Post by Ripley on May 1, 2015 8:05:44 GMT -5
Up The Anty
featuring: Saintly Touch & Sun King
mission: Belmont Stakes
Malcolm snorted from where he stood at the track rail, watching Uno Momento gallop handily around the course. The big tank of a colt looked grand beneath Justin Santiago, his hide dappled and his muscles thick despite his young age. He was the future for Ripley's assault on Year Sixteen's Kentucky Derby. Mal was certain that with continued focus and training, Uno would be next year's version of Saintly Touch. One thing that differed the bay colt with the seal brown one was that Mal wasn't sure they had even scraped the surface of Uno's talent. Saint was the typical Touch Up type: tough, fast and a blue collar horse. Uno was a young goofball with a dam who was known for throwing sensational horses. Already El Sol Del Mar had produced two different Horse Of The Years and a Kentucky Derby winner. Mal watched Justin pull the bay colt up, eyes not even flickering when Ripley stepped up to his shoulder.
"Are they speaking yet?" Mal questioned.
Ripley snorted, "What do you think?"
"I'll take that as a no."
"Yup." Ripley and Mal exchanged looks. Tensions had been high between Reese and Brooks ever since the Kentucky Derby. Things had boiled over back at the barn that night. And ever since, Reese and Brooks had hardly spoken. The riders may have passed one another on their way to the track, but they refused to gallop together or be in the same workout set.
For all of their stubbornness, Ripley's ferocity was forcing them to coexist. She was not about to let one tiff destroy her barn or land them in the paper.
She had a business to run and if Brooks or Reese wanted to continue to ride for her again, they would just have to get over themselves.
Mal turned around, smirked. "This oughta be fun."
Ripley laughed, turning herself. She ignored the obvious anger between the riders, eyes only for her horses.
A better workout pair there never was. Saintly Touch's toughness equaled Sun King's arrogance. Neither would let the other skate by in their workouts. This was exactly what Ripley needed to get Saintly Touch ready for the twelve furlong Belmont Stakes.
People had already virtually handed Ultimate Revenge the win. Already the Admiral's Revenge colt was favorite over the Preakness and Derby victors. They weren't in the gate yet and Saint was not going to just hand over the race. The twelve furlongs was in his blood. Toughness was in his blood. Durability and an unrelenting will ran in his blood. While Ultimate Revenge was more brilliant, Ripley would take her colt every time.
Saint's muscled frame gleamed like polished obsidian. He was the polar opposite of his much larger stable-mate. Dark and focused, Saint seemed to stalk onto the track beneath Reese. Sun King walked onto the track, head high and tail waving over his rump. The chestnut colt glowed like a ruby and attracted attention immediately. He had always been the more anticipated of the two runners. It was hard not to go unnoticed when you blitzed to ten victories at the age of two.
Sun King had been the Juvenile Of The Year and Saintly Touch had been the runner up. Now Saint was a Preakness winner and Sun King was just getting his true classic season started.
Brooks aimed a wounded look at Ripley as Sun King strolled by.
She ignored the look. Brooks needed to get over himself and apologize to Reese. She'd won the Preakness after being blamed for a shotty ride. There wasn't a better come back than that.
"Long workout today to sharpen them up. Go six furlongs in 1:11 4/5 or 1:12. Fast enough to open up their lungs. Gallop out seven in 1:24."
The riders nodded, each nudging their horses into jogs down the middle of the track. Saint powered on, head down and ears pricked. He looked terrific after the last two grueling races. But he hadn't really gotten anything out of the Kentucky Derby to start. Reese loved how he felt beneath her, a spring waiting to be sprung. He moved gracefully down the course, hooves quietly kicking up dust. His was one of pure focus and intent.
Brooks could feel Sun King becoming more tense as they traveled. He remembered Saint for being a hard workmate. They had worked out together prior to their respective wins in the Breeders' Cup. Brooks couldn't blame Ripley for working them together now. Why mess with a proven result?
The horses moved into their gallops, Sun King picking up the lead now. His huge strides covered the ground impressively, but he wouldn't go by Saint. He was completely locked on the Night Stalker son and his interest was almost palpable.
If Saint felt the pressure, he sure didn't show it. He cruised through the turn, ears pricked. Reese sat patiently on the handsome colt's neck, letting him settle back off Sun King's inside haunches. It wasn't a prime position, but if they needed the rail to exploit a weakness, Saint had to be prepared. The horse willingly galloped along, ears flickering now as if he was waiting for the command.
It was nice sitting on a push-button explosive.
Brooks leaned low over Sun King's neck as they moved down the backstretch toward the far turn. The horse was on auto-pilot. He'd consistently been getting more impressive since his return. Like Mastermind, Sun King was slow to get back into form. Brooks knew it had to do with the stretch out, but there had been no choice. The horse had needed to run and the only thing available for his class had been Derby preps. Now he was getting back to what he loved. Brooks fully expected his horse to return to super stardom.
Saint moved up on Sun King on the turn, pressing the large colt out into the turn and surprising him. King pinned his ears and kicked into gear, speed carrying him out three wide. Saint snorted, taking advantage of the colt's loss of ground.
Ripley grinned as Saint whipped down the stretch, a length in front of Sun King. It was a turn of events that Brooks hadn't been expecting. He tapped King with the whip once and suddenly he was at Saint's throat. The Native Flame son roared up, hiding Saint by his huge frame. The colts battled impressively down the stretch.
Reese tapped Saint once and the colt leveled out into his longest stride. He got the better of Sun King right before the wire, but King wasn't even at his fastest pace. The pair bounded through the wire, each tugging on the reins for more speed.
Mal nodded in approval as they galloped powerfully through the seven furlongs in 1:23 3/5. "A little faster on the gallop out, but that's a sharp time. I'm happy."
"I'm elated," she stated.
