Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2012 4:22:26 GMT -5
The filly had certainly shown that she had some major speed. Being a two-year-old, she’d already proven herself against older horses, beating out Fiery Touch and Sweeto Cheeto to take second place in the Laimee Derby behind Daydream. No one expected this filly to be as good as she was. She had started four times, taking two wins, a place, and a show, and now we were hoping to get that to three wins. Currently there was only two entrants in the five furlong race over the dirt, but I was hoping that someone would come along and give us some competition. The Magic Millions was the week before, and many entrants from there would be tired, so if Lucy was to win this, it would be a great achievement. She had rested since March Week 3, to prepare for the race that would be running in two days’ time. If the filly was going to win, she needed to be in top form and ready to take the victory.
She was two wins away from the Grade Four status, the grade that both Nightshade and Blue Me Away had both reached currently. Being a relatively lightly raced filly at the moment with four starts, she was on the most lightly raced two-year-olds, though there were maidens who hadn't even started yet. Standing at fifteen two hands high, she was an inch below her twin brother, Tears Of Blood, or Sanguis to most. He had started three times, achieving a first a second and a third, but was racing in the Magic Millions Turf Sprint in a couple of hours time. Cross My Heart was the other entrant in this race. We were originally going to send our other sprinting filly, Midnight Sun, and send Lucy to the turf, but the plans changed when Night trotted up lame after being kicked in the field. Cross My Heart was a front runner, perfect for us to linger in behind and make our big move.
It was perfect for her. Lucy is a stalker so she likes to stalk the leader, stay at her pace and leap at the home stretch. She likes to build momentum, and tends to gain a lot of potential from staying at her pace and letting the front runners run on. She was ready to show the world what she had in store, but with more challenging entrants in the seven furlong races a few weeks later like Ventura for example, we weren't sure of the options for her just yet. We were hoping to have another running with Innocent Passion soon enough, hopefully in the FTH Juvenile Sprint, over five furlongs on the dirt, the same as this race. Being a sprinter,it was perfect for her, but we weren't too sure. We were contemplating sending her to the mile, but the competition may be too tough for her at the moment.
Today, I would be working Lucy over five furlongs on the dirt. We were aiming for fifty one seconds. She had the willpower and strength to do it, but whether or not we would succeed would be a different story. Lucy was tacked up ready for it. I'd stretched her legs and took hold of her white rein, walking her into the yard. I mounted up, my foot reaching into the stirrup, and bouncing into the saddle. I sat deep into it and smiled, gathering my reins and walking her on to the track. I loved riding and bonding with Lucy, the main reason being she had such a sweet nature with the intelligence to die for. Lucy is a very willing individual. She has a heart of solid gold and wouldn't harm a fly, unlike her aggressive mother. She is a blunt but very straight forward risk-taker, who will plunge into any task I ask her. Lucy is the kind of horse that will try anything new, she will respond to everything and anything with quick, effective decisions. Her intelligence gets her quite far on the track. She is very responsive and quick-witted - in most cases she can't take no for an answer.
I smirked a little bit as I walked out onto the deserted dirt track. Perfect, I muttered, smiling as the filly snorted. She tossed her mane and walked forward with an energetic step. The dirt was perfect. Not too damp, not too dry. Turning the filly in a couple of circles, she decided to break into a trot. Soon our little five metre walking circle turned into a ten metre circle of trot. I laughed at the filly and turned her around before pushing her into an extended trot over the surface. I smiled again. I rose and fell into the saddle with her trot. As we headed to near the seven furlong pole, I let her rock into a steady canter. It was comfy. I stood in my stirrups and got my crop from the belt of my jeans.
The five and a half furlong marker approached quickly, and soon enough the filly's canter was a gallop, long, extended, and forcing her to work. She loved it. At the five furlong pole, I let her run. She hadn't been on the track for three weeks, so she was very excitable, and ready to take on the competition. I closed my eyes and pictured her flying across the line ahead of Cross My Heart, but we wouldn't know the outcome of the race until the day. As we rounded the bend, I'd realised how fast two furlongs had gone. I drove her forward and fed the filly's fire. The filly didn't fight, she just flew. I began to drive as much as I could, my arms aching as we entered the stretch. I bit my lip and felt like screaming, pushing the filly on. She ran like the wind, and I smiled, pushing her under the wire. We both relaxed, but she didn't want to stop. She fought the bit and carried on cantering, but after a little encouragement round the bend, I slowed her down. Good girl, Lucy. I looked at my stop watch, to see we'd just travelled the five furlong distance in fifty and four fifths. We'd beaten the time we needed to get - and for a two year old that was incredibly rare. I patted her again and dismounted beside her at a walk, before walking her into the barn to wash her down and rest her for the big race.
