Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2012 3:44:24 GMT -5
TEARS OF AN ANGEL AND IVANA BABICOVÁ
LUCY'S WORKOUT FOR THE FTH TURF MILE
They had lost... lost to their arch nemesis. They had fallen at the final hurdle and the dreams of equalizing a record with her brother were shattered. She had just fallen short in the final furlong and couldn't catch Innocent Passion. I saw it all flash before my watering eyes, and I placed the blame heavily on myself. There was nothing she could do now, but try again. But this time, Jacey had done something completely bloody insane, and I couldn't quite believe it. Taking a sip from my water bottle, I stared down at the entrants. People were saying that she would be outclassed by the stronger races, and that she'd scratched so she didn't have to go against Innocent Passion - but really, Jacey had made it harder for me and Lucy, but she knew that with a bit of work, we could do it, and we could hack it. The decision had been made once and for all, and there was no turning back. We were going to the Follow The Hoofprints Turf Mile, against two of the best two-year-olds that The Wire had ever seen.
Though lightly raced and fit, Lucy was the less experienced filly of the whole field. We wanted to claim this win, and we wanted it bad, but whether or not it happened was a different story. After all, the filly was only one win away from Grade Four, and they would be fighting for this. We weren't going to stop whenever we lost a race, were we now? She was recovering well from her defeat against Innocent Passion, but had they been given the time and training they needed, I almost guarenteed that we would've beaten her again. Score? Tied, 1-1. Me and Eve had taken it upon ourselves to discuss the entrants for the Turf Mile today as Jacey was having a day off with Matthias. I took a deep breath and sat on the box outside Lucy's stable. Just seconds later, Eve came round the corner, smiling as me as the joined me and sat down.
Looking at the list of declared entrants, Eve smiled. Wow, you really are upping your limit. She said. She looked down it, and took it off me. Okay - Ventura is starting in Gate One. She said. She is the daughter of Impressario and Rising Fury, which shows you that she has definitely got some Tiara potential in her. She has won four times out of nine starts, taking three seconds and two thirds, having never placed out of the top three. She is a Magic Millions winner, a Legacy Stakes winner, and she placed in the Wire Finish Cup Juvenile Mile behind Nightshade. Them two are certainly rivals. Unlike other foals out of Rising Fury, Ventura is a stalker, so she will be right there with you the whole way, unless she dominates the lead. I smiled. You sound like Jacey when you talk like that, I laughed. She giggled and blushed.
Moving right on, she look at the next entrant. Okay, Ventura's rival is starting in Gate Two. It appears they won't think much of you if you're entered, but somehow I think you will do well. Nightshade. She is rather heavily raced, but boy oh boy. She's won the Wire Finish Cup Juvenile Mile, beating out Ventura, the won the March Juvenile Face-Off... and placed behind Ventura in the Magic Millions. She is a closer who can run on both surfaces. She's never placed out of the top two, and she is a closer... Crap... that was it. Lucy was now officially at a disadvantage. She did NOT pace set at all, so I was hoping Ventura would lead by about a length.... we'd be hot on her heels, but not pressuring her. Thoughts ran through my head as I thought about the loss against Anna, but we were going to turn over a new leaf. That's it. Eve said. You going to breeze on your own, or do you want me to get Beth so she can ride Alice? I was asked. We'll go on our own, honey. It's fine. I smiled, standing up and taking the tack I already had out into Lucy's stable.
Tacking her up was quick and easy. I placed the saddle on her back and did up the girth, before putting on her exquisite white bridle. I did the throatlash and the noseband up, before making sure everything was secure. I went out of the stall and put on my protector and my hat, before picking up my crop and leading Lucy out. Eve stood waiting, and she gave me a leg up onto the mount. I grinned and placed my feet onto the irons as I walked her out on to the turf. I warmed her up and walked her in a few circles until I felt prepared. I let her break into a canter as we began to work our way round the turf track. Coming on to the backstretch, I slowed her. The big steel gates stood infront of us, looking like it could swallow us. Lucy stared, her big brown eyes watching the gates. She hadn't a problem loading. I squeezed her forward and we were at the rail, awaiting the start.
Lucy stood patiently, awaiting the bell. The bell rang and the filly was sent on her way for the mile long workout. She broke quickly and easily, adapting to a quicker pace. It was her first real race over a mile on the turf, and I was excited. I relaxed and held her back a little bit, as I would do in a normal race, but as there was no pace to shadow, she did not know how quickly or slowly she would need to run. I kept the pace sensible. We reached the middle of the backstretch and I let the pace quicken. Lucy released a new level of speed, as if preparing to defend off the late finishers. Speed and thrill broke through as we hit the final turn, and Lucy turned the speed on, and suddenly we were flying forward like a rocket. We came flying down the home stretch, going hammer and tongues. We went crashing effortlessly into the final furlong and my hands released all of the rein, pure adrenaline shooting through the filly, though it seemed death defying to me though as the coverage of ground disappeared under us at an amazing speed. We flew under the wire and I let the filly slow on her own. A steady canter had now replaced her all out gallop, and she was officially in perfect shape and fitness for the race. We could beat Ventura and Nightshade, I knew we could.
