dawn of diana

[S u N f r O s T ~]

SIZZLING DAWN AND HENNA TURATH
DIRTY DIANA AND KRYSTAL YHATE
DAWN'S SILVER STRIDE STAKES WORKOUT

The Silver Stride Stakes. A death field, of course, with a lot of high class two year olds entered and high stakes. It had originally been decided that Dawn and Diana would go to the race. Then Krystal had reasoned that a confidence blow to Diana would have resulted, so naturally the All For Glory daughter had been scratched and was simply awaiting her maiden race next week. And hopefully she would break it. Legacy had just broken his with style and now he was looking to go to bigger and better places with Amber Black aboard. It had been Amber who had suggested working Dawn with Diana. Not only because Dawn's experience and class would benefit Diana, but Diana's gutsiness would benefit Dawn. So here they were, ready to rock.

The Wire racetrack was the home of Sizzling Dawn. She had started here as a type of secret and grown to be a powerhouse. She had reeled off back to back excellent performances against older horses and had stunned numerous onlookers with her resilience. Dawn was the toughest of the two year olds. Like Secretariat, she could take heavy racing and actually needed it if she was to stay in condition. She rebounded quickly and no filly could match her for intensity. Even Ven and Anna had nearly nothing on Dawn. The bay filly breathed competitive fire. She didn't breathe class until you saw her barreling forward at the start of the race, usually winning gate to wire or going down fighting. She was a front runner and any that questioned that were torn apart by vicious fractions and blinding speed. The classics were bred into the filly and she was amazing at those distances.

Dirty Diana brought life to the stable. True to form she had improved immediately upon coming here, placing second at the Wire track last time out and going for the win next weekend. She was an attention hogger and a true Akita Rose style strong closer. And she would be Dawn's challenge today. Could Dawn lead her race and fend off the charge of the gray filly? They'd be finding out today. Henna had done her research way in advance. They would be alone on the lead, perhaps with Italian Ice somewhere alongside. They had fended off Icee's charge in the Magic Millions and the Impressario daughter was here for more. Dawn had a big red target on her tail and the other horses would be gunning for her after that last race. Red Herring and Born To Impress, yet another Impressario foal, would be pressing the pace right behind them. They could press all they wanted. Dawn would take it. She was an insurmountable mountain, tireless when she could be, tireless in competition especially. The remaining three, including Nightshade, would be closing strongly from behind. So who better than Diana to prep Dawn for this?

She was labeled as the biggest challenger. The Magic Millions Colts Dirt winner facing off with the Fillies Dirt winner. Henna didn't care how impressive Red had been last time out. She didn't care that Nightshade and Italian Ice held a filly style rivalry with them. She didn't care that Born To Impress's pure class was chasing them down. Dawn would break first, take first and never leave first. It was the filly's style. She didn't have the breeding, but she had the guts, and she had hit the genetic lottery in this case. The race would be one for the ages and Henna wanted it badly. Dawn was coming off of a high and she loved the Wire track. This was her home ground. This was where she had first been labeled a monster.

Henna and Krystal sighted each other and nodded. They moved their fillies side by side and began to canter up the track. Words were not spoken as time passed and the pace gradually increased. The fillies were breaking into gallops around the five furlong mark and the tension was sizzling. The jockeys were just letting the workout flow as it wanted, letting the race begin at the mile marker. And it did. Diana's eyes glued to Dawn's backside as the bay filly jumped into the lead with her usual sprinting start. She was flying away already and would probably set a sizzling quarter. Just as planned. She would set a sizzler anyway during the race, and the question was if she could fend off challengers regardless. Being alone up there and with an inside stall and a quick break, they would have no traffic problems and the least distance.

The quarter snapped off quickly and then Dawn sizzled into her cruising speed. She was a freight train in control but running like she wasn't. She had her head and she was maintaining a firm lead. Her legs kicked up dirt and Diana could feel the challenge being screamed to her through that. Diana's eyes remained glued and she drifted in around the turn, shortening her distance and slightly increasing her pace down the backstretch. Krystal stayed motionless and felt the filly's desires and speed. Building into her hindquarters, ready to be released. The half was reasonable and it was clear Dawn had settled in and was now just running as she pleased, cleverly rating and waiting and saving. Henna could feel the thrumming engine and knew there was more. Diana would have to sneak up on them ninja style to stand a chance here.

The final turn and Dawn released her speed as though preceders were bearing down on her. She established her clear dominance but Diana was beginning to roll. With quickening strides the gray was sent after the bay and the race was on. Diana was a strong closer. She became a blur of motion and was eating up the ground. Dawn appeared to be loose on the rein, not taking it all, awaiting a challenger. She was halfway through the turn when Diana appeared strongly, galloping on her outside and baring down. Dawn curved in as the turn ended and then spurted with speed even as Diana accelerated and drew up alongside. It was the true fight both riders had wanted and Dawn was digging as deep as Diana. Diana's momentum was increasing but Dawn's guts were pulling through. She stared Diana in the eye and she denied the loss of her lead. She dug and dug and the engine that could refire after firing and without the need to reload spurted down again, with Diana just behind.

Dawn had taken this win by a head, but it was the dawn of Diana, for without Diana such a brilliantly speedy workout would never have occurred. The readiness of the bay filly to run her greatest challenge was unquestionable. All that remained was to bring it on.