Post by Kenren on Apr 25, 2015 23:01:00 GMT -5
Baciami & Halexia Suhail for the Preakness Stakes
Mourning Passion & Savita Tusaint for the Summer Dawn Treader Cup
Mourning Passion & Savita Tusaint for the Summer Dawn Treader Cup
Two weeks later, they were back to the track, just as they had been before. But there were some things that were different, and critically so - first and foremost, Cole Mavecci was looking at the Kentucky Derby runner-up in a whole new light. He was ever the pessimist, so he hadn't gotten his hopes up on the colt's prospects before the Derby. However, while he didn't think the greatest threats in the field had fired the way they should have, Baciami had shown he could very much hang with the top classic horses this year. It was still a challenge, and a very high hurdle, but it was no longer an impossibility that Baciami could pull off something amazing this year. However, if they wanted him to do it, they needed him to bring his A-game.
Another difference this time around as that Mourning Passion was not simply acting as a workmate - he had his own trial upcoming. After finishing fourth to some top competition in his last race, the stallion was looking to mount a rebound in the Dawn Treader. Mourn had shown flashes of brilliance this year, though it was obvious the competition was a little tougher as an older horse than it had been for him as a three-year-old. However, just because others had caught up didn't mean he was going to go down to them. He was as competitive and strong as ever, and Savita wasn't just going to sit and let him strike out in what was likely his final season of racing.
Hal sat on Ami next to the rail where Cole and Minske leaned, hands firm on the reins as the eager young animal attempted to walk off. She put the reins in one hand, running soothing fingers down his mane. The woman was much more heated in defeat than she had been before the Derby - she didn't see it as 'he'd beaten good horses'. In her mind, the colt had been robbed. By her, by himself, and by the other horses in the race. She knew he was more than capable of running over all of them, and she was deadset on making it happen. "We might be alone up front, Cole. If that happens, they'll never catch us." There was such supreme confidence in her voice, but Cole couldn't say he shared her absolute faith. "And what if you're not? Don't get cocky now." He knew he'd misstepped when Hal grinned down at him, guileless and confident. "I can't be anything else." If she wasn't effective, it would be an issue. However, she'd worked magic he could hardly believe himself.
Conversation broke off when Savita brought Mourn up to the meeting, both colts warmed up and briefly breaking before their real run. That was the other real difference between their pre-Derby work - Savita was not Minske, and she knew how to bring out the very best in the stallion. And, more than anything else, she would never back down in a work with Hal. Her competitiveness with the older woman was almost ridiculous. She kept the black just a little distance off, knowing that the stallion didn't care for the colt in the least. Cole spoke up, doling out instructions. "Alright, time to keep them sharp, ladies. Keep the pace moderate for the first three furlongs, then shake them up for the last two. Let them go under their own speed galloping out." Hal flashed an almost predatory smile at Savita, who shot a glare back. Words very rarely exchanged between them nowadays, but it really wasn't necessary. The disdain was mutual.
They turned the two horses back to the track, waiting for a gap in traffic before moving them to the rail and stopping them side by side. Ami snorted, eyes rolling and hooves dancing in place as he eagerly awaited the surge he knew was coming. Mourn was a lot more reserved, but he too leaned against the reins, tongue pressed to the bit, eyeing the colt beside him. "Go!" Hal shouted, and the two horses took off as if from the gate. Ami was the lightest on his toes, and absolute ripped up to speed. Mourn was only a half-beat slower, though, and kept pace to the inside at the colt's shoulder. As per instructions, Hal tempered Ami's speed, holding him back from the all-out blowout he wanted to run. Though he wasn't thrilled, he didn't fight as he once had, tolerating the stallion being so close to him as they moved into the turn. Just as the horses were hyper-aware of each other, Hal and Savita were aware of each other as well. It was better preparation than anything else the jockeys could do - there would be no greater competition for them but each other. If they could keep from being rattled here, they could keep their cool anywhere.
And they did. Both sat perfectly poised, perfectly consistent through the first three furlongs. Then, as per instructions, they let them loose. Mourn fired before Ami, reaching with flattened strides up the inside of the track to overtake the colt, breath pulsating quickly and strongly. As the stallion slowly inched off, Hal rebelled. "Go, Ami, get him!" The colt pinned his ears, reacting to her voice and her urging hands, and he caught up - and then it was a dogfight. Neither horse needed to be under urging, so intense was their determination. Just before the wire, Mourn gave some lunging strides that were pretty obviously a message to the colt after the struggling duel - the same message that Cole had given Hal. 'Don't get cocky.' However, Hal wasn't disheartened by the narrow loss, and Ami didn't seem to be either as the horses continued to pound it out in the gallop out. After all, what was there to be upset about? Going head-to-head against arguably the best horse at Valkyrie and coming out strong showed the best sort of form Ami was likely to find. And Mourn? Well, he hadn't lost his edge in the slightest. He was ready to bring the Dawn Treader field a fight.
Another difference this time around as that Mourning Passion was not simply acting as a workmate - he had his own trial upcoming. After finishing fourth to some top competition in his last race, the stallion was looking to mount a rebound in the Dawn Treader. Mourn had shown flashes of brilliance this year, though it was obvious the competition was a little tougher as an older horse than it had been for him as a three-year-old. However, just because others had caught up didn't mean he was going to go down to them. He was as competitive and strong as ever, and Savita wasn't just going to sit and let him strike out in what was likely his final season of racing.
Hal sat on Ami next to the rail where Cole and Minske leaned, hands firm on the reins as the eager young animal attempted to walk off. She put the reins in one hand, running soothing fingers down his mane. The woman was much more heated in defeat than she had been before the Derby - she didn't see it as 'he'd beaten good horses'. In her mind, the colt had been robbed. By her, by himself, and by the other horses in the race. She knew he was more than capable of running over all of them, and she was deadset on making it happen. "We might be alone up front, Cole. If that happens, they'll never catch us." There was such supreme confidence in her voice, but Cole couldn't say he shared her absolute faith. "And what if you're not? Don't get cocky now." He knew he'd misstepped when Hal grinned down at him, guileless and confident. "I can't be anything else." If she wasn't effective, it would be an issue. However, she'd worked magic he could hardly believe himself.
Conversation broke off when Savita brought Mourn up to the meeting, both colts warmed up and briefly breaking before their real run. That was the other real difference between their pre-Derby work - Savita was not Minske, and she knew how to bring out the very best in the stallion. And, more than anything else, she would never back down in a work with Hal. Her competitiveness with the older woman was almost ridiculous. She kept the black just a little distance off, knowing that the stallion didn't care for the colt in the least. Cole spoke up, doling out instructions. "Alright, time to keep them sharp, ladies. Keep the pace moderate for the first three furlongs, then shake them up for the last two. Let them go under their own speed galloping out." Hal flashed an almost predatory smile at Savita, who shot a glare back. Words very rarely exchanged between them nowadays, but it really wasn't necessary. The disdain was mutual.
They turned the two horses back to the track, waiting for a gap in traffic before moving them to the rail and stopping them side by side. Ami snorted, eyes rolling and hooves dancing in place as he eagerly awaited the surge he knew was coming. Mourn was a lot more reserved, but he too leaned against the reins, tongue pressed to the bit, eyeing the colt beside him. "Go!" Hal shouted, and the two horses took off as if from the gate. Ami was the lightest on his toes, and absolute ripped up to speed. Mourn was only a half-beat slower, though, and kept pace to the inside at the colt's shoulder. As per instructions, Hal tempered Ami's speed, holding him back from the all-out blowout he wanted to run. Though he wasn't thrilled, he didn't fight as he once had, tolerating the stallion being so close to him as they moved into the turn. Just as the horses were hyper-aware of each other, Hal and Savita were aware of each other as well. It was better preparation than anything else the jockeys could do - there would be no greater competition for them but each other. If they could keep from being rattled here, they could keep their cool anywhere.
And they did. Both sat perfectly poised, perfectly consistent through the first three furlongs. Then, as per instructions, they let them loose. Mourn fired before Ami, reaching with flattened strides up the inside of the track to overtake the colt, breath pulsating quickly and strongly. As the stallion slowly inched off, Hal rebelled. "Go, Ami, get him!" The colt pinned his ears, reacting to her voice and her urging hands, and he caught up - and then it was a dogfight. Neither horse needed to be under urging, so intense was their determination. Just before the wire, Mourn gave some lunging strides that were pretty obviously a message to the colt after the struggling duel - the same message that Cole had given Hal. 'Don't get cocky.' However, Hal wasn't disheartened by the narrow loss, and Ami didn't seem to be either as the horses continued to pound it out in the gallop out. After all, what was there to be upset about? Going head-to-head against arguably the best horse at Valkyrie and coming out strong showed the best sort of form Ami was likely to find. And Mourn? Well, he hadn't lost his edge in the slightest. He was ready to bring the Dawn Treader field a fight.
