Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2012 15:09:26 GMT -5
The mare had not had a bad season the previous year, even if it had not been the greatest, and had ended it with a third in the Breeder's Cup Filly & Mare Turf behind Sillenia and the rising star, Terror Smile. It had not been a bad result, and Jacob felt that they definitely had the potential to progress. At five years old, some said the mare was too old to make much of herself now, but the jockey would not listen. He longed to see Amira make it to Grade Three, at the very least, before she was retired. It was two wins away, but he longed to be successful.
Despite being mainly based at the Green Horse Fields track, the mare had been brought to The Wire for her first race of the season. The reasons, Jacob knew, were simple. The Wire tended to have smaller fields, and Matthias did not want to push the mare too hard this early in the year. It seemed the trainer, too, had plans for the season although he had not informed anyone of them. Not even his fiancee, Jacey, seemed to be in on his plans.
Jacob sat atop the bay mare with confidence, feeling her sure movements beneath him as Lucas led them out onto the turf track. It was not the track he was familiar with, and the atmosphere felt somewhat different, but he pushed the thought from his mind. A good jockey could adapt, and he would not allow his thoughts to stray from the task at hand. Instead, he thought about the clear instruction he had received from Matthias. A five furlong gallop, not pushing the mare too hard, to enable her to stretch and get used to the new track. It seemed reasonable.
Lucas looked up at the jockey, then released his grip on the mare's rein, allowing the jockey to move her further onto the turf track in preparation and not interfering from there as it had been decided that no gates would be used. The mare looked alert, moved forwards more quickly now the blonde man had released his grip on the rein and Jacob rose is his stirrups. He angled the mare down the track, waited for a second, and then pushed her forwards.
The mare responded quickly and started to move from a walk through trot, canter and finally gallop. It was a short stride, the pace quick and the turf seemed to shift with ease beneath the bay beauty. She moved onwards, and Jacob crouched low to her neck, glad the mare did not seem overly distracted by the new surroundings. Clearly, the mare had overcome the stage where she could be distracted. Then, at her age, it was likely that she had just started to lose interest in it all. But she had not lost interest in running, that was good.
The turf was less worn than the Green Horse Fields track, it still seemed fresh and even though it was clear some parts had been worked on recently it did not show the amount of human interference that the other did. Then again, it had been abandoned for several years before being reopened recently.
Jacob urged the filly slightly, allowed himself to relax into the ride and pushed the surroundings from his mind. He bit his lip, allowed himself to feel the movement of the mare beneath him, the wind hitting his face. He pulled his vision up, looked toward the post, and then started to drive her. With only two furlongs remaining, he did not see the harm in it. The mare did not burst forwards with speed, even though she did kick up a notch. Instead, she fought onwards. Her will was great, and the jockey worked hard with her. They passed the post, their speed high, and Jacob felt that they were ready.
Despite being mainly based at the Green Horse Fields track, the mare had been brought to The Wire for her first race of the season. The reasons, Jacob knew, were simple. The Wire tended to have smaller fields, and Matthias did not want to push the mare too hard this early in the year. It seemed the trainer, too, had plans for the season although he had not informed anyone of them. Not even his fiancee, Jacey, seemed to be in on his plans.
Jacob sat atop the bay mare with confidence, feeling her sure movements beneath him as Lucas led them out onto the turf track. It was not the track he was familiar with, and the atmosphere felt somewhat different, but he pushed the thought from his mind. A good jockey could adapt, and he would not allow his thoughts to stray from the task at hand. Instead, he thought about the clear instruction he had received from Matthias. A five furlong gallop, not pushing the mare too hard, to enable her to stretch and get used to the new track. It seemed reasonable.
Lucas looked up at the jockey, then released his grip on the mare's rein, allowing the jockey to move her further onto the turf track in preparation and not interfering from there as it had been decided that no gates would be used. The mare looked alert, moved forwards more quickly now the blonde man had released his grip on the rein and Jacob rose is his stirrups. He angled the mare down the track, waited for a second, and then pushed her forwards.
The mare responded quickly and started to move from a walk through trot, canter and finally gallop. It was a short stride, the pace quick and the turf seemed to shift with ease beneath the bay beauty. She moved onwards, and Jacob crouched low to her neck, glad the mare did not seem overly distracted by the new surroundings. Clearly, the mare had overcome the stage where she could be distracted. Then, at her age, it was likely that she had just started to lose interest in it all. But she had not lost interest in running, that was good.
The turf was less worn than the Green Horse Fields track, it still seemed fresh and even though it was clear some parts had been worked on recently it did not show the amount of human interference that the other did. Then again, it had been abandoned for several years before being reopened recently.
Jacob urged the filly slightly, allowed himself to relax into the ride and pushed the surroundings from his mind. He bit his lip, allowed himself to feel the movement of the mare beneath him, the wind hitting his face. He pulled his vision up, looked toward the post, and then started to drive her. With only two furlongs remaining, he did not see the harm in it. The mare did not burst forwards with speed, even though she did kick up a notch. Instead, she fought onwards. Her will was great, and the jockey worked hard with her. They passed the post, their speed high, and Jacob felt that they were ready.
