Post by Snowflake on Jun 16, 2013 7:00:21 GMT -5
SILVERIANNA WORKS FOR THE LADY SECRET STAKES
It was a full two years now since Ianna had taken two legs of the Triple Tiara, and the mare was running her last season. So far she'd only been raced very lightly, running only seven times in nearly seven months, but that was about to change. With the races for veteran racehorses coming up quickly, it was time for Ianna's schedule to get a little busier. The mare was fit as could be and stepped lightly onto the dirt track where she had raced most this year. Stella kept light contact with the thoroughbred's mouth, and that was all that was needed with the horse she'd been riding for three years. They were a team.
Ianna's trot was long and loose as the mare warmed up quietly. She'd matured a lot over the last year, and was not as feisty as she had once been. That side of her came out during races, when she fought tooth and nail for the win. She had raced last weekend for third place, after a six week break following a win. The mare's record for the year was 7-2-3-2. She raced better when she raced hard, so the weeks of back to back racing ahead in the second half of the year would do her good and keep her competitive spirit burning hot. The first race on the hit list was the G1 three year old and up filly and mare race, The Lady Secret Stakes. Run over ten furlongs on dirt, it had attracted some of the best fillies and mares around, and they were all younger than Silverianna.
First, in gate one, would be Eternal Phantom. No one could deny Ianna's half sister was great. They had the same sire, Night Stalker, and inherited the same qualities from him. They also had equally good dams - Ianna was out of Bank on Silver, whereas Eternal Phantom was from El Sol Del Mar. Both of them were Hall of Fame inductees. Eternal Phantom had been Horse of The Year last year, after winning the Kentucky Derby, the Coaching Club American Oaks, and the Breeder's Cup Ladies Classic. The four year old mare was having a great season so far, with four wins, two seconds and a third behind her.
Next was Fiery Touch in gate two. The Touch Up x Flash At Dawn mare had recently hit grade one and was also having a great season so far, with five wins, one second and three third places to her name this year. Finally there was Paradise Island.
