Steal The Night.

[Cavallo]

Steal the Night.
Featuring: Abastor, Lissome, Lady Timeah & World Dominion

It felt good. It felt refreshing. It felt like IRS had taken a deep breath, re-centered and was revved and fired up as ever to do what they did best. Kick ass. People were naive and foolish if they thought IRS had been sitting around twiddling their thumbs. No July and August had been some of the most intense training sessions Nick had ever overseen and the stock had benefited immensely from it. Now was the time to start making reappearances. Now was the time to showcase all of their hard work.

There was a pierce cry and his eyes were immediately drawn to a dazzling chestnut. World Dominion was almost unrecognizable. He was no longer a leggy, gangly and green juvenile. In his place was a creature dappled with health and muscles to spare streamlined into a formidable overall package with fire in his eyes. It had been a bear to keep Duke trained, the damn colt had to practically have hard gallops for miles to keep from tearing up his stall, but it was apparent their training had paid off as Angie cantered the turf monster onto the track. In their wake, his eyes settled on a brilliant looking dark day. Timeah. Lady eyes the fiery colt in front of her with a look of disdain, but also challenge. She too had flourished and cantering before them now was a sturdy filly, looking for victory. The filly commanded people's attention as groups began to flock to rails, eager to glimpse the quad and catch a glimpse of those horses in the IRS training gear. Nick rolled his eyes. That was one aspect he hadn't missed about training on IRS' private property - the press. A bold reporter made a move to approach him and Nick stopped him in his tracks with a glacial stare. Not today.

Today history was in the making. Abastor and Lissome came galloping in the juvenile's wake and his breath caught. This could be it. This could be the year IRS finally took the Twilight Stakes. Abastor and Jeff were the picture of mature power, a dynamic and battle-tested team that knew what they were about. They were Nick's chance and hope at the TS this year and that both reassured and twisted him into knots. Was it going to be another year denied? God, he hoped not. Lissome and Brody were a whole new entity. They were cool, calm, collected and primed to kick ass. It screamed in their every movement. This was no longer a novice pair, learning the quirks in this partnership, no. Now there was only implicit trust and understanding.

Nick waved the quad on. They had their orders and wasted no time. Duke and Lady lead the way, breaking into a smooth gallop as Lissome and Abastor mimicked from behind. Duke and Lady were blazing forms of speed as their riders sat stilled in the saddles, letting their mounts thorough training be displayed for all to see. Their lines were straight and true, their conservation and technique bespeaking horses mature and prepared. Nick was satisfied as they charged around the turn for home. Estella fed more rein and the filly pounced. Angie smirked and held Duke momentarily, the colt saw her game and the launching Lady. Nothing fueled Dukes' speed like seeing the competition leaving. Message received, she unleashed the chestnut and he launched in fury, catching Lady in three rapid fire strides as they crossed the final furlong with Duke nosing out Lady by a hair. He smiled, but had to whip his attention back to the older pair.

Abastor and Lissome were revving their engines, feeding off one another's palpable competitive energy. Abastor was a black wraith of furry as he began to pour on the speed, Lissome attached to his hip stubbornly refusing to be shaken. Bordy grinned and released the filly's head and she roared to life, coming parallel with her partner. Jeff smiled over at Brody, proud of his co-worker's newfound prowess, but he was not letting this workout go. He flicked his wrists, reins tapping and Aba was gone.

Now they only need this kind of performance for this weekend and for once...IRS could steal the victory of the night.