Post by S u N f r O s T ~ on Jun 3, 2014 16:32:56 GMT -5
ETERNAL PHANTOM AND KRYSTAL YHATE
FLEET MAJESTY AND AMBER BLACK
Krystal Yhate surveyed the field in front of her, thoughts wandering down memory lane. The black daughter of Night Stalker and El Sol Del Mar that she rode was deathly still, eyes flitting among the field as though searching for her competitors even here in this remote place. Eternal Phantom was reaching the end of her racing career. They were nearly halfway through her final season of racing, and so far Phantie had been winning and taking names out on the track. Year Twelve's Horse of the Year was still putting on exhibitions out on the track. After precisely a month off from racing, Phantie was feeling limber and strong. The black mare was the most senior of racehorses on the track now, and few could rival her in the dirt classics. She had truly reached the upper echelons of the sport and sought to go only higher from here. Krystal imagined their goal in her mind - winning the Breeders Cup Classic at the end of the season. It was a goal they took a step closer to with every start that they made. Krystal imagined if it would rival the glory of winning the Kentucky Derby or the Coaching Club American Oaks or the Breeders Cup Distaff. Or any of last year's victories as well. Excitement raced through her veins at the thought of future successes.
The black mare was shortly joined by the rising Fleet Majesty. The gray four year old was realty finding her stride in the senior turf divisions this season. She had been winless for a couple of months, but man was Mage rising. Amber smiled in pride at the thought. As she pulled up alongside Phantie, Krystal sent her a very confused glance. This is the weirdest workout you have ever come up with Amber. Amber snorted. Mage can handle you and Phantie for sure. Krystal snorted at that, but she didn't question Amber's judgment. She had a knack for unveiling the hidden talent in horses over time. That had been the case with both Sizzling Dawn and Sweet Inferno. Maybe Mage would have a similar coming out. Turning away from the open field, Krystal gave Amber her full attention. Amber was kneading Mage's mane with her hands, affectionately stroking the mare's neck as she responded to Krystal's silent query. Let's just canter for a while. Eyebrows raised, Krystal wondered what Amber was thinking, but she did not elaborate. Shrugging, Krystal got Phantie going. Like two parts of a machine, the powerful black mare and her rider were off.
Phantie was not delicate as she cantered - she was an aggressive powerhouse through and through. She challenged Mage with every stride. Mage settled comfortably behind Phantie, in no hurry so early on. The energetic mare was eager to relax for once. She knew that she had competition here today, but right now she knew that the race was not imminent. Her gray strides blurred slightly as she followed the black mare in front of her. She was always aware of where Phantie was, just as Phantie was always aware of her position and used every twist in the trail to inconvenience her. Such were the automatic habits of senior racehorses, conditioned by battle and accustomed to using every possible factor for their advantage. They stayed quiet for a while, simply striding out with no real effort. Then gradually the pace increased as the ground was swallowed up behind them. Mage was the first to accelerate, her hunting instincts on full display as she suddenly came up right beside Phantie. The black mare's instincts screamed as Mage appeared. Immediately she moved off again, maintaining her lead defiantly.
This continued for a while. Phantie and Mage were both game, both pushing each other, when suddenly the trail in front of them widened...and became flat for as far ahead as they could see. And both Krystal and Amber knew it was time for a race. Amber hunkered down, letting Mage out as the gray mare closed impressively, stopping her haunting of Phantie and suddenly becoming a very real threat. She was alongside in an instant. Phantie responded, firing up as she strode forward now, accelerating sharply and with determination. Mage stuck right with the champion mare stubbornly. This was not a battle she wanted to lose. It was time to work. Stride for stride, the two mares remained, grinding at each other's narrow lead relentlessly as it switched back and forth. There was no clear winner by the end, and perhaps the race would have to be decided by which horse broke down first. Phantie was powered by endless talent, Mage by endless will. Which would have won in the end?
As the mares powered down to canters and then trots, Amber and Krystal glanced at each other. Once again, a query was wordlessly posed to Amber by Krystal, but this time Amber had no answer. She merely grinned slyly at Krystal and smiled with pride at the two horses. Neither of them were horses that she had bred, but boy had she played the cards right in getting both of them.
