it's always been speed

[S u N f r O s T ~]

INNOCENT PASSION AND KRYSTAL YHATE
FORBIDDEN TO FLY AND HENNA TURATH

ANNA'S WORKOUT FOR DUBAI WORLD MILE
FLY'S WORKOUT FOR DUBAI WORLD SPRINT

She had been here before. Henna Turath looked down the stretch of the track, a thoughtful smile rounding her face. She remembered roaring down this stretch aboard Flashy Wings, shutting down the industry's best of both surfaces and riding him into the winners circle for the final race of his career. She remembered that winners circle too. Her eyes found it and stayed there. She wanted to be there again. And the horse she was on, one of the fastest she had ever ridden, could take her there. Forbidden To Fly bugled loudly, dancing in place excitedly and ever the yearling at heart. Age did not seem to matter to the now six year old stallion. He remained young at heart and quick of foot. And he had a pedigree that boded well for success over the sand. His half-brother Flashy Wings had won the Dubai World Championship last season, after all. And Fly could almost care less what was under his hooves - it was the game that mattered. Henna grinned. Ready to play it one last time boy? Fly neighed joyously in response as he always did, and off he went, trotting with that energy he always possessed. He was beautiful and lightning fast, hooves sliding through the air quickly and impacting the ground almost too softly. Henna drank in the feeling of riding this horse during his last workout, a content smile on her face.

She was soon to be joined by Krystal. The woman looked thoughtful aboard her mount. Innocent Passion moved with something akin to menace beneath her. The sleek bay mare had been a menace sent from hell ever since the Breeders Cup. The denial of a victory had done the mare's temper in. There was no horse that could hold a candle to her right now, except Fly when he was focusing. She was headed to the Dubai World Mile and appeared heedless of the surface under her hooves. Her dam Little Miss Innocent had liked sand just fine when she had run in her own Dubai World Cup so many years ago. Krystal knew that both her mare and Fly had pedigree on their side for their respective races. Fly was just bloody fast and would love seven furlongs, but as for Anna...if any horse out there could outdo the temper of this mare beaten one too many times, Krystal would be surprised. She had never seen Anna like this before. And it was only fitting that for her final race, after being denied all of her attempts at the Breeders Cup, she finally claim some title of her own that no rival could share. Krystal felt strongly for her mare and wished heartily for her success. It was about time they had the spotlight they had stood on the periphery of for years.

Anna's ears flattened the minute she was alongside Fly. The carefree gray stallion couldn't have cared less about his competitor at the moment, too focused on playing in the sand. Anna sensed opportunity a moment before Krystal yanked her head away from Fly. Anna! she admonished. The bay mare snorted in response to her rider's voice, temper flaring once again. Anna didn't like to be ignored by her competition. The competitive spirit was flaring within the mare now. She had taken her measure of Fly and was ready to begin the speedfest. Henna sighed, seeing the kind of temper Anna was displaying today and knowing it would translate to a ridiculously fast workout. This was one of Anna's classic post-Cross-My-Heart attitudes. It promised retribution and pain, demonic speed above all else. This was an Anna hell bent on winning by open margins. Henna knew that her Forbidden To Fly was the same as he always was, never changing, ever the consistent speedy performer. He would put up with Anna just fine. No, it was her competition that should be scared. And Fly's competition as well. He never took a race seriously, yet won. Henna had learned how to jockey this horse to his best form in every race.

Amber Black eyed her two prized and now retiring thoroughbreds as they jogged alongside one another. She made eye contact with her jockeys as they passed her, dropped her hand. The two horses exploded forward in a burst of sudden speed. Anna clinched the lead immediately, even drawing off to lead by a length. Henna frowned - Anna rarely took on a front running position in workouts and never did in speed. She seemed to really relish the sand, running over it as though it were turf. As for Fly...she settled him alongside the mare and focused him on her. Now that he was focused, the sand was not a problem. He was happy to bound along, letting the furlongs pass him by as he enjoyed the rush. Henna clung on, hunkering down and half burying her face in his mane. Fly knew how to race by now - she didn't have to pay attention to every bit of the track they were navigating. Anna cruised through the first quarter in twenty three flat and she made it look easy. Fly stuck closely to her the entire time and didn't give an inch. If he wandered any farther from this pace, there was the distinct possibility of him losing interest. But with an active competitor, odds of him winning became much, much higher. That was the good thing about facing matched competition like Mastermind so often - it made Fly run to his full capabilities much more often. The large field of the Dubai World Sprint really worked in the gray horse's favor in that respect.

Krystal Yhate thought she was sitting on a fireball. Innocent Passion was pouring everything into this workout, showing her heart and keeping the company of what could be an acknowledged legendary sprinter. Not only keeping his company, but beating him handily. They flashed through the half in a bit over forty six and Anna was still moving easily. Her rage fed her speed. Fly was moving just as easily alongside them however, and it was at six and seven furlongs that he became most dangerous. Now he moved up slightly under the urging of his rider, cutting the lead to a half length and then not at all. When the pair hit six furlongs in one oh nine flat, the gauntlet was thrown down and Anna took off with a mighty push of her back legs. Fly stuck to her glue, not keen on leading. Henna always needed to time her move carefully. She waited until the first furlong had gone by, and then yelled, catching Fly's attention and letting the reigns fly. Her horse was only too happy to respond. He raced forward, all eagerness, and took away Anna's lead like it was nothing. He hovered alongside, then under urging drew away to lead by a half length. Luckily, Anna kept things interesting. The Passionate Class mare was far from done. She stretched out, legs blurring. At this time, Fly was Cross My Heart. At this time, she would get the victory, just once in her career, on the big stage. She plunged forward, and moving faster than even Krystal thought she was capable of she blazed past Fly just as they hit the wire.

Amber Black was laughing. She hadn't even bothered to time the final furlong because it hadn't mattered. She had seen two of her homebreds out there loving their sand and the thrill of the race and the beautiful speed they had demonstrated was enough to make her feel eternally grateful for every good thing that had happened to her, and hopefully all the good things that were coming her way. Excitement filled her and she couldn't wait to take these two horses to the Dubai World Carnival.