dawn again

[S u N f r O s T ~]

ETERNAL PHANTOM AND KRYSTAL YHATE.
SIZZLING DAWN AND HENNA TURATH.
SPRING DAWN TREADER CUP WORKOUT.

The Dawn Treader Cup, yet another race from the past reborn on the Wire. Amber Black could hardly contain her excitement. She had put in some input on where to put the races in the season and now she had two spunky contenders for the Spring Dawn Treader Cup - Eternal Phantom and Sizzling Dawn, both coming in in prime form. Her eyes swept over their bodies approvingly. Phantie was not as leanly built as her marathoner twin Midnight Thriller. Instead her body was both muscular and lean, perfectly suited to the classic distance. Her favorite races tended to be nine and ten furlongs, after all. Luckily, the Dawn Treader was at nine furlongs, and Phantie was going to absolutely love the distance. Krystal was looking forward to the race. They were up against Hokum, GS Supercharged and Lusitania's Soldier. With the way races had been going, entering this as the favorite could essentially guarantee their loss. But Krystal knew they were coming in hot, defending their title in the Clark Handicap and still coming in off the fire of loss in the Breeders Cup Classic.

Amber noted the demonic flames blazing in Eternal Phantom's eyes with a smile. The black mare was riled up and would need a heavy workout today to keep her in check - but Sizzling Dawn was no slouch either. The bay mare with the intensity of the sun at close range was a competitive filly, almost too competitive, and when it came to racing she didn't like to take anything but first for an answer. The bay's muscles bulged - she was truly in prime condition. She had beaten Arachne, Red Herring and Hokum to the wire in her first start of the season before placing second in the Belle Victoire to a game Dysphoria. Dawn was still fired up from that loss. She was no sucker and she had improved a lot from her juvenile and even her three year old season. She was a deadly competitor now, not one to be taken lightly. They had taken her lightly in the Preakness Stakes and she had won. They had labeled her second best in the Risorgimento and she had beaten the stablemate she was going to be competing against once more for top honors. No, Dawn was not to be underestimated, especially at her home track of the Wire.

The two mares were ready to go. It was time to work out. Amber's eyes gleamed as she gave the instructions. I want something that will make handicappers scream. Something fierce and deadly. Give me a mile and an eighth gallop, three furlongs at an upped pace. Neither of you should lose this workout. I don't know about the race. Krystal smirked as Henna merely chuckled, her eyes bright. Off to it ladies. Phantie and Dawn swiveled away almost as if on command. Amber smiled and strode purposefully to the rail, hopping up at her favorite spot and observing. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted some press looking at her critically and shrugged, wondering if she should pretend to do voodoo or something else she supposedly did in her spare time. An evil smirk made its way up her face at the thought, and she nearly went and did it until she saw her mares begin to gallop. She instantly refocused, bringing her binoculars up to her eyes and tuning out the world.

The two were fast. Dawn had lunged for the lead immediately, taking full advantage of her inside post and of her early speed. The mare ran eight to eleven furlongs but truly relished the eleven furlong distance. However, nine furlongs was still perfectly fine for the always eager mare. She was moving quickly, posting her typical fast fractions. Phantie was curiously reserved up front. She drifted behind, adopting a more closing position as her tactics changed. She knew Sizzling Dawn. This was a filly who would need to be run down in the stretch. Challenging her all the way just left her competitor exhausted and Dawn fresh, fired up with run. So she tracked her now all the way around into the backstretch. Dawn was settling into her uncontested lead now - it was dangerous when she did that. It was how she had captured the Preakness. So now Phantie galloped up to challenge, and her tactics worked. Dawn reacted, going slightly faster than wise. Henna eased her up even as Phantie continued to challenge.

The horses blitzed each other into the sprint portion of the workout. Now it actually got down and dirty. Now it was time to sprint. Phantie lifted off, her feet quickening. Dawn went right with her. Stride for stride, eye to eye, glare to glare, they clashed and raced. Fire fought with fire, ice with ice they blazed into the stretch and then down under the wire. Amber Black watched, a smile on her face. They were ready to dawn again after January, dawn in the Dawn Treader Cup.