Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2012 12:31:44 GMT -5
The Triple Tiara.. The filly only equivalent of the Triple Crown. It was a highly regarded series, with only one winner so far - Born To Soar, a now retired champion from Star Thoroughbreds. Every year those talented fillies which could not handle the distance of the Crown were entered into the Triple Tiara to prove themselves the best in their category. Of course, with such competitive fields it was not unusual to see horses falling by the way-side as it progressed or for more challengers to be entered. With the second leg approaching, preparations were afoot to ensure the entrants were at their best.
Paradise Island was proving to be a powerhouse. As a two year old, the filly had placed outside of the top three only twice and this season she had won every race but one - even then she had placed behind the triple crown contender Eternal Phantom. Still, her winning streak was increasing and the stable were highly aware that with every win the chances of the filly losing her next race increased. But they weren't about to lie back and let that happen - not when they had won every preparation race for the series and the first leg to boot. No, they were hungry for victory - they thirsted for the title - and they would do whatever they could to get to grips with those hopes.
The field was tough, and with every race their opponents grew stronger. Winning Touch, who had placed in two of the preparation races before showing in the first leg had been withdrawn and with no new contenders that narrowed the field to three. Three horses, with what was guaranteed to be a very tight and competitive race. It wasn't a big field, but for that it was sure to be more intense and sometimes it was in situations like these that the pressure built more than in larger fields.
Tanya did not know how she felt about things at that point in time. Being herself, she was of course excited - this was huge, Sonja was becoming a household name and as her jockey so was she - but there were more important things at stake. This was a series that they had geared towards for a long time now, it was perhaps three of the most important races that Sonja would ever run - they could well define how she went down in memory - and the pressure was huge.
Of course, she had to remember her sister's advice from prior to the last race - calm down, treat it as any other race and don't worry over the results. If she panicked then Sonja would pick up on it and it would effect how she ran. No, she couldn't allow it. When she worked with Sonja, when they went out onto the track come race day, she had to push the nerves and anxiety aside. She could remain mindful of the competition without stressing, it would just have to be kept at a careful balance.
The Mother Goose Stakes ran over nine furlongs on the dirt - one furlong longer than the Acorn Stakes had been. It was not a huge increase in distance, but it was enough to effect how a race would run and would require a little more stamina and less speed than the first leg. Sonja was adept over the distance, it was in the middle of her range of preferred distances and so would be a comfortable race. they would be starting in Gate One, putting them beside the rail from the start of the run which was always helpful.
Fiery Touch would be starting in Gate Two and the Witch Creek Stables filly was certainly becoming a strong competitor and had placed in the Acorn Stakes. She had not been the strongest two year old, but she had really picked up this season to place in the top three in all of her races except one, where she had placed fourth. She was hungry for a win - she had even come close in the Acorn Stakes and that was a worrying thought for Tanya who knew that as the filly's form increased she was more likely to steal the race from under their noses. Fiery Touch ran as a closer and did not seem to be afraid to make some daring moves when she finally started to move up the field.
Arachne, of Intrepid Racing, would start in Gate Three. Arachne had not started racing until this season, and so had been on the back foot when it came to the series but she had truly fought to show her talents and had performed well so far. In nine starts, she had been in the top three seven times and claimed three wins. Her position had switched with Fiery Touch a lot in preparation, something which showed her talent, and she would be going for it in the race - she always did. Running as a front runner, she would set the pace and as such determine just how the race would run.
Sonja looked well as she was brought out onto the track, calm and focussed. She moved with the firm stride that Tanya had come to associate with the filly when she was in good form and seemed at ease as she was brought to a halt on the dirt. The brown-haired jockey, who had been stood at the fence talking with the trained, watched the filly for a moment and then moved over, smiling at Jack who had clearly been asked to handle her today. The gentle man nodded his head and helped the jockey into the saddle before leading the horse and jockey out on to the track.
The workout that they were scheduled to run was short - two furlongs on the dirt with no gates. Rather than hold her back, as they had in previous workouts, they were going to blow some steam and actually allow her to run at a high pace due to the fact that she had been showing signs of frustration since the Acorn Stakes. No one was really sure why - she'd ran well, claimed victory - but she had definitely been feeling more competitive than usual. She had been challenging the other horses, getting them wound up, and they didn't want her charging off from the beginning of the race in some frustrated charge.
Jack brought Sonja to a stop and patted her muscular neck while Tanya found her stirrups, tested the balance and nodded. Gathering the reins, she turned her eyes to the track ahead of her and bit her lip slightly. Jack, seeing she was ready, changed his grip on the filly. "Three... Two... One... Go!" The handler released the filly's rein and Sonja moved off from the mark with only the slightest signal from her jockey. Rather than waiting, or holding the filly back, Tanya knew the plan for todays workout and started to drive her forwards.
With long, powerful strides Sonja was moving up the dirt quickly, and every time her jockey urged her on she seemed to pick up the pace a little. Her audits were pressed forwards, her focus completely on the track as she moved onwards. Tanya was also relaxing now she was riding, she felt much more at ease on the back of the bay than she had on the ground. Of course she wanted to win - they didn't enter races with the hopes of losing - but at the same time it didn't matter if she couldn't. Alana was right; when all things came together it was just another race.
The first furlong closed in good time, and the real run was upon them. Tanya cracked the crop against the filly, gave her the rein and continued to drive. The way she drove changed, however. She was folded close to the filly's neck, pushing more in every stride and clearly giving it her all. The filly responded eagerly, picking up the pace and fighting. The post was their goal, and it was looming quickly as they galloped in earnest through the furlong. They soared past the post, and Tanya smiled. She was ready for the race, and so was Sonja.
Paradise Island was proving to be a powerhouse. As a two year old, the filly had placed outside of the top three only twice and this season she had won every race but one - even then she had placed behind the triple crown contender Eternal Phantom. Still, her winning streak was increasing and the stable were highly aware that with every win the chances of the filly losing her next race increased. But they weren't about to lie back and let that happen - not when they had won every preparation race for the series and the first leg to boot. No, they were hungry for victory - they thirsted for the title - and they would do whatever they could to get to grips with those hopes.
The field was tough, and with every race their opponents grew stronger. Winning Touch, who had placed in two of the preparation races before showing in the first leg had been withdrawn and with no new contenders that narrowed the field to three. Three horses, with what was guaranteed to be a very tight and competitive race. It wasn't a big field, but for that it was sure to be more intense and sometimes it was in situations like these that the pressure built more than in larger fields.
Tanya did not know how she felt about things at that point in time. Being herself, she was of course excited - this was huge, Sonja was becoming a household name and as her jockey so was she - but there were more important things at stake. This was a series that they had geared towards for a long time now, it was perhaps three of the most important races that Sonja would ever run - they could well define how she went down in memory - and the pressure was huge.
Of course, she had to remember her sister's advice from prior to the last race - calm down, treat it as any other race and don't worry over the results. If she panicked then Sonja would pick up on it and it would effect how she ran. No, she couldn't allow it. When she worked with Sonja, when they went out onto the track come race day, she had to push the nerves and anxiety aside. She could remain mindful of the competition without stressing, it would just have to be kept at a careful balance.
The Mother Goose Stakes ran over nine furlongs on the dirt - one furlong longer than the Acorn Stakes had been. It was not a huge increase in distance, but it was enough to effect how a race would run and would require a little more stamina and less speed than the first leg. Sonja was adept over the distance, it was in the middle of her range of preferred distances and so would be a comfortable race. they would be starting in Gate One, putting them beside the rail from the start of the run which was always helpful.
Fiery Touch would be starting in Gate Two and the Witch Creek Stables filly was certainly becoming a strong competitor and had placed in the Acorn Stakes. She had not been the strongest two year old, but she had really picked up this season to place in the top three in all of her races except one, where she had placed fourth. She was hungry for a win - she had even come close in the Acorn Stakes and that was a worrying thought for Tanya who knew that as the filly's form increased she was more likely to steal the race from under their noses. Fiery Touch ran as a closer and did not seem to be afraid to make some daring moves when she finally started to move up the field.
Arachne, of Intrepid Racing, would start in Gate Three. Arachne had not started racing until this season, and so had been on the back foot when it came to the series but she had truly fought to show her talents and had performed well so far. In nine starts, she had been in the top three seven times and claimed three wins. Her position had switched with Fiery Touch a lot in preparation, something which showed her talent, and she would be going for it in the race - she always did. Running as a front runner, she would set the pace and as such determine just how the race would run.
Sonja looked well as she was brought out onto the track, calm and focussed. She moved with the firm stride that Tanya had come to associate with the filly when she was in good form and seemed at ease as she was brought to a halt on the dirt. The brown-haired jockey, who had been stood at the fence talking with the trained, watched the filly for a moment and then moved over, smiling at Jack who had clearly been asked to handle her today. The gentle man nodded his head and helped the jockey into the saddle before leading the horse and jockey out on to the track.
The workout that they were scheduled to run was short - two furlongs on the dirt with no gates. Rather than hold her back, as they had in previous workouts, they were going to blow some steam and actually allow her to run at a high pace due to the fact that she had been showing signs of frustration since the Acorn Stakes. No one was really sure why - she'd ran well, claimed victory - but she had definitely been feeling more competitive than usual. She had been challenging the other horses, getting them wound up, and they didn't want her charging off from the beginning of the race in some frustrated charge.
Jack brought Sonja to a stop and patted her muscular neck while Tanya found her stirrups, tested the balance and nodded. Gathering the reins, she turned her eyes to the track ahead of her and bit her lip slightly. Jack, seeing she was ready, changed his grip on the filly. "Three... Two... One... Go!" The handler released the filly's rein and Sonja moved off from the mark with only the slightest signal from her jockey. Rather than waiting, or holding the filly back, Tanya knew the plan for todays workout and started to drive her forwards.
With long, powerful strides Sonja was moving up the dirt quickly, and every time her jockey urged her on she seemed to pick up the pace a little. Her audits were pressed forwards, her focus completely on the track as she moved onwards. Tanya was also relaxing now she was riding, she felt much more at ease on the back of the bay than she had on the ground. Of course she wanted to win - they didn't enter races with the hopes of losing - but at the same time it didn't matter if she couldn't. Alana was right; when all things came together it was just another race.
The first furlong closed in good time, and the real run was upon them. Tanya cracked the crop against the filly, gave her the rein and continued to drive. The way she drove changed, however. She was folded close to the filly's neck, pushing more in every stride and clearly giving it her all. The filly responded eagerly, picking up the pace and fighting. The post was their goal, and it was looming quickly as they galloped in earnest through the furlong. They soared past the post, and Tanya smiled. She was ready for the race, and so was Sonja.
