Stalking The Top

[Kenren]

Phantasm Frost & Clarimonde Tusaint for the Highway Stakes
Spitterfly & Vivien Charron for the Daisy Stakes

It was probably for the best that Spitterfly was a relaxed horse in her own right, because Vivien was anything but. On the surface he'd seem fine to most, his normal cheerful demeanor misleading, but those who knew him well could tell he was a little more withdrawn and unsure. This truly was his first major test, and he'd been the one to push for it. Running Spitterfly in the Daisy Stakes had been a possibility in Cole's mind all along, and it was pretty easy to persuade him given the filly's dominance in her last couple of races. However, Vivien took the brunt of the decision, for Cole would not run the filly if her jockey didn't think her ready. She might not have all of the HOTY experience that some of her competitors did, but she was an extremely classy animal with incredible breeding and talent. She'd been on the rise all year, and seemed perfectly positioned now to strike when least expected. At least, that was Vivien's hope. The pressure weighed heavily on the young jockey's shoulders, but at least he had an unmatched support system in the other Valkyrie staff.

One jockey that was not particularly supportive at the moment, though, was Clarimonde. It didn't matter to him that he had faced arguably the best classic sprinter this year. It didn't matter that Frost was unpredictable and completely capable of stunning despite the loss. It was the loss itself that Clarimonde remembered, the futility as Call Me Crooked had pulled away in the end, and he saw it as his own shortcoming. He had failed. And though it was hard to tell, he was incredibly angry. Lucky for everyone involved, an angry Clarimonde was an incredibly focused Clarimonde. He'd hardly spoken two words to anyone in the two weeks since the Turquoise Sprint, spending all of his spare time researching the two fillies he was to face in the second leg. Both strong, both troublesome, but everyone had their flaws. And quite frankly, Clarimonde was tired of going past the wire looking at those fillies' asses. He knew he had enough horse - he just had to get him to fire that incredible kick he knew he had in him.

Some jockeys would be tense when they were in as much turmoil as the stoic boy, but Clarimonde's seat was as comfortable and relaxed as ever. Frost didn't seem to notice anything different, ears perked and energy singing in his every step. He gaped at the bit as he jogged, eager as ever to be going, especially when he saw the grey filly up ahead. The colt was a bit of a social butterfly, and was much more useful when he worked in company. Vivien held the filly up so Frost could draw alongside, and then looked nervously at his workmate. Clarimonde had always intimidated Vivien - he just couldn't read him, and he always felt like a babbling idiot when he tried to talk to him. Clarimonde spared him a glance, but that was pretty much it - his mood wasn't even up to trying for niceties. Clari took Frost to a canter first and Spitterfly willingly followed, seeming unconcerned with her rider's mood. The filly was lean-legged and looked much more graceful than Frost as they went together, but there was undeniable power in the colt's every stride. When they moved into a gallop, they did so in company.

It was only a two furlong breeze, similar to how Frost had prepped for the Turquoise Sprint. The two went neck-and-neck for the first furlong, setting thundering fractions but not really pushing for speed. Both boys sat chilly on the horses, and both horses were willing to do whatever was asked. Vivien began really urging Spitter at the beginning of the second furlong, and while Clari was doing the same with Frost, the filly was getting a head, then shoulders, then half a length in front. Clarimonde's irritation was palpable - it was as if the colt just wasn't focused, which seemed so at odds with the incredible talent he possessed. Even with Spitter running hard and Vivien feeling light as air with exhilaration, he could hardly have missed the completely uncharacteristic outburst from behind him - "Go after her already! Catch her!" Vivien looked back under his shoulder and saw Clarimonde getting after Frost, losing his normal graceful and refined protocol for pure exuberance as he urged the colt, hands kneading and pushing along his neck and voice continuing to encourage him. And far from being startled or rank, Frost responded to this change, gaining ground once more. It was too late for him to pass the grey before the wire - but it looked like Clarimonde had finally found the key to Frost's second gear. He blew by Spitter with an incredibly turn of foot, tail flagging and whipping with the force of his acceleration. Clari pulled him up fairly quickly after that, rubbing the colt's neck approvingly and getting a deep sigh in return. Vivien noticed, with some surprise, and Clari's cheeks were flushed. It could have been embarrassment, but Vivien rather thought it was simple excitement at perhaps having finally found the key to the magic he knew the colt had possessed. He knew his own filly could match the colt stride for stride if he'd gotten after her, but that wasn't the point - the point was that Valkyrie had two very live threats for the second leg of the Turf Triples.