two girls one battle

[S u N f r O s T ~]

FLEET MAJESTY AND AMBER BLACK
INNOCENT PASSION AND KRYSTAL YHATE

MAGE'S BEVERLY D. HANDICAP WORKOUT
ANNA'S GREEN MILE WORKOUT

A hard task awaited the two cornerstone girls of the SOPS three year old turf division. Innocent Passion was facing her hated rival Cross My Heart, rock solid horse GS Royal Crown and fleet of foot filly Loud And Clear in the Wire Green Mile. Fleet Majesty was taking on, as per usual, older turf competition in the form of Princetta, Dazzling Dame and Stalker's Fury in the Beverly D. Handicap. And in order for either filly to stand a chance of winning...they needed some sharpening up. Anna, the bay daughter of Passionate Class and Little Miss Innocent, was sharp as tack already. She had just taken the La Costa Stakes the previous week and was hungry for more victories. As for Mage, the gray filly just kept on giving and had recently placed third in the Champion Stakes. Many people had questioned Amber as to why she kept placing the now grade three filly against competition that seemed to outclass her. Amber always had an answer to that particular question - by running with them as many times as she had, Mage had picked up on so many advantages it wasn't even funny. She could run with older grade one turf stars. What grade three filly could say that? And she had even won against them in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes back in August. She was rock solid competition even if she rarely won when facing these horses. Each start she lost only increased her chances of taking the victory next time out.

As for Anna...any encounter with Cross My Heart was likely to be speed crazed. The two hated each other. The winner of the Wire Green Mile would likely be determined by who could run the best on that day of the week. To Krystal, Anna was ready for this race. Not only was she going in sharp, but Anna was a proven miler as well. Her win in the Rose Mile Cup had come over Turf Triple Crown winner Bella Luna and Cotillion Stakes winner Calamity Queen. That was proof enough that Anna could get it done at eight furlongs. For Krystal, she would just try to think of that race and play it smart. If Cross wanted to get speed crazy on the lead, they would press her while being mindful of Crow. That was the plan. The two Witch Creek reps were out to get them, and Krystal intended to deny them. Loud and Clear could also cause problems. She would just need to be mindful of every horse in the race and err on the side of caution. But too much caution would ruin their chances. It was a fine line, but Krystal hadn't been named Jockey of the Year for nothing. She could walk it.

Anna was always insatiably competitive, especially with horses that she recognized, had worked with before and/or had raced against. Fleet Majesty was a foe of hers. Mage had actually beaten Anna in a leg of the Turf Triple Tiara, and since then there hadn't been any lessening of hatred that Anna felt for Mage. Mage was neutral about the matter. The energetic filly just had too much fun at the track to care much for Anna's temper tantrums and moods. Even now she vibrated with barely suppressed energy. Amber grinned. This was a filly set to go far. She may have been a long shot in just about every race she entered in these days, but few could deny the filly's potential. She was loaded with it. Anna's potential was already being fully explored on the track. Mage was just getting started with the SOPS formula for turf routers. She would except a start in the Filly and Mare Turf at the end of the year. Anna would visit the Filly and Mare Turf Sprint due to conflicts in the actual Turf Sprint with other SOPS horses.

The pair accelerated to a steep canter. Anna blew the workout wide open with a sudden charge, placing two lengths between herself and Mage. Mage's ears perked and Amber felt the eagerness bloom within the gray. She loved a good hunt. They tracked Anna around the first turn. Anna moved like a machine. The bay three year old was in her prime and it showed in her vigor. She was classy in flight, as classy as what she had been bred for. Each stride was powerful and confident. This was a filly who was a proven stakes winner, who knew what she was doing out on the turf. Fleet Majesty ran like a stakes runner - always hopeful of the win, not experienced with the victorious feelings associated with it but ever wanting. It was in Anna's nature to always want, especially if she already had it. To Mage, it was in her nature to always go as far as she could, to expend herself at the track if necessary in order to please her rider and please herself. Victory was long in coming for Mage but when it did come it was spectacular. It was a victory that Amber relished because it was so fair. She probably overmatched Mage and the filly still came through for her. What other horse had taken on older horses so consistently throughout the season but Mage, for better or for worse?

Anna opened up to a five length lead. The bay was really pouring it on as they headed into the fifth furlong. Mage was still moving comfortably, the router in her showing but the hunter as well as she zoned in on her prey and began to narrow the distance. Step by step, each slight acceleration chopped off a length. By the end of the seventh furlong and beginning of the eighth, Mage was running mightily down the stretch, eyes determined and full of fire. Anna put on a spurt of speed and drew away again, and that was when Mage truly started coming. The filly from unknown bloodlines sprang on Anna like a mouse being scooped up in the claws of an eagle. She then bounded past, drawing away in a sudden burst of speed Amber Black did not know the gray had. But Anna was no easy horse to put down. She knew how to come back, had done so again and again versus Cross My Heart. She threw down the gauntlet and rolled forward, riding the wave of her ambition past Mage and to a one length lead before hitting the wire.

Both fillies were pulled up, sweating but pleased with themselves. Amber and Krystal slapped high fives as Anna pranced in place and Mage simply grumbled to herself, swishing her tail angrily at the bay filly. They were two girls with one goal and one battle - to win. And win they would if everything fell into place.