Bar None.

[Cavallo]

Bar None.
Featuring: Abastor & World Dominion

They didn't have time to play comparison games. He'd let the press and other people worry about who was better than who, but all Nick Landing cared about was making sure his horses were trained right and well taken care of. A gleaming black obsidian coat and a flaming chestnut coat were testament of the utmost grooming care. The black stallion and the chestnut colt looked every inch like a millions bucks, but it didn't matter how they looked. Nick was more concerned with how they ran.

Jeff sat astride the black Abastor as Angie kept her seat on the rambunctious Duke. Nick leaned against the rail and Jaime was by his side, his own eye trained of the pair as well. Duke was on the verge of approaching a coveted G2 win. A feat that was never easily accomplished for a juvenile and they were all holding their breaths, hoping that Duke would be the one to do it. The pair danced energetically across the track, feeding off one another's energies as they warmed up.

Abastor and World Dominion flew over the turf, their pace light and brisk as they found their paces. Duke was taking on the final leg of the turf challenge for the Champagne Stakes* and there was retribution to be made. Angie sat poised and balanced in the saddle as the colt mocked the massive black stallion's every move. Both males were agitated. Neither had been pleased with recent outings and each was venting their frustrations on the turf. Jeff checked Aba with a slight pull back on the reins. He was too eager for his own good. Nick was watching with Jaime by his side.

"You think Duke is peaking?", Nick asked Jaime straightforward as they watched two of their best turfers cruise. Nick had seen it before. Juveniles having stellar seasons, knocked flat at the end of the year or into their classic year. Nightshade had hit that fluke in her classic year. If it happened, it could be overcome, but Nick always liked to know where things were headed. Jaime shook his head. He'd been working hard with the juveniles and three year olds and already they were seeing massive improvements.

"No. Duke isn't peaking. He got complacent, but he doesn't look to be in that kind of mindset anymore." The chestnut colt was vivacious and determined as Abastor led the juvenile around the tracks, the older mentor teasing the colt around the turn. Angie felt the colt's inner rage at the visible taunt. He wanted to run and chase down his foe, but Angie kept a strategic hand on the colt. This wasn't a race, this was a learning curve.

They took to the final portion of their workout and Jeff unleashed his black behemoth. Angie smiled and relesed Duke in like as he surged powerfully beneath her, reaching for the goal - to not be lost in the black's shadow. Nick and Jaime both hummed in appreciation as they cranked out their quick fractions coming home, with Duke right on Abastor's haunches. It was an impressive feat for a juvenile against this seasoned turf monster and bot trainers felt that come race day it would be bar none who would stand between Duke and Abastor when they unleashed their fury come race day.