Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2015 6:37:00 GMT -5
The sun rode low in the sky as the morning workout sessions continued, horses from many stables being brought out to work. Around the track you could see several groups - trainers, jockeys, punters and press all come together. It wasn't bustling, as it would be come race day, but it wasn't exactly what you would call abandoned either. Alexia scanned the barriers quietly, looking to see who was about, but saw no one that she really wanted to talk to. Not at that moment anyway. She sighed, glancing at her watch impatiently as she wondered where her team were, before watching another horse speed past. It was running well, and she made a note to watch when it raced - who knew, maybe she'd try and buy it one day?
Lucy arrived shortly after, the jockey looking well put together and ready to take on the world. No doubt she had already spent much of the morning working out herself and would take at least another run at some stage in the day before calling it a night. Such was the life of a jockey - you had to be fit if you wanted to stand a chance on the track. The trainer smiled at her, starting to walk up the barrier toward the gates. Lucy knew to follow.
"It's an exciting day. Until now we have only worked Baron at the stable but with how he is progressing I suspect he'll have his first start. Tell me, how do you feel about him?"
"He's certainly... Different." Alexia laughed slightly at the jockey's response, nodding knowingly.
"Different is one way to put it. But do you feel he is ready?"
"Straight answer? He's been ready since the start of the season - I am surprised you've waited this long to start him."
"I had to be sure. Anyway, the handlers should be arriving with him shortly and I'm looking forward to seeing how you two do."
Lucy disappeared, no doubt to find her ride, and soon enough a small group appeared on the track. The bay colt between the handlers was calm and collected, not at all phased by the change of environment. His bright eyes took in the area as he walked, the gait strong and elegant - not at all the bouncy, energetic jog of many young sprinters. His tail twitched a little at his rump as he walked, but all in all it was the behavior that you might have expected from an older horse. With the sun behind him as it was he looked frankly magnificent. Loading was a simple, no fuss matter. Baron approached the gates with the level head he had displayed as he walked up the track and stood well in the contraption. Lucy gathered up the reins, waited as another horse was loaded and finally the gates opened.
The movement forwards was sudden, sharp, and the colt set a good pace from the get-go. His legs moved beneath him with a sure, short stride and there was a look of confidence to him. The other horse had started nicely too and Lucy glanced over with a slight smile. The sort of look that said 'bring it on'. Three furlongs was nothing in the grand scheme of things and Baron was ready for a good run against competition. Really, Alexia ought to consider bringing in more horses than what they had, if only to counter the lack of match ups available at this point. Baron didn't seem the care, though, he continued moving nicely without getting riled up about the other horse. At least until the jockeys started pushing, about a furlong into the distance.
It was like someone had hit a switch as Baron changed from the gentleman into a spirited animal. His ears switched back against his skull as he lurched forwards, his stride lengthened as he accelerated and the horse he had been running level with seemed to struggle to keep up with the change. A head, a neck... Baron was leaving the other in the dust which kicked behind him from the hard dirt surface and still he went. He worked with his jockey, fought for the post until he had passed it and the jockey stopped driving.
Alexia was grinning at the fence, especially as she heard several people wondering aloud who the colt was. That would do nicely.
Lucy arrived shortly after, the jockey looking well put together and ready to take on the world. No doubt she had already spent much of the morning working out herself and would take at least another run at some stage in the day before calling it a night. Such was the life of a jockey - you had to be fit if you wanted to stand a chance on the track. The trainer smiled at her, starting to walk up the barrier toward the gates. Lucy knew to follow.
"It's an exciting day. Until now we have only worked Baron at the stable but with how he is progressing I suspect he'll have his first start. Tell me, how do you feel about him?"
"He's certainly... Different." Alexia laughed slightly at the jockey's response, nodding knowingly.
"Different is one way to put it. But do you feel he is ready?"
"Straight answer? He's been ready since the start of the season - I am surprised you've waited this long to start him."
"I had to be sure. Anyway, the handlers should be arriving with him shortly and I'm looking forward to seeing how you two do."
Lucy disappeared, no doubt to find her ride, and soon enough a small group appeared on the track. The bay colt between the handlers was calm and collected, not at all phased by the change of environment. His bright eyes took in the area as he walked, the gait strong and elegant - not at all the bouncy, energetic jog of many young sprinters. His tail twitched a little at his rump as he walked, but all in all it was the behavior that you might have expected from an older horse. With the sun behind him as it was he looked frankly magnificent. Loading was a simple, no fuss matter. Baron approached the gates with the level head he had displayed as he walked up the track and stood well in the contraption. Lucy gathered up the reins, waited as another horse was loaded and finally the gates opened.
The movement forwards was sudden, sharp, and the colt set a good pace from the get-go. His legs moved beneath him with a sure, short stride and there was a look of confidence to him. The other horse had started nicely too and Lucy glanced over with a slight smile. The sort of look that said 'bring it on'. Three furlongs was nothing in the grand scheme of things and Baron was ready for a good run against competition. Really, Alexia ought to consider bringing in more horses than what they had, if only to counter the lack of match ups available at this point. Baron didn't seem the care, though, he continued moving nicely without getting riled up about the other horse. At least until the jockeys started pushing, about a furlong into the distance.
It was like someone had hit a switch as Baron changed from the gentleman into a spirited animal. His ears switched back against his skull as he lurched forwards, his stride lengthened as he accelerated and the horse he had been running level with seemed to struggle to keep up with the change. A head, a neck... Baron was leaving the other in the dust which kicked behind him from the hard dirt surface and still he went. He worked with his jockey, fought for the post until he had passed it and the jockey stopped driving.
Alexia was grinning at the fence, especially as she heard several people wondering aloud who the colt was. That would do nicely.
