Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2012 8:56:51 GMT -5
Winning Touch and Ivana Babicová
As the summer began to set in, the heat was practically unbearable. The rush of adrenaline through your veins was almost lethal. The day was rather upbeat to start with, and the racing season had gone incredibly well so far for the barn. With wins from both Dawn Of Silence and Mizadori the previous week, it left the stable in good standing for when Winning Touch was to set her foot back in the dirt, for the final leg of the Triple Tiara, this time, against two new competitors – the twin sisters sired by Night Stalker, Midnight Thriller and Eternal Phantom. Eternal Phantom, commonly known as Phantie around both Serendipity Hills and Silver Stride Stables was the absolute threat right now.
She was the major threat to Sonja’s Triple Tiara. I knew we wouldn’t be able to defeat Phantie, with the major race experience and also considering she had raced in the first two legs of the Triple Crown as well as defeating Sonja in the Unicorn Horn Fillies Dirt at the start of the year. I really wanted to win atleast one leg of the Tiara, but I also wanted Sonja to win. The filly had pure class, and though Winnie had only really come into contention as a three-year-old and getting to one win away from Grade Three, she had also shown she had some major speed in the graded stakes races.
Sonja's Tiara, it may be, but Winnie wasn't going down too easily on this particular day. There were currently four entrants in this leg - more than before. The week after the Acorn Stakes, we had entered Winnie in a Graded Stakes race, and needless to say her winning colours shone back through. It had been a glorious thrill for both horse, and rider, speaking from experience that is. The way the race would play out seemed pretty simple on this particular day. Paradise Island would lead the race, being as she was flexibly able to run as either a front runner or a preceder. Midnight Thriller and Winnie were both stalkers, but my plan was to race as a mid-pack for the day. We were going to break averagely, and drop back behind Midtee, who would stalk the pace with ease. We'd then leave Eternal Phantom to close at the end, considering she was also a very flexible filly.
She could do what she did in the Kentucky Derby, and lead the race from gate to wire, or she could stay dead last until the final furlong and make her move. She was pretty insane like that, but not as insane as the favourite for this race. Paradise Island's only defeat this year was behind Eternal Phantom. One problem was, Sonja had gotten stronger, and she was now marked down as a champion on both surfaces. Since the start of the year, she had gotten insanely strong, breaking the barrier into Grade One. It was almost unbelievable. We weren't able to defeat Sonja on our first few occasions, but this time I wanted this, and so did Winnie. Since the Acorn and after being defeated by her half sister, Fiery Touch, the field had raised its game a little bit.
Winnie wasn't usually a filly for holding grudges, but there was one name that she couldn't stand, and that, was Sonja. This time, Winnie was going to prove she was a great. She was going to prove how strong she actually was in the race, and show that she had major speed in this workout. Jacey had arranged for us to sprint three furlongs at the end of a mile long workout uphill. It would be something new for Winnie today, trying a sprint for the first time in a while since her workout for the Breeders' Cup where she placed second behind the ever-improving Georgie's Girl. She was a strong racer, and though she was a very decisive individual with the heart and strength to win, we thought that the way to slowly improve her was to enter her in Graded Stakes.
Oh, I almost forgot. Midnight Thriller was the twin sister of Eternal Phantom. The twins were entered in the same race for once, a shock for both Akita Rose Stables and Stride Of Perfection. Midnight Thriller had raced under Witch Creek Stable for a short while whilst Akita Rose had a complete revamp due to the fire that happened a couple of months back. She had also been racing in Graded Stakes races, and was one win away from breaking the Grade Four barrier. She was close, but it was yet to happen. She finished fifth in the Alabama Stakes at the start of the year, but she was yet to prove that she could beat us here, today.
As I sat deep into the saddle of the dark filly, she let out a snort and walked forward with a bounce in her step. The month long break had certainly done her good, and now she was back and fighting, this time, she wasn’t going to give up too easily. I took a deep breath as I walked her out onto the track, my heart beating rapidly against my chest. I forced a smile onto my face as my hands began to tremble. I figured the only way to get rid of the nerves was to listen to Jacey’s words of advice. I turned to look at her, and Winnie bobbed her head.
Okay, Ivana. She said. I bit my lip. A few words of advice. Number One, Calm the hell down. If she senses that your nervous, she will be nervous too. Number Two, don’t let her run on too much in the early stages. Wait mid-pack and make your move. I continued to listen and my nerves began to clear. A grin came upon my face. Number Three, make your move late, using the ground you saved to come to the outside and down the centre. That way, it will give us a good shot. I nodded and grinned. I walked Winnie forward again and turned her towards the first turn, at a bouncy trot.
The trot was a two beat thing, usually long and flat but Winnie’s was short and bouncy. She lifted her knees and chomped effortlessly on her bit. I grinned and squeezed her into a canter. I rocked with her and she let out a snort. I didn’t let her go on too quickly, though it was a case of make or break in the long run. I took a deep breath as we loped along the backstretch, covering the ground. Unlike her trot, finally her canter was long and smooth. I relaxed a little bit, and softened my hands, but not too much release.
Rounding the bend, I began to let her run. The three furlong pole was now in sight, and her long canter grew longer as she began to stretch. I released it all and let her go as we flew past the three furlong pole. Each tiny hoof hit the dirt one by one, using an immense coverage of ground, thrusting a thousand kilos of weight onto one fetlock. It was make or break as they entered the stretch, and Winnie changed her lead with ease. I continued to push her on, my arms aching, but as she flew down the stretch as high speeds, I began to wonder if I’d ever beat Paradise Island. The answer was fairly simple, though, but with Phantie in the way, I was destined to come atleast second. With one, long, last push, we came over the line. The filly snorted and threw in a minuet buck, as I relaxed and stood in my stirrups, patting her sweaty neck.
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