It'd been a while since the workout pairings had been switched up. Since last year really. Ripley was very particular against working two year olds against their elders, especially four year olds. Laura glanced anxiously down the barn row, eyes glinting. She'd hardly expected the list that popped out this morning. Nirvana and Casualty of War hadn't been the surprise. What had been the surprise was the third name. Mastermind. A name that was becoming more legend than reality, more reverential than down-to-earth. The lean Adonis that stood tied at the very end of the barn had only lost four races out of twelve starts this season. To say he was in his prime would be an understatement of a vast career spanning three seasons. The chestnut horse looked so athletic even now, poised and elegant with his gear on. He was a photographer's dream. Laura glanced at her heavy-set mount, smirked. She had a great face, but miss Nirvana would only ever be cute. It wasn't that Vana was dull or plain to look at. She wasn't. She had more muscle to her fore-hand than any other two year old on the property. She had a spark in her eye and a big enough engine to dismantle her opponents in the stretch. She was just the complete opposite of what Witch Creek normally housed. The powerful bay-black creature before Vana was exactly what Witch Creek normally housed. As one of the few Man O' War lined horses on the racetrack, Casualty of War stood out for his regal and old time breeding. Add in the dashing good looks, the epic temper and fury on the track and you basically got typical WCS. Justin took in the large expanse of his colt, eyes gleaming with excitement and pride. There was no better looking two year old than Sultan. He just had an edge above the rest. It was his maturity and his wildness that drew Justin like moth to flame. The colt just had the "It" factor. A winner of three races on the turf, Casualty of War was about to make a career switch. Ripley had suggested sending the horse to the dirt having seen how well he did over the dirt track at home. Perhaps, there was something there. Today would be Sultan's first test. It would be stiff and it would be interesting to say the least. Justin hoped that Ripley was correct in assuming Sultan's affinity for the dirt for it would take "greatest dirt runner to ever live" to take down Mastermind. Ripley kept her thoughts to herself as she tidied up the bandages on Mastermind's hind legs. The gleaming chestnut stud did his own talking and that was more than effective. Ripley stood, smiled at the two younger riders. Not that she wouldn't love taking the kids down a peg. She could ride just as brilliantly as ever, but she wouldn't be obvious. "Alright. We're going to have a solid workout today. It's time to let these guys roll and allow them to decide if they want to go to the Breeders' Cup or not." Laura and Justin exchanged glances, nervous. It was not quite clear if either of them would be granted the opportunity to ride in the Breeders' Cup this season. Those spots were becoming harder and harder to come by. Sultan was in greater danger than Vana of not making the Breeders' Cup. "...So I want a solid five furlong workout after a mile gallop up. Sultan can lead or settle wherever he's comfortable. Laura, do your best to stay close." The riders left the barn in silence, each pondering their next actions carefully. Justin knew Casualty of War wasn't a speed ball, but the horse seemed to naturally cruise along. Perhaps he would rate alongside Mastermind and actually keep the horse company for a change. Ripley was thinking along similar lines, a light furrow between her brows marking the thought. Laura mounted, but a smile was on her lips. Vana wasn't a show off in her workouts or races. She was a true-blue, hard-working grinder. There was no pizzazz, but there was a hell of a lot of blunt honesty. The colts bolted into their energetic gallops, muscles pumping beneath gleaming hides. Sultan's gaze was alight with fire and irritation when Mastermind easily kept up. The lean chestnut settled in at the rail, ears pricking despite the ominous presence of the Man O' War colt. The bay-black creature pushed head and head with the older horse for the entire first turn, really letting the older horse know he was there. Vana lagged along at the back, ears flopping back and forth on her skull. She wasn't a hard core runner like Sultan, definitely not a cunning animal like Mastermind. She lumbered along at her own pace, snorting through her nostrils as if she were really putting out a major effort. Laura could feel that she wasn't. The horse beneath her vibrated with energy and all of it was coming from the bay's hind end. The filly bowed her neck, flexing and showing Laura she was just pretending. Ripley peeked under her arm as Mastermind cruised down the backstretch, well within himself. Casualty Of War had fallen off of him after a little bit of chasing. It would be futile to chase a proven sprinter and hope to beat him at his own game. Justin sat still as a stone, hands idle at the near black's withers. He liked what he felt beneath him. The muscular colt hummed with energy. He was handling the dirt better than expected, skipping over it despite his size. Justin really liked what he felt a lot. He patted the colt's muscled neck, a grin touching his features. Mastermind rounded back into the backstretch, pressing into Ripley's hands. He was full of himself and Ripley felt like she was sitting on a keg. How much longer could he continue this string of amazing victories and powerful wins? No horse could keep this kind of resonating success for an entire year. He'd have to be something amazing and Ripley was banking on it. She had to. The end of the season was coming quickly. All of Mastermind's resources would be tapped by the end. Ripley ran a hand down the stud's neck, bolstering herself up. He was a good boy. Laura nudged Vana forward, chirping as she did to egg the filly on. The two year old responded with a punch of speed, enough to close the gap between herself and Sultan to three lengths. That got Sultan's attention. Justin barely had time to prepare himself before the colt made his bid for the lead. The black-bay colt swarmed up on Mastermind's outside, furious as a nest of disturbed hornets. Mastermind, caught unaware, repelled the bid with another gear and promptly cut the corner. "Of course," muttered Laura. Vana stuttered briefly when Mastermind cut off her hole, before moving between Sultan and the older horse. With a determined thrust, the blaze-faced filly bulled her way into the space. Sultan pinned his ears, cocked his head sideways as though he might savage her. Justin cranked the colt's head sideways, turned him front and set him down for the stretch. Laura took pride in her ballsy filly. Others would have been cowed by the obvious threat, but not Vana. She ground it out, eyes fiercer and darker than before. Sultan would pay for the insult. Vana became an immovable block in Sultan's way to get to Mastermind. The bay filly glued herself to the Man O' War colt like a flea and ran relentlessly with him. Frustration wafted off of Sultan as Mastermind skipped away to a length lead while he was preoccupied with Vana. Justin's curiosity was amped to the max. Few would have denied being impressed with the move Sultan had made on the turn. Perhaps the colt was a better animal on the dirt. It was no insult to lose to Mastermind as many had. Perhaps, he's better than I thought... Ripley patted Mastermind's neck as she watched the others finish up two lengths behind. That'd been harder than expected, but that was exactly what Mastermind would need going forward. Even legends could be beaten. It was up to the trainers to find ways to prevent such losses from occurring.
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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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