tough as nails

[S u N f r O s T ~]

VENTURA AND AMBER BLACK
IMPRESSIONABLE AND KRYSTAL YHATE

VEN'S WORKOUT FOR MY TRUSTY CAT STAKES
EMPRESS'S WORKOUT FOR FURIOUS PASSION MARATHON

Amber Black couldn't help the grin that made its way onto her otherwise tired and wan face as she swung up onto this black mare and felt the power thrumming beneath her. She was aboard Ventura - thoughts of being tired were impossible to conceive of right now. She was aboard a daughter of Impressario and Rising Fury, meaning this horse was imbued with both massive talent and a massive temper. Which also meant that she needed to be on her guard. Ven prowled forward with all the intentions of a deadly predator. The classic-distance-turned-sprinter mare was absolutely deadly after losing the King's Bishop to Mastermind last time out. Mastermind was good...but Ventura was bloody fast. They were facing off with him once more, this time in the My Trusty Cat Stakes. Him as well as Midnight Sun and Dry Your Tears. If everything went well, Ventura would stalk this pace, have a great trip and reveal every ounce of deadly speed that she possessed in the final stretch. She was capable of beating Mastermind...the only question was if she would. It all depended on the trip...and the preparation. And today they were squaring off with one heck of a tough filly. Merely a juvenile...but what juvenile filly went out to face the colts right off the bat these days? Very few, and the last one to have been so successful was Nightshade - and everybody knew how that story had ended.

Ventura knew her way to the Wire's dirt track. She had suffered defeat here last week, and as her hooves sank into the dirt once more it was like she was reliving every moment. Amber remembered that ride, remembered the chestnut Mastermind striking up on their outside and rolling with them to the wire to steal it. That would not happen this time if she could help it. Amber relished the mare's razor-like focus and looked forward to crushing the competition in the sprints next season. Another year with this mare....it was almost dream-like in how perfect it was. Amber could think of few horses that matched the ferocity, speed, power and focus Ven brought to the table. And now the businesslike mare settled right down over the track, accelerating to a lope of controlled power. Amber's eyes narrowed, green eyes focusing over the track. Ven felt fantastic. There was so much contained speed here, just ready to be utilized to crushing effect. Now just to find their workout partner. Amber slowed Ven gently, and Ven made the decision to listen. The daughter of Rising Fury was perfectly capable of expressing dissent in violent ways, but instead seemed to pick up on a rival. And there she was.

Amber's eyes ran over the sleek chestnut form of Impressionable admiringly. The filly was tough as nails, one of the toughest juvenile fillies she had perhaps ever trained. Empress was on a roll so far for the fall season. She had won two straight and in her last start even defeated the highly touted Saintly Touch among others. The winner of five races was looking to add to her resume in the Furious Passion Marathon. She would be up against Casualty Of War, Impress The Moonlight, Furious Flyer and twin Meritorious, so it was sure to be an ultra competitive race. One that Krystal was determined to win judging by the look in her brown eyes. Krystal looked so at home aboard this filly who moved with professional grace over the track. Empress adopted her classic cool-as-a-cucumber attitude now as she eyed up her competition. Ventura stared right over this filly and Empress ignored the mare coolly in turn. Such disrespect did not go unnoticed by the fiery Ventura, but she was well in hand with Amber in the saddle. Besides, the mare knew she would have her shot to teach this youngster some respect in the workout anyway. Running was in the air and racing thrummed in her blood. And Empress would gladly respond to the authoritative, silent challenge Ventura issued in that very moment.

Krystal nodded to Amber, and in sync both horses swung out into a gallop. Ven and Empress were immediately attuned to the presence of the other, as stalkers tended to do. You couldn't stalk the pace if you weren't aware of the horses around you. Krystal and Amber sat chilly on their backs and let their horses do the work. Ventura on the inside picked up on Empress's shadowing within five seconds and decided to take the lead. The black thoroughbred drew off by a half length now, just enough to tease Empress into following. The chestnut filly did not take the bait, showing the experience she had gained over the course of the season by shadowing the black mare around the first turn. Ventura settled down, not perturbed by the chestnut filly's lack of reaction. This was typical of Ventura - the mare never let anything unsettle her, preferring to rely on her speed rather than on her ride to win a race. Ven clipped off the first quarter in twenty three and three fifths, solid fractions but nothing too fast for the grade one winner. Empress was following easily. Being a classic distance mare, she may have lacked the speed of a sprinting Ven, but she could definitely stick it out with her level of mental toughness. The half went by in forty eight seconds flat, according to Amber's watch. Now Ven really was controlling the pace. Empress and Krystal moved up slightly, pressuring from the outside some more as they came upon the final turn. It would soon be time to really duke it out for the lead.

The pair rolled around the far turn and now Empress flashed some speed. The juvenile filly got the signal from Krystal and took off in a flashy move, determination burning in her eyes. She would have moved to cut Ventura off from the outside as they entered the stretch...but Ventura stayed with them. She wasn't an experienced winner of so many races for nothing. If anything, Ven was quite attuned to the actions of the horses around her, and used that perception now to stay with Empress...and then roll away. Amber held on for the ride as Ventura turned on her sprinting speed. The black daughter of Impressario became a blur of speed in an instant. She rolled away with absurd ease from Empress, leaving the juvenile momentarily stunned. Three lengths appeared in the blink of an eye, and by the time Empress responded Ven was five in front. But Empress would not go down without a fight. The chestnut filly dug in and responded, narrowing the lead to four by the time they flashed past the wire. Ventura pulled off, arrogance wafting off of her as Empress finally caught back up to them. The chestnut filly was livid and ready for a win after suffering defeat for the first time that month...and Ventura had all the confidence and speed she needed to take down her rivals in the My Trusty Cat Stakes. It was time to roll with these two mares that were as tough as could be.