Justin Santiago had to call this the high point of his career. He had proven himself capable of working with the big brawny types of colts through Hokum, In Front and Casualty of War and now those efforts were being repaid with the highest honor. El Sol Del Mar was known for being an honest to good filly and her three year old campaign was perhaps one of the best ever. She'd won the Preakness, the Belmont, and the Breeders Cup Classic with sprints thrown in and high-class efforts on the grass. El Sol Del Mar had been incredible enough to win the best three year old filly honor and horse of the year in Year Six. Her foals had been highly anticipated and they had definitely answered the call. Eternal Phantom had been named Year Twelve's Horse of the Year following her victory in the Kentucky Derby and she was a terror on the course at this very moment. Midnight Thriller her twin had paraded to thirteen victories, her largest coming in the Valorizarre Derby and the These Old Bones Stakes, over Eternal Phantom. And then had come Mastermind with so far 29 career victories, wins in the Turf Triple Sprinter Crown and the Dirt Sprinter Crown, back to back victories in the King's Bishop and two Breeders Cup wins. Sun King was well on his way in following their hoofsteps, already a grade three winner at the age of two with a recent victory in the Eagle Cup. Justin would attempt to finish off those beyond successful career with his juvenile. The colt was a unique animal and he seemed to have no clue that he was racing royalty. The dark skinned guy ran his eyes over the muscled horse, could only compare him to Sun King in body type. Both of them were very physical looking animals with none of their sisters' or Mastermind's graceful elegance. Uno Momento had a glorious dark bay high with a white arrowhead marking his forehead. He had a gentle look to him, but already his body was hardened and his gallops were getting stronger. "Perhaps you'll be my ride into the Hall of Fame, Uno." Justin grinned at the thought, patted the colt's shoulder. He felt a big hand clasp his and he jumped. He turned to meet Mal's blue gaze and felt sheepish. "Don't get too excited yet, Justin. He hasn't even had his first workout yet." Justin shrugged, but he had a feeling Mal was only teasing him. They both knew Uno Momento had the kind of speed his brothers and sisters possessed. The yearling took a little more trouble to get the speed out of him, but if he hadn't, Justin wouldn't have been his rider. Justin specialized in the physical horses. Ripley stepped out of her office, clasped her gloved hands over her small belly. "I've been looking forward to this for a while. It's been a while since we've had a Sunny baby to bring up." Mal laughed. "Yeah... a year. What are you going to do after him? He's the last we'll have." Ripley smiled, "I'm not worried. Then we'll have Mastermind and Midnight Thriller babies to look forward too." Mal and Justin cocked their eyebrows. The Mastermind babies were all plotted out, but the Midnight Thriller one most certainly was not. Justin shrugged, waited patiently for Malcolm to boost him into the small racing saddle. Uno Momento was an oddball compared to the other Sunny babies. He stood still and took everything in with an easy persona, never getting intense or absolutely focused. Justin was curious how Uno would go in a race, wondered if he would be as cool as a cucumber when running with four to nine other horses. The group exited the barn, Justin taking the lead down the dirt path. Uno glided over the ground with hidden grace and he never seemed to be rattled, not even when the wind kicked up some snow into his face. The bay horse snorted, dropped his head and plodded down the path. Justin settled into the easy pace, smiled at Uno's kindness. He had a different dimension to him than most other horses. Ripley and Mal took their spots along the rail, green and blue eyes following the colt as he stepped onto the track. Ripley remarked, "All these babies look so right on the dirt, don't they? Mastermind was the only oddball who took to the turf, more of a quality of his sire than Sunny." Mal hummed in agreement. "I think we'll find Uno is particular to dirt. He's got his sire's look to him." Mal rested his hands on the rail before calling to Justin. "Go an easy mile gallop, let him loose the final three furlongs. He's not as quick to turn on as the fillies." Ripley cast a look at Mal, who shrugged. "Well he isn't." Ripley grumped, "I have yet to find a Sunny baby who wasn't fleet of foot." Justin ignored the bickering trainers, turned the colt down the straightaway and nudged him into a jog and then a canter. Uno tucked his chin to his chest, lifted his knees extra high and paraded down the stretch like a dressage horse. Justin shook his head, admiring the colt's playfulness, but knew now was not the time to let the colt play. The boy niggled the reins, loosened them and found that Uno gained encouragement from that. He lengthened his stride into a rocking-horse gallop and dropped his head. Perhaps he was more focused than everyone had given him credit for. The colt strolled through the first half-mile, ears pricked far forward as if this was all new to him. Uno had gone a mile and a quarter gallop every day for the last month. This was nothing new, but he always came prepared with a new interest in the job at hand. Such curiosity would keep the handsome horse on the track for a while. Justin settled his hands at the bay's neck, wrapped his fingers in the colt's flying black mane. Uno played with the bit, but he certainly wasn't on the muscle. Justin let the reins fly through his fingers as the colt galloped down the backstretch. He was beginning to snort, his breaths coming faster than his stride. The horse pressed into the bit now as they went into the far turn and Justin picked up the reins to guide him to the rail. Justin had just enough time to wrap his arms around the colt's neck. Ripley muttered, "Shit!" Mal practically leaped over the rail, but there was no need. Uno had slammed on the breaks faster than a reiner when Justin had picked up the reins to turn to the rail. The colt lingered for a moment, processed everything, but gunned it when Justin threw the reins at his neck. Once again, Justin was lucky to have snagged mane because the colt went from zero to 35 in a matter of seconds. Mal let out an exasperated sigh as the colt stormed into the stretch, legs blurring beneath his body. The pair watched as he thundered relentlessly over the track, dust and dirt kicking up in his wake. He no longer looked the friendly horse he'd been before the work. His ears were pinned into his mane. His neck was stretched out, long and snaky. He looked furious and frightening, a wild horse. Ripley was laughing like a loon when the colt shot through the wire and back into the first turn. "Oh... so you're telling me that one isn't as fast as the other Sunny babies?" "Not from the get-go..." Mal said. "Let's hope he comes back normal. D'you see him stop dead when Justin picked up the reins?" "Yup. Gotta fix that, or next time we just tell Justin to let the horse do his own thing. See what we get then?" Mal hummed, but his thoughts were turning to the race situation. A horse had to be handled by his rider in traffic. "Let's just hope he's a front runner then."
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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
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