There were many things occupying Ripley's mind as she was crouched over her papers in the office. The baby, her imminent retirement, Mastermind and Cross' imminent retirements, and the success her barn was having as a whole. There seemed to be every year when two horses could seemingly carry the barn to success. Last year, it had been Frozen Motion and Bella Luna. This year, it was Mastermind and Bella Luna. Times always seemed to get rough in September and October for Witch Creek. It wasn't because of the lack of training or determination to get those wins. It was everyone else catching up and pushing WCS' horses to raise the bar even higher. A knock sounded on her door, drawing Ripley's cloudy gaze up. She met the eyes of her assistant trainer Brookson Wells, smiled. "Hello, Stranger." He grinned, "Stranger, yourself, not me. We've been looking for you since you worked Saint this morning. I figured you were in here doing thinking or diabolically planning the demise of everyone at the Breeders' Cup." She laughed, as she only could with Brooks. "Well... I'm sorry to disappoint you about the diabolical planning. I was really just thinking that we need to step it up. The barn seems to be in a little bit of a funk and I want us to get out of it." Brooks laid a hand over Ripley's, "We'll get out of it, don't worry. We've got a damn solid barn right now." She nodded. "And we've got some super stars in our older horse ranks." Brooks pulled the woman to her feet, eyes sweeping down to look at her stomach. You could hardly tell she was pregnant, but that pregnancy changed both of their lives immensely. Suddenly, his energetic girlfriend was tired and more interested in relaxing than working. He could hardly blame her. Morning sickness was relentless for Ripley and he felt terribly for being the cause. "Yes, we do. Maybe Amarillo Sky will further our dominance along?" "I hope so," she murmured as she stepped into the barn hallway. Her office was in the older horse barn. It's description had changed with the aging of her first real classy crop. Mastermind, Bella Luna, Cross My Heart. Three of the four biggest names to step through her doors were housed here. It'd gone from a yearling barn to a two year old barn to a three year old barn and now the senior barn. Ripley was going to have a hard time letting go of these three, especially knowing the rewards they would bring upon the conclusions of their utterly impressive careers. Reese clucked her tongue against her teeth as she tightened Bella Luna's girth. The near white mare always shook like a dog every damn time she was tacked up. It was as though she knew how to push Reese's buttons and also knew that Reese could never get mad at her. The black maned and tailed mare was simply one of the greatest turf horses to set hoof on a racetrack. No thoroughbred had ever won the Turf Triple Crown. No thoroughbred had swept the Full Moon Derby, The Twilight Stakes and the Dream Cup. Next up was the Continental Cup and Bella Luna simply looked unbeatable. The slow start to the season was long forgotten. The great gray mare was on her game and Reese couldn't wait to say, "Game On." The bay stallion watched Bella Luna with peaked interest. He pawed the rubber mat with fury, his eagerness to be on his way showing in every muscular twitch. The Augusto son was piping hot right now, on and off the track. He'd lost to Loud And Clear while in her preferred distance of eight furlongs. It'd been a bit of a reach, but he hadn't shamed himself. His performances were really excellent right now. Amarillo Sky was turning into a big horse and Brooks was excited to be along for the journey. "Alright, let's do mile gallop with a three furlong breeze. Don't get on them too heavily as both of them have been racing consistently. Just maintenance today people." Ripley patted Bella's shoulder as she left the barn and climbed into her golf cart. A second later Bella Luna and Amarillo Sky followed. The big bay stallion towered over the mare in physique, but she had this different kind of aura. She simply glowed and looked every inch the commanding creature she was. Reese allowed the mare to step into a jog, relishing in the sweet way she moved. Bella was a different kind of classy. Amarillo Sky moved into his canter with a ferocious bound. It was as though he could sense this was a different ball game. He'd been facing horses less skilled in battle, certainly less fast or brilliant. Bella Luna was the cream of the turf roster and he was going to have to step up his game. Brooks allowed the animal to stretch into a long gallop stride, impressed with the horse. Rillo had always been the kind of horse to roll right along as though he'd never get tired. Brooks twined his fingers into the horse's mane when he launched over the hills. He was moving so easily and perfectly. Bella Luna tossed her head as Rillo bounded by without much effort. The dappled gray mare only settled back down when the dark horse cleared her. Reese crooned to the filly, calm despite the rush of excitement. Bella Luna was a confidence boosting horse. She ran as though everything came natural and was so simple. The gray mare tracked Rillo through the first mile of the gallop with easy grace. He never put more than three lengths between them. Reese could tell Luna would have a bit of a fight to get by him. The bay was obviously moving nicely at this stage. Boy, was he, Brooks thought as the horse cruised down the final hill into the three furlong stretch. The horse's ears were pricked like towers over his cranium until Brooks asked him for more. Like a shot, the large horse took off and stormed across the grass, kicking up clumps in his wake. The bay horse was devastating in full blown run, but could he outfoot a champ such as Bella? Reese was thinking not. The second Bella was turned loose the graceful gray roared after her darker colored counterpart. Amarillo Sky was practically mincemeat. The Sea Struck mare rolled right up alongside him as though closing into such fractions were cake. Reese sent a blazing smile at Brooks before nudging the mare on. With devastating ease, the dappled gray put the Augusto son away. Brooks slapped his jeaned leg in frustration, sure Amarillo Sky would toss in the towel. But he didn't. He picked up the pace with fury in his eyes and rage in his blood. He rushed after the mare through the second furlong, still in hot pursuit halfway through the third one. Bella would not be caught easily. Brooks couldn't help but think this would set Amarillo Sky up for a perfect winter season. Bella Luna shot through the wire a length ahead, ease betrayed by her pricked ears. Reese rubbed the mare's neck, smiling. They were going to go out with a bang. Brooks was thinking, Amarillo Sky was just starting off with one. The bay stallion threw his head in protest at being pulled up after running by Bella in the gallop out. Time was ticking and Amarillo was only getting faster as he aged.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
WorkoutsPlease realize that I do add in workouts before they are necessarily due. If you are looking for a specific horse because you are judging a race, click on his/her name below and his/her latest workout will appear at the top or your screen. Categories
All
|