TALENTARIO

[S u N f r O s T ~]

It was late at night, maybe nine or so. He had already had his evening feed of course, about three hours ago, and hopefully everything had digested nicely in his stomach. His black coat was hard to see in the darkness; it was pitch-black, the sky dark as paint, not a trace of sunlight painted on the horizon. It was indeed autumn; the uncommon chill splashed onto my skin as I walked out on him. Impressario seemed indifferent to the chill, looking around at the trees and orienting himself. In the darkness we couldn't see as well, but that wouldn't stop him from running.

As soon as my eyes got used to the chill I picked up the pace, squeezing lightly with my legs and receiving a tidal wave of speed in response. Ario moved into a canter, his legs swinging forward in a single bound before settling in. We coasted along until we reached the track, entering through the white railing and swinging around as we reached the inside. The first turn came up and went, then the backstretch, then the final turn into the stretch. By the time we reached the wire he was warmed up, my hands were frozen to the reins, and we were ready to run.

Today I wanted to condition the two year old and prepare him for greater distances, like twelve furlongs and above. Usually two year olds only conquered up to ten furlongs in the stable, but he was hardy and strong, with sleek but large bones like his sire and a graceful stride like his dam. I felt him tensing up already as the wire approached, knowing what was to come. As he tensed up I felt another force come through the reins; fury. He was anxious to run his fury out tonight, his fury at Anarchi. Anarchi had recently won their latest race, beating Ario by a neck or a half length - I wasn't sure which, because I was busy holding on as the speed threatened to sweep me off his back.

Our canter sped up as we approached the last five feet. I moved my fingers, getting ready to slide them down his neck to give him more rein. My knees tensed, ready to get me into a crouch, prime resist-momentum position. My eyes glanced left as the wire came close, and once we passed under it my hands dropped, I rose up, and we blasted off into the night.

The first two strides encouraged me to jump off then face it; his transitions still weren't as smooth as Onya's, the other two year old in training this year. It was like he jumped with a wide bound, unfurled his legs' full length, and then smoothed out to a swift gallop. I tightened my hold on the reins and slowed him a bit, rating him. I planned an easy mile at this pace, and then maybe a couple furlongs more at a faster one. It was good conditioning, really.

The turn came, and I sighed with relief as his body smoothly curved out and hugged the rail as we ran it. Earlier in the season he would have suddenly curved his body, like an inexperienced pole bender who just remembered to not hit the poles, and then gone around. He had improved! That showed he had talent, mucho, mucho talent. I couldn't wait for his full brother, Bank On Greatness, to be born later this year. Based on how Ario was going, Greatness would be awesome.

We reached the backstretch, and his body aligned itself with the rail. We traveled far enough from the rail that he could move if a horse blocked him ahead, but close enough that a horse couldn't come up on our inside. It was a smart plan, I thought, and one that suited Ario well. He was either a pace setter or the colt who led the pack; either style suited. The only time he would go closer-style is if he was unsure of himself and his ability to win. He wasn't best going closer - in fact, he was pretty bad at that one - but when he was stalking the top three he was near unbeatable.

We traveled along at our swift pace, and then a sharp tug on the reins came as Ario saw something. His ears swiveled to the outside and he kept up his pace, but his concentration was gone from mauling the dirt with his hooves. I glanced to the outside and watched with awe as a deer appeared, his horns raised as he glided along. I think he was trying to escape us, that we had caught him off guard while he was grazing on the grass or something, and now he was trying to escape. To see us right there, running along at predator speed, must have terrified him, and the trees along the sides blocked his exit. So, he had to get out of here somehow, and the only way was around the track.

Ario sped up, his head locked forward, his ears listening for the deer and eyes watching it. He hit racing speed and poured it in, dying to let the deer know he couldn't be beaten. His black hooves became dusty with dirt specks flying in his haste, and his neck bobbed furiously as he drove his hooves into the soft track. We were pulling ahead of the deer slightly, and the deer seemed to know it; the buck sped up and soon disappeared, leaping over a bush.

We were at the end of the backstretch this time, but Ario didn't slow. He wanted to win this race, and he totally disregarded the fact that his opponent wasn't there. Fury suddenly swept through him in the form of his hooves going faster. We were like a tidal wave, curving towards a distant island that came closer and closer and closer....and then we crashed! We swept under the wire with Ario going all out. Immediately Ario slowed and pranced in place, a neigh of victory released from him as he caught his breath. His dancing hooves skittered towards the winners' circle, and I quickly got my bearings. During our wild ride his speed had glued my hands to the reins. In fact, my hands still held his black mane.

With a nervous laugh, because his speed seemed unequine and more cheetah, I patted his neck with numb fingers and steered him off the track.

Woah. He had talent, he had heart, and he would race with no questions asked. What more could I want in the Merry Bay King son when it came to speed, and what more could I get from the Bank On Silver colt without him leaping into heaven with speed and jump? What a ride!