"This is going to be a fun workout," Reese said as she tightened the girth on Spotlight Pride's saddle. The lean chestnut colt twitched beneath the tack, but didn't fly off the handle as he'd used to do. The Deathflash's Pride colt had come a long way since the beginning of the season. Reese patted the horse's neck, smiled when he turned to look back at her with his signature white rimmed eyes. The eyes always made him look slightly wild. It was an over-exaggeration as the colt was not the ferocious stallion he was expected to be. He was a cool horse, wildly fast, but definitely not ferocious or bullish. "In fact, outside of racing my dear Pride, you could be called a coward." The horse snorted as if in disbelief and his attention swiftly moved from his rider to the shadowy form at the entrance to the barn. Reese laughed, "Typical man." She too turned her gaze to the entrance, cocked a brow. "I take it you're ready to roll?" The winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf looked ever the ominous opponent. The Devil's Hourglass had her mother's coltish frame, her father's savage head and her own personal vendetta to finish. Several second and third place finishes sat between her powerful victory in the Universal Cup. The time was ticking and the dark bay filly was more than ready to take back her crown. Her trainer was eager to get her proud personally bred filly to the winner's circle again, just once before she retired for good. Ripley's green eyes flashed from the shadows, irritable as usual. "Ready when you are." Reese nodded, clicked her helmet strap together and guided Pride into the weak winter sunlight. The copper colt glowed in the sun, eyes sweeping over the snow covered terrain. He snorted, waited patiently for Reese to mount up before parading down the track. He was as on his game as ever. He would have to be in order to take down the AJC Sires Produce Stakes. The ten furlongs was nearing his distance limit, but he was bloody fast enough to win. They'd have to keep up to take him down. Everyone knew where Spotlight Pride was going. To the front and never looking back. Hourglass was not quite as fast as Spotlight Pride, but she was known for some speed. She'd stolen the Belmont Turf Classic on the front end and was not against running away with her races. She'd been under prepared for the Flower Bowl, but would not be so for the World Filly Cup. It could be the race to reassert Hourglass as the top turf three year old in the nation. Ripley badly wanted the race, but it could be just a stepping stone to the year end goal of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Ripley patted the filly's neck as she stepped onto the dirt, ears flicking here and there. She had never disliked the surface when forced to work over it and her gallops were sometimes significantly better over it than the turf. Perhaps, a surface change would be called for as a four year old... Stranger things had happened. The pair of horses broke off into long striding canters. Hourglass snorted fiercely, tail flicking over her rump. She was all business on the track. She'd once been extremely hard to control, bloody fast as a juvenile and fearless. Now she was a professional. She knew her job. She was the class with the speed of sprinters. If there was any horse Ripley wanted under her in a race, it was this one. Ripley nodded to Reese, made the call. "Five furlongs, breezing." Reese let the reins out, smiled when her handsome juvenile scooted into a fast gallop. The horse had the quickest break of any other horse on the roster, besides Cross. He was a lean, mean machine. Pride was known as one of the toughest horses to beat in the juvenile circuit. He never had quit and when he lost, he gutted the victor. She admired the horse's hard trying attitude. He was as gutty as they came and this workout would set him up for his toughest test yet. Hourglass and Pride galloped in tandem over the dirt course, each lining out like greyhounds. Hourglass' ears were pinned to her neck while Pride's stood up like towers. He was an easy going horse, knew the difference between gallop and workout. Hourglass was on the ball from start to finish. Reese would enjoy playing with the dark bay filly, but wondered if she would be the one laughed at in the end. Ripley kept her hands light on the reins as Hourglass quickened down the stretch. The filly didn't need someone in her mouth, it made her obstinate. She was the kind of horse you left alone because she was just the good, just that smart. Her big loping strides covered the ground impressively and even though Pride was faster, she seemed to just have that extra power. The woman leaned close the filly as she shot through the first furlong, glanced back to keep tabs on Pride. The chestnut colt was tucked in at Hourglass' haunches. He looked like he was relaxed and right exactly where Reese wanted him. She was intent on keeping pressure on Hourglass, but the filly was just doing it so easy. Reese was happy with the way the colt was moving. He was just loping so prettily alongside Hourglass. Man he had some speed, but that speed needed some guidance. Now was the time to learn. The Kentucky Open was the destination and his speed would need to be contained in order to get ten furlongs. This was practice for that big race just as much as for the Kentucky Open. The horses charged into the turn, hooves churning up the course. Pride moved up to the filly's throat latch, his brown eyes flashing with enjoyment. The horse was so enthusiastic and he was just so much fun. Handy as hell was how Reese described him to other riders. He was there no matter what you needed. Reese wanted to see what the colt would do with a poor break. She thought he could handle it. He was becoming a partner in their journey, less so than the #1 star. Pride and Hourglass swung into the stretch, legs flying beneath each of them. The riders were quiet as the horses soared down the stretch, listening to their breathing, their thunderous hooves. There was nothing like riding on an empty track. The horses cruised through the wire, Hourglass a half length in front, her ears pricked. Nice and easy would get them to the winner's circle. The big races were calling their names. The hourglass was tipping toward their time in the spotlight.
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