"Maybe you should let me-"
"It's fine, I've got him."
"Come on Hal, this isn't some macho thing, he's dangerous."
"Tiggs, don't worry. Girly little me can handle your big brave stallion horse."
"... please don't call me that."

The last words were tired, resigned, and Tigris shrugged finally before turning to the bay filly instead of the colt. Zane was being held, well on the muscle, between two grooms. He'd been a monster to saddle that morning, and one of the grooms was already sporting a blossoming bite bruise on his bicep. Cole had slated Hal to ride the colt, as both were Tigris' mounts, but Tigris had argued that that had been before Zane had found himself to be in quite a mood. It wasn't that Hal wasn't capable of handling him - she'd proven, again and again, that hot-headed colts were her forte - but if he was being honest with himself, he was a little worried Cole would think she was more suited to the mount than him. And he desperately wanted to keep the In Front colt - likely one of the few that would be ridden in anything other than Battle Brook colors. He was the strong sort of horse that was destined for the winner's circle, the sort to make you look just a little more impressive for having ridden him. In Front had blossomed his the last races of his career, and he'd always been the sort of horse to admire. He'd been leased by Valkyrie during his juvenile year, before Tigris was riding as a jockey. But he'd exercised the big colt, and he'd always loved the raw power in him. Zinfandel showed all of the same traits, and realistically he knew Cole wouldn't take the mount from him - even if he was still a little cold toward the young man since he'd found out he was dating his son. Tigris had never been so terrified in his life, and their first dinner together with it all out in the open he'd been very close to being sick from nerves all night while Minske ate peacefully beside him. Of course, Minske hadn't had Cole's heavy glare on him all night, either.

While Hal mounted the colt with all of the ease of a kid on her trail horse, Tigris turned to his own task. Call To Arms was held by the bridle, but the look in her eye cautioned him that he needed to be on his guard. She was normally a rather dignified horse, but she had a habit of trying to buck her riders off midway up if they weren't paying attention. "Easy now Cal, don't make me embarrass myself," he soothed, swinging up as quickly as possible. She gave a little hop with her hind legs, momentarily scooting him forward over her withers, but he was prepared and caught himself with a hand to her neck. He patted her absently adjusting the reins and his seat before turning to the path to the track. Zane, now in hand, was turned to follow. While Tigris was well in love with Zinfandel, there was no sneezing at the dark bay filly he rode, either. From the second crop of turf champion Infinite Warcry, Cali was the third foal of legendary one-season-wonder Flawed Princess, who found her way into the history books as a six-year-old. There was a lot of excitement surrounding the filly, as both of Amira's foals to run had been very successful HOTY horses at two and they were looking for Cali to follow that trend. She had the work ethic to follow in their own Flawless Majesty's footsteps - to, perhaps, be even better. Cali looked likely to enjoy two turns more than her brother had, leggy and lean and more built for the turf distaff races. If she could pull it off, it would place Flawed Princess as a very versatile broodmare.

Both horses here, then, had strong ties to Battle Brook, and Valkyrie couldn't be happier for the relationship that brought them such incredible matches to begin with. If everything went well come sales time, they'd be picking up yet another incredible broodmare from there stock - but only time would tell. The filly arched her neck, shoulders bracing under the young man, and he couldn't help but feel her energy as he let her jog out, the colt hot on her heels. He could feel her strength, could see it in Zane - and he just felt incredibly blessed that both of these horses were his to take as far as they could go.