Hunger

[creativecause]

Hunger

Chatoyant and Andrew Martin

Workout for Tick Tock Sprint

Oh, love, let me see inside your heart
All the cracks and broken parts
The shadows in the light
There’s no need to hide

'Cause I’m on fire like a thousand suns
I couldn’t put it out even if I wanted to
These flames tonight
Look into my eyes and say you want me, too
Like I want you

The gray form of Chatoyant made its way out to the track, his head was perked high with interest. He had never been your stereotypical thoroughbred race horse, he was quiet, easy going, and he seemed like he would much rather walk onto the track than lose his head and fling his hind end everywhere. He was a beautiful gray with a big black splotch on his face which made him look slightly demonic, but his eyes said other wise. He was overall just a kind character, which wasn't exactly a desired quality in some thoroughbreds. For some, it meant that he could never last it in a dog fight, but his deadly duels with Sun King and Silent Snap from last season said other wise. 
However, it appeared that Tayo had lost his magic touch, his streak of brilliance that he showed last season lasted a dismal four races and he went back to playing bridesmaid.  It wasn't that he lacked the drive to win, or lacked the ability. He just couldn't get there, and loss after loss after loss had made him rather hungry for a victory of some sort soon, hopefully the Tick Tock Sprint was it. Was it likely? No, but was it possible? Yes. 
Stuck at grade three and winless since April Tayo was coming into the Tick Tock Sprint as a 50 to 1 long shot. Well maybe his odds weren't actually that high but they were definitely up there. He'd flopped in every Sprinter Triple Crown prep, he'd flopped miserably all season, he wasn't the top horse in the sprinting division, he wasn't even close. If anything he was at the bottom, although he'd done nothing wrong other than not win or stay in the eyes of the public to be there. 
Chatoyant was a nobody. He rarly caught the eye of the public, the only thing that seemed to stand out about him was his vibrant gray coat that looked as if he was roan rather than a gray horse beginning to dapple. The thing that stood out the most about him was the dark pigment splotch on his face that started just behind his cheek and ended at his bright elongated-looking star on his forehead. 
However, just because he wasn't noticed, nore the top dog didn't mean he couldn't spring a huge upset here and there. He was the Y14 Usurper Juvenile Male after all. He was expected to pull off big upsets this season, this would simply be the start of a long list. Silent Snap was a winner, a blue blood, and the clear winner in the race. But Chatoyant was sneaky, under estimated, and above all hungry for a win. 
Andrew led his underdog colt into the starting gate and rushed him out fast when the gates burst open. Tayo strode out beautifully under Andrew, each stride looking more effortless than the last. If he even wanted to stand a chance to catch Silent Snap he would have to be right there along side him, which meant that Tayo would be pressing the pace, rather than stalking it, which he had done effectively before and he could do again. It was a race against the clock, Tayo willingly let Andrew press him faster. 
Aaron had placed Frost, one of Grayson Meadows' ex-quarter horse racers at the top of the stretch for Tayo to chase down towards the end of his work, it would just be like if Silent Snap got too far ahead of him. Hadley sent Frost galloping down the stretch and Andrew watched Tayo's ears prick up, he was wondering were this strange horse had come from and who he was to think that he could interfere with Tayo's work. 
Andrew let Tayo have his head and kissed and clicked to him and Tayo took off after Frost, who had a solid seven length lead on him, but it didn't stay that way for very long. 
Tayo found another gear, than another, and another. He was flying after Frost, closing the seven length gap in just a matter of strides, and getting his head ahead of Frost, battling the older quarter horse with all his might. He dug down to find yet another gear and put Frost in his rear-view mirror as he crossed the finish a length ahead of Frost. 
Tayo was furious, he was ready, and above all he was hungry. Silent Snap was in for a very rude awakening in the Tick Tock Sprint and it wasn't going to be a payed workout by any means.