Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2012 2:35:49 GMT -5
The last race with Sonja had resulted in victory, but the team knew not to get too cocky. Cockiness would, after all, lead to their downfall. Enter a race with too much confidence and you would be sure to fail. Enter it with too little, and the same could also be said. Which is why Matthias always aimed for balance with his jockeys. He would congratulate them on victory, even celebrate, but he never let the fact that nothing was sure in racing slip from their minds. It would be easy with a horse like Paradise Island to lose focus, to become over confident. She had some great credentials, she was a powerful racehorse, and she was one of the top horses in her age group. But that meant nothing once they hit the track. Preparation and sharp minds, that is what counted on the track.
Tanya had been with Sonja from the moment she had stepped hoof on the track, and she had nurtured her into a much stronger horse than she had been to start with. With patience and time, they had rose from the bottom into Grade Three. They had claimed some impressive wins, but lost others, and it was a sharp reminder - there were always other horses out there. If they wanted to be the best, they would have to work to be the best. If they wanted the biggest wins, they would have to be prepared to fight for them.
The next aim for the bay filly was the Ruffian Handicap, the second of the Triple Tiara preparation races where they would once again face a strong field. So far, four entrants had been announced and the competition was looking tough. Sonja herself would start in gate one, something which suited the stable well as it put her where she would need to be from the very beginning.
In Gate Two, the Touch Up filly, Fiery Touch. The calm filly had improved greatly from the previous year, and had yet to place outside of the top three as a three year old. Although she had mainly claimed third positions, including in the Alabama Stakes, she was still a horse to be wary of. Underestimate a horse like her, and you were sure to be seeing her butt as she moved ahead of you in the stretch.
The third entrant, from Intrepid Racing, certainly had the breeding to be great and despite having not raced as a two year old had claimed two wins as a three year old. Arachne was a powerful filly, and had only placed outside of the top three in the Alabama Stakes. In this field, she lacked experience. But experience was not all that mattered, and if her performances this year were anything to go by she had the power to succeed.
Finally, a late entry from Serendipity Hills, Union Jaque had been entered. The filly was a talented creature, and she was sure to be putting on a good show in the race. She definitely had the class, and like Sonja was from unknown bloodlines which in the mind of Tanya was always an exciting thing. After all, these horse brought fresh blood into the pool and would all be considered in the future breeding plan at Silver Stride Stables. Rumour had it Matthias had been looking into bringing in more fresh blood.
Sonja was not a small filly, but she was not large either. At 16hh she was around the average height for a thoroughbred, although some were known to tower above the seventeen hand mark. But what she lacked in size, she had in heart and in power. Her frame was wrapped in thick, toned muscle and her strong movements only represented what she was able to achieve when going at full speed. She moved beside her handler calmly, her audits pressed forwards as they made their way onto the dirt on which most of her career had been based, despite the fact that she could handle both surfaces. She tossed her head slightly, but she did not spend copious amounts of energy on fooling around, she knew well enough by now that she would shortly be tearing up the dirt.
Tanya walked toward the track with Matthias, going over how they felt the race would go based on the entrants at that moment. Arachne, as the only pure front runner, would be sure to break quickly and take the lead at the beginning of the race, and Winning Touch would be not be far behind her, sat on her haunches. Maybe Arachne would press forwards too hard, or perhaps she would ignore the pressure put on her by the stalker. Sonja, who was a different subsection of preceder, would be a stride or two behind Winning Touch. Finally, Fiery Touch would be bringing up the rear as a closer - likely several lengths behind Sonja. At least, this was how they envisioned in. In their version, of course, Sonja would storm the stretch and claim the win but nothing was certain and Matthias reminded Tanya of this as she left his side to walk to this filly.
The jockey ran her hand across the filly's neck before mounting quietly, her dark eyes filled with thoughts. Thoughts which no one doubted were related to the race, and the challenges ahead of them. The handler led the filly to the starting gates and loaded her into her stall with ease, the three year old not even putting up a fight and soon the shutters were closed behind her. She remained calm in the stall, but alert and as soon as the buzzer sounded the filly was out of the gate and starting the three furlong workout.
Sonja broke well, and moved out onto the dirt at a good pace. She held her head high as her limbs moved, powerfully carrying her forwards with long strides. Muscles rippled beneath her chocolate coat, unblemished by white, her legs trapped in black as was usual with all bays. Her dark mane steamed behind her, and her jockey looked as confident as the filly as she directed her toward the rail, where they would run for the workout and more than likely during the race.
Come race day, Arachne would take the lead. As the sole front runner, the filly would have the run of the field for the majority of the race but Sonja would never be far behind, running as a preceder. Behind Sonja, the two closers Fiery Touch and Union Jaque would be biding their time. Due to this, Arachne would set the pace, but out here on the track for the workout Sonja was able to choose her own speed, and she chose a quick one. This was not unlike the filly, who tended to snatch every opportunity she could get to show off her talents on the track.
The filly and jockey were on the same wavelength, they moved and worked together out on the track. The first furlong passed quickly, with little activity, and Tanya knew they were already making good time as she began to urge her mount onwards. The speed increase was gradual, and the jockey was not really driving as of yet - choosing, instead, to wait until the final furlong for the workout. In the race, their move would likely start earlier but everything depended on situation, and she was adaptable.
Soon, the second furlong had also passed, and Tanya cracked the crop as she started to drive the filly, hard, for the wire. Every stride they were fighting, their speed still picking up on their approach to the finish line. The filly's firm stride became quicker, more regular, and soon they flew across the line. Sonja was in good form, but was it enough to claim the Ruffian Handicap, and the second Triple Tiara preparation race? Tanya was not sure, but she could hope.
Tanya had been with Sonja from the moment she had stepped hoof on the track, and she had nurtured her into a much stronger horse than she had been to start with. With patience and time, they had rose from the bottom into Grade Three. They had claimed some impressive wins, but lost others, and it was a sharp reminder - there were always other horses out there. If they wanted to be the best, they would have to work to be the best. If they wanted the biggest wins, they would have to be prepared to fight for them.
The next aim for the bay filly was the Ruffian Handicap, the second of the Triple Tiara preparation races where they would once again face a strong field. So far, four entrants had been announced and the competition was looking tough. Sonja herself would start in gate one, something which suited the stable well as it put her where she would need to be from the very beginning.
In Gate Two, the Touch Up filly, Fiery Touch. The calm filly had improved greatly from the previous year, and had yet to place outside of the top three as a three year old. Although she had mainly claimed third positions, including in the Alabama Stakes, she was still a horse to be wary of. Underestimate a horse like her, and you were sure to be seeing her butt as she moved ahead of you in the stretch.
The third entrant, from Intrepid Racing, certainly had the breeding to be great and despite having not raced as a two year old had claimed two wins as a three year old. Arachne was a powerful filly, and had only placed outside of the top three in the Alabama Stakes. In this field, she lacked experience. But experience was not all that mattered, and if her performances this year were anything to go by she had the power to succeed.
Finally, a late entry from Serendipity Hills, Union Jaque had been entered. The filly was a talented creature, and she was sure to be putting on a good show in the race. She definitely had the class, and like Sonja was from unknown bloodlines which in the mind of Tanya was always an exciting thing. After all, these horse brought fresh blood into the pool and would all be considered in the future breeding plan at Silver Stride Stables. Rumour had it Matthias had been looking into bringing in more fresh blood.
Sonja was not a small filly, but she was not large either. At 16hh she was around the average height for a thoroughbred, although some were known to tower above the seventeen hand mark. But what she lacked in size, she had in heart and in power. Her frame was wrapped in thick, toned muscle and her strong movements only represented what she was able to achieve when going at full speed. She moved beside her handler calmly, her audits pressed forwards as they made their way onto the dirt on which most of her career had been based, despite the fact that she could handle both surfaces. She tossed her head slightly, but she did not spend copious amounts of energy on fooling around, she knew well enough by now that she would shortly be tearing up the dirt.
Tanya walked toward the track with Matthias, going over how they felt the race would go based on the entrants at that moment. Arachne, as the only pure front runner, would be sure to break quickly and take the lead at the beginning of the race, and Winning Touch would be not be far behind her, sat on her haunches. Maybe Arachne would press forwards too hard, or perhaps she would ignore the pressure put on her by the stalker. Sonja, who was a different subsection of preceder, would be a stride or two behind Winning Touch. Finally, Fiery Touch would be bringing up the rear as a closer - likely several lengths behind Sonja. At least, this was how they envisioned in. In their version, of course, Sonja would storm the stretch and claim the win but nothing was certain and Matthias reminded Tanya of this as she left his side to walk to this filly.
The jockey ran her hand across the filly's neck before mounting quietly, her dark eyes filled with thoughts. Thoughts which no one doubted were related to the race, and the challenges ahead of them. The handler led the filly to the starting gates and loaded her into her stall with ease, the three year old not even putting up a fight and soon the shutters were closed behind her. She remained calm in the stall, but alert and as soon as the buzzer sounded the filly was out of the gate and starting the three furlong workout.
Sonja broke well, and moved out onto the dirt at a good pace. She held her head high as her limbs moved, powerfully carrying her forwards with long strides. Muscles rippled beneath her chocolate coat, unblemished by white, her legs trapped in black as was usual with all bays. Her dark mane steamed behind her, and her jockey looked as confident as the filly as she directed her toward the rail, where they would run for the workout and more than likely during the race.
Come race day, Arachne would take the lead. As the sole front runner, the filly would have the run of the field for the majority of the race but Sonja would never be far behind, running as a preceder. Behind Sonja, the two closers Fiery Touch and Union Jaque would be biding their time. Due to this, Arachne would set the pace, but out here on the track for the workout Sonja was able to choose her own speed, and she chose a quick one. This was not unlike the filly, who tended to snatch every opportunity she could get to show off her talents on the track.
The filly and jockey were on the same wavelength, they moved and worked together out on the track. The first furlong passed quickly, with little activity, and Tanya knew they were already making good time as she began to urge her mount onwards. The speed increase was gradual, and the jockey was not really driving as of yet - choosing, instead, to wait until the final furlong for the workout. In the race, their move would likely start earlier but everything depended on situation, and she was adaptable.
Soon, the second furlong had also passed, and Tanya cracked the crop as she started to drive the filly, hard, for the wire. Every stride they were fighting, their speed still picking up on their approach to the finish line. The filly's firm stride became quicker, more regular, and soon they flew across the line. Sonja was in good form, but was it enough to claim the Ruffian Handicap, and the second Triple Tiara preparation race? Tanya was not sure, but she could hope.
