never give up

[Ripley Marsh]

Never Give Up
featuring: Nirvana & Optimus Unstoppable

The atmosphere in the barn told two different stories. One story was of a horse filled with so much confidence, so much physically toughness and so much joy that he hardly could be contained. The other story was of a horse that was so low key, so mentally tough and so quiet that she hardly struck an outsider as a runner. Optimus Unstoppable and Nirvana were coming into the workout from two different ends of the spectrum. Optimus was the rising underdog being only one win from a grade two runner. Nirvana was a struggling grade three who had yet to find the winner's circle. Laura and Brooks were gearing this workout toward Vana. Optimus was so on the ball after a brief couple weeks of life on the farm. He'd been galloping like a maniac so the workout was likely to be flashy from him. Vana was the one in question. Could they light a spark in the filly after four defeats in a row?

Laura would pilot Nirvana in this workout today, giving up the mount on her rising star. Vana was not going to be left behind as Witch Creek hurtled toward the Spring classics. Either Vana was going to be ready for the Triple Tiara or she was not. This workout and her race in the Silverbulletday Stkaes would decide where the Gold Storm daughter would run. Was she a Tiara filly or was she a one turn sprinter? Laura could have cared less if the filly didn't want to go through the Tiara run. She wanted Nirvana happy to run wherever she was most comfortable. They would get the best results wherever Nirvana was most happy.

Brooks swept the girth up and tightened it, encasing Optimus. The bay colt snorted, tossed his head, but only nuzzled Brooks. He was a terrific horse, fun to ride and reliable as all get out. He could run blazing fractions on the lead as he had in the grade three race at The Wire or close into blazing fractions as he had in the Sprinter Triple Crown last year. The bay was as versatile as they came and tough as nails. He'd run the gauntlet since Witch Creek had acquired and he had simply never been a let down. He ran his race every time and was sitting on a big season. He was never going to be a legendary runner as Mastermind or Bella Luna, but he'd left an indelible mark on the people who had worked with him.

Laura patted the stallion's neck as she passed by with Nirvana's gear. The blaze marked filly bobbed her head in greeting, rubbed Laura as she passed. A sweeter filly there had never been. Like Optimus, she was one of those special horses that people always wanted to support and rub on. Laura kissed the filly's forehead, quickly tacked her up as Brooks started calling down the row.

"We're just going to do a half mile workout today. You'll break off behind us and run us down as best you can. We'll probably hit the half in :48 at least. Gallop out another furlong in 1:01, still under slight pressure but not if it's a struggle. It'll set her up for the Silverbulletday and then we will go from there." Laura hummed in acknowledgement, but her mind was mostly on her work. She rubbed her hands lightly over her filly's sculpted body. Nirvana was just getting warmed up to the season. Laura was worried that the filly wouldn't respond in the next race. She almost wanted to say screw it now and take her out. If they took too much speed out of the sprinter, Vana would struggle to get it all back when she started for the spinter tiara. Laura was determined to get the filly back in that arena. Laura wanted her horse ready to run the race of her life in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

It would have been odd for most people to hear a young gun thinking about the Breeders' Cup and an older horse campaign. Most of the regular fans always believed that the Triple Tiara and Crown was the life blood of the group. Laura just wanted her horses to get their due and their name in the paper. Optimus, Nirvana and Lethal Dose were her projects and she was not going to fail her projects.

Brooks could see the defensiveness in Laura's body position. She was so proud of her stock and so very unwilling to share. He knew that if Optimus put a foot wrong and he said something, it would be his own fault for riding the bay wrong. She'd make a great trainer some day, the second coming of Ripley Marsh herself. "Ready?"

"Ready."


The pair of horses picked up a light trot the moment their hooves hit the track. Optimus had a nice long, strolling stride. He moved so easily, ears pricked and tail flowing behind him. It was as though the sprinter wasn't in very much of a hurry until he got his command to run. Brooks patted the horse in appreciation and allowed him to move into a gallop after Nirvana. Laura was in game mode and it was time to focus.

Nirvana headed to the rail, flashing a bit of snark when Laura tapped her lightly with the whip. She pinned her ears for the first time when Optimus bulled by and swept the lead away from her. Laura smirked, happy to see some irritation in her filly. Nirvana was a kind filly, but she could be fierce if pressed. The filly tracked her older workmate into the back stretch, her strides were long and powerful. She had always been a sweet ride because of her movement.

Brooks let the reins out a notch as Optimus straightened up and moved through the first furlong. His strides were quick and he seemed to beg to run some more. Brooks steadied himself about the bay, reminded himself that he had to keep Nirvana in the game. When the filly came to them in the homestretch then he'd get to turn his horse loose. Optimus simply was at the top of his game after that beautiful win. He simply wanted to run. The horse's ears were pricked as he scooted through the first furlong four lengths in front of his workmate. He was cruising along as he was wont to do, flashing off another talent he possessed. Rating was important in these front end speed crazy days. To have a horse be able to lead, rate and close from the clouds simply was a gift.

Nirvana loped along, ears pricking up as she ran into her large race stride. She was a stocky type, but her reach was impressive to say the least. Last year's Juvenile Filly of the Year skirted easily along the rail and under urging, drew within three lengths of Optimus in the middle part of the work. She skipped around the turn, switched leads and took off, drawing within two lengths. Laura sucked in a breath, swung her filly outside of Optimus' haunches. The stallion moved easily in front of them, but in case he stopped she did not want to be behind him.

Brooks and Optimus reacted simultaneously when Nirvana's white face appeared at Optimus' side. Horse and rider both lowered themselves to the ground and ran. He rebuked the filly, pulling ahead to a length and daring her to play catch me if you can.

Under some urging, Nirvana began to swallow the ground down the straight. Ears flat to her neck, she soared after her new rival in pursuit. Her legs blurred beneath her relatively heavy body and she simply glided over the dirt.

"Looks like she's got her wings back," Mal commented, binoculars glued to his eyes.

"That's right." Ripley smiled as the filly caught the stallion past the wire, barreling right on by as Brooks pulled the honest stallion up. Both of them had gotten their wings back right in the nick of time.