Post by ripley on Aug 15, 2017 12:19:57 GMT -6
Hidden Fire
Hidden Scheme jockeyed by Reese Balling Jones
Fire Assault jockeyed by Justin Santiago
Moments like this that combined the past and the future often took Ripley by surprise. Here she was staring at two very different colts with very different body types, but similar personalities. One colt was the son of her greatest racehorse to date and a blue-blooded mare worth killing for and the other, a colt by an average race stallion, out of an average race mare, but both of whom had turned into sensational producers. The latter was a product of Battle Brook breeding, the former, a masterpiece of bloodlines and legacies. Each colt would mark a new chapter in the book of BBS's stud line. With DW Flamekissed pensioned from stud, BBS had lost a vital line proving very useful in the most recent race year. Although Ripley would have preferred Fire Assault still remain with IRS, she would not complain about having such a vital stud line back in her barn.
Hidden Scheme was a different story. Mastermind, her creme de la creme, was already turning into a rock solid stud. His first daughter Cataclysmic had won five of six races. His other daughter Tisiphone had won five of eight for Stride Of Perfection Stable. Each filly was an individual, but carried the dominance of their overtly impressive sire. Hidden Scheme had run a single race to date. He'd broken slowly and had been forced to play catch up for the duration of the Prince Henry Stakes. He'd been green, changing leads in incorrect places, switching his tail in hatred of the whip. He'd resented everything about that first race, so much so that Ripley had concern that he would be too much of a challenge thanks to his willful damlines. Given some time since that March race, he'd filled out well. He was dappled and elegant, long and powerful. Where Cataclysmic was a compact speedball, Hidden Scheme floated over the course with the ease of a horse who would run much longer. She reminded him of Mastermind in his older years, of his great-dam El Sol del Mar and Mastermind's half-brother Sun King. Those were compliments of the highest accord as Sun King was still laying his body out on the track at the grand-age of five years old.
Ripley scanned her gaze over the pair of joggers, noting the impulsion in Fire Assault's behind and the easy going movement of Hidden Scheme. She really liked both colts, counted herself lucky to have them in her roster. While each of them were getting a late start, there was nothing wrong with them in the talent department. She couldn't believe the fury that Fire Assault carried within. When he galloped, he galloped like he was beating an opponent to a pulp. He snorted and pinned his ears flat to his head, running with all the competitive fire of ten horses. He was hard to match up in the workout because he had such an efficient way of covering the ground, of distancing himself from closers and ruining front runners. She appreciated his tenacity and heart, thought himself worthy of his sire in both respects.
Reese gave Hidden Scheme a pat on the neck, appreciating the coiled muscle underneath the shining hide. It was so strange to be riding a son of Mastermind. While his offspring could be a little over-competitive, they had a strong sense of mind and behaved well. Cataclysmic had a trying personality, but she never went to work without her lunch pail. Reese liked to think of herself as the problem-horse jock. Hadn't she ridden Spotlight Pride and Taboo to striking victories when their mental capacity had threatened them on their biggest race days? She didn't get that vibe from this colt. He was buoyed by self-confidence and carried himself like a prince. He tucked his chin to his chest, flirted his hooves over the ground and did his work like it was an honor to the track that he was even present.
The duo moved into their lope over the turf, their eyes flashing with excitement as the jocks gave them their heads. Justin acknowledged the adrenaline rush that he received from Fire Assault. He'd leaped like a lion into the bit, with all the power and aggression that marked him different from his parents. He was quick to settle off Hidden Scheme's flank, willing to stalk and give to Justin's control, but not willing to sacrifice his speed. Justin watched Reese ease up on the reins of her leggier colt, shook his head when the colt relaxed and settled into a flowing stride. He was far too professional for a horse who'd only run a single, messy race. Fire Assault pressed the bit through the first furlong of the five furlong workout, determined to test Justin. Justin let the horse lay on the bit, not willing to let him have his head. Although he wasn't convinced that Fire Assault couldn't keep up with Hidden Scheme the full duration of the workout, their ultimate goal was to win his maiden race, not a workout.
Ripley narrowed her eyes as the colts clicked through the solid fractions over the grass. Hidden Scheme gripped the grass well, reminding her that he was more his sire than dam. Mastermind had had an affinity for turf as evidenced by his win in a leg of the Turf Sprinter Crown. There could be no doubt that this colt would be a heir in that respect. While he would run on dirt to stay away from Fire Assault, perhaps one day, she would run him on the grass. She tucked the little thought away in her head as Fire Assault moved up to run head and head with Hidden Scheme. Both bays picked up the pace intently through the far turn, their legs blurring beneath their bodies as their strides lengthened, as they became more parallel to the earth beneath them. Neither rider encouraged with whip or hands. There wasn't a need to do so. The speed, stamina, talent, class of both animals was mesmerizing.
Straightening into the stretch, Hidden Scheme took back his lead by a neck, but Fire Assault gut-checked him with another gear. Now Hidden Scheme pinned his ears and fought mightily on the inside. The two colts collided briefly, so intense was their competition with one another, but the physicality of it did not sway either horse or cause one to buckle. Emboldened, Fire Assault and Hidden Scheme soared through the line, locked in tandem through five furlongs in 1:01 1/5, terrific considering the dogs were placed a ways a way from the internal rail. Ripley smiled as they continued their gallop out in impressive fashion and then refused to be pulled up without the help of Jabberwock and Cold Mountain. She had a pair of determined fighters on her hand, each with passion for speed.
Hidden Scheme jockeyed by Reese Balling Jones
Fire Assault jockeyed by Justin Santiago
Moments like this that combined the past and the future often took Ripley by surprise. Here she was staring at two very different colts with very different body types, but similar personalities. One colt was the son of her greatest racehorse to date and a blue-blooded mare worth killing for and the other, a colt by an average race stallion, out of an average race mare, but both of whom had turned into sensational producers. The latter was a product of Battle Brook breeding, the former, a masterpiece of bloodlines and legacies. Each colt would mark a new chapter in the book of BBS's stud line. With DW Flamekissed pensioned from stud, BBS had lost a vital line proving very useful in the most recent race year. Although Ripley would have preferred Fire Assault still remain with IRS, she would not complain about having such a vital stud line back in her barn.
Hidden Scheme was a different story. Mastermind, her creme de la creme, was already turning into a rock solid stud. His first daughter Cataclysmic had won five of six races. His other daughter Tisiphone had won five of eight for Stride Of Perfection Stable. Each filly was an individual, but carried the dominance of their overtly impressive sire. Hidden Scheme had run a single race to date. He'd broken slowly and had been forced to play catch up for the duration of the Prince Henry Stakes. He'd been green, changing leads in incorrect places, switching his tail in hatred of the whip. He'd resented everything about that first race, so much so that Ripley had concern that he would be too much of a challenge thanks to his willful damlines. Given some time since that March race, he'd filled out well. He was dappled and elegant, long and powerful. Where Cataclysmic was a compact speedball, Hidden Scheme floated over the course with the ease of a horse who would run much longer. She reminded him of Mastermind in his older years, of his great-dam El Sol del Mar and Mastermind's half-brother Sun King. Those were compliments of the highest accord as Sun King was still laying his body out on the track at the grand-age of five years old.
Ripley scanned her gaze over the pair of joggers, noting the impulsion in Fire Assault's behind and the easy going movement of Hidden Scheme. She really liked both colts, counted herself lucky to have them in her roster. While each of them were getting a late start, there was nothing wrong with them in the talent department. She couldn't believe the fury that Fire Assault carried within. When he galloped, he galloped like he was beating an opponent to a pulp. He snorted and pinned his ears flat to his head, running with all the competitive fire of ten horses. He was hard to match up in the workout because he had such an efficient way of covering the ground, of distancing himself from closers and ruining front runners. She appreciated his tenacity and heart, thought himself worthy of his sire in both respects.
Reese gave Hidden Scheme a pat on the neck, appreciating the coiled muscle underneath the shining hide. It was so strange to be riding a son of Mastermind. While his offspring could be a little over-competitive, they had a strong sense of mind and behaved well. Cataclysmic had a trying personality, but she never went to work without her lunch pail. Reese liked to think of herself as the problem-horse jock. Hadn't she ridden Spotlight Pride and Taboo to striking victories when their mental capacity had threatened them on their biggest race days? She didn't get that vibe from this colt. He was buoyed by self-confidence and carried himself like a prince. He tucked his chin to his chest, flirted his hooves over the ground and did his work like it was an honor to the track that he was even present.
The duo moved into their lope over the turf, their eyes flashing with excitement as the jocks gave them their heads. Justin acknowledged the adrenaline rush that he received from Fire Assault. He'd leaped like a lion into the bit, with all the power and aggression that marked him different from his parents. He was quick to settle off Hidden Scheme's flank, willing to stalk and give to Justin's control, but not willing to sacrifice his speed. Justin watched Reese ease up on the reins of her leggier colt, shook his head when the colt relaxed and settled into a flowing stride. He was far too professional for a horse who'd only run a single, messy race. Fire Assault pressed the bit through the first furlong of the five furlong workout, determined to test Justin. Justin let the horse lay on the bit, not willing to let him have his head. Although he wasn't convinced that Fire Assault couldn't keep up with Hidden Scheme the full duration of the workout, their ultimate goal was to win his maiden race, not a workout.
Ripley narrowed her eyes as the colts clicked through the solid fractions over the grass. Hidden Scheme gripped the grass well, reminding her that he was more his sire than dam. Mastermind had had an affinity for turf as evidenced by his win in a leg of the Turf Sprinter Crown. There could be no doubt that this colt would be a heir in that respect. While he would run on dirt to stay away from Fire Assault, perhaps one day, she would run him on the grass. She tucked the little thought away in her head as Fire Assault moved up to run head and head with Hidden Scheme. Both bays picked up the pace intently through the far turn, their legs blurring beneath their bodies as their strides lengthened, as they became more parallel to the earth beneath them. Neither rider encouraged with whip or hands. There wasn't a need to do so. The speed, stamina, talent, class of both animals was mesmerizing.
Straightening into the stretch, Hidden Scheme took back his lead by a neck, but Fire Assault gut-checked him with another gear. Now Hidden Scheme pinned his ears and fought mightily on the inside. The two colts collided briefly, so intense was their competition with one another, but the physicality of it did not sway either horse or cause one to buckle. Emboldened, Fire Assault and Hidden Scheme soared through the line, locked in tandem through five furlongs in 1:01 1/5, terrific considering the dogs were placed a ways a way from the internal rail. Ripley smiled as they continued their gallop out in impressive fashion and then refused to be pulled up without the help of Jabberwock and Cold Mountain. She had a pair of determined fighters on her hand, each with passion for speed.
