STORMY SKIES
There was no doubt that heads would turn when they saw the massive buckskin sabino colt step onto the turf for the first time. Storm Warning stood at a massive 17h, and his unusual colouring made him stick out like a sore thumb. With two unknown parents, Carter was a bit worried about his career on the track; there wasn’t much to prove about his abilities and he was pretty much a do it or lose it kind of horse. That being said, Walter had already shown Carter that he possessed a bit of speed.
The opposite was the factor for the bay roan filly walking calmly beside the colt. Moonstorm’s sire had a good run as a racehorse, competing in most of the major turf sprinter races and made a name for himself on the track. Her dam was a former Xenia Racing horse, which was Firestone’s name back in the day, and campaigned pretty nicely for Triple Krown Racing before returning home to Firestone Stud. Stella is a turf sprinter through and through, and time would only tell if she would be as good as her parents.
The third horse to round out the group was a lease from Stride of Perfection stables. Call Of The Wild was already very proven, and it was up to Firestone to continue improving the stallion. Carter had hopes that this horse would turn out like former SOPS horse, Aquatic Addiction, and would become even better than he already was. Running him with the juveniles was a great way to whip them into shape, and for James to get a feel for the horse before the Dubai World Carnival.
Carter was waiting for the three horses at Firestone’s turf track, along with Johnny, James, and Devon. The three men were chatting about their Breeder’s Cup adventures and what the Y16 season would bring for them.
“It’s hard to say what Walter will be like in his first race. Apollo was a front runner, but Eve was variable, so he could go either way. I know for certain that Stella will be a mid-runner, she has the build for it. As for Call, well, we know he’s a closer.” Carter rubbed his chin as he watched the horses stop in front of him. He took a deep look at Walter before turning to Johnny.
“I’d keep him in the front and see how he does there,” Carter turned to Devon. “Keep Stella behind him and off the rail, she’ll be more comfortable there. Call knows what he’s doing, so let him do what he’s been doing.” The jockeys nodded and were given a leg up onto their mounts. The weather had warmed up slightly, but not enough for Carter to unthaw his toes. He shivered, grasping onto the horses’ bridles.
“Three furlongs with the gate. Let them run and do whatever they want.” Letting go of the bridles, he sent the horses onto the turf. Walter pranced onto the turf excitedly, tossing his black and white mane in excitement. Beside him, Stella was on high alert as she flared her nostrils, getting a feel for the semi-frozen grass underneath her hooves. With her colouring, she almost blended in with the white rail and the white snow that dusted the outside of the track. Call was calm and collected as James got a feeling for his new mount. He was a powerful horse, that was for sure. He was lucky he was able to ride another SOPS bred horse. Devon, James, and Johnny looked at each other and nodded, agreeing to start warming the two youngsters and the older horse for their gate run.
Walter half-reared, half-bolted in front of Stella, chewing on the bit in excitement. The young colt was strong in Johnny’s hands, but his experience pulled through and he gave Walter a few strong checks to remind him who was in charge. The colt pinned his ears slightly but gave up on the act as they made their way around the warm up lap. Stella cantered quietly underneath Devon, watching Walter’s every move out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t understand boys, but she only had one job on the track, and that was to beat them. Call was in front as he cantered smoothly on the track, having done this almost a thousand times it was natural for him to take charge even on a strange track with a strange rider.
The jockeys reined the horses in when they got to the gates, letting the handlers take a hold of the bridles to lead them in. Surprisingly, both horses loaded with little problems and then they were all ready to start the workout. Stella shifted nervously in the gates, making the contraption shake a little bit. Devon patted her reassuringly, grabbing onto a piece of mane just in case. Call was quick and easy to load and James patted his neck. Johnny did the same, and in a matter of seconds they were out and racing down the track.
Just as Carter said, Johnny moved Walter up right to the front to take the early lead from Stella, who broke a little slow and was a few lengths behind her stablemate. Devon wasn’t worried about her break as he let her find her stride, quickly catching up to Walter though still a half length behind. Call broke a little faster than Stella, but was quick to drop back behind her once she was half a length behind Walter. It didn’t matter to him that the two horses were juveniles, all he wanted to do was win and that’s what he was trained to do.
Walter kept a slow and steady pace on the front, his long strides eating up the turf as they breezed around the corner. Stella was inching up on the sabino colt in front of her, her cylinders pumping effortlessly. Call just kept to himself until James opened him up as they hit the homestretch. Devon showed Stella the whip before she flattened her ears against her head and kicked into another gear. Walter was wary of the horses that were rapidly gaining ground, but he nevertheless burst forwards under Johnny, who grabbed onto a piece of his multicoloured mane. Call thundered up on the outside, burning past the two juveniles as Carter expected him to. Stella and Walter were neck and neck as they tore past the wire, their jockeys pulling them up as they were brought back to Carter. The trainer was deep in thought, but he thought the three were ready for the new year.
The opposite was the factor for the bay roan filly walking calmly beside the colt. Moonstorm’s sire had a good run as a racehorse, competing in most of the major turf sprinter races and made a name for himself on the track. Her dam was a former Xenia Racing horse, which was Firestone’s name back in the day, and campaigned pretty nicely for Triple Krown Racing before returning home to Firestone Stud. Stella is a turf sprinter through and through, and time would only tell if she would be as good as her parents.
The third horse to round out the group was a lease from Stride of Perfection stables. Call Of The Wild was already very proven, and it was up to Firestone to continue improving the stallion. Carter had hopes that this horse would turn out like former SOPS horse, Aquatic Addiction, and would become even better than he already was. Running him with the juveniles was a great way to whip them into shape, and for James to get a feel for the horse before the Dubai World Carnival.
Carter was waiting for the three horses at Firestone’s turf track, along with Johnny, James, and Devon. The three men were chatting about their Breeder’s Cup adventures and what the Y16 season would bring for them.
“It’s hard to say what Walter will be like in his first race. Apollo was a front runner, but Eve was variable, so he could go either way. I know for certain that Stella will be a mid-runner, she has the build for it. As for Call, well, we know he’s a closer.” Carter rubbed his chin as he watched the horses stop in front of him. He took a deep look at Walter before turning to Johnny.
“I’d keep him in the front and see how he does there,” Carter turned to Devon. “Keep Stella behind him and off the rail, she’ll be more comfortable there. Call knows what he’s doing, so let him do what he’s been doing.” The jockeys nodded and were given a leg up onto their mounts. The weather had warmed up slightly, but not enough for Carter to unthaw his toes. He shivered, grasping onto the horses’ bridles.
“Three furlongs with the gate. Let them run and do whatever they want.” Letting go of the bridles, he sent the horses onto the turf. Walter pranced onto the turf excitedly, tossing his black and white mane in excitement. Beside him, Stella was on high alert as she flared her nostrils, getting a feel for the semi-frozen grass underneath her hooves. With her colouring, she almost blended in with the white rail and the white snow that dusted the outside of the track. Call was calm and collected as James got a feeling for his new mount. He was a powerful horse, that was for sure. He was lucky he was able to ride another SOPS bred horse. Devon, James, and Johnny looked at each other and nodded, agreeing to start warming the two youngsters and the older horse for their gate run.
Walter half-reared, half-bolted in front of Stella, chewing on the bit in excitement. The young colt was strong in Johnny’s hands, but his experience pulled through and he gave Walter a few strong checks to remind him who was in charge. The colt pinned his ears slightly but gave up on the act as they made their way around the warm up lap. Stella cantered quietly underneath Devon, watching Walter’s every move out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t understand boys, but she only had one job on the track, and that was to beat them. Call was in front as he cantered smoothly on the track, having done this almost a thousand times it was natural for him to take charge even on a strange track with a strange rider.
The jockeys reined the horses in when they got to the gates, letting the handlers take a hold of the bridles to lead them in. Surprisingly, both horses loaded with little problems and then they were all ready to start the workout. Stella shifted nervously in the gates, making the contraption shake a little bit. Devon patted her reassuringly, grabbing onto a piece of mane just in case. Call was quick and easy to load and James patted his neck. Johnny did the same, and in a matter of seconds they were out and racing down the track.
Just as Carter said, Johnny moved Walter up right to the front to take the early lead from Stella, who broke a little slow and was a few lengths behind her stablemate. Devon wasn’t worried about her break as he let her find her stride, quickly catching up to Walter though still a half length behind. Call broke a little faster than Stella, but was quick to drop back behind her once she was half a length behind Walter. It didn’t matter to him that the two horses were juveniles, all he wanted to do was win and that’s what he was trained to do.
Walter kept a slow and steady pace on the front, his long strides eating up the turf as they breezed around the corner. Stella was inching up on the sabino colt in front of her, her cylinders pumping effortlessly. Call just kept to himself until James opened him up as they hit the homestretch. Devon showed Stella the whip before she flattened her ears against her head and kicked into another gear. Walter was wary of the horses that were rapidly gaining ground, but he nevertheless burst forwards under Johnny, who grabbed onto a piece of his multicoloured mane. Call thundered up on the outside, burning past the two juveniles as Carter expected him to. Stella and Walter were neck and neck as they tore past the wire, their jockeys pulling them up as they were brought back to Carter. The trainer was deep in thought, but he thought the three were ready for the new year.