Bank on Speed

Early morning found two young horses tacked and energetic at the side of the track, causing some amused irritation for the groom and trainer holding the two bay animals.

The first was the three-year-old Bowen Arrow, called Bow, a tall and sturdy-muscled colt. He had done much better than expected in his debut race for Valkyrie Stables and three-year-old season, coming in third in the Superstar Sprint two weeks before. While he hadn't done well in his only HOTY race as a two-year-old, this race showed that the colt could potentially work some magic and make up for lost time. He didn't look any the worst for wear after the sprint, so Kent Jackson had decided to enter him in another seven furlong race, since the horse seemed to like the distance. Kent was the one holding the colt now, keeping Bow's head turned from the filly about ten feet away.

Allouette Divine, or Divie, was a juvenile filly who had yet to make her debut. It was coming quickly though, and the people at Valkyrie had high hopes for the spunky horse. Divie was four inches shorter than the colt nearby, a little more lithe and feminine next to his bulk, but there were definitely the muscles of a sprinter in her haunches. The bay filly was a pretty thing, and she seemed to know it, too - all sass and, as it seemed, flirt. The two horses had had to be separated because Divie felt the need to squeal like an idiot every time Bow even looked at her, and of course that got him worked up. The playful filly wasn't even in heat - she just liked to cause a scene.

The two men were happy when they saw two jockeys walking down the path to the track. Alicia Fox and Marcus Anton were two regular jockeys for Valkyrie, and they knew each other pretty well. Alicia smiled as she stepped up to Bow, putting a hand on his neck as Kent moved to give her a leg up. She hadn't been able to get him a win, but as his first race this year, so late in the year, pulling a show was something amazing in and of itself. Kent looked over to make sure Marcus was mounted on Divie, then began speaking to them both.

"Since neither of them is particularly comfortable with it, let Bow lead. He's older and less likely to act out. Let the filly start a few lengths behind to start. Breeze them three furlongs, and really push them for the third." He looked at Divie for a moment, then up at Marcus. "I highly doubt she'll catch him, but kindle the fire. If she wants to fight, she'll work harder the next time." He stepped away from the horses, waving them out. With the two riders up, the horses paid absolutely no attention to each other, contrary to their previous antics. They seemed totally focused on the turf track as it came up under their hooves, heads tossing and tails flicking in their eagerness to get going. The jockeys moved the two horses to canter, keeping them close to the center of the track. Alicia was happy with the familiar energy that Bow exuded beneath her - a patience because he knew he would get to run, and an impatience because he wished it would happen now..

Divie was a little less understanding of the whole thing, though she was trained for it as well. The filly pulled against the bit, fighting Marcus' experienced hands. The man tugged sharply a couple of times, only stopping once Divie had her head where it was supposed to be. "Don't be stupid, missy. We're doing work now." As the warm-up continued, the filly slowly settled - it appeared she just needed to work the kinks out. He pushed her to a gallop and Alicia followed suit on Bow, and the two of them moved side-by-side toward their starting mark. When they reached the correct pole, Alicia steered Bow to the rail, and Marcus followed with Divie a couple of moments later, keeping her a few lengths behind. Both horses were asked to run and they eagerly jumped forward, powerful muscles surging beneath bay coats. Here, under the morning light, both horses moved like wild thing, wanting nothing more than to unleash their fury.

Two furlongs went by without incident - Divie didn't even fight Marcus' hands. However, he could feel the tension build. She was watching the movement of the colt in front of her, and she wanted to catch him - he could feel it. When they were in their final furlong, he let her loose, and she sprang forward with a vengeance, pushing to catch the older horse. Unfortunately, Bow was let loose as well, and the colt kept moving, refusing to be caught. Divie got closer - inches, feet - but her nose was only at his hip when they crossed the wire. The two horses galloped out, Alicia slowing Bow enough to allow the charging Divie to pass - both jockeys realized she probably wouldn't relax into the gallop until she got her head in front. From there on she was a charm, and the work finished without incident.

Both horses had done about what was expected - age and experienced trumped youthful vigor. However, Divie was strong and spirited, and she would undoubtedly grow from here on out.