run forever [closed - Ripleykinsy]

[S u N f r O s T ~]

SWEET INFERNO AND VALENCIA ANDREWS

Dissatisfaction oozed off of the black mare in droves. Lean muscles rippled as she strode forward with purpose in her strides. This was a horse who meant business. Ever since her fourth place finish in the Unicorn Horn Dirt Classic, Sweet Inferno had been a tough horse to deal with. She was demonic off the track and had even become to act badly when on the track - highly unusual for this black comet of a thoroughbred. Valencia hadn't minded the attitude - in fact, she thrived on it - but it was really unusual for Sweetie to be so...wired after a loss. She had the sneaking suspicion it had to do with losing to her main rivals from classic season. The Crooked Fire filly had never taken losing easily. But somehow, she only seemed to truly thrive at twelve furlongs. That was where she became unstoppable, rolling to the most impressive victories of her career. She was well and truly a marathoner - her lean build and long stride as well as endless amounts of stamina, perhaps something from grandsire Night Stalker, had really given her the twelve furlong edge.

Valencia had sought out something to test the filly and push her to her limits. She needed to be ready to tackle bigger races against tougher competition, even at races that weren't twelve furlongs. So she had sought out the empty sand track, vacated after the Dubai World Carnival, and she wanted to do a nice, long stamina workout over it. With Infini gone from the barn, Sweetie now did the longest workouts of any horse on the stock except maybe for Wish Upon A Star, her fellow marathoner. And Sweetie absolutely thrived off of work. Something in her black body called for it in order to perform. She was just so energetic, so built for distance, like it was part of her chemical makeup. Valencia didn't mind one bit. The mare had attitude and she packed loads of speed into her stamina-laden runs. That was all Valencia needed to have from a racehorse, that and the desire to never lose.

She let Sweetie out onto the sand track. Sweetie barely noticed the sand beneath her hooves, so intent was she on whatever it was she was brooding about. Perhaps she noticed the weight of the sand and interpreted as heavier dirt. As Valencia accelerated them to a trot, Sweetie extended her stride and found herself sliding a bit more than usual. She snapped back into focus then, now completely attentive to the workout, and snorted once before rapidly adjusting to the track. Valencia smirked. A new surface wouldn't keep her filly down. And now they could run forever if they so chose.

[Ripley]

Laura didn't know what ran through Ripley Marsh's head when she made training plans. The woman was brilliant, but Laura wasn't sure if somewhere deep inside she had some craziness. Craziness included sending your twenty year old jockey with the six horse trailer to The Wire for what would amount to a half-hour to forty-five minute workout with the grumpiest horse on the place. Midnight Thriller had been less than thrilled to be loaded up into the trailer by herself, had been less than thrilled finding herself at the track, and probably would be even more irritated with getting back on the trailer to ride home. Laura was just soo pumped up for that little battle.

Her blue eyes flashed as she fixed the strap beneath her chin, rubbed a hand over the riding helmet She sat still as a stone aboard the black dragon that was Midnight Thriller. Midtee glowed like black diamond in the sunlight, ears pricked out to listen to the nearly empty sand track. Laura had mounted up just outside of the track, not willing to show off her bad tempered mare in the barns. Midtee was notorious for being a wench when there was an audience. The black mare trembled with excitement, her muscles flexed beneath her hide. She was fully prepared to demonstrate just how much loathing she had for Laura.

Normally, the pair got along just fine. Today, because it looked like to Midtee that Laura screwed up the routine, the deal seemed to be off. Laura could feel the bucking fit even at a stand still. The Night Stalker daughter had the minx look to her. Her eyes flashed with defiance, her nostrils wide as can be. She feigned interest in the lone black horse on the track, but Laura knew punishment was going to be coming her way. The red-headed girl, patted her riding vest, praying it helped prevent damage if Midtee managed to get her to the ground.

Her gaze scanned the track, locked on that solitary horse for a moment in thought. A distraction for Midtee maybe? That would work out better than getting dumped. Laura did not have to think twice. She launched herself to moving position, clapped the stirrups to her black mare's side and prayed the distraction worked. The black demon shot forward out of shock and a zip of fear. Her lean frame passed through the gap in a black blur and she was zooming over the sand course without even a second thought. Laura pumped a fist, grinning from ear to ear. "Gotcha Midtee."

The tough creature stormed up alongside the girl and her black horse. Laura smirked as she caught sight of the friendly foe. "Fancy meeting you here, Valencia. Did your boss suddenly catch the crazies too?" Midtee slackened her pace to a canter and then a jog, her elegant frame seeming to dwarf the younger horse. Midtee's eyes grew colder, but the intensity inside them grew as she recognized the threat. "Mind if we join you for the workout this morning?"

[S u N f r O s T ~]

Valencia wondered if any other random people would show up. Sweetie was calming down a bit now, settling into deadly focus as they strode down the sand track. She had fully adjusted to the weirdly soft and sifty surface and was now comfortable, hunkering down and floating over the track with her long, ground-eating strides. It would be time to accelerate soon to their gallop, and Valencia couldn't help the fire that sprang to her eyes at the thought. How she loved being on the back of a thoroughbred racehorse in full flight. The power, the will, the muscle...everything about it intrigued Valencia. That was why she was here after all, why she never went home from college. SOPS was her home now, at least until it became time to move on.

She considered the stories of those she had met through her racing adventures, the friends she had met. Sweetie was moving nicely and it allowed her time to think. She had made a lot of friends on both racetracks and she got along the best with the Witch Creek crew out of the entire SOPS staff. Infamously well, in fact, among her fellow staff members. She smirked at that. Witch Creek staff were just fun to banter with, and Witch Creek horses had that fire she loved. SOPS horses had it too, in a different way. Theirs was a quiet fire that only showed through occasionally, and sometimes had to be stoked in order to appear. Her horses generally broke that mold.She was just too fiery for the mild-mannered ones. Sweetie may have appeared mild-mannered right now, but man could the mare have a wild, violent side.

Valencia snapped out of her daze at the sudden sound of hoofsteps coming their way. She was surprised, to say the least, that another person had showed up on the abandoned sand track. Sweetie's stride remained fluid, but her ears flicked back and she jerked her head up slightly, her competitive fires flaring. Valencia smirked and turned to see just who was coming up to meet them. Her smirk rose into a grin as Midnight Thriller charged right at them with Laura DeComte aboard. She came up right alongside and Sweetie didn't budge as her personal space was invaded by this distant relative of hers. She sized the black mare up, not intimidated in the least. Valencia loved the attitude. She greeted Laura with a smile. Oh, my boss isn't the crazy one - well, actually, that's debatable. But in this case, all of this is entirely my fault she freely admitted without a trace of guilt. I just needed to get Sweetie back here. She's not a huge fan of the Green Horse Fields track.

Midtee sized Sweetie up - Valencia could tell, could feel the sudden tension in the air. She smirked as Sweetie didn't respond, merely increasing her pace slightly and accepting the challenge in the blink on an eye. She didn't waste any time. And please do. What were you planning on doing?

[Ripley]

Midnight Thriller muscled along, extremely on the bridle as she asked for more of the speed that she had just experienced. Laura kept a firm hold, not unforgiving, but not giving in. Midnight Thriller knew how to be patient. It was just the sight of an unexpected rival that kept her from being so. The unmarked black mare kept a steady eye on the stouter daughter of Crooked Fire. It was true that they were distant relations and of all the Night Stalker relatives, they were the ones that seemed to relish the marathon distance. Midtee was easily one of the most efficient mounts of Laura's career. She had this uncanny ability to take a deep breath and run forever before she needed another one. Laura stroked the mare's neck beneath the waving black mane, felt compelled to praise her even at this time. Midtee was something else. She just needed more time to come into her own ability.

More time, this track and a competitor that fanned the flames. Laura nodded inwardly, cast a smirk at Valencia Andrews. "That makes two of them. Midtee can run anywhere, but we keep running into spots that aren't proving fruitful. That Dirt Marathon turned into a bigger monster than any of us thought it would." Laura sighed, thinking about that Breeders' Cup race and its gigantic field. Midtee hadn't been able to find her best stride and had cooked herself that day running into a rock solid pace. Laura had to instill more patience into this mare. It would make her more brilliant than more talent. "Ripley's the mad-genius and cooked up this idea in her lab... I mean office."

Midtee tossed her head, nostrils flaring in and out rapidly as she sensed the start of a workout as they neared the backstretch. "Mile and a half gallop, suit Sweet Inferno? After that a four furlong blitz should cut it. May not be as long as you want, but Ripley mentioned something about having them run like they would in the homestretch of a race. So there's your speed and stamina training rolled into one."

[S u N f r O s T ~]

Sweet Inferno settled into her long-strided prowl. The marathon mare really was nicer to handle on the track rather than off, even when she was fired up and coming in off of a disappointing finish. Valencia was completely at home on the back of the horse she'd taken over the riding of at the start of her classic season. Sweetie was something else and Valencia loved her fiery personality, determination and courage in defeat. Sweetie could whoop the butts of the top horses in the country just as easily as she could lose to them. It was the element of surprise that truly made this mare a joy to ride. Valencia smirked, memories of their beautiful Belmont Stakes and Climax Cup victories running through her head. Their competition had never even seen them coming.

She returned Laura's smirk, blood warming with the heat of an upcoming battle. Oh, Valencia was always ready for a good challenge and an older marathoner mare from Witch Creek was definitely a good challenge. Especially when she just so happened to be Phantie's sister. She nodded in agreement with Laura's analysis of the Marathon. That race was tough from the get-go. Me and Sweetie were lucky to have that spot on the inside rail. Fire and Krystal just got luckier. That last charge...it was beautiful. Her tone was of admiration and respect for the now retired mare. She laughed openly at Laura's quip. Oh god knows what our bosses cook up in their homely little offices. Probably stuff like monstrous training plans or breeding ideas too good to be true.

The pair was nearing the backstretch. Valencia listened to Laura's plans and smiled a small smile. I like it. Let's do it. Shall we start the gallop now? Her smile became almost predatory, excitement lighting up her gaze.

[Ripley]

Midnight Thriller tossed her head again, nearly managing to jerk the reins out of Laura's fingers. Boy, the black mare really was on fire and full of herself lately. Their last workout versus Mastermind had been enough to set fires blazing and this one seemed just as promising. Laura nodded curtly to Valencia, concentrating more on her wired up mare than the actual conversation. Small talk could wait for after the workout. An excitable racehorse was something to be dealt with in the now. Laura lowered herself to Midtee's withers, let the reins slide out and was nearly blown away, once again, by the fierce speed of Midnight Thriller.

The daughter of Night Stalker and El Sol del Mar had become bolder it seemed since her start in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Marathon. Her strides were blazingly fast, her eyes possessing a fire that usually was in the eyes from birth. Midtee's legs blurred beneath her as she hurtled into the first turn and toward the backstretch. Her sleek black frame became an amazing study in evolution and fine-tuning. The reins flicked through Laura's hands until Midtee was practically galloping on a loose rein, yet she was doing so with an incredibly high cruising speed. Midtee could damn near fly when she wanted to. And lately that's all she seemed to want to do.

Laura knew Sweet Inferno was not going to tolerate Midnight Thriller on the lead for long. This newfound front-end bravery would either bury Inferno or both of them. Laura forced herself to relax, sent relaxing vibes down the length of the reins. Gradually, Midtee settled long enough to take a big, deep breath. The black demon cruised over the course, ears flicking briefly on her head. Laura waited for the pounding hooves. A mile was left before Laura would match her marathoner mare against SOPS marathoner mare over a grueling six furlong test. It would be just enough to take the edge off and prepare for the major runs coming up.

[S u N f r O s T ~]

Valencia noted the fire in Midtee's gaze and smirked in approval. The fiery ones were the most fun to run against. Sweet Inferno herself was a fiery one. The black mare was not here to get buried in the ground, especially by an upcoming rival. Oh no, the four year old was here to prove that the marathon distances would belong to her now that Fire Dancer had retired. She may have been a front running marathoner, but it had worked just fine in countless races, and that strategy wasn't going to change just because they were facing Midnight Thriller. Valencia leaned into the breeze as Sweetie took off after Midtee, intensity pouring off of her sleek black frame. Her ground eating strides quickly caught up to Midtee. Finding herself on the outside, she accelerated slightly around the turn and slammed into the backstretch nose to nose with this competitor.

With the wide expanse of the dirt before them, Valencia smirked and hunkered down as Sweetie dipped her nose in front and held it. Intelligence glittered in the mare's eyes - she knew not to take it too far. If challenged, Midtee would find a game competitor. This was a mare on the brink of grade one. She was upping her game with every race and, if she could say so herself, had really turned a new leaf ever since she had gotten in the irons. They were in pursuit of the win in some minor races mixed in with major in order to build a strong record of success aimed at ousting the thirditus streak of last season.

If she and Sweetie had her way, they would race in the premier marathoner races of the season before hitting the Breeders Cup Marathon straight on and seeking that win. Valencia's thoughts of future glories were bright and ambitious, and her eyes gleamed with intensity. She was still focused on the workout - these thoughts were merely a background to the battle taking place. She was keenly aware of both Midtee's presence at their side now and her likely presence there in the future. That made this workout extremely important.