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[symphony]

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Eidolon
Session #2; Jay Whitten; 6f sprint

It was 7:30am, and still the sky continued to fall. The rain had been bucketing down all morning, and though he was used to a bit of drizzle at 3 in the morning, it usually cleared up by the time the sun rose. Not today though; today, both horses and humans were destined to be absolutely miserable for the five or so hours it took to get through workouts. The track was hell this morning too, the rain reducing it to a quagmire that the horses were practically swimming through. Several times that morning, there had been calls warning of loose horses somewhere in the grey sheets of water. Even the trainers, hiding under umbrellas at the side of the track, didn't have it easy; horses disappeared easily in the rain, making it near impossible to keep track of your own mounts.

In fact, Eidolon seemed to be the only one remotely enjoying the morning, dancing eagerly in her cross-ties as three people struggled to saddle her. Honestly though, it came as little surprise to Jay that the filly was eager to run in the mud and rain. She was insane, after all. What was a surprise was that, by some ill fortune he had scored a ride on her this morning of all mornings. Any other day, he would have taken the opportunity eagerly.

Still, he found himself mounting up and riding out keeping a close eye out for other horses around him - Echo, for once, was calm and settled, while everything around her was chaos.

[flatcreek]

Freddy Kranz & Spellbroken

Dreary was the perfect word to describe the conditions Freddy was being sent out into. Gray, rainy, miserable, chilly; all were words to describe it. Puddles had formed anywhere there was a slight indention and the track was pure mud. John had added a little more time than usual in between sets just so the people could dry off and warm up a bit before they went back out.

Freddy was nowhere near warmed up from his last gallop out in nastiness, but, alas, he was being sent back out, this time with an annoying two year old son of Spellbreaker and Here In London. Wade was big, but nowhere near the biggest at Flat Creek. He was fancy looking, a black and white tovero with blue eyes. And, most importantly, he was fast. Very fast. He'd been one of the top yearlings last year, with Skyrocket and Amazon. What remained to be seen about Wade was if he could focus his blinding speed and contain it until it was asked for. He was headstrong, which was causing some concerns over what would happen in a real race.

John had given him a leg up onto Wade, then turned the pair loose. Wade had snorted, then stepped forward at Freddy's cue, walking to the track. He could hardly see John walking off to the side though the rain, even though the trainer was only a few feet away. Wade tossed his head, mane showering Freddy with even more water. "Thanks, dude."

Thankfully, it wasn't long before the trio arrived at the track. "Take him six furlongs in about 1:13. It's okay if he goes a little faster, but I don't want anything slower. He needs a good foundation before we run him in a race."

Freddy nodded at the instructions, then steered the colt through the gap. Wade's ears pricked up as the colt was nudged into a trot to warm up his muscles. Oddly enough, Wade seemed to enjoy the miserable weather, prancing around.

Just as Freddy was about to send the colt into an easy canter, he saw a horse a few horse lengths away. With the weather, it was nearly impossible to tell who it was, but Freddy sent Wade towards the other to figure it out. "Hey, Jay! Nasty today, isn't it?" It was Jay Whitten from Kings Park on Eidolon. Echo was one of the other stables top horses, so it was interesting to see her work.

[symphony]

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Eidolon
Session #2; Jay Whitten; 6f sprint

Jay twisted in his saddle at the voice, reining in Echo as the speaker came up beside him. Freddy, he realised, from Flat Creek, on some young piebald he didn't know. Like Echo, the colt didn't seem to be minding the horrible weather they were out in; Jay almost shook his head. Horses. He cast an appreciative eye over the colt; he was well-built, that was for sure, and stood just a little shorter than Eidolon. He looked like he could build up some speed if he wanted, that was for sure. How hadn't he seen this one around yet? Making a mental note to pay more attention to Flat Creek's new horses, he turned his attention to the rider.

"Just a bit," he joked in reply, making a half-hearted attempt at wiping some of the water off of his face. "How far are you going today?"

[flatcreek]

Freddy eased back on Wade as he pulled alongside Echo and Jay, keeping pace with the Kings Park horse easily. Wade was built for efficiency. Long legs for a long stride, well muscled, but no extra weight on his body. He was just about perfect, conformation wise, but he hadn't shown that fire yet. That was the on thing he still needed - and the most important.

"Echo and Wade here seem to be enjoying it, though. Lucky them." The two year old nickered a bit, still fresh and ready to run. He had been galloping for the past week and a half, with no breezes until today. "Six furlongs, no slower than 1:13. John wants him ready to go next week," replied Freddy. "What about you? Echo looks like she wants to go today."

Wade jumped slightly as a horse breezes past on the inside of the track, then strained against the reins. He was ready to run, for sure. "Dude, slow down there. You'll get to run soon, I promise. Calm down." He was talking mainly to sooth the colt as he pulled on the reins to slow him down. "He hasn't gotten to breeze in about two weeks now. You know how these guys get."

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Eidolon
Session #2; Jay Whitten; 6f sprint

"We're mainly just out here to burn off some energy. Echo's been going stir-crazy in her stall all morning, but Tally didn't want her out in the yards in this weather. I was thinking six as well, actually, as fast as she likes." He gave the filly a pat on the neck, settling her again and Wade danced. Earlier, she had been bouncing off the walls, making a racket that had no doubt woken the entire street, protesting at her work being moved to later in the morning in hope of the rain clearing, which it had not. Darren had brought her down to the track at half past four, rugged up tight to keep her relatively dry until her actual workout, and the rambunctious three year old had been following various members of the staff around for the last three hours. Heading out on his last three rides, he had talked to Tally while the filly nosed at the trainer's umbrella, happier to be out in the rain than locked in a warm, dry stall back at home.

You'd hardly know it now though, Jay thought, shifting in his saddle and chuckling at the definite flop in the filly's ears. She was a completely different horse now that they'd let her out on the track, though why that was exactly, he'd never know. He doubted they'd ever really figure Eidolon out.

[flatcreek]

Freddy nodded as the horses moved along. "I've heard she can be a handful." He gave Wade a pat on the neck. "This guy is just an energetic goof. Steals hats and food, just about anything in your hand."

When Jay mentioned he was going six furlongs, too, Freddy's mind started working. His eyes strained against the rain to see John at the rail, silently asking if he could work Wade in company. He could just make out the trainer giving him a thumbs up through the rain.

"Want to work them together? Wade might be able to keep up with Echo." He gave the colt a pat, now striding calmly along the track. Maybe it would help give Wade some competitive fire, encourage him to fight back.

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Eidolon
Session #2; Jay Whitten; 6f sprint

"Sure," Jay replied, a wicked grin crossing his face. "She's pretty fast though; when she wants." Eidolon was known for putting in wild works, and for being unpredictable. Some days, people downright avoided her.

Pushing the filly into a trot, he set her off down the track again alongside Wade, waiting until halfway down the backstretch before letting her stretch out into a canter, fingers tight around the reins as she pulled and tugged, ready to go.

[flatcreek]

Freddy grinned as Jay took him up on the offer. It would do Wade some good to run against an accomplished horse like Eidolon. "I think he'll be okay. He's one of our fastest two year olds." He couldn't help but grin as he let the big colt pick up speed. Wade snorted, glad to be given a little bit of rein. The Spellbreaker son was feeling good and ready to run - exactly the way he needed to feel to have a chance of staying with the monster of a filly alongside him.

Freddy kept Wade alongside Echo until they hit the six furlong pole. The pair had slowly been gathering speed all along the stretch and were in full flight as they hit the six furlong pole. Even though Wade wanted to just go on a suicide run at a full sprint, Freddy kept him in hand, letting the quick filly take the lead. This was where Wade would get his test.

Freddy kept Wade just behind the filly as they galloped along, staying mindful of the time. He didn't want to push the colt too hard, but he also needed a good strong work in him. So far, he was right on pace for a solid work, rating just off the Kings Park filly. He was running well, though even Freddy doubted the talented colt could be Echo, not yet. After a few races, maybe, but not yet. He would be thrilled if his colt made a good run at the end and showed a will to win, maybe passing the filly on the gallop out. That was all he wanted.

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Eidolon
Session #2; Jay Whitten; 6f sprint

As they flashed past the marker, Jay gave Echo some rein, letting her stretch out to a comfortable speed before he curbed her freedom again. If he let her, she would run herself into the ground, especially with Wade sitting just a length off her nose. He could hear her snorting as she shook her head high into the air, unhappy with the small half-halts he was giving her, muscles bunching and surging below him as she crow-hopped awkwardly in the middle of a stride, her steps shortening. He clung on grimly, pushing her forward again, preparing himself for the sudden surge of speed he knew was incoming.

Just as he'd predicted, she leapt forward back into a gallop, exploding outward again and hugging the rail as another furlong flashed by. Jay tried the half-halts again, a little softer, and this time she came back down to the speed he had wanted in the first place, settling into the pace nicely this time and finding her rhythm, following the inner rail. She seemed to be flying almost, skipping over the mud he had seen so many other horses floundering in during his earlier rides.

He dared a glance behind him, to see where Wade and Freddy were after that burst of speed.

[flatcreek]

Freddy sat poised on Wade's back, watching as Echo awkwardly crow hopped, then took off even faster. Wade, seeing the filly pull away, strained slightly against the bit, wanting to go faster. Freddy, however, knew better than to let the colt go so early in the workout and didn't give in. The colt's black ears were pinned back and he lengthened his stride a much as he could. So far he was fighting, doing exactly what they wanted to see.

Mud was flying back from Echo's hooves, splattering all over Wade and Freddy, leaving the pair mud covered after two furlongs. Thankfully, the colt had taken to the mud like a duck to waker. His stride came fairly smoothly and he was still running well within himself.

When Echo's lead opened up to two lengths after three furlongs, Freddy have the colt some freedom to run. His stride opened up and Freddy was accelerated suddenly. He didn't know if Wade was running to run or if he actually wanted to win, but he was running like he could catch up to the filly. Freddy remained hopeful that his colt would make it.

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Eidolon
Session #2; Jay Whitten; 6f sprint

Jay judged the distance between the two horses to be a length and a half, or maybe a solid two. He'd only had a glance after all, but in terms of a race, that was a place he was happy to be sitting in; especially with all this mud flicking back from Eidolon's hooves onto the unfortunate horse and rider behind them. This wasn't a race though, and so he felt safe with letting her run without worrying about any looming dangers behind them. He doubted Wade would catch up to them anyway, between the mud and being forced out wide, his bay filly being glued to the rail as she was. They were running so close to it that she was almost touching it; one bump and she'd probably run right through the thing.

He could hear Wade's foot-falls over Eidolon's thundering - two pairs of solid rhythms beating down the track despite the soft footing. Catching the slight increase in the rhythm behind him, he cast another glance under his arm at the piebald, only to see the piebald accelerating and closing in, shortening the gap to a length. Laughing, Jay let Echo out a little as well, the filly rewarding the give with a slight but sharp increase in speed, happy to go as fast as he would let her. If Wade and Freddy wanted to catch them, they would have to work for it.

[flatcreek]

Wade had narrowed the filly's lead to a length when Jay caught on and let Echo run a little more. Eidolon responded to her jockey by opening up her stride. Wade, as young and inexperienced as he was, pinned his ears and strained against the bridle, doing exactly what Freddy wanted to see. He was fighting.

Mud was flying back into both Freddy and Wade's faces. Freddy had been through three pairs of goggles already and he switched to a clean pair. As they flashed by the two furlong pole, Freddy loosened his reins and set the muddy colt down to run. This was what the colt had been waiting for - his chance to shine.

Wade was bred to be fast. Spellbreaker, his sire, had been placed in some sprint features and was proving to be a very good sire. Wand Hand had been Y10's Champion Three Year Old Filly. Wade's dam, Here In London, had been one of the only horses able to stay with Autumn Fun. Her foals were proving to be both fast and talented.

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Eidolon
Session #2; Jay Whitten; 6f sprint

For a moment, Jay felt a drop in the filly's straining against the bit, felt her settling into the set pace and cruising along without complaint, her excess energy all chewed up and spat out. With two fingers, he gave her a small scratch on the neck, rewarding the drop and the good run she was putting in - for once, she wasn't swaying wildly across the track, or getting the bit between her teeth and bolting. She was a little devil when it came to workouts, almost always refusing to just run in a straight line like other, more sensible horses.

He glanced over his shoulder, and saw Wade closing again, Freddy letting the colt out to show some real speed, unhampered by the mud and rain. He didn't ask Eidolon to move again though, but kept her at the same steady pace and let the colt draw up beside them and close the gap. This wasn't a race, and it would be better for both horses if Wade finished at least close to the lead - the two year old would gain confidence and morale, and Eidolon wouldn't run too fast for her legs to keep up and pull up sore; something she had done numerous times in the past. Sometimes, he wondered if the filly actually felt pain.

Noticing Wade, Echo surged again, lunging forward before Jay caught her and reeled her back in again, pulling her back to cruising speed with Wade still running close by. Unhappy with the way the work was unfolding, the filly began to fight again, ears flat against her head as she began to flounder a little in the mud.

[flatcreek]

Freddy could see that Jay was holding Echo back, and respected him for that. It was a workout, not a race. Wade finishing close to the filly would be good for both horses in their next races. The colt beneath him didn't know that Echo was being held back, however, and continued pushing forward, closing in on the filly. He was still handling the mud well, and he was still fighting to pass Echo.

When the filly noticed Wade closing the gap, Freddy saw her fighting to go. Her stride was getting slightly sloppy, something that Freddy filed in the back of his mind for in races.

With a furlong left to run, Wade was running right at Eidolon's neck. Echo was obviously unhappy at having Wade so close to her lead. Wade was steadily gaining, inch by inch. The wire was coming up quickly, and, perhaps, with some urging, Wade could finish in from by a head, but Freddy didn't plan of letting Wade get clear by any more than a nose.

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Eidolon
Session #2; Jay Whitten; 6f sprint

With the wire looming and Wade right by their side, Jay kept the dark bay reeled in as tightly as he could, the filly fighting to gain control as the eager two year old ate away at her lead. At the last second, she put in a final, desperate lurch forward across the finish, taking off like a bullet from a gun for the few seconds it took for Jay to gather himself and ease her off again, standing tall in his stirrups and keeping her against the rail. The last thing he needed was Echo crashing into another horse.