This is my first time doing this so I hope its not too terrible
The sun
seemed take its time rising that morning as Jade waited impatiently at the farm entrance
aboard her favorite riding horse retired champion Dark Secret. Dark tossed his beautiful
black head, looked yearningly at the training track before craning his neck to look up at her
as if to ask, “WHY are we still here? I have two year olds to train!”
"Yes, yes,
Dark I know, but the haulers are late with my new horses and I want to be the first to yell
at them when they arrive. Besides, you’ve done a great job with your
babies and one workout without you won’t kill them," she said.
“At least I hope not,” Jade added in her head as she looked doubtfully at their goofy antics
on the track.
Looking back down the road she noticed a slight glint of metal
and caught her breath with excitement as she realized her new horses were almost home! They
had been due in at midnight and now at six in the morning they were finally here! Urging Dark
into a swift canter she met the driver of the truck with a frown and directed him to the
training barn.
Once there she dismounted from Dark and handed the riens to a
nearby groom. Then she stood to the side as the farm manager Dane lowered the ramp of the
large horse trailer and began giving orders to the grooms.
The first horse out was
her prize of the entire auction; Moonshine II. She was a graceful filly with fine lineage
and as she reached the top of the ramp the glossy chestnut stopped, raised her fine head and
sniffed the air as she surveyed her surroundings. Seemingly content with the sharp pine
scent and lush grass of her new Washington State home she allowed the groom to lead her down
the ramp and into the training barn among the many “ooohs” and “ahhs” of the staff.
“That one there is a beauty,” Dane commented. "Even if she doesn’t do well at the
track she could pass for a show horse!" He added laughing,"What’s she doing in our barn? We
usually only get the uglies!"
“Not true!” Jade laughingly replied, adding with a
wink that champions are always beautiful and all Cascade Stables had was champions. "She’s
an unraced 2yo daugther of Moonover Boy and a granddaughter of Seeing Starz," she informed
Dane, "I bought her because I think she’ll be good on the track but I know she’ll be great
as a broodmare. Bloodlines like that shouldn’t go to waste."
Dane quietly
ignored the comment as he motioned for the next horse to be led out for he had helped her
choose her auction horses and knew all these things already. Jade merely liked to repeat
facts to herself for reassurance and he had learned she was happier when allowed to
ramble.
The horse trailer shook slightly as another bright chestnut
emerged practically dragging his handler down the ramp. Several grooms moved slowly toward
the colt as his handler jerked on the stud chain a few times to convince him that holding
still was a good thing. Finally, sides heaving and lathered up, the colt decided that the
several grooms around him were most likely not going to hurt him and accepted carrots and
bits of grain from them nervously as they patted him and talked soothingly.
Dane
turned around and glared at Jade, "Who’s this basket case? Got your work cut out for you
anyway!"
“Oh,” Jade said confidently, "this is Worth The Risk, the What’s It Worth
colt I told you about. I know we didn’t plan on getting him but I think he has potential.
I ran into his old trainer while I was there and he told me the colt is just blindingly fast!
He’s amazing and can run forever too. He only raced once and in that race he got all
freaked out and basically ran his race before ever entering the starting gate. But don’t
worry about him, he’s just a scared little boy. Dark will fix him up and by raceday he’ll
be a gentleman. Besides, Risk’s only two, babies can only handle so much you know?"
Dane shrugged as he ran his hands over Risk's legs to assure himself that the colt
hadn’t hurt himself during his little escapade. Satisfied he gave orders for Risk to be
walked around for half an hour, bathed and put up in the quietest stall in the training
barn.
“Well,” Dane said as he walked back over to Jade,"it looks like he might grow
into a nice looking horse, but for now he’s pretty awkward and spastic. When do you think
you’ll race him next?"
"Probably not until he’s three but we’ll see how he
trains. Dark can work miracles!"
"You depend on that
horse too much," Dane said shaking his head but he was smiling pridefully as he looked over
at Dark Secret who had been standing patiently tied to a nearby railing and watching the
proceedings with mild interest. Dane had hand picked Dark at an auction five years ago when
he was a yearling and the gelding had gone on to win 3 GI races including a SC Triple Crown
race and National Champion status. The six year old black gelding now contented himself by
playing a major part in the training of all of Cascade’s young horses. His calm and
predictable personality was invaluable around the many fractious two year olds on the
farm.
The next horse out was a wide-eyed bay weanling with a bright blaze running
down his face. He looked so lost and scared by all the violent proceedings of the past few
moements that Jade couldn’t help but walk up to him and after a few soothing words and
gentle pats, convinced him to follow her to the weanling barn while her staff unloaded the
rest of the horses. He walked stubbornly at first but gradually sidled up to her and even
sort of leaned on her as they walked, facinated by everything they came upon. When they
reached the entrance of the weanling barn they were greeted by a chorus of whinnies from
other young horses which made the bay colt Jade was leading start.
"Don’t worry
honey," Jade reassured the A.P. Indy colt, "they’re all going outside in a bit and you’ll
have the entire barn to yourself as you settle in. Then in a few days you’ll get to go out
with them and play. How about that?"
The colt simply stared at her horrorstruck as
if he had understood her every word and didn’t find it the least bit appealing. Jade smiled
and led the baby into a newly bedded down stall. The bay clung close to her side, terrified
of his new surroundings. After half an hour when all the other weanlings had been taken out
of the barn and the little 'Indy colt began to settle down, Jade took the opportunity to go
check on the other two horses she’d bought at the auction that she hadn’t had a chance to
see being unloaded.
When Jade arrived back at the training barn she saw that
Dark had been brushed down and put in his stall and after stopping and giving him a loving
pat moved on down the aisle to view her new colts Lucky Prince and Major’s Flight. While
walking down the aisle a grey head snaked forward over the top of his stall door and gently
pushed her with his muzzle.
"Poly, sorry hun, I can't play right now, work
to do," Jade apoligized to one of her favorites, Moonopoly, and continued down the aisle.
Upon her arrival at the front of the two year old Lucky Prince’s stall door the light
chestnut son of Lucky Cigar paused momentarily to assure himself she was no threat before
continuing to munch hay. He was a handsome and tall son of the great Lucky Cigar and having
only raced once before, however unsuccessful, she believed him to have potential.
Moving on slowly she stopped at her other new two year old colt Major’s Flight.
Major was by Jazz It Up and out of the great broodmare That’s Debatable which made him a 1/2
brother to the farm’s prize breeding stallion World Champion What’s Debatable. Major had
raced 3 times with one win and it looked like he would win again if given his head and no
equipment. As the chestnut colt moved around his stall Jade noticed once again his rippling
muscles under his gleaming chestnut coat and that he was very solidly put together, handsome
although not possessing the delicate beauty characteristic of her other new chestnut,
Moonshine II.
“Yep,” Jade said fondly patting his neck,"you’re all boy. Prove that
you’re a true That’s Debatable baby and win me some championships ok? Like your brothers
and sister did for their owners."
As Jade moved away from his stall and out the barn
she couldn’t help thinking that she was really happy with her new string. The coming days
would be intersesting as they learned the “do’s” and “don’ts” for their new horses but she
had a feeling it would all pay off.
The End