to victory

[S u N f r O s T ~]

CALL OF THE WILD AND KRYSTAL YHATE
ROYAL CADENZA AND VALENCIA ANDREWS

CALL'S AND CADEN'S WORKOUT FOR LA COSTA STAKES

Krystal felt as though she was riding a ticking time bomb. With each stride, Call of the Wild promised retribution. He was a rising star among the three year old ranks, the horse nobody had truly seen coming despite his blue breeding and his undeniable development. And now Call had become one of his division's top milers, excelling at eight and nine furlongs despite the router stamina he got from his Hall of Fame dam. And he was running down a truly determined freight train in Royal Cadenza. Krystal looked up and measured the distance from her to the black son of Hail To Prince. Valencia Andrews, perched on his back, looked like she was channeling the spirit of Amber Black riding Impressario in the Belmont Stakes. She was absolutely not going to take a loss, even if it was in a workout. Royal Cadenza had not won again since his fantastic two-in-a-row feat in late June. It was like the win switch was turned off, while the run-really-hard-but-don't-win switch was all the way on. Goodness knew how frustrated and desperate every person in the stable was for Caden to step up and win again.

Valencia marveled at the power of her mount as they led over closer Call by four lengths, then five. The furlongs were flying by and Caden was only getting faster and faster. He gave the full impression of tirelessness as he pounded over the turf. His determination was matched by Valencia's own. Here was a rare horse for SOPS, one of those who was not bred by them, had joined them during his four year old season (very late for an SOPS racehorse) and yet managed to excel and make it to their breeding barn. He had even started attracting an elite book of mares already. For Valencia, all of these were great accomplishments, but there was more in the cards if she had anything to say about it. Call of the Wild was a typical SOPS horse - quietly brilliant, homebred, hometrained and homeraced. And he was trying to run them down with the astonishing developmental speed of an SOPS horse. And Valencia was out to deny him that. She leaned over Caden's neck, letting out rein and trying not to cackle as Caden gave more and more and more.

Call of the Wild would not be outdone. They were rolling down the backstretch and Royal Cadenza was now seven lengths in front and pouring it on like a horse on fire. But Krystal had speed of her own. She calculated the remaining distance in the workout and decided it was time to begin closing the gap. She released Call and was met with a sudden burst of speed. Call knew he had prey to run down. The usually quiet horse lit up with the sort of fire he only got when put to a drive. He was up to the task and accelerated sharply, closing in on Caden's lead and erasing two lengths in a heartbeat. Now they only had five lengths to obliterate in three furlongs. Caden still looked like he had plenty left but Call had plenty left as well. This would not be an easy victory for the five year old. The pair hit the turn and off Call went again. Krystal clung on as they struck out for the lead, not helping the smile on her face as Caden grew closer and closer to them.

Valencia knew that Caden was starting to feel the effects of setting such a ferociously high pace for too long. However, the stallion was too arrogant, too determined to sit down and declare defeat. He knew Call was coming - any decent racehorse knew when their competition was coming to get them. Call was within two lengths of them now, and they were hitting the stretch. That was all the encouragement Caden needed. He struck out, flaring with sudden speed and leaving Call behind. They opened up an entire length before the younger horse responded, accelerating sharply to breathe down their necks from a length back. Caden stubbornly held on, his will resolute as they crossed the wire and ended the workout. Valencia was smirking, though Krystal was smiling as well. Heart, class and passion - these three things would carry them to victory, and their mounts had them all in spades.