duck duck goose

[S u N f r O s T ~]

BATTLE WINGS AND KRYSTAL YHATE
TRINITY AND AMBER BLACK

BATTLE'S WORKOUT FOR THE MOTHER GOOSE STAKES

Racing Trinity was like playing duck duck goose - sometimes you were hit with being the goose, and other times you weren't. In Trin's case, sometimes she performed beautifully and rose to the win in her races, but other times she flopped and did not perform. Trinity was not a strong willed thoroughbred. She was shy and gregarious, got high strung on the track and then settled down. More than anything, riding the filly was a tactical challenge that Amber Black had wholeheartedly embraced. She had to make sure Trin broke at the back of the pack and calmed down to a suitable level. Otherwise, the race was out. Not only that, but Trinity had proved to be alarmingly inconsistent. It was a problem Amber had rarely had to deal with among her homebred SOPS powerhouses who never seemed to roll off form. Trinity was a horse of a different color, one Amber was determined to take to the Triple Tiara and beyond if necessary. Thus, they would just have to work harder than everybody else in order to reach that illusive top.

Battle Wings, their workout partner, served as the role model for Trinity. Once an average juvenile, Battle had risen on wings of glory to take the lead for the three year old filly dirt division. Defeated in only one start since December, Battle was making a serious bid for the Triple Tiara and Krystal felt confident that they could continue to succeed. With each leg of the Tiara, the race got longer. However, this played to the strengths of Battle Wings, who excelled the most at nine and ten furlongs among her range. The mile long Acorn Stakes had been the question, and she had won it. Now they returned to the nine furlong Mother Goose Stakes, and eventually the ten furlong Coaching Club American Oaks. Battle Wings was not like Ventura, who had preferred seven and eight furlongs so had failed to the classic loving War Cry in the last two legs of the Tiara. No, the last two legs suited Battle the most. They would have to stave off the assaults of Reflected In Water and their other adversaries...but it was a challenge Krystal Yhate was looking forward to. She relished racing this filly.

Battle was cool as a cucumber, sharp as a knife as she strode onto the Wire's dirt track. Her hooves left sharp, distinct imprints in the dirt as though leaving a message. Her eyes swung around the track, cold aggression sharpening them, before focusing on her stablemate Trinity. This was the filly she had worked out with prior to the Acorn as well. She had not proved to be much of a challenge then. Battle lifted her head and took charge of the situation, striding right past Trinity without giving her another glance. Krystal smirked and Amber laughed. Well, as expressionless as she claims to be, she still has a lot of attitude quipped Krystal. The pride was unmistakable in her eyes. Battle had been bred by Amber and then ridden by Krystal. Her bloodlines teemed with glory for the Tiara. Akuma Battlecry was an extremely well known sire, in fact the sire of last year's Mother Goose and Coaching Club American Oaks winner War Cry. Silent Wings had tried for the Tiara herself, really relishing the ten furlong distance and winning the Coaching Club as well. So really, all that remained was for Battle to remain on form and to have a good race.

Trinity looked curiously after the older filly and strode after her, none too anxious to show much of herself to the clearly dangerous Battle Wings. Amber's presence acted as a soother to the quietly anxious juvenile filly, a balm for her fears. The two horses accelerated now, galloping nearly side by side as they entered the backstretch of the Wire. Battle Wings established herself at the lead and dared Trinity to come after her. Trinity quietly backed off, but there was something in her eyes that Amber had seen before but not recently - determination. Trinity was bouncing back into form, shaking off the inconsistency and keenly searching for the win that she craved. Her pace picked up, and her muscles heaved as she stuck to Battle like glue all the way down the backstretch. But now they were hitting the final turn, and Battle's suicidal front running speed just wasn't disappearing. The bay filly hit the stretch and never looked back, rolling away from Trin with ease.

But Trinity was not done. The young horse grit her teeth and in a show of amazing heart poured on the speed and shot up to Battle's side. The older filly was momentarily stunned but recovered with champion quickness. She pulled away again, but not before Trinity caught up once more. They hit the wire, Battle in front by a length, and then slowed down. The shy Trinity had made a good account of herself. Battle would not underestimate her again. And at length, Battle would remember that every horse she encountered on the track could transform just like Trinity had from a non-threat to a very real one. Smiling a small smile, Krystal knew they were ready to give it their best shot in the Mother Goose to continue the Tiara bid and hopefully keep the dream alive that burned in their hearts.