fight for the skies [flat w/Skyward]

[symphony]

Selena Hassen and Constellation

GII champion Constellation was in fighting form as he stepped onto the track for the first time that morning, with his neck arched and feet lifted high in a show of good spirits. It wasn't yet raceday, and the crowd was a great deal smaller than it would be come that day, but they still gasped and chattered at the sight of the magnificent sabino when he came into view, and no one had told the stallion this was nothing but a trial.

He was of an odd colouring, a mousy sort of grullo with the speckling of a roan thrown in, and sabino white splashed onto his belly, chest and nose. Combined, they replicated a sky full of stars in a way, giving him his name and drawing all eyes to him as he glided into an effortless trot with muscles rippling. Connor was clearly in top form, peaking right when Tally had planned for him to, on one of the most important race days of the year; Summer Stakes Day. Last year, Constellation had been the star of the show, claiming his fifth and sixth Feature wins in the Summer Mile and Summer Stakes respectively. This year, he was back to defend his titles.

Winning these races again would put Connor in prime position to take out Champion Older Male at the end of the year too, which was the eventual aim for the year. The stallion had recieved an award every year since his debut, and with the way he was running, that wouldn't be changing this year. The only competition Connor really had to fear was Skyward; the mare had proven before that she was more than capable of beating the star of King's Park on his bad days. In a few days, they would both run in the Summer Mile, and earlier that morning Tally had caught wind of Skyward's apparent entry in the Stakes as well. It was on then. Time to show everyone what their champion was capable of.

Speaking of their stallion's biggest rival, there she was, standing out among the crowd as the only grey in attendance. Neither horse really needed this trial - Tally had only put Connor down for it as a sort of practise run, one that wouldn't affect his record if he decided he didn't want to run. Now that it came to it though, with Skyward in the small field as well, the sabino seemed raring to go, bouncing impatiently at the end of his lead as Selena hopped aboard quickly and gathered her reins, signalling for the stallion to move off onto the dirt track. He did so willingly, turning down the track and moving into a fast trot that soon became a floating canter and then a gallop that carried them all the way to the gate. Despite the field being distance runners, they would only face six of the eight furlongs in the Summer Mile today, and not everyone was out to win the trial. Connor loaded quietly into the gate; he had drawn favourably for the Mile with gate 4 out of a tentative field of eight for the race. Less horses were entered in the trial though; only six ran today, the other two who-knows-where. Constellation would easily trounce four of them, King's Park suspected, but the fifth would be a little tougher.

Tightening her grip on the reins and a handful of dirty-coloured mane, Selena prepared herself for the jump, setting out her plan in her mind, determined.

[flatcreek]

Josh Passit & Skyward

The six year old champion stepped out on the track with her head held high and full of energy. Seven wins. That was all it would take to propell her up alongside Autumn Fun as the only GIs ever. Rissy was a true champion. Fourty-three starts. Eighteen wins, eight of which were her feature wins. Champion Two Year Old, Horse of the Year. A place in the Hall of Fame before she even retired. Add in the fact that she was the first and only horse to win the Virtue Trebel and you had a real champion.

The crowd was smaller than Rissy was used to seeing, since it was mearly a trial she didn't need, an easy prep for one of the best days in racing - Summer Stakes Day. She had a good chance of winning Older Female, providing she did well there. There was only one horse standing in her way - Constellation. The son of Zynco that was owned by Kings Park had shown that he was capable of beating her when she wasn't in top form, but Rissy had also beaten him. Their rivalry was ironic, since they traced back to two of the most influentual stallions, Zynco and Tambourine. The rivalry between the two stallions would last a long time.

Josh pulled Rissy to a halt at the gates, waiting for the rest of the horses to appear. As the pair waited, one horse came out of the fog. Constellation. Upon seeing his sabino coat, Rissy suddenly started to get hyped up, ready to run. Josh gave Connor's rider a nod, then walked Rissy into the two hole. It was a good position, near the rail. Rissy would be able to cut over easily, since the horse to her inside had no speed early. And, better yet, she was between Connor and the rail, which would give Rissy an advantage on the turn.

[symphony]

Selena Hassen and Constellation

Both horse and rider anticipated the jump, tensing less than a second before the gates opened and released a field of some of the finest racers around onto the track. Connor broke cleanly, though not with as much speed as others, swinging to the rail and sitting happily with two horses in front of him. Neither jockey nor trainer were worried about the position; it was his deadly closing speed that won his races, not his speed out the gate.

After a brief fight with Selena, Connor settled into the pace easily, stalking the rail with practised ease, his movement fluent. A bay drifted up to challenge him from the back of the spread-out field; the sabino gave him only a flick of the ear before putting in an easy burst of speed and outstripping his would-be rival. With the form he was in, Constellation was near unstoppable.

[flatcreek]

Josh Passit & Skyward

Josh grabbed a handful of Rissy's pale mane, readying himself for her explosive break. They both tensed, a mere second before the gates sprang open, Rissy bolting out and easily claiming the early lead. Her long strides were coming easily and she was letting Josh ease back on her, slowing the pace so that when Constellation came up at the end she would be able to kick and hold him off.

When Josh glance back, he could see a bay trying to challenge Connor. The champion easily held the bay off, strides coming easily a horse behind Rissy in third.

[symphony]

Selena Hassen and Constellation

They weren't even halfway through the six furlongs of the day when Connor decided he'd had enough of running in third. Before Selena knew what was happening, the colt had caught wind of a gap between Skyward and the second place runner and had sped off into it, chewing up and spitting out the other colt in a matter of seconds before bearing down on Skyward, pulling forward to reduce her lead to a half length. The big grey might have held the rail, but Connor wasn't giving up any time soon.

[flatcreek]

Josh glanced back about halfway through the race, checking where the other horses were. Connor was about a half length back from Rissy, striding easily, with the Bau that had been defeated fading badly. Josh's gray was running well within stride, having slowed down her pace to make it harder on the closers. He gave her a little more rein, not urging her quite yet. It was enough to allow Skyward to increase her pace slightly to keep the heat on the Kings Park stallion that was running behind her.

[symphony]

Selena Hassen and Constellation

Rissy was putting the pressure on, but Connor would have none of it. With Selena aboard, trying to pull him back to a reasonable pace, he pounced onto the grey's lead, challenging his greatest rival for one of the last times. The best the sabino's jockey could do was hold on; she had very little chance of keeping a hold on the stallion when he was in one of these moods. Constellation was closing in, asking Rissy if she was willing to take up his challenge and run early, or if she would relinquish her lead to him.

[flatcreek]

Josh could feel Rissy tensing beneath him and be glanced back, seeing Constellation just behind the gray mare. He was pressing the pace, daring her to take off. With about two furlongs left, Josh have Rissy free rein and urged her slightly, much to the mare's delight. She dropped down and took off, long legs propelling her away from Connor. Josh sat still, letting Rissy do the work. Connor was putting up a mighty fight today, but Rissy was on the top of her game, too.

[symphony]

Selena Hassen and Constellation

Belly to the ground, Connor had completely forgotten about the rest of the field. The colt dug in deep alongside the surging grey, not letting her have an inch as he drew up beside her, a head away. It was going to be close, though Selena was beginning to think that the grey had the upper hand for today.

Even if the mare beat them though, the fire inside Connor would be lit. The sabino was more than capable of sulking, and seeking out revenge when the time came. Someone would be getting a thrashing the next time the colt raced, that was for sure.

[flatcreek]

In the final furlong, all but one of the horses had disappeared from Josh's sight, all except for Constellation. The big stallion was fighting for every inch Rissy got as the pair entered the final furlong. Josh urged Rissy once more, clucking to her and nudging her with his heels. The great mare pinned her ears, determination shining in her eyes. If Connor could beat Rissy today, she would have put in a valient fight. She would certinaly come back in fighting form and ready to beat any horse that came into her path.

Josh glanced back, waiting for Connor to make his final move. In a way, racing was a little like chess. You had to think ahead, yet think in the moment.

[symphony]

Selena Hassen and Constellation

Connor was trying, but he was losing. A lot had been taking out of him with his early move, and that was showing now as his pace lagged beside Skyward. Today would not be his day. Desperately, Selena bent lower on his neck, asking him for more as the wire loomed ever closer; with all his heart, Connor made one final leap forward for the lead but too late, the wire flashed past and they had come in second-best. Disappointed at the loss but still pleased with the colt's efforts, Selena was only feeling a little down as she eased him back to a trot, making a mental note to offer whoever was riding Skyward today a good handshake when she had the chance. It had been a good game, but today apparently wasn't her day.

[flatcreek]

Josh grinned as Rissy swept under the wire, a head in front. He eased the gray mare down slowly, letting her gallop out a ways before stopping her and turning het back towards the others. Constellation had sure given his all, and there was no telling who would come out on top the next time the two horses met on the track. One thing that was certain was that both horses were at the top of their game. If they didn't wow the crowds in the upcomming features, something was wrong.

Josh walked the mare over near Constellation, his well trained eye looking over the striking stallion. He was in exceptional form and would still be the horse to beat in the Summer Stakes races. "Hi Selena. Good race, I thought you had us at the quarter pole." He smiled. "Connor looks good." Josh reached down, giving Rissy a pat. She knew that she had won, her ears were up and her eyes were shining.