to seek vengeance

[S u N f r O s T ~]

FORBIDDEN TO FLY AND HENNA TURATH
VENTURA AND AMBER BLACK

VEN'S FIRST LADY CUP WORKOUT

Why the heck did I decide to put these two together? snarled Amber Black under her breath. Her green eyes flashed dangerously as the five year old gray stallion trotting alongside them let out yet another bugle that seemed to echo off the grandstand of the Wire track. Forbidden To Fly was just so annoying and she had no idea how Henna Turath put up with him. She glanced at the speed demon's face and noted the unrestrained bliss and sweetness in her honey colored eyes. Amber's gaze softened. Henna Turath clicked with Forbidden To Fly on a different level from how she had clicked with Pegasus Wings. Both of these sons of Forbidden Wings were fantastic sprinters and Henna had been the only rider allowed on their backs from birth. But Forbidden To Fly was an entirely new brand of silliness. The stallion never stopped expressing himself and possessed mountains and mountains of energy. He vibrated with it, dancing sideways as Henna calmly steered him down the dirt. He hardly seemed like the horse that was currently the corner of the SOPS dirt sprint division.

Amber glanced down at the black neck of her own mount. Ventura had been bred to be champion and she was living up to it. The four year old prowled forward, muscles rippling along her lean frame as she gazed out at the track like she owned it and completely ignored the presence of the annoying gray stallion at her side. Determination and arrogance characterized this mare - she was all grit. She had dominated in the Breeders Cup last year, striding away to commanding victory in the Filly and Mare Sprint, and she could find herself there again to defend her title. She was turning into their cornerstone miler mare, and she would continue to occupy that spot next season as well at age five. She was headed to the First Lady Cup on a two race win streak, having won the Baculus Stakes and most recently the Cigar Mile last week. She was in perfect form and ready to rock and roll. Amber smirked, the race and the glory flitting behind her eyelids. Oh how she loved to race on this powerful demon of a mare. She was having a strong season and would hopefully only get stronger.

Fly snorted and Amber decided she couldn't take much more of this. She accelerated, and Ventura was only too happy to break away from the gray stallion. Disdain poured off of both horse and rider as they made their way down the dirt. A whinny let them know that they were being pursued, and the lean form of Forbidden To Fly ghosted them on the outside. The gray was a beautiful mover, all energy and bounce in every stride. A true sprinter. Henna hunkered down against the wind, sent a smirk Amber's way as Fly easily kept pace with the dark Ventura. Both horses were so good that they made this high cruising speed seem like child's play. Henna was very careful to jockey Fly so as to keep Ven nearby. They could not afford to lose focus. Fly sometimes required the handling of a juvenile, but boy could he run with the best of him if Henna rode him at her best.

Both horses had absolutely jam packed schedules for the season and were off to great starts. Workouts would help them maintain their edge. Fly had two more races left this month before a two month break before a campaign all the way to retirement. Ventura had her own break starting in a month. Thus, it was not necessary to work either horse too hard - they couldn't afford to lose form too soon. The minute they hit the four furlong mark and the backstretch opened up in front of them, Amber Black turned it on and Ventura blazed away. Fly was in hot pursuit, the gray stallion used to catching with the slipstream. Playfulness beamed from Fly's eyes, deadly determination blazed from Ventura's. The two thoroughbreds were locked in combat all the way down the length of the stretch and even stayed dead even as their riders slowed them down and they were galloped out down to the wire. Henna was grinning, Amber smirking. They were ready to go.