Post by S u N f r O s T ~ on Jun 25, 2013 11:45:38 GMT -5
ITALIAN ICE AND VALENCIA ANDREWS
WORKOUT FOR THE QUEEN'S PLATE
The black daughter of Impressario and Cute Italian strode down the track like a queen. She barely acknowledged the horses around her, paying attention only to the hype of the track and the cues of her beloved rider. Valencia smirked as Icee began to canter with the lightest of urges. Horse and rider had really reconnected over the past month, and it was impressive enough that they had managed to take second in the Belmont Turf Classic to Bella Luna. Icee had a way about her that Valencia could totally relate to. They both wanted to be the best and didn't want to stop at anything to get there. It was tough to work together in the big races without a full season of work beneath them, but they had managed it brilliantly in the Breeders Cup last year and they just had to manage it again. Valencia concentrated on the horse now, thoughts of nothing but the Queen's Plate in her mind.
GS Royal Crown and GS Supercharged would both be hard competitors on race day. The Queen's Plate was on Derby conditions, conditions Icee could definitely handle. She had the talent to win this if she could manage to get the black filly to the right place at the right time. She had been working very hard to make sure they were ready for this. The Canadian Triple Crown was a series they would run the entirety of, and Icee was a horse Valencia wanted to see win it. It helped that she would be atop the black princess throughout the campaign. For today's workout, they would be cantering a half mile and then galloping the last half. Something light and easy. Icee had been getting back into racing in a big way and needed no extra work for fear of losing form.
Valencia and Icee soared forward now, dropping the walk and exchanging it for their speedy canter. Icee powered forward, her strides eating up the dirt and her form superb. Her eyes were bright and focused. She looked the picture of a horse ready to take on the world. Valencia rocked to the motion, grinning as she felt Icee pick it up as a horse appeared in front of them. She swung the black filly to the inside and they slid past that duo with the ease of pros. She was a really beautiful mover, and there was not an ounce of humbleness about her. Icee cantered with pride, fully aware of the power in her own legs, and fully able to use it. Valencia felt similarly on top of the world as they got through the half and then entered the gallop.
Beautiful speed poured from the filly's heart as she accelerated. Her legs flickered into a blur, and her stride opened up as she soared forward with the strength of a thousand men. Valencia leaned close to the filly's neck, enjoying the black mane flinging into her face, grinning as she asked Icee for a bit more and then more and more. Icee gave it all as she was asked, and then some. She was a filly full of heart and the will to win. She soared over the dirt with an air of regality, a presence of mighty glory. It was a beautiful thing, a beautiful show. Valencia slowed Icee at the end of the mile and the filly just as majestically decelerated, flicking her head up and snorting once as her breathing began to slow back to its usual tempo.
Valencia threw her head back and grinned at the morning sky. Icee and her were just so similar that she felt bonded to the filly's very soul, and the filly to hers. The Queen's Plate was their next challenge and hopefully they would conquer it.
