Post by S u N f r O s T ~ on Sept 17, 2012 21:15:28 GMT -5
INNOCENT PASSION AND KRYSTAL YHATE
VENTURA AND AMBER BLACK
VEN'S AND ANNA'S SERENDIPITY HANDICAP WORKOUT
You know, for two horses that supposedly shouldn't work out with each other unless necessary, they certainly work together a lot.
Shut it Krystal. Ven could take a chunk out of Anna while you're running your mouth.
Not before she left you in the dust.
The two women exchanged glares which turned into catlike grins. Oh, how fun it was to work out the two craziest ponies in the barn together. There was Anna, thriving off of competition, almost as intense as Sizzling Dawn. And there was Ven, occasionally violent, but right now calm and still reliving her victory over arch-nemesis Nightshade. The two juveniles were full of prodigious talent. Ven had always been bred to be amazing and she had proven to be just that with her Magic Millions Fillies Turf win two weeks ago that had made her a grade four. She had been noticeably less violent in nature after that, carrying an aura of smug satisfaction with her wherever she went. The black filly had become a mirror image of the arrogant Impressario as a two year old, with similar musculature, spirit and monstrous talent. And then there was Innocent Passion. Fantastically bred, truly, for the turf, with SOPS turf lines everywhere. After breaking her maiden she had won twice more before being pulled up and taking it easy for March. Such talent could not be wasted early on. Conditioning had been her focus and she had come back swinging. She had placed second in the Magic Millions Fillies Turf Sprint last time out and appeared to favor the sprints right now.
It was lead mare versus lead mare out on the turf track. Ven and Anna were accustomed to being unquestioned leaders. The only horses that could make them yield were Dawn and Fire, and that was only on the occasional day. Separated for their own protection, they were brought together for a workout more and more often because of the way they came out of it. Sizzling for more, especially determined in their next races and ultra competitive. It was the perfect recipe for the Serendipity Handicap, in which they would not only face each other but big names like Blue Me Away and Mastermind. Those colts challenged for what Anna and Ven wouldn't let them have - victory. Amber and Krystal had both recognized the need to prepare for this race with a good two weeks off and both fillies were light and swinging on their hooves today.
Ven moved forward in her wildcat stride. It was loose and rangy, wild, edged with power with the promise of retribution if questioned. Anna was not quite as wild in her movements. There was more sureness to her, and she strode across the turf as though she owned it. This obviously ticked off Ven, who was already fighting for her head as her competitive fires rekindled and she was reminded of her everlasting rivalry with the other filly. Anna got under her skin like Dawn never did. It was perhaps a product of working out with her so much. And the fact that they would be racing each other next time out essentially crystallized the way of things. Theirs was a rivalry, and they wanted to rip not only each other but their competition apart.
Amber wanted speed. Krystal wanted speed. Their horses wanted speed. So they would get speed. Five furlong gallop, three furlong sprint - that would be all that was necessary to leave the handicappers staring and smirks on their faces as their fillies battled it out. And thus it began, at a canter. Already the two fillies challenged each other, Ven's Rising Fury heritage rearing its head as she poked a head in front, then half her neck, then a full neck. Anna was letting her have it. The glint of calculation shone in her brown eyes as Krystal carefully guided her along. They were only cantering and it felt like a gallop already. The mighty animals were nearing their element. When they galloped, the wind would not outrun them. Not with fire like this.
The time to gallop and as soon as the fillies got their heads Ven widened her lead marginally, poking a length in front and gluing herself there. Anna had adopted her preceder position on her outside, half pressing Ven into a faster pace while intently waiting for commands from her jockey. Ven and Anna both had tactical minds. Their battle was not one of talent but one of pure speed and stamina, and how much their riders let them at it. And their riders were going to let them fly. The positions remained unchanged, but Anna was sensitive to Krystal's positioning. She felt the readiness course through Krystal's veins as it poured into hers, and she was already ghosting up on Ven's outside as they entered the high pace stage of the workout.
Ven was a tough nut to crack. The Impressario daughter was beginning her sprint, but this was Anna's domain. She had just been beaten like this last time out by Blazing Kiss, who happened to be running in this race. She would not lose her edge. She snorted once and then dug in. The sprinting power of Missy was revealed as her daughter became a blur of speed faster than Ven and Amber could react. She glided into the lead and kept going, legs pumping, eyes fiercely determined. Not that Ven was done in. She dug back in and reacted strongly with her own surge, but by that point the workout was over and Amber and Krystal gently began to slow the juveniles down. It was clear that Anna was the better sprinter, but could she best Ven at nine furlongs? Race day would see.
Either way...both fillies were ready to rip their competition to shreds. Especially with their own worst enemy in the race.
