remain powerful

[S u N f r O s T ~]

LIMITED EDITION AND VALENCIA ANDREWS
SIZZLING DAWN AND HENNA TURATH
DAWN'S CONSUMATO DERBY WORKOUT

The Wire's dirt track felt like home to Sizzling Dawn and Henna Turath. This was where they had raced for the entirety of the year. This was where they belonged. And it was also where they had stolen the show in the Preakness Stakes as the long shot in the field. They had taken that lead and won gate to wire in a thrilling demonstration of guts and concealed talent. Now the daughter of Barely A Moment and Flash At Dawn was here to prep for the Consumato Derby, the third race in the Risorgimento series of qualifiers for the Risorgimento Cup. It had come up as the toughest race yet, with a field full of talent, older horses and esteemed winners. Dawn's biggest advantage on paper was that she loved the eleven furlong distance of the Consumato. She was proven a champion at this distance, from her win in the Preakness. She was also coming into this race in good form. In the month of August she had placed second in the Azeri Stakes before winning the Red Legend Derby. Then she had pulled off the surprise of the week with a classy second in the El Sol Del Mar Memorial two weeks ago. Dawn was well and truly bouncing on her hooves and ready to go in the Consumato.

She had pulled the first gate, which was perfect for her front running style. The Rising had gotten gate two. The former Witch Creek stallion was now Nature Blue's. He had been running a good season in the minor stakes races here at The Wire and he was going to be near the pace. Indian Darling in gate three had just taken the Valorizzare Derby last week which had been a breakthrough for her. Dawn had defeated her in the Red Legend Derby, but Darla was coming in in good form and was expected to be in the middle of the pack. Lusitania's Soldier started from gate four and had placed second in the Valorizzare. He had been running a quiet but good season in the minor stakes races and was expected to close from behind. Stalker's Fury was breaking from gate five. She was a true-blue front runner who had been running a good season thus far. And finally GS Super Charged was breaking from gate six. The Nature Blue representative was the runaway winner of the Novizio Derby and came into the race on good form. He was a closer.

So overall, the race would be quick at the front end and prime territory for mid pack runners and closers. Henna frowned at that. She would need to conserve Sizzling Dawn as much as she could at the front and avoid being dueled into submission by Stalker's Fury. The advantage was that no horse in the field could brag of the success Dawn had at eleven furlongs. Henna clung to that hope as she warmed up the fierce bay three year old filly. Dawn was prowling like a lion and felt like a thunderbolt underneath her. She crackled with intensity, energy and competitive spirit. Henna led the filly's energy fill into her and grinned as she gained a sense of euphoria from it. Oh they were ready to roll and give it their best shot in the Consumato. For the glory of the win! But first came the workout. If Henna had read the chart correctly, they were facing Limited Edition today. The juvenile dirt colt was highly rated by the press but even more so by his jockey Valencia. The colt was entirely hers, purchased with her money.

Limited Edition was the best horse in the world to Valencia Andrews, but then again she thought that about all of her mounts. The son of Gold Edition and Trust Limits was a successful colt with a future in the early legs of the Triple Crown if all went well, and a definitive trip to the Breeders Cup Juvenile at the end of the season. He was the rough-housing, masculine colt that thrilled in getting under the skin of any horse that faced him. Intelligence glittered within his eyes, and power rippled around his dark chestnut frame. As he stepped foot on the dirt track he became all business. That was how he was - a seasoned professional as soon as he was on the track. That was why he was a gate crew favorite. The predatory colt prowled towards his workmate, eyeing her up and already trying to decide the best way to get under her skin. Dawn gazed back at him idly, her gaze demeaning and mood impatient. She was roaring to go.

As a pair, Ed and Dawn wheeled off to begin their warm up. Dawn treated it like she would treat anything else - with unbridled intensity and spirit. And Ed treated it as he would treat anything - intense analysis of his competition. He drifted in on Dawn's space and was met with a fierce rebuff from Dawn, who drifted right in as well and nearly smacked him with her running body. Ed's eyes twinkled as brightly as Valencia's. Looked like Dawn had a personal bubble for them to play around in. As they drifted into the gallop, Ed drifted backward slightly, staying right off Dawn's headquarters as the three year old plowed into the lead. Dawn snorted angrily, tried to pull away and found herself restrained by Henna's strong hands. Henna knew Ed's games and she wasn't going to let Dawn fall to them. She sent a glare Valencia's way under her elbow and received an amused smirk in return. Valencia was just as mischievous as her colt. What a combination.

The two thoroughbreds swept over the track like well tuned machines. They covered ground with impressive ease and looked ready for more. Their jockeys asked for just that as they finished off a mile and received an explosion of speed from both. Now Dawn was being asked to run and she opened up, sweeping forward. Ed drifted a bit farther behind, obviously a bit uncomfortable. His closing style didn't suit two-horse races, hence why he typically lost those. Valencia resettled him, refocused him on bothering Dawn by placing him directly behind the filly so the dirt she kicked up hit Ed in the face. Ed snorted, displeased, and began his run on the outside as they fit the fourth furlong of the workout. He was closing distance like a freight train now, Valencia barely moving as the colt did it on his own. They caught up to Dawn as they screamed into the sixth furlong of the workout.

Now Dawn fought back. The bay filly wasn't going to let up her assault to this colt that loved to annoy her so much. She opened up, legs blurring as she fought back. Ed dug down deep. He opened up his heart and showered the track with blazing speed and passion. Valencia urged him on as he swept to the outside of Dawn and began to creep past her. But they were in the stretch now, and Henna finally said go on Dawn. The bay three year old thundered forward in a powerful burst Ed could not yet answer to, finishing off the workout two powerful lengths in front. Ed did not finish disheartened. He thundered past the line and coasted into the gallop out feeling as smooth as cream. Valencia grinned. That was the rebounding colt she knew and loved.

As for Sizzling Dawn...she remained powerful, ready and capable of taking the Consumato Derby.