Strike A Fire
Fire It Up jockeyed by Samuel Knight
Alexia heard a yell across the yard and was quick out of her office, just in time to see a large bay passing with his head and tail held eye, a spark of mischief in his eye. Comet already had on his bridle, and had clearly pulled one of his favorite tricks - barging past the handlers as they entered his stall to fetch him for his warm up. The trainer laughed, shaking her head as the lovable juvenile stopped nearby. He wasn't trying to escape and he never went further than this point but you could guarantee he would get out at least once a week. She walked over, taking hold of the rein and undoing the tie which had kept the reins from being a hazard while he was left in his stall and led him back across the yard.
The two year old nuzzled at her roughly before commencing to walk calmly beside her. "Falling for that one again? I'm beginning to think you enjoy it just as much as he does." her tone was joking, but she meant it - how many times would the colt need to barge past the handlers before they grew wise? Still, it was an entertaining moment before the workout. She held his head as a groom brought over the saddle, fastening it with an almost relieved look that someone had hold of Comet's head and he could not pull his other stunt of nipping at whoever was saddling him. The colt snorted as the girth was fastened, his ears flicking backwards for a second, and then resumed the couldn't-care-less attitude which was typical of him in-hand. Alexia handed him over to the handlers for warming up and arranged to meet them at the dirt track ready for his workout in fifteen minutes time - the same time she had already arranged for Sam to be there. The jockey had been working with the colt since January but the colt hadn't yet debuted - a fact which was about to change in The Wire's Fevrier Maiden.
The race was at the lower end of the colt's distance preferences and would provide a perfect opportunity to see exactly how well he ran in company although the trainer suspected their would be no issues on that one from what she had seen previously. Still, what happened in training was no way to measure exactly how a race would go - if it were, the early races with a juvenile would be a lot easier on the nerves. Of course, not every horse could win first time out, in fact most did not, and Alexia knew that sticking by the horse with solid training was the best way forwards.
Sam was in a bright mood (for him, at least) when they arrived at the track and greeted the trainer with an uncharacteristic hug. "A brilliant day, isn't it?" Alexia nodded, a little perplexed.
"Easy one for you this morning - get that colt moving! I want to see you and Comet at full gallop for three furlongs, okay?"
"Yeah, but you don't have to be all business you know."
"Nor do we need to be hugging people out of place, but you know."
"Oh, sorry 'bout that."
Comet arrived with his handlers shortly after and Sam was quick into the saddle. Comet suddenly perked up, his ears coming forwards and eyes bright as the jockey found the stirrups. While a bit of a pain in hand, the colt had shown great improvement every time the jockey climbed into the saddle and was incredibly responsive - to the point that often the handlers would let Sam take control once he was seated just as they did then. The slightest squeeze of the jockey's leg and Comet was moving forwards on the dirt, energetic and lively where he had previously been reserved. Once he had the colt where he wanted him Sam pulled him up, pointing him down the track and looking to Alexia. They had been working with gates lately, so this was out of the usual for the pair and he wanted to make sure nothing went wrong. With a nod from the trainer he shortened the rein and rose in the stirrups, squeezing the colt forwards.
Comet knew exactly what was expected of him and moved forwards in a swift, clean motion although his pace was not quick to pick up. It took several strides for the large bay to really get his legs going exactly where he wanted them and once he had Sam started driving him. It was all he needed - no crop was needed to motivate the eager juvenile who suddenly surged forwards with great energy and momentum with long and impressive strides carrying him more and more quickly up the soft dirt which flew out behind him. There was real stretch in each and every stride the colt took, determination clear in every movement. Muscles rippled beneath his mahogany hide as he sped forwards. There were no signs of tiring, no signs of slowing down - the colt had his mind on the task and nothing would have distracted him in that moment. Even so Sam kept driving, ducked close to the colt's neck to be as stream-lined as possible.
It was something to see. Where the first few strides had seemed clumsy and ungainly the colt was showing himself to be a powerhouse. Even the soft, almost muddy ground had not detracted from his splendor. It was a show, the sort of speed you might expect in champions. Of course, the class of horses was improving every year and the competition was tough, but Alexia was really starting to think they had something here. Was it enough to win? The colt flew past the post mid-stride, continuing on although slowing with his jockeys request and Alexia glanced at the stopwatch in her hand. :30.52 was not a bad time at all - it was a positive start, at least.
The two year old nuzzled at her roughly before commencing to walk calmly beside her. "Falling for that one again? I'm beginning to think you enjoy it just as much as he does." her tone was joking, but she meant it - how many times would the colt need to barge past the handlers before they grew wise? Still, it was an entertaining moment before the workout. She held his head as a groom brought over the saddle, fastening it with an almost relieved look that someone had hold of Comet's head and he could not pull his other stunt of nipping at whoever was saddling him. The colt snorted as the girth was fastened, his ears flicking backwards for a second, and then resumed the couldn't-care-less attitude which was typical of him in-hand. Alexia handed him over to the handlers for warming up and arranged to meet them at the dirt track ready for his workout in fifteen minutes time - the same time she had already arranged for Sam to be there. The jockey had been working with the colt since January but the colt hadn't yet debuted - a fact which was about to change in The Wire's Fevrier Maiden.
The race was at the lower end of the colt's distance preferences and would provide a perfect opportunity to see exactly how well he ran in company although the trainer suspected their would be no issues on that one from what she had seen previously. Still, what happened in training was no way to measure exactly how a race would go - if it were, the early races with a juvenile would be a lot easier on the nerves. Of course, not every horse could win first time out, in fact most did not, and Alexia knew that sticking by the horse with solid training was the best way forwards.
Sam was in a bright mood (for him, at least) when they arrived at the track and greeted the trainer with an uncharacteristic hug. "A brilliant day, isn't it?" Alexia nodded, a little perplexed.
"Easy one for you this morning - get that colt moving! I want to see you and Comet at full gallop for three furlongs, okay?"
"Yeah, but you don't have to be all business you know."
"Nor do we need to be hugging people out of place, but you know."
"Oh, sorry 'bout that."
Comet arrived with his handlers shortly after and Sam was quick into the saddle. Comet suddenly perked up, his ears coming forwards and eyes bright as the jockey found the stirrups. While a bit of a pain in hand, the colt had shown great improvement every time the jockey climbed into the saddle and was incredibly responsive - to the point that often the handlers would let Sam take control once he was seated just as they did then. The slightest squeeze of the jockey's leg and Comet was moving forwards on the dirt, energetic and lively where he had previously been reserved. Once he had the colt where he wanted him Sam pulled him up, pointing him down the track and looking to Alexia. They had been working with gates lately, so this was out of the usual for the pair and he wanted to make sure nothing went wrong. With a nod from the trainer he shortened the rein and rose in the stirrups, squeezing the colt forwards.
Comet knew exactly what was expected of him and moved forwards in a swift, clean motion although his pace was not quick to pick up. It took several strides for the large bay to really get his legs going exactly where he wanted them and once he had Sam started driving him. It was all he needed - no crop was needed to motivate the eager juvenile who suddenly surged forwards with great energy and momentum with long and impressive strides carrying him more and more quickly up the soft dirt which flew out behind him. There was real stretch in each and every stride the colt took, determination clear in every movement. Muscles rippled beneath his mahogany hide as he sped forwards. There were no signs of tiring, no signs of slowing down - the colt had his mind on the task and nothing would have distracted him in that moment. Even so Sam kept driving, ducked close to the colt's neck to be as stream-lined as possible.
It was something to see. Where the first few strides had seemed clumsy and ungainly the colt was showing himself to be a powerhouse. Even the soft, almost muddy ground had not detracted from his splendor. It was a show, the sort of speed you might expect in champions. Of course, the class of horses was improving every year and the competition was tough, but Alexia was really starting to think they had something here. Was it enough to win? The colt flew past the post mid-stride, continuing on although slowing with his jockeys request and Alexia glanced at the stopwatch in her hand. :30.52 was not a bad time at all - it was a positive start, at least.