super point

[Ripley Marsh]

Super Point
featuring: Flashpoint & Supernatural

You want to see the definition for a frustration, all you had to do was look as Supernatural and Flashpoint. The horses had been seething with irritation for the last couple weeks. Flashpoint didn't take to be a losing horse after getting his confidence back early in January. Supernatural had yet to win and the last loss against males had really stuck in her craw. The gray mare had been as pissy as a cat just because it was Monday. Brooks was glad he had nothing to do with the mare. He liked to see a competitive edge and boy, she had some competitive edge going for her. Reese had barely kept the mare on the ground. Ripley had joked with him last night that perhaps Supernatural would end up being a blue hen for Witch Creek.

He had laughed at Ripley, always thinking toward the future. He had a goal in mind himself. He was going to turn Flashpoint into a stud worthy of Ripley's attention. Hell, she'd fallen for Paranormal Hunter's mulish attitude and overwhelmingly negative nature. Now that mare was lined up for two breedings, one to Canjun Moon and the next to Abastor in Year Seventeen. Yet, Flashpoint was already marked for outsider interest. Why? Why should they just hand someone a breeding to the half-brother to a future Hall of Famer and to Fiery Touch, a future blue hen? It made no sense! The stallion was fiery! He was brave! He did everything asked in the same workmanlike fashion that Touch Up foals often did. He was a fighter and now he was fighting for some respect!

He ran his hands over the colt's body, felt the muscle beneath the glimmering hide. The horse stood tall and proud between the cross-ties, ears pricked, eyes focused on whatever was outside. Probably foals and mares that had been sired and bred by a Witch Creek stud. He hummed as he ducked down to wrap Flashpoint's legs, admired the strong bone. Flashpoint, or Moose, was made of strong stock. Brooks wanted more of him in the future breedings Ripley had plotted so deviously. It wasn't going to happen next year, but Brooks would out-stubborn Ripley on this, his ultimate goal.

She could practically hear Brooks talking to the stallion despite being so far away so loud was his thinking. The assistant trainer thought so loudly they might as well put a loudspeaker in his head. She wondered what positive quality Ripley saw in Brooks. Thinking was an asset as long as the man didn't get in the way. She couldn't imagine having your boyfriend or baby daddy as an underling. Not that Brooks saw himself as an underling. Everyone else knew who ruled the roost and it for sure wasn't him.

Siri twitched beneath her hands, shoed hooves tapping over the rubber mats. She was awfully impatient lately, irritable and cranky. Never had her mare been so cranky. Three losses and Siri was ready to eat someone alive, but she knew it wouldn't be her. Not if Siri wanted to be galloped or worked. The mare was smart. She knew she needed her partner. The woman tapped the polished leather, a result of her own handiwork. "Time to go burn some of that attitude off, little witch."

Moose and Brooks both perked up at that. Brooks clicked his helmet strap together, gave Moose the once over and nodded in approval. The horse rocked from front hoof to front hoof, his large eye rolling over Brooks lazily. Brooks shook his head. Sure Flashpoint wasn't the hottest tempered colt, but he sure as heck could run with the hottest. Brooks was out to prove that the son of a gun was at least approaching the same level as Paranormal Hunter. He was not the black sheep.

Siri snorted in greeting, promptly cocking her foot in a two-faced warning. No one was safe from the flea-bitten gray's wrath. She was too feisty for her own good. Reese drew the mare outside, leaped aboard in the blink of an eye. "What's the orders Doc?"

"We're taking them five furlongs, I want a sub :12 final furlong. Let's get around :59 for the final. Gallop out has to be strong, almost workout time." Reese cocked a brow at him. He shrugged. "Ripley and I had a chat last night."

"I'll say."

The pair of horses trucked toward the track, each eyeballing the other with suspicion. It wasn't every day you could feel the heat of irritation between workout partners. It was very rare that competition started even before the workout began. But Siri and Flashpoint had grown too competitive thanks to the losses they had taken recently. It was as though both horses were saying "Enough is enough." The stallion and mare stepped onto the track, ears pricking briefly at the sight of a galloping horse. Moose pawed at the ground drawing Siri away from the sight. She pinned her ears, full of raw annoyance. Reese didn't pat the mare's neck. There was nothing she could say to solve Siri's grudge.

The riders pushed the bay and gray into a strong gallop up the homestretch for the first time. Moose gunned to the rail, staved off Supernatural with a keen push to the front. The gray's ears flicked to the side, cowing just for this moment. She whirled through the middle of the turn, switched leads on command and assaulted Flashpoint at the head of the stretch. The riders found themselves with handfuls down the backstretch. Moose was full of fight and Siri was going to give it to him as good as she could give it. The fractions were swift, but each horse was doing it well within their own. The grade two and grade one horses were more than capable of handling these impressive fractions with more in store for later.

Brooks' hands shook as Moose pulled him out of the saddle through the third furlong. The bay stallion's eyes glowed from the excitement of putting Supernatural away down the backstretch. The man could feel her rangy presence to his outside. He couldn't let Moose get too cocky. Supernatural really got you in the homestretch. She always kicked it into gear at the top of the stretch. That was the point on the track where the light colored horse had the most momentum.

Reese bided her time aboard the sleek mare. Siri was just begging to be released. She wanted to goad Flashpoint into his destruction. Reese would not kill her horse off though in the process. Reese let the reins out an inch or so every panel they passed. By the time the mare and stallion hit the straightaway both of them were flying over the track.

Together the horses surged down the lane, ears pinned, nostrils flared. Siri began to overwhelm Moose by the final hundred yards. She poked her head in front, then her neck. Reese gave her a small tap when she felt the mare pull up from triumph. Flashpoint came back to be beaten only a head at the wire, scaring Siri into a furious gallop to reassert her dominance.

Both horses galloped out powerfully, showing their readiness for more. Moose threw in a buck coming back, surprising Brooks with the force of his peppiness. A stiff workout had definitely lightened the mood, but a win would do way more for the pair's confidence.