Post by Snowflake on Oct 17, 2012 20:47:43 GMT -5
AKUMABUELLE AND BEYOND PERFECTION WORK FOR VANCOUVER MAIDEN
WAR CRY WORKS FOR MATRON STAKES
Think they know they're sisters? Blaze asked, watching curiously as War Cry and Akumabuelle interacted. Their noses touched and each filly let out a squeal and snort. It was their first meeting, although Ella had been at Star Thoroughbreds for over a week now. She'd been born there, as she was out of Deabuelle. War Cry had been born elsewhere, and brought to Star Thoroughbreds earlier this year. Both fillies were sired by Akuma Battlecry.
Marissa shrugged. I don't know. She glanced back at the stable row, looking for Olivia and Beyond Perfection. The young rider came out at that moment, leading the fiesty bay colt. Let's get down to the track. She made a noise with her tongue to get War Cry's attention, then lead the gorgeous chestnut down to the dirt. The track was quiet. They'd chosen to work early. Like really early. The Wire track wasn't as busy as GHF's track, so trainers based here didn't get up as early as GHF based ones. Star Thoroughbreds were GHF based, but were frequently racing here as well because of their very large racing string.
War Cry walked quickly beside Marissa, followed by Akumabuelle and Blaze, then Beyond Perfection and Olivia. Marissa glanced up at the stadium to see her sister Sarah sitting watching them. With two months to go in her pregnancy, her belly was growing rapidly. James was at the gap in the rail, watching a lone horse work on the otherwise deserted track. He turned around when he heard approaching hoofbeats. Hey guys. Race day is only two days away so I don't want them worked hard. Just give them a lap of trotting, a six furlong canter and a two furlong gallop. Try to keep their noses in line - this isn't a race and we need them fired up for race day.
The three riders nodded their understanding. James smiled and then came around to help them onto their thoroughbreds. Marissa nudged War Cry's sides, sending the filly into a trot. Affectionately known as Xena, the filly was quickly becoming one of Marissa's favourites. Olivia was legged up next, and Beyond Perfection quickly followed Xena. He was affectionately known as Beyond, and Olivia was doing quite well considering he needed a rider with a stronger will than his. Olivia was young and still a little shy, but she could definitely handle racehorses well. Her efforts with Streaks Of Passion were bound to get her noticed by other trainers soon, although Marissa couldn't imagine why the girl would ever want to leave Star Thoroughbreds.
Blaze and Akumabuelle joined them after a few minutes. It wasn't his first ride on her, but he was still working out how best to ride her. She could be a handful, that was for sure. Together the three horses and riders headed up the dirt track at a trot, and began to discuss the races ahead. Beyond and Ella were entered in the Vancouver Maiden, which was run over eight furlongs on dirt. There were only four entries, with Akumabuelle in gate one, Beyond Perfection is gate two, Barely Legal in gate three and Top Admiral in gate four.
Barely Legal was a two year old filly from Close Racing. By Barely A Moment, and out of Testimonial Circumstances, she had nice bloodlines, but this hadn't translated to her racing performance yet. She'd started nine times, never hitting the board. Top Admiral was a three year old colt owned by Triple Krown Racing, but currently on lease to former owners Intrepid Racing. Though unraced, he was certainly one to watch out for. He was in fact a half brother to Admiral's Revenge, who was a Triple Crown Champion and sire of Akuma Battlecry, who was in turn sire of Sunset Crusade, Euphoria's Warrior, Lusitania's Soldier, and these two fillies right here: War Cry and Akumabuelle. So to say the colt had great bloodlines was an understatement, and they'd be watching out for him.
Of course, Akumabuelle had the same bloodlines in half of her. The other half of her bloodline included her dam, Deabuelle, who was sired by HOF True Enough, and out of Palisades Silver. So aside from horses mentioned in Ella's sire's bloodline, she was also related to the likes of HOF Euphoria, Breeder's Cup Classic winner Lusitania, Mother Goose Stakes winner Silver Stalker, Breeder's Cup Ladies Classic winner Dark Sunrise and Breeder's Cup Classic winner Radiance, amongst many others. So yes, she was very, very well bred. Her record was small, at this time. She had had three starts and these had resulted in two fourth places and a second place. Her owners Triple Krown Racing had not been racing the filly, so Star Thoroughbreds had taken her on lease. Hopefully, a different training program and plenty of racing action would see the filly lift her game and win like crazy.
Beyond Perfection was also born from pretty great bloodlines. Sired by G1 Beyond The Limits and out of G1 mare Perfection, Beyond was related to G1 mare Warm Wishes, G1 Limitless Time, G1 Prize Me Proud, G1 Beyond His Candy, G3 mare Flawed Princess and G3 three year old filly After Dusk. His record was also small, but he'd only just begun racing. Currently the colt had a record of 4-0-1-1, and was improving with every race. Soon he would break his maiden - maybe even in his next start.
A lap of trotting up, the riders cued their thoroughbreds to canter and continued to converse, moving on into discussing War Cry's race. She was entered in the Matron Stakes*, which was run over twelve furlongs on the dirt, for grade five and above two year olds. With the same sire as Akumabuelle, War Cry also had bragging rights. Not only was she related to some seriously amazing horses on her sire's side, but she was also out of a g1 mare, Strictly Speaking, who won over half her races for a record of 28-17-4-3 and was the dam of Strictly Royal and Strictly A Hero, both up and comers.
As for her race record, that was something to brag about as well. Before breaking her maiden, War Cry had come second three times (only because the races were too short for her liking) and then won her last two starts. Her last race in particular had been an outstanding win because it had been against Sizzling Dawn, a filly far more experienced than she, with two more wins as well. it had been an excellent race for Xena to prove herself in as well, since it had been the Follow The Hoofprints Dirt*, a juvenile race run over twelve furlongs.
The Matron Stakes had four entrants, with Wish Upon A Star in gate one, Sweet Inferno in gate two, A Royal Legacy in gate three and Xena had drawn gate four. Marissa didn't want to be too confident, but she felt that she and Xena had a good chance at winning. Xena had proved her strength in her last race by going head to head with another front runner the entire way, and come out on top in the two horse field. Sweet Inferno was also a front runner, Wish Upon A Star was a preceder or midfielder. Marissa had basically the same plan as last time for this race. knowing that Sweet Inferno would not fight for the lead, War Cry would take it and keep it the entire race.
As they cantered towards the turn, the horses were growing very restless and each was tugging hard on the bit. But they still had two furlongs of cantering left.. if they galloped now, James would have their rider's heads for dinner. Marissa glanced over at the stadium, but couldn't see James and Sarah. She knew he could see them, though. He would have binoculars trained on them. He knew exactly what they were doing. Besides, Marissa wouldn't endanger War Cry's chances of winning. She glanced sideways at Olivia and Blaze. They were having a conversation of their own, now that Marissa had tuned out. They were still concentrating mostly on their thoroughbreds though, and had their noses in line with Xena's.
The turn was coming to and end, and Marissa had her eye on the two furlong pole. James hadn't specified how fast they could go, just that they needed to stay side by side. Here we go.. Blaze muttered from Marissa's right. Right on the dot, the horses were released into gallop. War Cry was a born front runner and naturally she burst right into the lead. No Xena.. we have to stay with the others. It's not a race.. Marissa muttered to the filly, who had her ears flicked backwards against the force of wind. She held the thoroughbred in, allowing the other two to catch up.
One furlong down, one to go. The horses weren't pleased about not being able to run to their full potential, but at least they were running. Akumabuelle looked as though she wanted to take a chunk out of someone for being held back. They each saw the finish coming and each lunged forward to claim the win, but no one got ahead of each other. They had been equal. It was a job to slow them back through their paces, because each horse was convinced there had to be some sort of mistake here. Just two furlongs gallop? Not enough! They didn't know they were going to be racing eight and twelve furlongs on Saturday, but they were sure as hell ready for it.
finished
