ode to the world

[S u N f r O s T ~]

ACTUALLY STARTED WRITING OCTOBER 24, 2012
WORLDBREAKER AND AMBER BLACK
ODE TO GLORY AND KRYSTAL YHATE

Gray mingled with chestnut, youth with experience, calmness with calm as the two thoroughbred racehorses were walked side by side towards the SOPS turf track. The chestnut in particular was arching his neck in a proud sort of way, while the gray looked meek and was simply obeying the commands given to him. There was no masking the shared contentment of both riders as they rode towards their treasured turf track. Amber herself was actually looking full of life, something Krystal was thrilled to see. Amber had not been herself since scratching Infini out of the Belmont Turf Classic. Krystal was glad that her bond with Worldbreaker was enough to bring her out of that shell and back into the real world. And she slyly smirked as she regarded the look of happiness on Amber's face when she rode Phantie back after the Coaching Club American Oaks. It had been exactly what the stable needed for some joy. And now SOPS's string was officially fifty percent grade two or higher, a feat Krystal was fairly sure no other stable bragged of. But enough of that.

These two horses were the future of SOPS. They were the turf kings, the ones that were expected to be at the top, and they were approaching the top. Worldbreaker was in his final season and one win away from grade one. That win had been one he'd been chasing for a very long time. He had won three times this season and was now looking for that breakthrough win. Horses like Alluring Assault kept defeating him and Amber wouldn't have that from this stylishly bred and lightly raced chestnut. He had the guts to do better and it had begun to show last season. World had always been lightly raced, but when he racked up five wins in his eleven starts last season, including his amazing Dare To Dream Memorial Stakes win, heads had begun to take his measure and stamp him as the competition. Now he was off racing again but not as spectacularly as Amber wanted. They needed to refine his closing kick.

World's competition was the newest edition to the turf string, Ode To Glory. The colt was widely regarded as a future champion, but not as a current one. That was for Blue Me Away to brag of. There was no doubt as to the colt's future talent; right now, though, it wasn't showing. He had raced nine times for a win, a place and four shows. His two year old stablemates were outshining him in this respect but Krystal found herself indifferent to it. Ode was just a different brand of horse. He would take longer to mature and she was only too happy to give him that time. They had plenty of seasons ahead of them and champions weren't always made from the start - if that was the case, then Lynara's Kingdom would never have started impressing as she was now. Ode's time would come. For now he was on his one month break until the July Turf Stakes. After that, the future was uncertain, but Krystal knew the colt would benefit more from a lighter racing schedule until he had developed. Some tutelage under Infinite Warcry and Worldbreaker would do the colt some good.

The gray and chestnut were both peaceful creatures. Despite their status as males, they barely challenged each other as they warmed up, trotting with quick steps along and letting their gazes wander. Their riders did most of the work, eventually refocusing them on the task at hand. The workout today was a base workout. World had a race coming up that he needed only some minimal conditioning for, and Ode was to be worked lightly during this break period. Thus, they were simply galloping about a mile and a half. The two were stamina machines; they had been bred for the routes and that was where their hooves called. Their warm up was easy and made with quick, tireless strides. The energy was coiling underneath the two and eventually released as their riders asked for them to pick up the gallop.

World's gallop was smooth and he glided over while lightly touching the ground. Ode's was not as smooth or light; it reeked of some unmastered power that needed to be harnessed. This was such a juvenile characteristic that Krystal thought nothing of it. It would correct itself if time was given. Eventually Ode's stride would develop to be as long and easy as World's; for now, it was a tad underdeveloped and inefficient. Krystal rode him to compromise for this. It wasn't too big of a disadvantage against horses his own age with similar problems, but it could be problematic against those older horses. Ode's gallop was, nevertheless, refined enough to be passable, and Krystal guided him closely to the inside of World, who had taken position comfortably on their outside and seemed content at the current speed. That was the thing with these calm racehorses - they didn't make a bid for the lead until they had to, and then some true spirit was revealed.

A quick gallop side by side, calm and collected, and soon they were being pulled up just as easily. Ode and World never tossed their heads, never asked for more. It was a given that there would be more if they were patient for it. And for now, their gallop was all they needed, and their eyes gleamed with rising fire as they were ridden off of the track.