Post by Snowflake on Jan 13, 2014 22:38:36 GMT 10
GREAT REVENGE WORKS FOR THE NEW MEXICO CLASSIC CUP JUVENILE*
Sliding off Vengeance and collecting her next mount, Marissa felt a slight sense of relief. Rev was not going to make it easy for her though, and sidestepped away as she tried to swing onto his back. Stand still, silly. She growled, and pushed him against the track rail. With no where to move, Rev now had to stand still for a moment, and so he decided to chomp on the bit. Marissa got her leg over him and shoved her boot into the stirrup, giving the colt a little tap with both heels. Like with Ven, she was preparing Rev for his third race. The difference was, she was also hoping they would gain their third win together. Rev had run two for two, winning his maiden start in the Mighty Moose Stakes and then going on to win the Silver Stride Stakes at the end of January.
With no other horses working on the track, Rev was behaving himself and cooperating with Marissa. Had there been a horse ahead of him, he'd have been tearing up the track trying to beat them. Had he had a workout partner today, they'd be keeping a wide berth to avoid his heels. It made a nice change. It gave Marissa time to think about their upcoming race, which would most certainly prove tough. The Bank On Greatness colt was entered in the New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile, due to run this weekend. The field of six had all raced two or three times by now, with three of their five competitors having broken their maidens. It was early days yet, but Marissa knew this group of colts would possibly be their competitors for the Triple Crown next year, if Rev made it there. But Rev could be going in a new direction as a three year old, and taking on the three year old mile series instead of the Triple Crown. But it would come down to his performance over the next year, as well as Furious Flyer's.
Entered in the mile long juvenile colts race was Sun King, Speak Easy, Palisades Pirate, My Man O War and Baciami. Sun King, owned by Witch Creek Stables was sired by Native Flame and out of El Sol Del Mar. He had raced twice for a second place and a win. Next was Speak Easy from the new stable, Firestone Racing. With three starts behind him already but no win, the colt was probably ready for it given he had placed second in his most recent start. In gate three would be Palisades Pirate, owned by Stride of Perfection Stables. The Shiver Me Timbers x Palisades Silver had also raced three times already and Stride of Perfection were taking a big risk sending the colt in for a third start on back to back weeks, especially as he had placed fifth last weekend, which was now only four days ago. Then came the Akita Rose Stables colt, My Man O War. The Night Stalker sired, Queen of Hearts foaled colt had the breeding to become great, and had run twice for a win and most recently a fourth place. Lastly there was Baciami from Valkyrie Stables. The Comeuppance x Cute Italian colt had run three times for a record all in the money.
Great Revenge had drawn the fifth gate. Knowing the field was full of stalkers and another front runner or two, Marissa knew Rev was going to be firing up for a speed duel the whole way through the race. She would do her best to rate him, and only let him out once the stretch was straight out before them with two furlongs to go. He didn't like being second best to anyone - in fact he hated it - and having other colts right on his tail the whole way would only be fuel to him when he was let out. Foaled by Vindictive Fury, he had inherited the strong ability to lead wire to wire, even at a very fast pace. Like his dam, her siblings and her dam, he liked to be the sole front runner. But he had inherited some sense from his sire, or at least his sire's dam, Bank On Silver. Bank On Greatness was arrogant, but a strong racehorse for it. Rev had also inherited that arrogance, and so he thought he was better than everyone.
Marissa's hands softened on the reins slightly, allowing them to slip a notch through her fingers. The colt sprang into action, galloping in an instant. He accelerated toward the turn, and leaned into it like he was already an expert. Marissa smirked, proud of her colt. He was already a champion to her, even though he still had eleven wins to go before he hit grade one. But there were plenty of big races to win before he reached that milestone that would solidify him as a champion to the public eye, any way, like the Breeder's Cup Juvenile at the end of the year. As the turn ended, Rev put on another burst of speed. Marissa had no need to drive him on - he was already running as fast as she wanted him to without anything to motivate him but the thrill of speed. This was why he liked to run, besides the satisfaction of winning. As they crossed the line together, Marissa felt confident and she knew Rev did too. They were ready for anything and everything.
Sliding off Vengeance and collecting her next mount, Marissa felt a slight sense of relief. Rev was not going to make it easy for her though, and sidestepped away as she tried to swing onto his back. Stand still, silly. She growled, and pushed him against the track rail. With no where to move, Rev now had to stand still for a moment, and so he decided to chomp on the bit. Marissa got her leg over him and shoved her boot into the stirrup, giving the colt a little tap with both heels. Like with Ven, she was preparing Rev for his third race. The difference was, she was also hoping they would gain their third win together. Rev had run two for two, winning his maiden start in the Mighty Moose Stakes and then going on to win the Silver Stride Stakes at the end of January.
With no other horses working on the track, Rev was behaving himself and cooperating with Marissa. Had there been a horse ahead of him, he'd have been tearing up the track trying to beat them. Had he had a workout partner today, they'd be keeping a wide berth to avoid his heels. It made a nice change. It gave Marissa time to think about their upcoming race, which would most certainly prove tough. The Bank On Greatness colt was entered in the New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile, due to run this weekend. The field of six had all raced two or three times by now, with three of their five competitors having broken their maidens. It was early days yet, but Marissa knew this group of colts would possibly be their competitors for the Triple Crown next year, if Rev made it there. But Rev could be going in a new direction as a three year old, and taking on the three year old mile series instead of the Triple Crown. But it would come down to his performance over the next year, as well as Furious Flyer's.
Entered in the mile long juvenile colts race was Sun King, Speak Easy, Palisades Pirate, My Man O War and Baciami. Sun King, owned by Witch Creek Stables was sired by Native Flame and out of El Sol Del Mar. He had raced twice for a second place and a win. Next was Speak Easy from the new stable, Firestone Racing. With three starts behind him already but no win, the colt was probably ready for it given he had placed second in his most recent start. In gate three would be Palisades Pirate, owned by Stride of Perfection Stables. The Shiver Me Timbers x Palisades Silver had also raced three times already and Stride of Perfection were taking a big risk sending the colt in for a third start on back to back weeks, especially as he had placed fifth last weekend, which was now only four days ago. Then came the Akita Rose Stables colt, My Man O War. The Night Stalker sired, Queen of Hearts foaled colt had the breeding to become great, and had run twice for a win and most recently a fourth place. Lastly there was Baciami from Valkyrie Stables. The Comeuppance x Cute Italian colt had run three times for a record all in the money.
Great Revenge had drawn the fifth gate. Knowing the field was full of stalkers and another front runner or two, Marissa knew Rev was going to be firing up for a speed duel the whole way through the race. She would do her best to rate him, and only let him out once the stretch was straight out before them with two furlongs to go. He didn't like being second best to anyone - in fact he hated it - and having other colts right on his tail the whole way would only be fuel to him when he was let out. Foaled by Vindictive Fury, he had inherited the strong ability to lead wire to wire, even at a very fast pace. Like his dam, her siblings and her dam, he liked to be the sole front runner. But he had inherited some sense from his sire, or at least his sire's dam, Bank On Silver. Bank On Greatness was arrogant, but a strong racehorse for it. Rev had also inherited that arrogance, and so he thought he was better than everyone.
Marissa's hands softened on the reins slightly, allowing them to slip a notch through her fingers. The colt sprang into action, galloping in an instant. He accelerated toward the turn, and leaned into it like he was already an expert. Marissa smirked, proud of her colt. He was already a champion to her, even though he still had eleven wins to go before he hit grade one. But there were plenty of big races to win before he reached that milestone that would solidify him as a champion to the public eye, any way, like the Breeder's Cup Juvenile at the end of the year. As the turn ended, Rev put on another burst of speed. Marissa had no need to drive him on - he was already running as fast as she wanted him to without anything to motivate him but the thrill of speed. This was why he liked to run, besides the satisfaction of winning. As they crossed the line together, Marissa felt confident and she knew Rev did too. They were ready for anything and everything.