Post by Snowflake on Aug 3, 2014 16:40:23 GMT -5
FLY BY DARKNESS WORKS FOR THE BREEDER'S STAKES
Sarah could only hold back tears and hold her head high. Things had changed for Star Thoroughbreds, and it wasn't for the better. Mounting up on Fly By Darkness, she tried to feel confident. But inside, she felt like she was broken in pieces. The world was indifferent to her problems, the people she once counted as friends were now distant. Why? Well, because she hadn't been around as much. She hadn't been able to stop and talk to them. She had too much work to do. She was too stressed out to smile half the time. She wanted to keep going, to break through the rough patch and come out as good as ever, but she also wanted to throw in the towel. Walk away from horse racing forever. It seemed no one would care - she'd been on top for so long they probably loved seeing her fall.
The flame coloured filly beneath her fidgeted, unwilling to stand still while the girth was tightened one last time. Chin up. We've been working Flyby all year for this. James reminded her, patting her on the leg with a small smile. It was true, and Sarah was able to give him a tiny smile in return. Flyby had been raced lightly, but she'd been working a lot at home. Tons of two mile gallops on the turf to prepare her for the Breeder's Stakes. The race was in a couple days. This would be the last time they galloped before they burst from the gates on race day.
Flyby tossed her head and James let her go. The filly set off at the brisk trot Sarah had asked for, and for a while they moved around the outer edge of the turf track. Sarah ignored everything and focused only on the horse she rode. The competition for the Breeder's Stakes was forgotten about. Flyby was as good as any other three year old - she just hadn't had as many opportunities yet to show it. After a half lap of trotting, Sarah gently touched the filly's sides with her heels and the thoroughbred switched to canter with a slight kick up of her heels.
Sarah crouched over her withers, watching between her ears. Flyby was alert, watching and listening to the activity all around her. She preferred to work with a partner, but they were working her out of that. She would race better when she didn't want to stay with her horse friends. The six furlong marker arrived before them after a lap of cantering. Time to gallop. Sarah clicked her tongue to the thoroughbred and Flyby was off in an instant. Her strides lengthened and became more powerful as the horse accelerated into a racing gallop. Sarah had to hold her in to prevent her chasing down a horse working ahead.
As they headed into the turn, Flyby held her speed, eyes and ears still trained on the horse that worked a furlong or so in front of them. The turn gradually straightened into the stretch, and once the green was straight out before them, Sarah jiggled the reins at the filly, and Flyby accelerated hard. Though they'd never catch the other horse, that was all Flyby wanted to do, so Sarah only really had to stay in balance with her. But she drove the filly on anyway, encouraging her on until they flew by the finish and galloped out. There was never any certainty with horse racing, but Flyby was bred for this. Together, they would attempt the Breeder's Stakes.
Sarah could only hold back tears and hold her head high. Things had changed for Star Thoroughbreds, and it wasn't for the better. Mounting up on Fly By Darkness, she tried to feel confident. But inside, she felt like she was broken in pieces. The world was indifferent to her problems, the people she once counted as friends were now distant. Why? Well, because she hadn't been around as much. She hadn't been able to stop and talk to them. She had too much work to do. She was too stressed out to smile half the time. She wanted to keep going, to break through the rough patch and come out as good as ever, but she also wanted to throw in the towel. Walk away from horse racing forever. It seemed no one would care - she'd been on top for so long they probably loved seeing her fall.
The flame coloured filly beneath her fidgeted, unwilling to stand still while the girth was tightened one last time. Chin up. We've been working Flyby all year for this. James reminded her, patting her on the leg with a small smile. It was true, and Sarah was able to give him a tiny smile in return. Flyby had been raced lightly, but she'd been working a lot at home. Tons of two mile gallops on the turf to prepare her for the Breeder's Stakes. The race was in a couple days. This would be the last time they galloped before they burst from the gates on race day.
Flyby tossed her head and James let her go. The filly set off at the brisk trot Sarah had asked for, and for a while they moved around the outer edge of the turf track. Sarah ignored everything and focused only on the horse she rode. The competition for the Breeder's Stakes was forgotten about. Flyby was as good as any other three year old - she just hadn't had as many opportunities yet to show it. After a half lap of trotting, Sarah gently touched the filly's sides with her heels and the thoroughbred switched to canter with a slight kick up of her heels.
Sarah crouched over her withers, watching between her ears. Flyby was alert, watching and listening to the activity all around her. She preferred to work with a partner, but they were working her out of that. She would race better when she didn't want to stay with her horse friends. The six furlong marker arrived before them after a lap of cantering. Time to gallop. Sarah clicked her tongue to the thoroughbred and Flyby was off in an instant. Her strides lengthened and became more powerful as the horse accelerated into a racing gallop. Sarah had to hold her in to prevent her chasing down a horse working ahead.
As they headed into the turn, Flyby held her speed, eyes and ears still trained on the horse that worked a furlong or so in front of them. The turn gradually straightened into the stretch, and once the green was straight out before them, Sarah jiggled the reins at the filly, and Flyby accelerated hard. Though they'd never catch the other horse, that was all Flyby wanted to do, so Sarah only really had to stay in balance with her. But she drove the filly on anyway, encouraging her on until they flew by the finish and galloped out. There was never any certainty with horse racing, but Flyby was bred for this. Together, they would attempt the Breeder's Stakes.
