fireworks

[S u N f r O s T ~]

BATTLE WINGS AND KRYSTAL YHATE
VENTURA AND AMBER BLACK
LIMITED EDITION AND VALENCIA ANDREWS
PANDORA AND KYLIE SILVERSTAR
FLEET STREET AND MEREDITH MAHON

Another relay style workout. Krystal had snorted in hearty amusement just like a horse when Amber had informed the dirt group of the plan. But then she had turned and beaten Amber to the first set, sending Battle Wings off with a trumpet to war. The cold daughter of Akuma Battlecry went right off, marching into the first turn with her usual sustained speed style. She was alert, as always. Nothing got by this mare. She knew where every horse was placed at the track, and at four had learned just how much effort it would take to run them down. Krystal was nothing more than the person in the saddle for workouts. For races, she joined her mare in being in the tactician, figuring out the path to the win and laying it out for claiming. Battle Wings was a smooth mover. She was not a showy mare, rather one that just got the job done and enjoyed claiming the kingdom. They were nothing short of fast as they swept the half mile in forty seven and change and slowed to enjoy a quick gallop out before handing the track over to Ventura.

Ventura was an interesting horse. Bred for the classic distances of the Triple Tiara, Ven had proved to have just too much speed as she grew older and began to favor distances at the lower end of the spectrum. Six and seven furlongs were her best distances now, and she was perhaps the top dirt sprinter on the tracks currently. The mare was racing for forty wins - a long time goal of her rider, Amber Black. They wanted to hit the win totals that her dam Rising Fury had hit, and they had already proven their bloodlines many times over. This was just another goal to reach for. Ven took command of the dirt with pinned ears and a single stomped hoof before taking off. She was speed, quick as a fish darting for food, a horse that caught eyes as she bore down on the backstretch. This one was a showy mover, and a powerful one too. There was so much more Amber could ask for from this mare, but they did not have to throw down the gauntlet here today. They would save that for the actual races. They finished off the workout with a flourish and handed it to the next horse.

Limited Edition took it with his usual powerful grace. Here was the horse Valencia Andrews had used her own money to buy, and she had not been wrong with the purchase. Ed had unique and quality lines and had proven himself on the track as a champion. Now he raced for senior graces, and he would have them all if Valencia had anything to say about it. Ed was a smooth mover, flashy and strong. He was very flexible with his distance ranges and could do anything Valencia wanted him too. She had trained this horse herself. She knew what he needed to stay in form. They loped through three furlongs and blew through a quarter in twenty three and change - easy fractions for the fit grade one horse. Valencia was grinning wildly as she brought Ed to the next horse in the chain. The rider of the black colt awaiting them reached out, brushed a hand down Valencia's sleeve and was then off. Valencia's expression was wiped clean of all feeling, yet there was something in her eyes, something that burned as she cooled Ed off.

Meredith Mahon grinned as wildly as Valencia as she let her horse fly. Fleet Street had been climbing slowly but surely. He did not portray the early brilliance of Eternal Phantom, but he was coming into his own as surely as Midnight Thriller had. He was a trier with a lot of heart and speed to back it up when harnessed properly. Caring for this horse was a labor of love - he was demanding on the best of days, and a high maintenance one twenty-four-seven. But the rewards were great. Fleet moved with the ease of an experienced horse. The nearly developed horse was ready to take on older horses on the same ground, and he showed his maturity with the way he ran along the track. Meredith was ready to take him to the big leagues. Just a couple more undercard races to go until they could show their colors. The senior dirt series would be glorious when the colt hit four and really got his racing going.

The last horse to hit the track epitomized the dreams of her home stable. Pandora had come out of the Belmont Turf Classic as the second Turf Triple Crown winner in history. This accomplishment was only made greater by how her parents were both SOPS homebreds, and the filly herself was of third-generation SOPS blood. It had been sweet, and only in Kylie Silverstar's second season as an apprentice jockey. Pandora had rested and trained relaxedly since then, and now worked over the dirt to flex her versatility. She moved over the dirt with quick grace, eyes resting on the filly as she went about her business. She moved like no other in the barn - graceful yet powerful, strong, full of heart and courage. Quietly brilliant. Kylie was proud to pilot this horse, her very first ride, a horse she had broken in as a yearling, one of her first for everything. They did not have to impress the world with this workout - they just had to prove themselves capable. And they did, running an absolutely solid six furlongs to declare their return to the races for the autumn season.