Post by aurelia on Jan 1, 2018 17:43:16 GMT -6
Warring Redheads
War of the Worlds, "Wells" jockeyed by Marlee Alma
Veracious, "Vera" jockeyed by Freddy Villeda
Veracious, "Vera" jockeyed by Freddy Villeda
"Watch your step."
Colby's warning came just a second too late. The chestnut mare spun her hind end around, swinging a back hoof at the man walking beside her. Vera's hoof missed Jacob's thigh, but the clump of dirt from beneath her horseshoe did not. The jockey, who wouldn't be riding today but was helping lead the horses to the gates, raised his eyebrows at Colby. "This one's got some sass," he spat. Colby shrugged his shoulders, arms crossed tightly against his chest. "I warned you," he said, bringing his hand to the mare's forehead. "Worry about the colt." Wells and Vera, the two chestnut yearlings that would be worked today, were polar opposites personality wise. Wells was always laid back and calm in the stables, and had an incredible ability to focus on whatever he was doing. He was impossible to distract. Vera, on the other hand, was your typical chestnut mare - moody, fiesty, and not one to be messed with. She did have her good days, when she begged for attention and leaned into pats and scratches, but today was not one of those days. Clearly.
These two yearlings, nearly ready to make their racing debuts, were the pride and joy of Nightwatch. By far the best bred horses at the stables, Keegan and Colby had been anxiously awaiting their debuts for months on end. They would be working out today at five furlongs on the turf - a gallop that would be far shorter than either horse's preference. Both of the horses would be aimed at classic races, but they were still young, and at this point in the season, the trainers had agreed that it would be smart to keep the work short and simple.
Both yearlings gated without issue - as to be expected of Wells, but a bit of a surprising event for Vera. But when the gates opened, and both chestnuts shot out, it became clear that the filly's mindset had changed. She loved to run, and the track was where she could finally be happy. The same could be said for Wells, whose stride was enormous as he surged out of the gate. Vera, who liked to hang just behind the leaders, found herself just at Wells' hip, despite the colt preferring to be in the middle of the pack during a race. He wouldn't be comfortable holding the lead for so long, but he was a tough colt - he would handle it, especially with Marlee Alma on board. She could handle any horse out on the track - but so could Freddy Villeda, Vera's jockey. Colby watched carefully from the rail as the horses made their way around the turn, their hooves digging into the turf. Wells was still in the lead, but just barely so, and Marlee was still holding Vera back. As the pair hurdled towards the pole that would mark the end of their workout, they ran neck and neck, both horses at top speed. Colby held his breath as they flew past the pole - it was tough to tell who had finished first, but it didn't matter. Their times were insane. Colby turned to Jacob, who stood beside him, jaw dropped. He held out his stopwatch. "Still mad at her for trying to kick you?"
