in the moment

[Ripley Marsh]

In The Moment
featuring: Enrapture and Uno Momento

Brooks dodged the pearly white teeth of Enrapture, shivered at the gust of air that came with the attack. He whirled around, eyes blazing and was met eye for eye by the tawny filly. He'd never met a filly with such a ballsy side as Enrapture. She had the attitude of a horse who was born into royalty and the mind of a rebel. Ennie was simply not a princess. She was a rogue type. The type that first fought with violence and then asked questions. Her teeth peeked through her dark brown muzzle. She was a mealy marked filly with the light colored hide and the dark trimmings. Ennie was a beauty, but her beauty came at a cost to her admirers. Brooks had gone home once with several bruises from dealing with this daughter of Furious Passion. The Rising Fury granddaughter had more fight to her than anything Brooks had ridden before. Her maiden win had been tremendous to say the least.

It was not clear to Brooks how the fast closing filly had nailed down that win after breaking late and giving chase the entire way through the race. Ennie had come back slightly tired for a couple days, but had been up to her old vicious tricks once again. Brooks shrugged off the latest attack, but made sure to keep his eye out for anymore. He needed to get a better read on Miss Destructive Queen if he wanted to keep all his fingers and toes while she was on the roster. He patted her glossy coat, humming as he worked. She could be nasty all she wanted as long as she did her job without question. One positive trait of Ennie's was her workmanlike performance. She took her lunch pail to work every day and did her job. He looked forward to this workout and the next race coming up.

Justin barely had to keep his eyes open as he groomed. Uno Momento wasn't even bothered with the young man. The colt slept standing up between the cross-ties, a rear off cocked, eyes closed and lip slack. His handsome bay body glistened like polished mahogany and his dapples stood out like leopard markings. He was a terrifically built creature with a terrific long distance body type. Barely A Moment had influenced this baby greatly. With exception of El Sol Del Mar's head and early speed, Uno was nothing like his dam or his siblings. He was a teenage boy in the body of a pro athlete. Justin liked his attitude off the track. He was more than okay with not being dumped by a young horse. Just the other day Artemis had tossed Maggie in a strike against morning exercise.

Uno's eyes opened when Ripley emerged from her office, slapping her clipboard against her free hand. He opened his mouth in a big, overly dramatic yawn before pricking his ears and pawing the floor in greeting. Ripley liked the young El Sol Del Mar colt for his kindness, but had needed to see his performance on the track before she considered his full potential. He'd gutted that last win out over Night Visions, the last Night Stalker foal to ever hit the track. She had doubted his heart because his talent was so impressive, but he'd laid it out on the line in the Legacy Dirt Stakes and walked away with the win.

"Uno, my main man. You are so sleeping on the job again." The horse stretched in approval as Ripley's fingers dug into his neck for an itch. Brooks patted Ennie's neck, grinning at her furious gaze. She hated when someone else got all of the attention. "If you didn't bite, you could have that attention mare."

Ennie pinned her ears, but simply switched her tail in denial. Clearly, she didn't agree.



A light drizzling rain soaked the horses as they quick stepped down the dirt path to the track. Enrapture lead bullheadedly, ears pinned in irritation with the world. Brooks sat proud and tall on the back of the young horse. Ennie had a way of making her rider feel like a king. She was an inspiration. Brooks patted her neck, ignored her grumpy look. "Not a mudder are you? Good thing the track soaks it up like a sponge, your Royal Highness."

Uno paused briefly to take a quick sip from a puddle, his ears pricked and eyes wide. Justin glanced around in embarrassment at Ripley who just shrugged. "Horses will be horses."

The colt finally stopped his loud slurping and joined Enrapture on the track. The light colored bay looked disdainfully past the dark horse as though she had long since had enough of the colt.

"I want a five furlong workout today. Aim for :59. Nothing faster, but I want to see some sharpness out of them. Bigger fish to fry and these are our future hopes for the Triple Tiara and Crown next year."

The colt and filly had no idea what that would mean for them. It was just coincidence that both their ears pricked up to watch GS Royal Crown on his walk to the stallion barn. Ripley still smiled at the thought. She skirted away as her horses turned to begin their exercise and launched up into the watch box. Mal was already relaxing at the window, his butt planted in the bar stool. "Listen, I know I've got bigger things to do, but I can't help but take a little bit of pride in watching these two today."

Ripley narrowed her eyes, but only shrugged. Mal had long since earned his right to take a look at what he had raised.

Uno and Enrapture broke off at the top of the backstretch. Each had warmed up quite nicely, but Uno was much quicker to flash some speed. The bay horse moved immediately to a two length lead, ears pricked in spite of the rain. Ennie stretched out behind him and skipped over the dirt despite her argument against the weather.

Brooks and Justin sat chill through the initial furlongs. Neither of these two needed to be ridden hard to keep up the pace. Uno was naturally a high cruising horse and Ennie just moved effortlessly over the sand course. Ennie was like putty in Brooks' hands as they marched to the four furlong marker. She had finally given up her grudge against the weather and was moving into the bridle. Uno Momento barreled along on the lead, clicking off steady impressive fractions with unbelievable ease. Justin took a peek back to see where Ennie was before he let colt have his head.

Like a rocket, Uno shattered the sound barrier and cut through the turn like a champ. Justin was left hanging in the seat, hands wrapped in flying black mane. Enrapture was going to have to give chase today because Uno was simply on the muscle. The lean bay colt rolled into the homestretch, ears pricked. Justin let out a chirp, but didn't budge an inch. Such movements backfired on the willful creature.

Brooks let the reins fly through his hands, giving Enrapture as much room to move as necessary. Five lengths separated her from Uno when she hit the top of the stretch. Like the quality filly she was though, Ennie leveled out over the course and made a surge for the lead. She cut through the final furlong pole three lengths back, her large strides eating up the ground. Her eyes glittered with the utmost determination as she drew up to Unos' barrel.

Ripley and Mal held their breath as the colt and filly met up head to head a couple lengths from the wire. No one was going to back down. Each of them were stubborn in their own right and neither was going to be waving the white flag of surrender anytime soon.