but they got along alright. That was more than he could say for most of the other jockeys - Clarimonde's icy demeanor rubbed most of them the wrong way. Minsk simply took him as he was - a damned good jockey. Star, for the most part, had had a mediocre season, at least on paper. But with the grade three turf races being so competitive, they had to be happy that she was holding her own, even if it hadn't equated in a win. The mare was good, and she'd prove it soon enough.
Desmond was the last to get out to the track with Beautiful Liar. Leah was another horse that was performing better than expected, getting two wins on the season and a second in her first HOTY race of the year. She'd always been a fantastic mare, but instability of owners had led her to a rough four-year-old year - perhaps, now that she was settled, she'd show them something exceptional. The mare stretched a curious nose to Minske as she passed, and Minske briefly touched his fingers to her shoulder as Desmond took her out. He had grown very fond of the mare, and she of him, in the months since she arrived. He couldn't be more proud of her success.
The three horses warmed up more or less on their own, each rider working with their mount before the work. All of the horses were pretty mild-mannered, so there was no fuss except for some head shaking and broken gaits. The three horses were going five furlongs, stretching out a breeze for their next bout of races. After warming up, the riders brought the horses together in a rough group at the rail, with Star and Ode running side-by-side and Leah trailing by about a length on the rail. All mild-mannered, the pace was pretty reasonable as the horses galloped around the far turn of the track. That is, until their jockeys asked them for more. Two furlongs out, Desmond started shaking Leah up and the mare did the rest of the work herself. Stretching out, she steadily crept up on the leading to. However, Ode and Star had some to offer as well. Hal pushed the big stallion on, and over the final furlong he opened up a gap on Star and Leah, who were dueling neck-and-neck - but just toward the end the mares began rallying, Leah a little stronger than Star, and the grey was only a half-furlong back from Ode with Star close behind. They passed where the end of the five furlongs would be and continued galloping out. Minske couldn't help but notice that Clarimonde hadn't been pushing Star at all - he'd been sitting chilly the whole time, letting Star do her own thing. If he'd pushed the very willing mare, things may have been different. Well, he'd certainly get her going when it mattered, and that was what was important.
They'd known Ode To Glory was going to be good coming into this year, but he was doing even better than they'd hoped. He'd won two of his four races so far, and had done it with style. If he was this good early on, they could only imagine how good he'd be later in the year. Minske turned back to check Star's girth, keeping comfortably silent as the boy seemed to like. They weren't friends, but they got along alright. That was more than he could say for most of the other jockeys - Clarimonde's icy demeanor rubbed most of them the wrong way. Minsk simply took him as he was - a damned good jockey. Star, for the most part, had had a mediocre season, at least on paper. But with the grade three turf races being so competitive, they had to be happy that she was holding her own, even if it hadn't equated in a win. The mare was good, and she'd prove it soon enough.
Desmond was the last to get out to the track with Beautiful Liar. Leah was another horse that was performing better than expected, getting two wins on the season and a second in her first HOTY race of the year. She'd always been a fantastic mare, but instability of owners had led her to a rough four-year-old year - perhaps, now that she was settled, she'd show them something exceptional. The mare stretched a curious nose to Minske as she passed, and Minske briefly touched his fingers to her shoulder as Desmond took her out. He had grown very fond of the mare, and she of him, in the months since she arrived. He couldn't be more proud of her success.
The three horses warmed up more or less on their own, each rider working with their mount before the work. All of the horses were pretty mild-mannered, so there was no fuss except for some head shaking and broken gaits. The three horses were going five furlongs, stretching out a breeze for their next bout of races. After warming up, the riders brought the horses together in a rough group at the rail, with Star and Ode running side-by-side and Leah trailing by about a length on the rail. All mild-mannered, the pace was pretty reasonable as the horses galloped around the far turn of the track. That is, until their jockeys asked them for more. Two furlongs out, Desmond started shaking Leah up and the mare did the rest of the work herself. Stretching out, she steadily crept up on the leading to. However, Ode and Star had some to offer as well. Hal pushed the big stallion on, and over the final furlong he opened up a gap on Star and Leah, who were dueling neck-and-neck - but just toward the end the mares began rallying, Leah a little stronger than Star, and the grey was only a half-furlong back from Ode with Star close behind. They passed where the end of the five furlongs would be and continued galloping out. Minske couldn't help but notice that Clarimonde hadn't been pushing Star at all - he'd been sitting chilly the whole time, letting Star do her own thing. If he'd pushed the very willing mare, things may have been different. Well, he'd certainly get her going when it mattered, and that was what was important.