WEST WIND

[Ripley]

WEST WIND
featuring:
Key West and Laura DeComte
Apache Sunrise and David Carter

Ripley and Brooks stood side by side at the rail, peering out across the mile long dirt track, the soil a light brown color and tilled to perfection. The summer had been surprisingly dry, allowing Battle Brook to get the most out of the rolling turf course and dirt track. Ripley could see the indoor track tucked between pines and maples, a shadowed building that had gone unused by any of the horses on the racing roster. It was exactly what she preferred. Malcolm could work the yearlings in a quiet atmosphere and keep their foolish behavior far away from her focused athletes.

"So, you really think you can turn this colt around?" Brooks asked, shading his eyes from the bright sun. Two horses were making their way around the far turn of the track, bodies shadowed. He knew Apache Sunrise only by her height. The filly was the tallest horse on the string and she seemingly towered over the newest member of the Battle Brook racing roster.

"I don't see why not," Ripley admitted. She brushed a thick wave of auburn hair back from her face and looked at her boyfriend. "All of Strike The Win's offspring take a little bit to come around. It's hard to do, but he's an immature colt still. He did improve a bit in his latest races. It'll just be about getting his confidence back and getting him closer to the winner's circle."

Brooks hummed as the colt and filly drew closer. Key West was a handsome individual with a scopey, athletic frame and a sharp eye. His butt was naturally higher than his shoulder, giving him a machine-like appearance. It was an odd conformation fault in him, but Ripley was positive the larger ass would give him great power down the lane. He'd proven it to be true in his two workouts with Battle Brook. His times were quick, but he needed lots of encouragement. He was a lazy sort, but Brooks hoped for Ripley's sake and the loss of Roussong to KC Racing that he was not just a morning glory.

"How does she feel?" Ripley called to David. Apache Sunrise pranced beneath her riding partner, his big chestnut ears flopping back and forth on her head. Clearly not paying attention, it took several jabs in the mouth to get her to slow to a walk. The gorgeous daughter of Admiral's Revenge was fresh off of a victory in the Enchantress Stakes, a twelve furlong race that had given her clockwork speed every possible advantage. It'd been a long time coming, leaving Ripley hopeful that it was a sign that the filly was back on the right track. If they were ever going to experiment with dirt, they needed to do it when Sunrise was her most confident self.

"Good," David hissed between his teeth. He held the reins tight to prevent the filly from pursuing Key West. Her nostrils flared in disgust when the bay Key To Flight colt kept right on trotting. Didn't he know they always stopped and chatted before they got to the real work? David slipped the sleek filly a pat and aimed a lopsided smile at the trainer and her boyfriend. "You can read the irritation on her face, can't you?"

Brooks chuckled. "Clear as day."

Ripley shook her head, keeping her eyes on Key West as he went from a hustled trot to a purposeful walk. "If Sunrise has a problem with it, she can whip him instead of Laura."

"If only that were possible," David teased. "So what's the plan?"

Momentary silence filled the space between the three people and the horse. Ripley was pondering a change up, something she hadn't done with a pair of juveniles in a while. "Well... Instead of a five furlong workout, I want a seven furlong breeze with a gallop out to eight."

"What?" Brooks laughed.

Ripley merely raised an eyebrow and nodded for David to get going. "Better break now or you'll mess up my plan. Think 1:22, David. Faster on the back half please!"

David didn't think twice. He was already calculating the distance between himself and Key West. Sunrise's ears shot far forward when David kissed to her and clapped his heels against her barrel--for what little use that was. He was forced to flag the whip in her face before she truly caught the drift and took off. Her heels dug deep into the sand and in a matter of seconds she was galloping, her head cocked high in the air from all the spontaneity.

Sunrise stretched out into her long stride even as David slanted her toward the rail. The hoofbeat drew Laura's attention from what was in front of her to the pair bulleting past Key West. The bay colt tossed his head, mouthing his bit in anticipation as if he couldn't wait to get going. David flicked his head to the left, grinning when Sunrise sped up and assumed her natural command post in front. "Get on it, Laura!" he called.

The girl grunted, swiftly guided her cantering colt to the middle of the track and gave him his cue to move off. The bay horse hesitated at first. He was a routine animal and this broke his entire routine. She assumed that Ripley had changed the plan at the last second. Starting from here would put them at seven furlongs by the time they really got going. Sunrise was already hitting the first pole, her movement effortless and rhythmic. The change up sure wasn't bothering the grand filly.

"Let's catch up, Key!" Laura cheered as she waved her whip in his line of sight. The flash of the stick got the Key To Flight colt's butt in gear really quickly. Soon he was giving chase, going from seven lengths behind Sunrise to only four. His ears were tucked neatly back into his black mane, giving him the appearance of trying hard even though it didn't feel like it. His angled head tilted toward the infield as they marched into the backstretch, dirt kicking up into his chest from Sunrise's flint-hard hooves.

David had to admit he was impressed with the filly's grip on the dirt. She'd only ever run once on the surface in her first start as a juvenile, finishing a good fourth. Since then she'd run on turf, ending up in the money the majority of the time. He kept his hands quiet on her neck, knowing that she did her best running when he didn't interfere. She wasn't the type to run headlong into destruction. Sunrise was quite capable of clicking off twelves all the around for a mile and a half without breaking a sweat.

Key tracked the chestnut filly for the first four furlongs with easy strides. He still looked aggressive, but Laura could tell that if she asked him he would have a ton more to give. He was different than the agile Awestruck, the fleet-footed Indian Darling and the athletic Winning Touch. He had a heavier style to him, but it boded well for that stretch drive. His mid-pack style could be amazing when it was given the opportunity to shine.

Ripley kept her binoculars locked on the free-running filly. She knew from Brooks's commentary that Key was still moving good, moving like the late charger he was supposed to be. Apache was going just as well into the second to last furlong. David peeked under his shoulder, noted that Key West had moved to Sunrise's outside hip and was looming up.

The track was full of thudding hoofbeats, rustling dirt and the quick breaths of horses being pressed for more run. Sunrise was on cruise control when they rounded the far turn and straightened up for the stretch. Her ears were flicking around her head as if she were looking for the competition. David pumped his hands once and received an immediate response. She kicked on for home with the ease of a queen ascending her throne.

Laura smacked Key West behind the saddle with the crop and chirped to him. He wasn't made for the turns here, too little room for his unusually long legs to navigate. Hustling for more, Laura waved the stick again, shifted her weight and begged the colt to pick it up. Sunrise was flying for the finish with astonishing ease and Key had fallen from three back to five. Then four... then three again...

Laura was momentarily shocked when she realized that Key was not loafing. He was actually making up the ground! She lowered herself to his neck, pushing her hands on his neck, aiding him with vocal encouragement as he dug deep and powered forward. With every bounding stride, Uno drew closer. From hip, to barrel, to neck to head. Soon the colt was stretching the filly! Soon she actually was putting in an effort to stave off her newfound rival!

David shook his head and pumped his hands a few more times, reminding Sunrise to keep going in the face of Key's onslaught. The duo stormed to the wire, their strides never faltering as they crossed the shadow of the final pole. With minor encouragement from their riders, the juveniles continued into the final and eighth furlong for the gallop out.

Brooks and Ripley grinned from ear to ear at one another. "Told you he wasn't a dud. He just needs some encouragement."

"Never said he was a dud," Brooks muttered under his breath. He watched the chestnut and bay pull up into their graceful trots. Neither horse looked winded. In fact they looked like they were only getting started. "I'm impressed."

So was Ripley, although she didn't say it out loud. Sunrise had given her another trick to pull out of her sleeve. If she was effective on turf and dirt, she'd given Ripley more options for her growing crowd of racers. If Key just needed time to mature, then he might do more than just surprise Ripley and her staff... he could end up a star.