finale

[S u N f r O s T ~]

FLASHY WINGS AND HENNA TURATH
THE FINAL WORKOUT IN THE STORY OF FLASHY WINGS' RACING CAREER
PREP FOR THE DUBAI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The start of any horse's journey was not an indicator of how the horse's career would go. This had been proven so many times throughout the course of racing history. It wasn't what the horse started with that mattered; it was the ending, always the ending. The way a horse finished off his or her career spoke volumes about the horse's actual talent. If the horse started out strong but sputtered and died by the end of his or her career, he or she was no longer great. But if a horse started out weak and became strong, a champion was born. But what of legends? What distinguishes a champion from a legend? To Henna Turath, a legend was a horse who had started out as a champion and remained a champion. A legend was a horse who had always been top competition, always been up in the ranks, never lagging. Champions did the impossible once or twice; legends did the impossible on a daily basis. And above all, legends went out with a bang, with a grand finale. To Henna Turath, her horse was such a legend. To Henna, her horse was the world, a horse of epic proportions, a horse few could match. A horse that might never exist again. Her horse was Flashy Wings.

Even at six years old, the blood bay stallion looked as sprightly as a three year old and packed just as much of a punch. He was a looker. His thick black mane stood out like a lion's ruff against the proud curve of his blood bay neck. He was gorgeous. His eyes were alight with life and fire as he gazed out of the door of the barn as though he knew what was coming. As though he had always known that one day, Henna Turath would get on his back for his last ride. He knew his rider like the back of his hoof, had sensed her growing sadness and growing determination with their final rides over the last couple of months. He knew it was finally here - the last start of his career, the Dubai World Championship. Ten furlongs over the sand against the best older horses on both distances. And Flashy Wings had long since known he could be counted among the best. He had long tasted victory, long cherished the eyes of admiration in the winnner's circle, as his adoring fans cherished his greatness and tried not to think about the coming of his final days. Henna knew that his fans felt that way because it was how she felt herself. Flashy Wings was irreplaceable, and the track would be a different place without her favored stallion. A different place, a sadder place. A changed place.

There was no putting off the inevitable. Henna Turath turned around from where she had been staring at the wall. She locked eyes with the blood bay son of News Flash and Forbidden Wings. Something passed between them in those few precious moments. Six years of unity played behind their eyelids. Henna knew this was it. And she also knew what she wanted above all else. Flashy Wings had already more than proven himself, but she did not want to lose the stallion's final start. He was carrying a three race win streak into the Dubai World Championship against the classiest of competition - the Dubai Colt Cup, the Dubai World Cup and his second Breeders Cup Classic win. This was a stallion in prime condition and prime form who had been defeating the best of the best for the past two months. He was strong and ready to race his heart out in the final start of his career. This was it and Henna Turath was not going to let him down. Face set in grim determination, she led the stallion out and mounted up. They began the walk down the paved path to the sand track. A path less traveled. A path traveled only by those invited to run in the Dubai World Carnival races. A path for those that were truly great.

The eyes came. Henna and Flashy Wings knew that they would. They didn't bother to pose as they stepped onto the sand track for the first time. Just looking at them was enough. Every movement was powerful enough yet graceful enough to be a pose. Flashy Wings didn't care about the sandy surface underneath his feet. He took a couple of steps to adjust to the sliding, heavy feeling before snorting and just continuing on his way. The bay had always run on both dirt and turf. Sand was no different. It was just another surface for him to run on, and he had never particularly cared about the surface he was running on. All that mattered to him was the running. Henna still let the stallion adjust as they walked out onto the track. She looked around and was relieved to see that the track was empty. She caught a look of two horses being led off the track in the distance and could've sworn they were Mastermind and Feline Frenzy, two horses she would know well being that she generally raced against them on her sprinters. She smiled. The track had been readied for them.

She looked over and saw Amber Black. The small black haired woman had a smile of understanding on her face as she met Henna's eyes. Amber knew what it was like to lose a treasured horse to retirement. It had happened to her many times before. Henna smiled, and her smile was strong. For now. Amber noted this before giving Henna her instructions. Go out for a mile and a quarter gallop, quarter mile workout. And that was it. No explanation. Henna knew what needed to be done. They needed to show the world how ready they were to take on their competition. He had taken the Breeders Cup Classic against a ridiculously tough field. He was in top form. Henna felt the desire to win yet again burning in the stallion's belly just as it burned within hers. She understood him and he understood her. She turned and trotted the stallion without a word, with barely a gesture. They accelerated as she stood higher in the stirrups without even asking. They began to gallop as Henna leaned into a crouch and Flashy Wings sensed the motion and responded.

Flashy Wings swept up the track with collected strides. He knew what this was all about. He settled down immediately and just cut straight to the rail. The sand flew behind him, not deterring him in the least. His flexibility knew no bounds. Flashy Wings was a beautiful mover. He was a lion, proud in flight, powerful without limits. Henna hunkered down and let the wind kiss her face as it pleased to. She smiled into the wind and welcomed it as an old friend. Flashy Wings was similarly pleased, it seemed. He also welcomed the wind. He was just a truly special horse. Nothing could stop them as they accelerated slightly going down the backstretch as though searching for just the right groove for running in. They found it and drifted inwards even more as they approached the final turn. Henna felt as though Flash could give even more if asked. He was a true champion. He covered the ground with such easy power and grace that Henna knew they looked impressive. And that was exactly what she wanted. She wanted the world to know just how ready they were to take them on.

They swept around the final turn, Flash hugging the rail even more as they did so. He was flying now, accelerating naturally. He was beautiful in flight. Gorgeous in motion. Everything Henna had asked for in a racehorse was answered. She whooped as they coasted under the wire and then she really let him run. This could be it. This was their final workout and it was searingly impressive as Flash accelerated. He took off as though the earth could not contain him, unrestrained in his majesty as he flashed around the first turn again and approached the final furlong of his final workout. Henna hunkered into the wind, her eyes tearing. She pumped with her arms one more time, yelling as Flash gave her all he ever could. They tore through that final furlong as though it didn't exist, and soon she was slowing the stallion down. She was breathless with emotion yet panting with exhilaration. This was unbelievable. This was what she had trained. This horse that now cantered, still in full control of himself, as though something spectacular had not just occured.

She would have wiped the tears but she didn't care. She leaned over and hugged Flashy Wings' neck, her tears pouring into his mane. She didn't raise her head until they gone and they were cantering around the final turn, well in hand. Flash took care of her. He slowed with each passing furlong until they were just walking, and finally just stopped beneath the shadow of the wire. Henna looked up, eyes red, and smiled. She knew they were ready for their grand finale. It was time to go out with a bang.