Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2012 13:38:50 GMT -5
Silver Stride Stables were known for being willing to take the time their horses needed to be ready for the track. Prideful Limits had not made his debut until the end of his two year old season and was lightly raced throughout his three year old season; Feline Frenzy had been taken off the track for further training when her results showed she was not really ready for the pressures on the track only to return with a bang; while other horses had been raced strongly from their debut. It all depended on the horse, and the team adapted to what was needed.
Soph had not performed badly. She had won in her maiden, and placed third in the Unicorn Horn Juvenile Dirt Sprint, a major achievement in her second race. But Matthias had felt the filly could do better, and had decided to give her a short break while some time was put into her training, to improve the skills she had not yet developed fully. A month and a half later, the stable were preparing her for her next challenge.
The Wire Finish Cup Juvenile Sprint was not going to be an easy race, and no one expected it to be. The horses entered in the series were strong, their stables had spent hours training them, ensuring they were ready, and the races were all expected to be intense. The race was six furlongs over the turf, which was a good distance for the sprinting filly, and it was the perfect chance for the stable to test the filly's progress since she had been taken off the track.
Innocent Passion, of Stride Of Perfection Stables, was a clear favourite in the race. She was notorious for being on the verge of Grade Four and was a very powerful racehorse. She had the focus, and the desire, to succeed. Her reputation made her quite a worry, but Matthias knew that no horse was perfect and that the filly's winning streak had recently come to an end when she had placed third in the Princess Cup over at the Green Horse Fields track. The filly definitely had experience on her side, but she would be tired from racing the previous week and at two years old this would effect how well she ran.
The only other known entrant, for Cross My Heart had been scratched, was Tears Of An Angel from Serendipity Hills. Tears Of An Angel, who was Soph's half sister through their sire. She was another talented sprinter, with a record which reflected Soph's except she had not ran in any major race series, and her last race had been the week before Soph's. Like Soph, she lacked the experience of the other filly but made up for this by being rested.
With one front runner and two preceders, this was likely to be a fast paced race although no less exciting for it. High paced races tested the speed and stamina of the horses, and with such young equines it was always interesting to see who would be able to come out on top. Nothing was ever certain in racing, and this was more true in Juvenile races than at any other time. No one could say for sure which of the horses were going to be able to pull it off, and while the bets did sway toward Innocent Passion there were bets going to the others as well.
Matthias knew that in a high paced race, he would be testing the training he had given the filly. Before her short break, she had been stubborn during races and refused to slow down when asked but they had spent a long time training this out of her and she had shown definite improvements during training. But training and an actual race were very different things, and he was not sure how effective it would be out in a competitive environment.
Jake had a competitive glint in his eye, the kind he got when he knew a major race was coming. Sine starting riding at the stable his confidence had grown a great amount and he seemed to thrive in these highly competitive environments. Like a colt, he seemed to feel he had to be number one and would give his all to become that. He was already mounted on the filly, held tight by Lucas as she was clearly a little on the excited side. As she was led to the gates, she pulled at the rein and tried to take off but Lucas kept a hold of her and soon had her near the gates.
The filly's fear of the gate had been trained out of her before her debut, and each time she came across it she seemed a little more confident with it. Today, she did not even tense as she was taken into the stall and the gates closed behind her. Gate Four was not exactly ideal for her, but it was fine. They could work with it, and they would. Soph would not feel any different, and Jake was very good at ensuring that horses ran at their best.
The gates opened and the filly moved confidently out onto the turf track, seeming for a moment a little distracted by her new environment but soon focussing when Jake urged her forwards a little. Soon, she was moving at quite a high speed with her audits pressed forwards and eyes glinting in the light. The chestnut filly looked proud as she moved up the track and was clearly in good form and spirit. The rest had done her good, and she definitely had a chance to improve her record in this upcoming race if she could remain focussed. But then, it was really anyone's race.
It was only a short stretch, a total of three furlongs, and it would end quickly. The filly was clearly comfortable with the work as she flew onwards and her jockey was encouraging her as they continued. One furlong had already come to a close, and a second was not far behind. Jacob urged her forwards again and her speed increased, her legs moving quickly beneath her in powerful movements, thrusting them forwards toward their goal - the post. The second furlong fell by the wayside and it was game time.
Jacob drove the filly, and he drove her hard, cracking the crop against her rump as she continued onwards. There was no great surge in speed, no great show of acceleration, but she maintained her high pace, fought in every stride as they approached the post. In a race, she would have competition to fight off, would perhaps find something more in her reserves when faced with competition but here she just continued onwards until she passed the post. A good workout, but enough for the race?
Soph had not performed badly. She had won in her maiden, and placed third in the Unicorn Horn Juvenile Dirt Sprint, a major achievement in her second race. But Matthias had felt the filly could do better, and had decided to give her a short break while some time was put into her training, to improve the skills she had not yet developed fully. A month and a half later, the stable were preparing her for her next challenge.
The Wire Finish Cup Juvenile Sprint was not going to be an easy race, and no one expected it to be. The horses entered in the series were strong, their stables had spent hours training them, ensuring they were ready, and the races were all expected to be intense. The race was six furlongs over the turf, which was a good distance for the sprinting filly, and it was the perfect chance for the stable to test the filly's progress since she had been taken off the track.
Innocent Passion, of Stride Of Perfection Stables, was a clear favourite in the race. She was notorious for being on the verge of Grade Four and was a very powerful racehorse. She had the focus, and the desire, to succeed. Her reputation made her quite a worry, but Matthias knew that no horse was perfect and that the filly's winning streak had recently come to an end when she had placed third in the Princess Cup over at the Green Horse Fields track. The filly definitely had experience on her side, but she would be tired from racing the previous week and at two years old this would effect how well she ran.
The only other known entrant, for Cross My Heart had been scratched, was Tears Of An Angel from Serendipity Hills. Tears Of An Angel, who was Soph's half sister through their sire. She was another talented sprinter, with a record which reflected Soph's except she had not ran in any major race series, and her last race had been the week before Soph's. Like Soph, she lacked the experience of the other filly but made up for this by being rested.
With one front runner and two preceders, this was likely to be a fast paced race although no less exciting for it. High paced races tested the speed and stamina of the horses, and with such young equines it was always interesting to see who would be able to come out on top. Nothing was ever certain in racing, and this was more true in Juvenile races than at any other time. No one could say for sure which of the horses were going to be able to pull it off, and while the bets did sway toward Innocent Passion there were bets going to the others as well.
Matthias knew that in a high paced race, he would be testing the training he had given the filly. Before her short break, she had been stubborn during races and refused to slow down when asked but they had spent a long time training this out of her and she had shown definite improvements during training. But training and an actual race were very different things, and he was not sure how effective it would be out in a competitive environment.
Jake had a competitive glint in his eye, the kind he got when he knew a major race was coming. Sine starting riding at the stable his confidence had grown a great amount and he seemed to thrive in these highly competitive environments. Like a colt, he seemed to feel he had to be number one and would give his all to become that. He was already mounted on the filly, held tight by Lucas as she was clearly a little on the excited side. As she was led to the gates, she pulled at the rein and tried to take off but Lucas kept a hold of her and soon had her near the gates.
The filly's fear of the gate had been trained out of her before her debut, and each time she came across it she seemed a little more confident with it. Today, she did not even tense as she was taken into the stall and the gates closed behind her. Gate Four was not exactly ideal for her, but it was fine. They could work with it, and they would. Soph would not feel any different, and Jake was very good at ensuring that horses ran at their best.
The gates opened and the filly moved confidently out onto the turf track, seeming for a moment a little distracted by her new environment but soon focussing when Jake urged her forwards a little. Soon, she was moving at quite a high speed with her audits pressed forwards and eyes glinting in the light. The chestnut filly looked proud as she moved up the track and was clearly in good form and spirit. The rest had done her good, and she definitely had a chance to improve her record in this upcoming race if she could remain focussed. But then, it was really anyone's race.
It was only a short stretch, a total of three furlongs, and it would end quickly. The filly was clearly comfortable with the work as she flew onwards and her jockey was encouraging her as they continued. One furlong had already come to a close, and a second was not far behind. Jacob urged her forwards again and her speed increased, her legs moving quickly beneath her in powerful movements, thrusting them forwards toward their goal - the post. The second furlong fell by the wayside and it was game time.
Jacob drove the filly, and he drove her hard, cracking the crop against her rump as she continued onwards. There was no great surge in speed, no great show of acceleration, but she maintained her high pace, fought in every stride as they approached the post. In a race, she would have competition to fight off, would perhaps find something more in her reserves when faced with competition but here she just continued onwards until she passed the post. A good workout, but enough for the race?
