silver summer sunset

SILVERIANNA AND SUNSET CRUSADE WORK FOR THE SUMMER CUP

In the heat of summer, comes the Summer Cup. And this year, it looked as though the heat had scared away most of the entrants, because usually the grade five fields would be absolutely chock full. This year, there was a total of 24 entrants across ten races. Two races had been combined, and one completely cancelled.

After mounting up on Sunset Crusade, Marissa wiped sweat from her brow. It was 7pm, just after dark, and still over 30'C. They didn't usually work the horses in the evening, but today it had simply been too hot by 8am to work these two. Cruze pulled on the bit excitedly. Marissa couldn't remember ever working him after dark, so naturally he was even more keen to get out for a ride than usual. Stella was legged up onto Silverianna, who danced about with a gleam in her eye. Stella knew that in the past with her previous owners Akita Rose Stables, Ianna had been worked after dark frequently.

There were four floodlights turned on around the track, so it was reasonably well lit. The pair began their warm up with a full lap of the eight furlong dirt track at a trot. They were entered in the Summer Cup combined Grade Two and One Dirt. It was run over ten furlongs, on the dirt of course. There were only two other entrants, Stride Of Perfection Stables' stallion TDI Live This Lie, and Silver Stride Stables' colt Dark Charmer. Both were a single win away from grade one.

TDI Live This Lie was five years old, and had a record of 55-12-16-11. He'd been running a fairly good season, with two wins, four seconds, a third and a fourth to his name so far, especially since he'd beaten Cruze last time out. Dark Charmer was four years old, and had a record of 40-12-8-11. He'd also been running a decent season, with two wins, three seconds, a third and a fifth place. He'd most recently run second in the Babbling Brook Handicap, three weeks ago.

After completing a trot lap, the grey and bay thoroughbreds were playing up out of boredom and desire to gallop. On cue, they moved on into canter. Silverianna had gate three. The four year old Bank On Silver filly had started her season well, but it had turned disappointing of late. Her overall race record was 35-11-10-8, meaning she was two wins from grade one. This year, she'd won twice, run second twice, third once, fourth twice and fifth once. Stella seriously hated placing out of the top three. It was bound to damage the filly's confidence. She needed a win to give her a boost.

Sunset Crusade had run a pretty good, but quiet season so far. He'd recently placed out of the top two for the first time this year, running third in The Wire's Zenyatta Derby two weeks ago. He was grade one, with an overall record of 34-16-11-6. This year he'd won twice, placed second three times and third once. At four years old, Cruze had accomplished alot. The Akuma Battlecry colt had gone from grade five to grade one last year, winning the Kentucky Derby and Breeder's Cup Classic. But like Silverianna, the colt needed a win.