faculae

[S u N f r O s T ~]

FACULAE
Italian Ice & Valencia Andrews - Breeders Cup Distaff
bright patches visible on the surface of the sun

Valencia Andrews kept a straight face as she headed out to the track, but she couldn’t help the smirk that broke out as she felt the increasing pressure of stares on her back. Italian Ice snorted, the black mare stretching her neck and beginning to prance like a stallion. She knew that the attention was on her, and as far as she was concerned it was well deserved. This was a dirt track she knew like her own hooves and her own speed. It was the dirt track of the Wire, and Italian Ice neighed to it like welcoming an old friend. Her hooves were placed with utmost confidence, her neck arched arrogantly and her stride swift as she trotted, well in hand. Valencia Andrews felt her own confidence soar. Here she was, aboard one of the most innately talented horses she had ever ridden, the first of her raw talent mounts and definitely not the last. And they were getting ready for the final Breeders Cup race of their careers.

It would not be Icee’s final start. No, the Impressario daughter would be returning next season, but for a very limited campaign that would allow rising four year old Battle Wings to shine in her own spotlight. Icee would instead target the most premier races on the Wire possible - the Wire Finish Cup Dirt, seeking a repeat win and what would be her third Wire Finish Cup victory if she would pull it off, and every single Dawn Treader Cup. The objective was to get Icee to Wire Legend status. She was already almost surely a champion, having been the first Canadian Triple Crown winner ever and well known Wire favorite. She loved this track, had become a Wire dirt mainstay, and now the Breeders Cup here. The Distaff would be the perfect way to begin the twilight of Icee’s career, and it would make her a very unique horse. She had won the Juvenile Fillies Turf once upon a time, and now would be racing in a dirt Breeders Cup race. Horses often ran in different Breeders Cup races distance-wise, but rarely surface wise. Only the truly special won Breeders Cup races on different surfaces. Valencia was confident about making Icee that horse.

The Distaff field was fairly young, with Supernatural and Maliah entered, but Bellefire had also been entered. As it was right now, Icee could be going in the favorite. Valencia was of the opinion that Supernatural ran her best races at a mile and that Maliah did not have the experience to truly take them down just yet. Bellefire could prove to be a challenge, but Valencia felt they could take all of them. And she knew her thoughts were twisted with arrogance - so much arrogance, that she intended to make this workout absolutely low key just to make her competition take all the more crushing blow when they were defeated on race day - but she thought Icee really could do this. The smirk on her face was undeniable, and Valencia knew she just couldn’t resist. She turned to the press, made eye contact with a number of reporters and bowed. Then, eyes twinkling, she and Icee set off into their workout.

Icee wanted to go faster, that was clear by the insistent pull on the reins, but Valencia shook her head and reigned the mare in. She felt mischievous, and after a while Icee seemed to pick up on it and settle obediently. They clicked off the first quarter in twenty five and three fifths. Valencia could imagine the shocked looks on the handicappers’ faces, the shaking of their heads and felt like laughing. Did it really look like Icee was trying to go at this pace? Well, she was trying, but in the way that meant she had to try in order to go this slow. Valencia would have cackled if that wouldn’t have given the whole game away. They instead galloped merrily through a half in fifty - fifty - seconds. Slightly faster, but honestly probably the slowest workout recorded thus far for the Breeders Cup.

Six furlongs in one fourteen, then the final quarter of their workout opened up before them. Valencia whistled as they strolled into the stretch, and Icee responded. She accelerated almost imperceptibly, tossing her head impetuously as she kept to the ridiculously easy pace right through the end of the workout. Well, that was a lie. Valencia let the reins slip during the final furlong and Icee responded eagerly, digging in to run easily the fastest furlong of the workout, and all with ease. Valencia was struggling to keep the giggles in as she brought Icee back - let the press think her shaking shoulders were caused by tears! - and met the gaze of Amber Black unflinchingly. The head trainer looked exasperated, but reluctant amusement leaked into the shrug and small smile she gave to Valencia.

Admittedly, there should be no horse fresher on race day she admitted grudgingly, and Valencia finally let a single laugh out, stuffing her fist into her mouth to keep the rest of the giggles in as she walked Italian Ice back to the barn under the weight of disbelieving gazes and surprised onlookers.