LONG LOST LOVE

[Ripley]

LONG LOST LOVE
featuring:
Nocturnal Runaway and Magiletti Reynolds
Summer Romance and Justin Santiago
My Kingdom Come and David Carter

The barns were humming with activity far earlier than was normal. Horses were nickering and pawing at the ground for their hay, stallions trumpeted their wares as broodmares were led from their barn to paddock. A few of the younger mares would pause and analyze the big boys, but the older simply continued on their way. Ripley admired the sights of routine, loved the lack of chaos. Boring was brilliant. Boring meant life was continuing as it was supposed to with zero tragedy or problems or injuries. Ripley turned her attention from the long retired to the track where the future was making its first appearance.

The silhouettes of two yearlings jogging on the track excited her. The more robust colts were already preparing for their careers as racehorses next season. Jogging was a simple task, but one that kept young minds focused on and on the purpose at hand. She could tell that the work on the track was starting to help. Just last week, both colts--Vitriol and Bold Trick--would trip over the feet every few strides, unused to the deeper surface. Now, they moved with power and control. She hummed in satisfaction as the duo slowed to a walk and exited the track through the nearby gap.

"Daydreaming again?" Reese asked as she walked up to join Ripley at the rail. Her hands were cupped around a hot coffee cup where steam curled from the hole in the lid and made Ripley drool.

"You just came here to torture me," the trainer said, ignoring the question. Her staff seemed to be amused that she was going back into her fall shell. It happened every year. Fall required lots of planning both in the breeding and racing sector. Her thoughts were a mix of Breeders' Cup prep and if the matches she'd planned for Year Seventeen were the correct ones. Vet checks for the broodmares had been thorough and uncomplicated. Everyone was in good health, but horses were volatile creatures in that department and needed to be monitored constantly.

"I actually came here to watch a workout. One of those rare ones out of the gate... By the way whose gate did you steal this time?"

Ripley's lip curled in amusement when her eyes landed on the light blue gate. Battle Brook's had malfunctioned after the initial juvenile introduction late last winter. It was an inconvenience to say the least, but she had hook ups... hook ups that she wasn't willing to reveal too easily. Instead she smiled in Reese's direction before nodding to the gap where the three turf mares had appeared. "They all look good."

It was true. The two gray fillies trotted one in front of the other up the main track, their necks bent and nostrils flaring as they took in the surprisingly crisp morning air. Behind them, the newcomer bucked and squealed, flashing an attitude that cheered Ripley up considerably. "Good to see her with some spirit. She's finally come out of her shell."

Reese nodded and leaned against the rail. "Have to agree there. She needed a little weight, but seems to be muscling out. You think she'll be ready for a race in August?"

Ripley shrugged, but was more certain than that non-committal gesture showed. For the lack of handling and racing since April, Summer Romance looked good. She was a durable sort with a strong backbone and even stronger spirit. The bay filly tossed her head, flicking her ears every now and then to catch the sounds of nickers and neighs back at the barn. Ro bounded forward suddenly, back legs curling for a few brief strides as though she were about to launch a massive buck. Justin sat with the filly, urging her onward and after the more professional gray horses.

Nocturnal Runaway cast a look over her shoulder, the whites of her right eye showing. Her long legs covered the ground impressively and despite the commotion, Maggie swore the mare was feeling great. After her win during July Week Two, Noc had been on the ball. Her attitude was great, her gallops stronger than ever. She was a fierce competitor and now she was even better. Maggie couldn't help but give the filly a pat on the shoulder.

David kissed to My Kingdom Come and set her down in her strong gallop. The Grayson Meadows filly was strong on the bridle, putting her head down and tugging him to his feet. She was a classy filly, perhaps better than her owners even thought. She hadn't disgraced herself in her first turf distaff start July Wk 2. To keep up with grade one fillies meant something these days when the competition was both rougher and tougher. The stout filly kept even pace with Nocturnal Runaway into the backstretch, snorting her excitement.

For Justin this ride was felt like a throw-back. Once upon a time, this filly was supposed to be his mount for the Year Fourteen season. He remembered how much promise he'd felt under him in those many rides against Firestone Racing's Refute. There had been no denying the fillies talent, but like Ripley, he was greatly surprised by her grade three status at the age of four. Finding mile races was tough and winning was even tougher without those opportunities. Until Oceanic View Stables returned to full racing status, Justin simply would help give this good filly a boost. At the same time, he couldn't deny that he would enjoy the ride.

A crackling noise over the mics in the jockeys' ears, alerting them of the coming announcement. "They all had really good workouts this past Wednesday. I would like a sharpener today. Four furlongs from the gate. It's been a while since Summer Romance has seen a contraption like this and we'll have to take her to the gate at GHF a few times to remind her that she's a racehorse. She's faster than these other two out of it, so don't hustle her out Justin. She'll take you to the front."

Each jock lifted their hands into the air to accept the directions and slowed their horses to a walk. Noc shook her head when she spotted the gate, ears flicking to the side. She crunched the bit between her teeth, caught between fear and excitement. Maggie stroked the Night Stalker daughter's mane. "You'll be fine, silly lady."

Summer Romance trotted forward a few steps at the sight of the thing, her neck bowed and her eyes bulging. Justin kept his legs out of the stirrups, maintaining balance in case something should go wrong. He couldn't remember her reaction to the gate the first time they did this. She had never been this dominant or tough. When Lane Thompson reached her bridle, the bay simply strode forward like this was old hat. He breathed a sigh of relief when she entered the closed gates and ran a praising hand down her sleek neck. "Not as bad as I thought she would be," he mumbled to Lane. The woman smiled and patted Ro's forehead as the other two loaded without a hitch.

Ripley smiled faintly when the back gates were closed and her horses were locked in place. She could see with her binoculars that none of the fillies were so much as nervous, everyone was standing perfectly still. Still, she braced herself until the doors clashed open and released the trio onto the track.

Summer Romance immediately assumed the lead, her ears pricking when she cleared Nocturnal Runaway and My Kingdom Come. The daughter of DW Flamekissed moved confidently at the front, her striding good and solid over a surface that she normally didn't train over. Justin was as still as a stone on her back, not even bothering to glance behind him to check for the other two. They would be coming when they hit the stretch.

David nudged My Kingdom Come to move closer as Summer Romance dashed toward the far turn with Nocturnal Runaway not far behind in second. At first, it felt as though My Kingdom Come was spinning her wheels, but gradually she started picking up the pace. A dirt horse the gray was not, but she was game and tough. She also had a rivalry going with Noc that had come from months of training side by side. David went back to his quiet position when the filly was only a length back behind Nocturnal Runaway heading to the turn.

Maggie felt as though she could set her filly down at any time and swoop by Summer Romance. The finely built filly gave her a wealth of confidence when she naturally began to move forward on the outside. Midway through the final turn, Noc was at Summer Romance's barrel, still moving well within herself and without encouragement. She heard Justin chirp to Summer Romance, saw him wiggle his fingers to release some rein.

With a tap on the shoulder, My Kingdom Come was off to the races. She leaped into the bridle, demanding release of the leath reins as soon as possible. David obliged her and let her have her way. With undeniable speed, the gray horse rapidly made up the distance separating her from the other two. She swapped leads into the stretch and was on Noc's outside in time for the real dual.

Ripley tapped the watch when the horses hit the markers and grinned at the pace. It was pretty quick for three horses who weren't natural turf animals. Summer Romance responded to the challenge of the other two with admirable resolution. Under Justin's crosses the bay filly maintained her lead of a neck until the final hundred yards. It was then that Ripley saw Noc's coiled power and she held her breath.

Maggie just tapped the dirt-bred filly on the shoulder once and within the last several yards, Noc shot forward as though from a cannon. Her turn of foot was superb, leaving her with the "winning" margin of a length and a half. My Kingdom Come and Summer Romance finished on the line together, both fillies pinning their ears in anger. Ripley crossed her arms, not willing to let them know that it had been a set up.

"You love to get them mad, don't you?" Reese accused as the trio galloped out.

"It's been a while. Noc got a confidence boost for her first run on dirt and a while and the other two will be much more competitive next out."

Reese rolled her eyes as Ripley stepped around her to greet the vibrant winner. Noc's eyes were bright and excited, her muscles pulsing as if she wanted to keep on going. My Kingdom Come and Ro still continued their bickering even at the trot, pinning their ears and glaring at one another with snake eyes, loathing each other, but not the horse that defeated them both.

"Mares..." Reese mumbled under her breath.