take notes please

[Ripley Marsh]

Take Notes Please
featuring: Notorious and Lady Timeah

There was a dark cloud hanging over the juvenile barn, over one stall in particular. It was an angry and fierce cloud, overwhelming and ferocious in its attack on the human beings standing by. It was the cloud of Notorious as David liked to think of it. Notorious carried a black cloud with him every time he stepped hoof in the barn. He sulked in the back of his stall, gave the evil eye to any individual who dared to trespass near the entrance of his lair and never wanted to participate in any of the media activities. Notorious was indeed a true blue party pooper.

David smiled at the monologue inside of his head. He liked to think he and Note got along fine because both of them preferred their own company to others. Drama came with humans as Note was quick to discover. He had warned off Brooks quite impressively the first day he arrived. He'd been controlled ever since he'd been put through boot camp by Malcolm, the yearling trainer. However, his love for the human species had not increased any.

The man watched Note lift his head and aim a threatening look in his direction. The colt had a sharp head, all angles, the head of a cobra. His eyes blazed just as fierce with cunning and intelligence. His body was that of an athlete, angular with no fat and all lithe muscle. His chest was large, his belly tapering to the back. Notorious looked everything like his father's namesake, a cheetah. The colt looked like one and ran like one. He was simply the best horse David had ever sat on.

David tapped on the door, drawing the enemy out of his cave and snagged the halter before the colt punished him with a bite. "Not today, Note. Today we have work to do."

David's words jarred Laura out of her grooming session with Lady Timeah. The half-sister to Dirty Diana stood proudly between the cross-ties in her stall, ears pricked. She was a very alert filly, always on edge. It was what happened when you were second in command. She was the horse that did all of the dirty work in the pasture. Enrapture was the true boss, but Lady Timeah would love nothing more than to take over. She was a cruel leader, a fiercely dominant one. She'd been irritable ever since her second second place finish in the Quickdraw Maiden. Her gallops had been loaded with anger and she was becoming more and more like a freight train.

Dirty Diana had had to be coaxed in her early workouts with Witch Creek. There was no need for coaxing or coaching. Already, the near black filly was harder on herself than the trainers were. Timeah, if she were human, would be her own biggest critic. Her time would come on the racetrack. Laura could feel the time clock ticking down to show time. Timeah was going to roll after this stamina building exercise against Notorious.

Ripley stepped into the barn, her green eyes sweeping over the bays. She was always on the look out for any injuries. Wishing For A Heroine had suffered some bruising and Nirvana had popped an abscess right after the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Spring was a rough time of year on thoroughbred feet. The two juveniles were on hoof supplements to ward off any potential seasonal problems. Both looked in excellent health, satisfying Ripley's search before she even had to ask the riders for their opinions.

"Lookin' good. Like I said, I don't want a fast workout today. I want a mile and quarter lead up gallop with a three furlong breeze. Keep it easy and don't egg them on. If they grab the bit in the flat, rate them and relax them."

David felt the antagonistic look from Laura, but he kept his eyes glued to Ripley. Note was a pain in the butt in the last three furlongs. The colt had a turn of foot like no other and it was hard to get him to stay on an even keel. He just liked to run fast in that final three furlongs and he was very good at that too. Running fast. He'd broken his maiden first out with a stunning kick that had turned several brows. A second place finish next out took a little bit of luster off the Like A Cheetah colt, but at least they'd be flying under the radar. That wasn't possible here. At home, Note was the speed demon and he blew the doors off the fillies on the turf.

Lady Timeah practically sneered as she strode by Notorious. She wasn't impressed with the nimble footed colt. She hadn't worked against him, hadn't galloped against him. She was going in with the expectation that she would hand him his ass. Laura could feel the confidence flowing through Timeah's veins as she picked up her smooth gallop. She carried her head proudly, her tail lifted slightly. Her movement was sensational over the turf and not for the first time, Laura wondered if perhaps she was a better turf horse. It was too soon to know, but Dirty Diana's career hit a high note when she'd switched off of the main track. It had been a confidence builder. Lord knew that Lady Timeah didn't need anymore confidence.

Notorious stalked after the dark filly, ears cocked to the sides in irritation. David Carter winced as Note lashed him with his tail. If he hadn't been wearing workout pants that would have hurt like an s.o.b. Note was a cranky creature, crankier when he was showed up by a filly. The colt picked up a swift hand gallop, his hooves sinking slightly in the giving grass. The grass here was more like what Green Horse Field's had. It was thick, challenging for the horses in the same way as the hills of the course. When Witch Creek's horses hit the turf track at The Wire, they seemed to just skim the surface of the harder turf course. Note had lit up like a firecracker on that course in his maiden win.

Lady Timeah led the way through the gallop, her strides easy and her demeanor authoritative. She had clear control over her body despite the give in the ground. She sure didn't seem to mind not having kick back in her face. Lady Timeah hadn't flinched during her first runs over the dirt, but she had been a little stiff. Perhaps when she grew more experienced, the dirt in her face would be a non-issue. The dark filly cruised over the course, ears flipping nonchalantly. Laura kept quiet, knowing the filly wouldn't be nearly this calm in a race. She wished it was a race situation. She wanted her filly battle tested because the water was going to get deeper after her maiden victory. 

Laura kept her ears primed to listen for the move that was going to come. She didn't trust David to listen to Ripley's orders and keep his mount flat. She would have trouble herself knowing all that blistering late speed was yours when you asked. Timeah was going to have to respond with a gameness that she hadn't showed in her initial races. She had the talent, but did she have the will to beat down an enemy?

David was sitting in the captain's seat, perfectly perched behind Note's withers. The colt was striding effortlessly over the course, his ears lost in his waving black mane. He'd never felt more confidence than he did now. Notorious was a good horse with the potential to be a really great one if given the chance. Lady Timeah was moving easily ahead of them, but David could feel the coil of energy within his mount. David took a breath as the dark filly led the way up the final hillside. Note climbed it with effortless ease. Ripley's words echoed in his head and his father's said, Do your job. 

Timeah capped the hill, but didn't pause, surprising Laura a bit. Usually the newbies wanted to take sometime to sight see, but the Limitless Time daughter bulled her way down hill without batting an eye. Her muscular frame hardly slowed as the slope turned from steep to gradual. She hit the base, jumped the final foot and and tore off. Laura unclenched her fists, found strands of mane in her hands. She shook them off, didn't look back. Notorious was bound to follow Lady's suit.

Boy, did he ever. The colt revved up in the initial stages of the flat, teeth bared around the bit. He marched willingly and without encouragement down the lane. David was as still as a statue as the colt flew in pursuit of Lady Timeah. He was more of a gradual closer in a race, but not today. He flashed forward and was at Timeah's haunches by the start of the second furlong.

The pair lunged at their respective bits, grappling for control against the riders. Besides the minor tug of war, the exercise riders were completely still. Through the final furlong Note could not get the better of Timeah, though he would have if David had released his mouth. Timeah impressed Laura with her courage and fight despite the obvious fact that Note would have beaten her. Her game was about to step up big time. Time for round three!