Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2012 9:01:05 GMT -5
It was going to be a tough series, and the team knew it. There were no easy wins in racing, every race had to be prepared for, and series were some of the worst for it. To be victorious in all three legs of the Triple Tiara a filly had to be something special... They had to have real class, a real passion for the track. Champions of the series were rare, but they tended to be some of the most successful horses throughout their careers. Silver Stride Stables had their eye on the tiara, on all three legs, and they felt that their filly had the class, and the heart, to be successful.
Everything that the stable had ever done with Paradise Island so far had been leading to this moment. Every two year old race, every workout, they had known this to be their destination. She was a powerful, and successful, racehorse. She had won, and placed, in some of the most prestigious two year old races around, but she was not done yet. Sonja had a lot more left in her to give.
Tanya was nervous, and excited, for the series and it was creeping ever closer. She had been shifting between moments of utter hyperactivity to snapping at people for the slightest things. She couldn't help it though, it was a lot of pressure, and she was the second least experience jockey on the team. But it was her who had rode Sonja from day one, her who had brought a nobody out onto the track and moulded her into a star. She was the one who had fought to make a stand on the filly, and she had been successful. So far, at least.
Her neck was arced as she was led out onto the track by the stable's head handler, Matthias. Her long, muscular legs moved powerfully beneath her as she walked at his side. Deadly calm, her focus clear in her every move. Her dark eyes gleamed brightly, her audits pressed forwards. This was a filly who knew what was expected of her on the track, and a filly who would fight with everything she had to try and get a victory.
Tanya strode out onto the track, not far behind the horse and handler. She was kitted out in her exercise gear - not her silks - and was clearly ready to get started. She had come down to the track with her hair tied back, her helmet already fastened onto her head. By her side, the crop was held loosely in her hand. She had that determined glint in her eye, the one that reminded everyone so much of her sister, and it was clear that she was biting her lip which showed the nerves she was feeling.
As the jockey moved over the the handler and filly, she couldn't help but smile slightly though. Sonja, who was well rested and ready to run, looked stunning. Clearly, she was more than ready to take on her next race, and Tanya would be with her every stride of the way. How could she not be? She loved the filly, and she loved to see just what they were capable of achieving on the track.
She mounted swiftly, running her hand up the filly's muscular neck as Lucas led them toward the gates. She rose in her stirrups, tested the balance and found herself pleased, she would not need to adjust them today. She ran her eyes over the dirt track, which would be where the Triple Tiara series would run, and felt a calm come over her. She might be nervous, but the track always seemed to make her feel better. No matter what, they would give it their all. They would do their best to win, to please the crowds who had them tipped as favourites, but it didn't matter if they didn't. They would have tried their best, after all.
Gating was a quick, simple process. The filly was calm, focussed, and unphased by the small confined area. Again, Tanya rose in her stirrups and stared over the gates. This was it, another workout in preparation for the series which had been their goal from the very beginning. The gates opened, and within moments Sonja had pushed out of the gates and onto the track with her head held high.
The movements were strong, powerful. Each stride she took propelled them forwards at a good speed, and the filly was clearly going to make a good time over the three furlong stretch. Tanya allowed the filly to stretch her legs before urging her to move faster toward the post. It was a short distance, it would maintain energy and help to improve speed. It was all about improving performance, about ensuring the filly was at her very best so that she would be able to pull off what many believed to be unlikely. After all, horses from unknown lines rarely managed to pull off these series. But they were determined, Sonja had it in her to manage it.
As they moved quickly down the stretch, Tanya had been able to push everything out of her mind and she felt free. All that mattered was the filly's movement across the dirt, the sounds and sights of the track - but only what lay ahead of them, nothing else. She was not here for sight-seeing. She was here to prove just who was the best.
They soared past the post, a spectacular amount of speed and force behind them as they continued onwards. Tanya reined the filly in, slipped off of her back and patted her shoulder before Lucas came to whisk the filly away. Tanya turned her eyes to the stand, to Matthias who had been watching and timing the work. He was on his way down, practically grinning. "36.12 seconds. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. You guys are doing great." he told her.
Everything that the stable had ever done with Paradise Island so far had been leading to this moment. Every two year old race, every workout, they had known this to be their destination. She was a powerful, and successful, racehorse. She had won, and placed, in some of the most prestigious two year old races around, but she was not done yet. Sonja had a lot more left in her to give.
Tanya was nervous, and excited, for the series and it was creeping ever closer. She had been shifting between moments of utter hyperactivity to snapping at people for the slightest things. She couldn't help it though, it was a lot of pressure, and she was the second least experience jockey on the team. But it was her who had rode Sonja from day one, her who had brought a nobody out onto the track and moulded her into a star. She was the one who had fought to make a stand on the filly, and she had been successful. So far, at least.
Her neck was arced as she was led out onto the track by the stable's head handler, Matthias. Her long, muscular legs moved powerfully beneath her as she walked at his side. Deadly calm, her focus clear in her every move. Her dark eyes gleamed brightly, her audits pressed forwards. This was a filly who knew what was expected of her on the track, and a filly who would fight with everything she had to try and get a victory.
Tanya strode out onto the track, not far behind the horse and handler. She was kitted out in her exercise gear - not her silks - and was clearly ready to get started. She had come down to the track with her hair tied back, her helmet already fastened onto her head. By her side, the crop was held loosely in her hand. She had that determined glint in her eye, the one that reminded everyone so much of her sister, and it was clear that she was biting her lip which showed the nerves she was feeling.
As the jockey moved over the the handler and filly, she couldn't help but smile slightly though. Sonja, who was well rested and ready to run, looked stunning. Clearly, she was more than ready to take on her next race, and Tanya would be with her every stride of the way. How could she not be? She loved the filly, and she loved to see just what they were capable of achieving on the track.
She mounted swiftly, running her hand up the filly's muscular neck as Lucas led them toward the gates. She rose in her stirrups, tested the balance and found herself pleased, she would not need to adjust them today. She ran her eyes over the dirt track, which would be where the Triple Tiara series would run, and felt a calm come over her. She might be nervous, but the track always seemed to make her feel better. No matter what, they would give it their all. They would do their best to win, to please the crowds who had them tipped as favourites, but it didn't matter if they didn't. They would have tried their best, after all.
Gating was a quick, simple process. The filly was calm, focussed, and unphased by the small confined area. Again, Tanya rose in her stirrups and stared over the gates. This was it, another workout in preparation for the series which had been their goal from the very beginning. The gates opened, and within moments Sonja had pushed out of the gates and onto the track with her head held high.
The movements were strong, powerful. Each stride she took propelled them forwards at a good speed, and the filly was clearly going to make a good time over the three furlong stretch. Tanya allowed the filly to stretch her legs before urging her to move faster toward the post. It was a short distance, it would maintain energy and help to improve speed. It was all about improving performance, about ensuring the filly was at her very best so that she would be able to pull off what many believed to be unlikely. After all, horses from unknown lines rarely managed to pull off these series. But they were determined, Sonja had it in her to manage it.
As they moved quickly down the stretch, Tanya had been able to push everything out of her mind and she felt free. All that mattered was the filly's movement across the dirt, the sounds and sights of the track - but only what lay ahead of them, nothing else. She was not here for sight-seeing. She was here to prove just who was the best.
They soared past the post, a spectacular amount of speed and force behind them as they continued onwards. Tanya reined the filly in, slipped off of her back and patted her shoulder before Lucas came to whisk the filly away. Tanya turned her eyes to the stand, to Matthias who had been watching and timing the work. He was on his way down, practically grinning. "36.12 seconds. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. You guys are doing great." he told her.
