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Post by Melissa on Jul 8, 2009 19:16:44 GMT -5
Bucking, and twisting wildly in among her paddock pals Santana whinnied out joyously, clearly loving life. To be a filly who normally didn't play around too much, she seemed to be having the best of times out there in the pasture now. Folksong nickered out shyly to her closet equine pal while Devious just ignored Santana when the Xenophon filly flew past her, hooves flying close to the black filly. "Saaantana! Come on girl." I called out, with a bounce in my step as I moved toward the fence of the paddock, after just leaving the barn from checking up on Closing Time and Rhosebud, as well as Alluring Assault. Skidding to a halt, she swung her blazed face towards me, ears pricking instantly and a happy whicker leaving her small, chestnut frame. She had only been raced lightly up to this point, but now her training would be stepped up and she'd live up to her brilliant family. However, Ana was off to a slow start and I had felt discouraged. Sure she'd won two prospect races, taken second in her maiden and then won her next start. Since then she'd gotten a fourth, second and fifth. Since then however, she'd come back to kick some major butt and score a victory over her arch-rival Intuition.
It was no secret that Xenophon was the worst tempered horse, even before Augusto but there was no trace of malice or ill-mannered ways about Santana. She was almost as golden as her chestnut coat, but she did have her 'Xenophon moments' as the staff had coined them. However her dam, the gorgeous Twilight Stakes winner Vintage had passed on her gentle nature to Santana. Xenophon may be horrendous in the manner department but he had sired some pretty talented foals. Geronimo, the only horse to be both a MHS Legend as well as a Champion, Touchstone who'd been the only horse to win two Dawn Treader Cups. The final three Xen foals who were still in the process of proving themselves were Ana, Anarchi and Belladona. Anarchi wouldn't be hitting the tracks until next year so basically only Bella and Ana would be carrying the Xenophon name in the races. Although there was Geronimo's daughter Contessa, and her son Kenzington, as well as Tsornin who would also be racing for the Xen line this year. Contessa was the only good older mare racing now, none could stand in her way really. She was almost invincible, it was too scary to imagine a mare of that prestige being Ana's niece. She was out of the Augusto daughter Augusta, which should have made her the worst tempered Geronimo foal but somehow the hot tempers of Gus and Xen had been subdued. A Dawn Treader Cup and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner as well as having taken second in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Contessa was competitive without a doubt. Tsornin hadn't done too badly in his first two starts last year, winning one and taking second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Then there was Lyrick to consider, the elegant Touchstone daughter had won two of her four starts.
Shaking my head clear of who all had done well in the chestnut's filly I brought my attention solely on the filly and the race ahead. It would be a tough one, six furlongs and against Innoxa the GS Remington full brother. Well he was the only other one in the field right now besides Ana. "Hiya Ana, ready to head out to the track?" I asked, eyes running over the filly. She had some of the best conformation I'd seen in a long time, her hooves were very solid and she had no problems with tendons, ligaments or pulling a muscle. Every test she'd been given since birth had come back clean and she suffered from no respiratory complications. She was perfect physically and mentally, now I just needed to perfect her racing skills on the track and then later on in the breeding shed, when the time came. Tossing her head as she neared Santana lifted her hooves up high, "Show off much Ana?" I murmured, slipping between the fence rails and scratching Santana's blaze right under her forelock. Nickering throatily, shoving her muzzle against my cheek. I chuckled and grasped Ana's cotton halter in my hand. She had a leather halter as well but she wore the cotton one when she was in the paddock. The leather halter was normally taken to the track since it was in better shape than her cotton one. With a short cluck I stepped ahead and Santana eagerly following into step at my side. After a quick five minute walk to the barn Ana was tied up nice and snug to cross ties and I was going through the filly's tack box, testing each brush with my fingers for levels of stiffness before finally grabbing her currycomb and the softest brush. I was meticulous when it came to grooming Santana. I curried out all the dirt I could from her chestnut coat. Ana gave little whickers and shivers of pleasure as I curried her. Head lowered with eyes nearly closed Ana looked completely at ease as I moved on to the soft brush after the currycomb. Her lower lip wiggled with enjoyment, causing me to chuckle at her antics.
Going over Santana's coat with the soft brush and then following through with a finishing cloth to make sure it was ultraclean, I moved on to the saddle part of the grooming. Like most of her stablemates Santana had her own embroidered saddle pads in the stable colors, blue and white and her name stitched into the side in black. Once I had slipped the blanket on I smoothed it out so it wouldn't bother Ana during the workout. Then went on the light exercise saddle. It was stiff considering it was new in a sense. I rarely re-used exercise saddles, but Folksong was using Prince's earliest exercise one and next year Allure would start her training with the saddle Waylay had used when he was two. Santana instantly became alert when the saddle touched her back, snorting she craned her head around and bobbed her head. "Silly girl." I said with a laugh, reaching for the girth and placing the girth buckles into the girth tabs. Slipping around to Santana's other side I pulled the girth up around her underside and pulling it tight before securing it in the girth tabs. "Let's go show them who they should be scared of." I muttered vindicatively once Santana's bridle was on and the bit was slid in between her teeth. Ears flicking about to catch my soft spoken words Santana chewed lightly on the bit, her teeth grating over the surface and foam beginning to appear at the corners of her mouth. Without a sound I moved slightly to the left heading for the barn exit, Santana's shod hooves ringing out against the barn floor as she shuffled along behind me. Taking in the sights of Whitebrook through the early morning mist made me love why I was in the business of training, breeding, racing and showing horses. It was for moemtns like this, when the sun was just starting to crawl upwards in the sky and the occasional snort emerged from the paddocks.
It wasn't but a two minute walk from the barn to the track, however Santana was unusually frisky on the walk from the barn and it took ten minutes to get over. I was sore and she was still being fussy, head tossing and dancing about on her tippy-toes almost. "Stop it." I finally half-yelped, half-growled when the chestnut came close to stomping on both my feet. Santana snapped to a stop and looked at me like all you had to was ask. With a nod of satisfaction I pulled down the stirrup closest to me and slid my boot inside the iron, pulling myself up. Tilting from side to side to make sure the girth was good and snug I swung my left leg backwards and pulled the girth straps up one hole before letting the flap fall and I slid my boot back into the iron. Santana's whole body trembled with excitement, and she did a quick high-stepping beat for two steps before bouncing forward into a rapid trot. I shook my head and shortened Santana's racing reins until the filly's nose was touching her chest, still she was able to cover a good 500 yards, before I was able to bring her down to a walk. "Good, now that I've got your attention, today's going to be a slow, and I mean slow gallop." I said firmly to Santana as she moved silently along next to the outside track rail. Taking up a bit of contact with Ana's mouth I cued her forward into a canter while rocking forward onto the balls of my heels. Santana was very relaxed and listening to the bit, once she was on the track she was usually calm and well mannered, it was the excitement of a work that energized her.
Santana's nostrils flared and she puffed out her chest, trotting in a prancy, powerful way. "Could you be any more of a show off?" I mused, shifting my weight forward slightly and nudging Ana into a canter hoping a brisk canter would shave away some of her high spirits.
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