Post by Cavallo on Oct 6, 2012 11:25:59 GMT -5
Nick heard shouts and yells coming from the barn and then a huge CRASH. Nick dropped his papers by the rail on the track and raced back to the on-site barn, where he knew Arachne lurked. It's finally happened. The thought raced through his mind as he ran. He came onto the scene and saw four stable hands trying to get the Augusta filly down. Her eyes flashed fire and murder, as she came down she lunged for the closest stable hand and she found her mark. Ivories clamped down onto the poor guy's arm and Nick ran up. He heard another set of feet behind him, but Nick didn't stop to see. He popped the filly in the head and grabbed her lead line.
Her eyes went suddenly cold and she lunged forward at Nick, but he was already running pulling her out from the close confines of the barn. Her racing gear was half-strapped and falling off. Nick looked around and was relieved to see Jeff following. Jeff nodded to Nick and stepped up quickly to the filly. Her body tremored with rage and hostility. As Nick handed the lead line off to Jeff, she lunged again at him, but Nick was quick to retreat out of reach. Her head pulled back and she stood tall and cold as she looked to see who her new handler was that she was about to demolish. Her eyes took in Jeff. Her Jeff. She instantly recognized the one human being she had an infinity for. Her body became deathly still, like the calm before the fury of a storm. Jeff locked eyes with the filly. He was concerned. Ara was a high-spirited horse, but he'd never seen this filly in such a cold-blooded state. He felt that even when she'd looked at him, she'd looked right through him, but she had stilled. Easy Ara...easy... he dared not to touch the filly right now in her state.
Nick?....what happened? Nick was walking back up from the barns. He had seen to the injured stable hand and gathered the story. The hands saw Ara was scheduled to work today...tried to be helpful and get her ready for you....but she's in no mood to even let strangers near. The seasoned trainer knew this fillies lines. She was tame compared to her grand-sire. He remembered Augusto well. The stallion had no value for human life and he saw the resemblence of that suddenly lurking in Ara's depths. They had to be careful with Ara. She was a high-tempered horse and she took losses to a whole new level than the average horse. She took it personally.
Jeff. Let her stand there and cool off with you. Speak to her calmly....I'm going to grab the rest of her gear and place it near you. Tie her up and you tack her.
Jeff nodded. He looked with concern on his beloved Ara...She barely regarded him, but he could see that her fever pitch of rage was gradually subsiding under his ministrations. He braved tugging slightly on the lead. Her ears went back, but she started to follow..Good girl...easy... He led her to the rail, tying her as watched Nick approach with the bridle. Jeff went to the saddle, that was half sliding off. He un-cinched it and adjusted the saddle pad and saddle. The black bay filly watched Jeff with a cold eye, but let him do their routine....her body was easing up, but now her eyes were locked onto the dirt track. She let her focus leave the humans as she watched horses breezing on the track. Jeff took advantage of her distractedness. She wasn't distracted. She was fully aware of what was going on. She trusted Jeff alone and knew that the quicker he got her saddled and bridled the quicker she could get on the track.
Her eyes searched the track,as though she was looking for specific horses...Nick and Jeff both who she was looking for. Paradise Island and Winning Touch and Fiery Touch. She was a volcano brewing and about to erupt. She was not out to play games. She knew she was of their caliber and she wasn't about to finish a furlong behind anyone this race. She was out for blood. Nick had a grim face as he watched Jeff finish tacking up the filly. What she needed was a good light run. In her current state of mind she was deadly. They needed to cool her off, but still have her keep her edge.
Paradise Island was a horse of unknown lines, but of well-known success. She was indeed a powerhouse horse for the Tiara and she had won every prep-race she'd entered and the first leg. Nick had questioned whether or not he should continue the filly on, but seeing her today...he knew that the filly wouldn't forgive them if they didn't give her this chance to redeem herself. She was out to prove herself and she wasn't going to be pushed over easily.
Jeff fed the filly her bit, which she accepted in an eerie calm. Jeff take her four furlongs after you warm her. Come race day, she's gonna need this hard edge to not finish last. I'm not sure how her psyche will hold up if she looses again. Now you and Paradise Island will be running lead. Here's the key...don't dual race with her. If Ara does this...she won't have a chance to fend off Fiery Touch and Paradise Island in the end. He paused as he took in the cold filly's form. She's smart and calculating...she'll know what you're playing at and should go along with it. She's not racing temperamentally anymore....she's racing tactfully now. Which maybe it's a good thing she's been going up against these horses. They have fed her the one think she was lacking...experience.
Jeff nodded. He untied Ara from the rail and she stood like stone. The image of Ara latching onto poor Ricky's arm. How's Ricky's arm? he asked referring to the long-time employee of IR. Nick grimaced, He's gonna need a few stitches. Ara laced him pretty good...but he bares no ill-will to Ara...he knows the type of horses we have here... Jeff nodded, but he still felt bad. He looked to Ara, still standing like a living statue. Her eyes never leaving the track. She glanced briefly at him, as though waiting simply for him to mount. He shook his head, grabbed a handful of her black mane and hoisted himself up into the saddle. She didn't even flinch. Nick nodded...yes, Ara was in the zone now...it was like an eerie calm...he was wondering when the hurricane was going to unleash.
The Triple Tiara was a prestigious race, one for the industries top fillies. Jeff sat astride the black bay tempest and he couldn't help, but think about the upcoming race and a rock began to settle into his gut. Paradise Island was predicted to take the crown home...with ease. What was the point in running Ara? The thought rushed through his mind as he clucked to his mount. She moved forward with her eerie aura, a calm and determination that even had Jeff rethinking the filly's chances in the race. He scolded himself for the doubt. Arachne was as blue-blooded as a horse could come. She had the stamina, the speed and now the raw fierce determination to cause an upheaval in the TT. He took the filly arounf the tracks, looping it twice. Not once did Ara give a single horse on the track an ounce of her attention. She was moving with a mission and Jeff was quickly getting on board with it.
They passed the post again and Jeff fed the filly more rein. He didn't have to cluck to her or give her leg because she was off and running. The dirt flew in spray. She was a large filly, but that seemed to have no effect on her ability to quickly find her pace and accelerate. It was an attribute that Jeff loved about Ara...she intentionally broke the norm.
It was going to be crucial that on race day, they didn't fight for the lead with Paradise...As Ara ran he felt that it wouldn't be a problem. Naturally the filly couldn't stand to have a horse in front of her, but he knew she was willing to surrender this small concession if it meant destroying her foes. The furlongs flew and Jeff felt the calm rage and determination that was brewing within her stout form.
The next leg was approaching...and they were viewed as the ones to least likely win or place...but they were going to change this perception....because in the end...
Perceptions are never reality. Jeff smiled at the thought, let them perceive Ara to be the loser, when reality hit and they made their bid for the win...no perception was going to determine the win..it would be the time effort, practice and fierce focused desire that was going to determine the victor....and they had their eyes set on the prize.
She was Arahcne. Daughter of BC Champion Augusta, descended from the lines of Augusto. She was also daughter of Determination, a TC competitor and Twilight Stakes winner, grandsire of GS Gallant Prince. She was Arachne...cool, calm collected and viciously focused and out for blood...
and revenge.
