to rule a kingdom

LYNARA'S KINGDOM AND AMBER BLACK
LYNARA'S PREP FOR THE WIRE FINISH CUP MILE

This gray filly who was so temperamental had proven to have heaps of talent this year. She had gone on a win streak, ascending to grade three, and she had even proven to have a taste for the turf that had seriously come out of nowhere. Amber Black could not have been more pleased with how Lynara had developed. Her chest was deeper and her muscles firmer. Her eyes looked about with dawning maturity and her mind was even more cunning. Most importantly, she had bloomed into a quick sprinter and miler, and their skills and speed were being put to the test in the biggest race of her career so far, the Wire Finish Cup Mile, against three other horses, all of which would prove to be challenges. She was the lone filly in a field of males and Amber had briefly smiled when she realized they were "representing" female power for the race.

In this race, they would learn how to rule the kingdom of milers. The biggest threat so far was Executioner's Apprentice. He was the most proven at the mile distance and was a fast ascending grade one, with eighteen wins in thirty five starts. He was more consistent than Flashy Wings, who had the same number of wins in thirty seven starts. They would be hard pressed to defeat this solid champion, whom would be pushing the front runners the entire race in his trademark style. Firebird from Intrepid was the next big threat. He was a variable runner, either a front runner or a closer, and he knew how to run. He had a good record, too, and Michael Landing was no jockey to underestimate. Then there was Canjun Moon who had recently been sold to Akita Rose. He had had a pretty good year but hadn't been seen much on the track. Because of that, Amber was willing to consider the closer style colt defeated. Especially since they had once owned him and knew him inside out.

Lynara's racing style was changeable because the filly herself was changeable. Based on her mood on race day, Amber would have to run the gray filly appropriately. If Lynara was feeling feisty and headstrong, they'd be front runners. If the filly seemed to want to loaf for a bit they'd be closers. If there was a touch of cunning in the filly in the post parade they would adopt a preceding style. It all depended on what Amber read the three year old's mood as. She would have to be astute when she did this and she would have to be correct in her conclusion. To be incorrect would mean losing the race and Amber wanted a second place finish here at the least. A win would be fantastic and would continue the amazing filly's win streak. And it wasn't too much of a fantasy, now that she thought about it. They had defeated Sunset Crusade and a bunch of other great horses in the Unicorn Horn Dirt Mile. If that talent appeared again, they would be hard to defeat.

Today the filly was cold and calculating. She responded with cool efficiency to Amber's first commands. There were a couple people milling about the track right now, watching them like hawks as Amber trotted her filly over the dirt and on to the turf track. The springy green grass, once rejected by the filly, was now welcomed as familiarly as the dirt had been. Lynara appeared to coolly dismiss the different surface, instead gliding along as though it didn't matter what she stepped hoof on. Amber rode her through their regular warm up paces, focusing completely on the workout and banishing any of her worries from her mind. She wanted to feel Lynara's speed today. They would be doing a full mile long workout, as though simulating the race. The clockers would be there timing them, and Amber couldn't help but wonder how fast they would be going today.

The ground fell away from them. Lynara bounded over the turf with light hooves, cutting through the cool morning air with an efficiency that spoke of brutal focus. She was very on the game today, with a seriousness in her gaze that was occasionally lacking, her eyes not roaming around but staying forward. Sometimes she would pick it up just a little bit of her own accord, as though taken by a sudden fancy, and then she would slow down again to her pace from before. They continued in this matter through a two mile canter. Amber wanted a nice long gallop before their initial workout. She then wanted to do a gate start, or at least a standing start, for the mile. She pulled Lynara up in front of the gate contraption, waiting for a different pair of horses to go through before officially riding up. Lynara stepped into the gates as though questioning the sanity of those around her. This was easy stuff to her. She just wanted to get racing.

With a ringing of the bells the gates sprung open and Lynara was out of them a bit slowly. Amber felt that it was a purposeful move on the three year old's part, as she was perfectly capable of breaking fast enough to give Amber whiplash. Her lips were in a tight line as she guided Lynara to the rail and let her run. So far, the gray filly was clearly in a closing mood. She kept the same loafing pace for the first quarter mile, probably running it in twenty five or twenty six seconds. Slow. The clockers were probably turning away in disgust by now. But they didn't know what was coming. As they entered the third furlong, Lynara's pace perked up a little bit, and she started to actually get going. The wind and the speed was feeding her energy and her previously cold cunning gave way to sudden enjoyment of the ground rushing by her feet.

The half was in forty nine flat. Her pace had picked up to run twenty three for those two furlongs. Now they ran to the three quarter marker with an ever increasing speed that screamed for more. They breezed in in one eleven and still increasing. The pace was a sprint now, and her hooves were flying. Amber was barely urging her on towards the mile marker, eagerness quickening the beat of Amber's heart. When their mile time came in in one thirty two or so, Amber slowed Lynara down with a grin on her face. They had run fast enough to leave Amber satisfied and content. Their chances in the Wire Finish Cup Mile were good and she looked forward to the upcoming race.