Post by Megs on Nov 30, 2012 4:31:45 GMT -5
MIZADORI AND EVE STRINGER
It was the chance to show that we could shine against some of this competition now. People has expressed that in her previous race, the filly had expressed pure class, beating out some tough horses. It was something new for her, and today was Mida's first real test. A maiden, grade four and five race open to all ages - the Novizio Derby. The Derby was held at Intrepid Racing, over nine furlongs on the dirt, and we'd arrived a couple of days ago. This morning we'd be doing our first workout, but Jacey had come over to see us, and to find out how the workout was going to go. Since Mida had arrived, she'd been in her stall and not out in the paddock on a daily basis, so she was doing anything she could to cure her boredom. She would sway her head from side to side, kick the door, and pace the stall. You could picture her saying Bored bored bored bored. Ugh. But today it was the first time she'd be worked. Needless to say all those days being in paid off because now she was fresh, and raring to go.
Mida's heart had been dedicated to racing since day one. She went through a bad streak last year, but on the bright side, she did break her maiden at the same time as Instant Success last year, but on the opposite surface. She raced over the turf, whereas he raced over the dirt. The entrants for this years Novizio Derby were good and strong, but two of them were two year olds, which left us at the slightest advantage. I wasn't getting myself confident, because I have a feeling we aren't going to do as well as I think we are. Starting in Gate One is GS Super Charged. The colt was a two year old and though he'd broken his maiden, he was yet to kick into gear. He hadn't performed as well as Bowen Acres had hoped, but now he was coming into his own, would it be a different story?
We would be breaking from Gate Two. In Gate Three would be Fiery Touch, the only other three year old in the field. The filly was slightly insane, and since running an absolutely rubbish two year old season, she was now back and fighting. She had taken four wins, three places, six shows, and a fourth. She placed in two legs of the Triple Tiara, behind Tiara winner, Paradise Island. She was a major threat. With twenty three starts she was the most experienced of the field which left her at an advantage. In Gate Four was the two year old filly, Nightshade. The filly was amazing for a two year old. With fifteen starts, six wins and nine places, she was insane. She won the Lucky Day Futurity in amazing style, the race won by Paradise Island last year, who went on to be the Triple Tiara winner - so who knows what the filly could show?
Confidence is something which Mida has in huge quantities; she is more sure of herself and her abilities than most race horses. In fact, due to her highly confident ways she might easily be described as overconfident. Certainly she is arrogant, cocky, and unafraid of a challenge no matter who it may come from. She will happily fight older, more experienced horses and still be determined to come out on top. Though she always tends to run with the pack she will time her move differently in each race and who she marks as her main rival in that race can be a determining factor as to when she breaks. While she will take little guidance from her jockey due to her desire to do things her own way, though will respond to a whip in the stretch.
I walked Mida out onto the track and stood by her shoulder. She looked around, flickering her tiny ears, which were smaller than average considering she was a thoroughbred. Smiling, I took hold of my reins in my left hand, placed my left foot in the iron and mounted with ease, sitting into the saddle lightly. Mida stood there, not fazed by anything that was happening at that moment. I adjusted the stirrups then my position before squeezing her on into a walk. She responded easily.
After a few circles at walk, I asked her for a trot. We were going to breeze three furlongs today as I didn’t want to burn her energy out before the race. It was too short for her, but it wasn’t going to stop her from doing what she loved. All she needed was a good breeze, a good strong up hill breeze. She was a filly of pure potential, and nothing was going to end that. We were hoping to get two in a row, but I doubted that highly with some major contenders in the field. The uphill home stretched helped with this, and as I warmed her up, I thought about the technique. I decided that we weren't going to gallop full on, but just a steady power gallop up the hill of the homestretch. I looked to the stands to see Meg, holding the stop watch in her hand impatiently.
She thought I was going to do a full pelt workout, but little did she know what I was doing would help the filly's power aswell as speed. Sighing, I finally finished warming up. Come on Mida. Let's go make you a champion. I said to her quietly, leaning onto her neck and placing my hand on her mane, before muttering it into her small brown ears. They instantly perked and she responded with a rather excitable whinny. I grinned and stroked her neck before I asked her to step back three times. I counted the steps, squeezing with my legs and gently pulling the reins. She brought her neck in and stepped back twice, and just as she was taking the final step, I gave her a little kick. Her outside back hoof hit the dirt before she bounced into an energetic canter on the correct lead. I loved her, she was so clever.
I stood in my stirrups and rocked with her. I kept her at a relaxed canter along the backstretch. She responsed well to the collecting. Smiling, I began to let her gallop. Not fast, not slow, but just right. Just enough to extend and make her work in that uphill climb on the homestretch. She began to respond and pick up the pace a little bit round the turn, but when I held her back and didn't let her, she slowed and stayed at a controlled gallop. Grinning as we passed the three furlong pole, I did let her pick up the pace a little, but it wasn't enough to ruin the workout. I smiled and the steady up hill climb really worked her muscles. Imagine you went running up hill and you could really feel the burn in your calves? That is probably what it would feel like - the muscles contracting and relaxing with every stride. I bit my lip and didn't let her run, she she powered energetically up the hill, showing no sign of tiring. She snorted with each stride and as the flat final furlong came to us, I pushed her on. The whip cracked and she flew into high motion, her one thousand two hundred kilo weight of muscle thrown onto one tiny strong fetlock. We came under the wire and I smiled. The work with her had paid off, and it was only the beginning of a long life together.