nova

[S u N f r O s T ~]

NOVA
Trinity & Amber Black - Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies
Palisades Pirate & Henna Turath - Breeders Cup Juvenile
a star that flares up to several times its original brightness for some time before returning to its original state

Amber couldn’t help her small giggles at the thought of it all. Here was Trinity, one of the most successful underdogs in horse racing, and her last start had been a win over the turf in the Gorgeous George Stakes against some of the finest turf juveniles in the country prepping for their starts in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf or Juvenile Turf Fillies. And here she was, prepping for the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies against Nirvana, Meritorious and Shenanigans. The Juvenile Fillies would be her final start over the dirt. Her win two weeks ago had convinced Amber that this filly’s true calling could be over the turf. Thus, her classic season would be spent waging war over that surface. The turf fillies should count themselves lucky that Trinity wasn’t currently breathing down their necks!

Trinity shied away as the reporters turned and flashed their cameras at her. She was shy and skittish, and she threw a very nervous buck now. Amber sat through it, and she hoped the buck served as a good warning to the clustering reporters. And indeed it did, backing away from the filly nervously. Trinity’s eyes rolled as Amber got her onto the dirt track, and she didn’t relax as Amber got her rolling. Amber knew that the sooner this workout was done, the better. Trin needed this to get her mind focused on the task at hand, and there was no better rider to have on board than Amber Black for this monumental task. She grinned at the thought and kept an eye out for their workmate.

Henna Turath did not like being late, especially if she was being late to a workout - specifically, one for the Breeders Cup. She snorted. She was riding Palisades Pirate in the Breeders Cup Juvenile, and they were probably the longest shot in the field. He barely reacted at all to the mess of reporters, simply minding them and Henna as he picked his way over to the dirt track. Henna lived for speed, and Pyrite was fast. That was why she was his rider. The colt had won his last start, the Louisiana Legacy, and he was going into the Juvenile hot. But he would still be the longest shot on the board. He didn’t have Trinity’s consistency problems, but developmentally he could be a bit behind but catching up.

Henna nodded to Amber as Pyrite trotted onto the track. Trin snorted a greeting at her usual workmate, and the greeting was happily returned. Amber laughed. Imagine, two racehorses getting along with each other! Henna laughed in return. Well, with next year’s crop some of this fun-loving spirit will become hard to find, won’t it? Amber nodded. Yes, next crop is a bit on the crazy side. Not a single fun-loving horse about them...well, except Coney, and that’s why he’s your horse. Henna nodded, eyes gleaming. Anyway, we’re up to a short six furlong run, last two furlongs fast. We’ll canter up to it. Don’t want to push these two very hard. They’re in top form and don’t need it. Henna nodded her agreement.

Side by side, Trin and Pyrite accompanied each other over the dirt. There was no competitive fire between these two workmates - they were not rivals, rather enjoyed the other’s company and knew that this was not a race, but a workout. Their riders relaxed into the wind and the stride, letting the workout blow other thoughts away. They clicked off a quarter in twenty four, nothing heart shattering or astonishing but solid for two horses that were clearly being kept in hand. The half rolled past in forty eight - no decrease in the pace. But then it was time to sprint it out. Sticking in tandem, the pair accelerated sharply. Pyrite surprisingly had a faster turn of foot than the filly, and drew off to a length. That was all the signal Trin needed to dig in.

Heart was something this filly had in spades. She dug in now, wrenched Pyrite back to her side and then rolled past him with astonishing ease. Amber grinned. It wasn’t until the filly was engaged in true battle that she truly started to shine. Pyrite snorted indignantly and accelerated as well. He clearly still hadn’t reached his best, and the speed in him was apparent as he went flying after Trin in full pursuit. Trin snorted excitedly, keeping engaged by his oncoming assault, and accelerated again. Pyrite drew up alongside just as they hit the end of the workout. Amber smirked, flashed Henna a wry grin and angled her watch at her. They had raced the final quarter in twenty two point five - a dramatic increase in speed and all the signal the world needed to know that these two juveniles were ready to go!