into the blue

BLUE ME AWAY WORKS FOR THE UNIVERSAL CUP
SILENT FURY WORKS FOR THE CONTINENTAL CUP

Silence didn't like Blue and he had made it immediately clear the moment they had met. That was last year, when Blue was two and Silence was four. Now here they were, preparing for their next races together. A little rivalry in this workout would set them off nicely for race day.

Marissa mounted up on Silence and gently nudged his sides. The five year old stallion went straight into trot, arching his neck impressively with his tail held high. Blaze was legged up onto Blue a few moments later, and the black colt caught up quickly to his dark bay workout partner. He too arched his neck and flew his tail in the air. It was early morning, and the sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. The temperature was just above freezing, at 2'C, so both horses wore exercise sheets while their riders wore warm jackets and woolly socks under their boots.

The air was frigid as they began their workout, but the horses did not seem to notice the cold as much as their riders, despite being clipped. They eagerly warmed their bodies, crunching frost with each stride on the turf track. Marissa's hands felt like ice even though she wore two pairs of gloves over them, and looking over at Blaze she knew he was shivering too. They were both lovers of the hot summer. Marissa kept both freezing hands on Silence's reins, maintaining the light but firm contact with his mouth. He was keeping one eye on Blue, and was waiting for the contact that would give him the 'right' to attack the colt. Unfortunately Silence wasn't at all tolerant of other horses and had started many fights on and off the track.

Blaze noted that Blue had relaxed and he relaxed too. He noticed that Marissa was keeping Silent Fury under close observation, and he made sure Blue steered clear of the intimidating stallion. If Blue got too close.. well, Silence would take a chunk out of him. Blue Me Away was working for the Universal Cup. It was a ten furlong race for three year olds only and had attracted two of Blue's top competitors - Bella Luna and Italian Ice - as well as Abastor who was back this month after not running since January. It seemed his owners were trying to make up for lost time by running him a fourth week in a row, which was really not a good idea. The reason for his lengthly absence was not known by the Star Thoroughbreds crew, but he would be in for another one if Intrepid Racing were not careful.

Bella Luna and Italian Ice were both on top form and would be the ones to watch out for in this race. Bella Luna had won her last two races where as Italian Ice had won and then come second in her most recent races. The race was front heavy, so they would have to be careful of where they ran. Since they were on the outside though, it would be easy to get into position close to, but not on the rail. Three of four horses in the field had shown leading ability, so time would tell who set the pace. It would not be Blue.

Moving on into canter, it was Marissa's turn to contemplate the race she and Silence were signed up for. It was the Continental Cup, a twelve furlong turf race for four year olds and over. There were three entrants other than Silence, and they were Dazzling Dame, Infinite Warcry and Firebird. Firebird was relatively new on the scene, considering he had been out of action for a full eight months, but he'd been right in the action last year, taking a win in the Breeder's Cup Turf Marathon and a second place in a Jan Week 1 race before going MIA. So Marissa would not be dismissing the stallion, despite his fourth place in his first race back.

Dazzling Dame and Infinite Warcry were known to them, and they would definitely put up a fight. Silent Fury had only lost four race this year, coming second in all of them, and Dazzling Dame and Infinite Warcry had been the winners of two of those races. Based on what Marissa had learned, Firebird was a front runner and would be trying to take the lead from Silence the whole way. Silence had the fitness, the stamina and the speed to take the lead and keep it, but he was not invincible. Dazzling Dame and Infinite Warcry would be behind them in preceder and closer position, and they were not to be forgotten. The race would be tough.