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Description
Results: 1st Place!

Horse: AS Foxfire
Jockey: Amalie McKenzie
Stable: Antrium Stables
Race: The Devil’s Mile
Word Count: 1,273
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Horses featured (story): Cameron's Law , The Lioness of Brittany , CP Stryker

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Oh it was a miserable day at Devils Night Downs, it seemed Scotland’s weather had followed them to the United States. Fox was no stranger to storms and bad weather (in fact he seemed to sleep far better with the sound of rain pounding on the roofs) but running in it was never fun. Running on turf when it was wet and muddy was also a pain in the ass, it was icky and cold and more often than not invited you to slip. At least it wasn’t dirt, that ended up all over your crisp white coat all the way to your ears.

Amalie was trying to get Fox a couple extra races in before he turned three and if she managed it he would be making quite the three year old debut... Fox’s career was moving fast, faster than any of her horses, and she was nervous about tiring him out. Fox however seemed to have boundless energy and a determined drive, like he knew he had everything to prove and demanded perfection from himself. She wanted to let him do his thing but she was as competitive as he was. She supposed she should be lucky Fox wasn’t a violent or aggressive colt, like Demon had been during the Dubai Golden Shaheen, as she’d have a lot more trouble planning his career and she was already up to her neck.

Being back here was a little awkward, last time she’d been here Fox had gotten first and she had absolutely basked in it, of course... but they’d also destroyed the common room during the party. She shivered at the thought of that creepy boy but also from the memory of Harley throwing him across the room so hard he broke the table he’d landed on. She’d tried to avoid Devils Night Downs after that, worried that maybe they’d be offended by their poor manners but she needed Fox to have some extra races under his Two-Year-Old career and so she’d returned to the track she seemed to do so well on. Thankfully there didn’t seem to be any bad blood.

This was the worst weather Fox had ever been raced in. Sure, in Scotland, he’d been raced in heavy rain, sleet and snow, but that was a tough home, the colt knew the course and could run it blindfolded, this was halfway across the world and he could hardly see three feet in front of him. Shadows danced everywhere, jumping out like ghosts in the night, though everything was so dank and dreary and Fox was a brave sort, so he didn’t spook too much. No, he seemed far more forced on outrunning the rain and getting somewhere dry; the quicker he ran the quicker he’d finish.

However, things weren’t as simple as Amalie could pray for, Fox was struggling and there were some new Big Names making their presence known to them. Cameron’s Law wasn’t just a Big Name, he was a big horse, a thundering brute (though Amalie had found out that he was quite cool off track, he was just a super scary horse for a human as tiny as Amalie) that you’d hear coming long before you saw him. She’d been sure all eyes would be on Fox during this race until the Jessie’s Way Colt was entered, now it was a case of seeing if Fox could outrun a horse miles stronger than he was while trying to tell if that was a shadow or secretly hidden yellow daffodil - those monsters are cunning after all.

She dared look back, a quick glance at who was behind her. CP Stryker took up place a few strides behind her, nearly invisible in the darkness and her brown coat completely caked in mud, she was a little-known horse that was becoming slightly more well known in circles though Amalie didn’t know of her before now. If Fox was anything to go by, a young newbie who after only a year had qualified for the Triple Crown in Kentucky (coincidentally the same state Fox Harber Farms were situated which was wonderful for the ginger jockey) Stryker could go far. From what she’d heard she was all business.

The Lioness Of Brittany was the other contestant nipping at their heels and she was determined. The Lioness wasn’t a mare to be easily beaten and, like Cameron’s Law, was strong and used it. Big, black and intimidating she wasn’t a mare Amalie liked to race against, she was talented and came from the same stable as Shadow Fox, honestly she believed the white chimera colt was only more popular because of his colour.

She had turned back to focus on Fox when she had to do a double take to look at Stephen, The Lioness’s jockey. Stephen had recently become quite paly with Scott, who had sent Amalie several selfies of himself with Shadow Fox and even one of him riding him while he’d been over visiting his not-quite-but-come-on-already girlfriend. Due to Scott’s constant chatter she already felt like the knew the jockey personally, though she’d only met him at Fox’s debut and maiden not long ago and even then they ran in different races. No, what caught her attention (and it was surprising it caught her attention at all in this rain and mud) was that Stephen was bleeding.

Not just a little either, all down his face from his nose, down the jockey silks and onto his mare, though she certainly wasn’t girly enough to care (if she had been Epona she wouldn’t even race in this weather, she’d stick her nose high and demand a hood manicure instead) as she tore up the track with determination in those dark eyes. While Amalie was distracted Cameron’s Law overtook them and she turned back to focus. She didn’t press Fox to regain the lead, she’d press that in the final stretch. She turned back once more to the Fox Park jockey, offering him a thumbs up in a ‘are you ok?’ sign, not that he could exactly do anything much if he wasn’t but jockeys were rarely antagonistic towards each other. At Antrium jockeys that trained and raced together all but held entire conversations while running.

Amalie had thought that this would be simple and easy, that Fox would steal another win and all would be good. He failure to predict the other entrants was something she hadn’t done in quite some time but she certainly reminded herself on it now. Cameron’s Law was the biggest threat (pun unintended) and Lioness was a close second, if only because she knew the trainers and their abilities. Stryker was an enigma, she’d never heard of her but rest assured she’d watch how she did in this race and see if she should be considered a more serious interest. The final stretch came and all Hell was let loose, how fitting for a race held at Devil Knight Downs, all the horses suddenly doubling their efforts. This was the moment she would push Fox past his limits and hopefully past the mighty 17.3hh buckskin colt. She never payed attention during the final stretch, who was in what position, she only ever focused on her horse. Often she’d win or loose and not even notice until someone else told her or she looked up at the board. This would be one of those times, with rain, wind and mud hitting her face she urged her white-turned-black colt to give it all he’d got, to push himself past the discomfort of the weather conditions and prove he wasn’t a small fish in a big pond.

Description
Results: 1st Place!

Horse: AS Foxfire
Jockey: Amalie McKenzie
Stable: Antrium Stables
Race: The Devil’s Mile
Word Count: 1,273
Advertisement: Here

Horses featured (story): Cameron's Law , The Lioness of Brittany , CP Stryker

__

Oh it was a miserable day at Devils Night Downs, it seemed Scotland’s weather had followed them to the United States. Fox was no stranger to storms and bad weather (in fact he seemed to sleep far better with the sound of rain pounding on the roofs) but running in it was never fun. Running on turf when it was wet and muddy was also a pain in the ass, it was icky and cold and more often than not invited you to slip. At least it wasn’t dirt, that ended up all over your crisp white coat all the way to your ears.

Amalie was trying to get Fox a couple extra races in before he turned three and if she managed it he would be making quite the three year old debut... Fox’s career was moving fast, faster than any of her horses, and she was nervous about tiring him out. Fox however seemed to have boundless energy and a determined drive, like he knew he had everything to prove and demanded perfection from himself. She wanted to let him do his thing but she was as competitive as he was. She supposed she should be lucky Fox wasn’t a violent or aggressive colt, like Demon had been during the Dubai Golden Shaheen, as she’d have a lot more trouble planning his career and she was already up to her neck.

Being back here was a little awkward, last time she’d been here Fox had gotten first and she had absolutely basked in it, of course... but they’d also destroyed the common room during the party. She shivered at the thought of that creepy boy but also from the memory of Harley throwing him across the room so hard he broke the table he’d landed on. She’d tried to avoid Devils Night Downs after that, worried that maybe they’d be offended by their poor manners but she needed Fox to have some extra races under his Two-Year-Old career and so she’d returned to the track she seemed to do so well on. Thankfully there didn’t seem to be any bad blood.

This was the worst weather Fox had ever been raced in. Sure, in Scotland, he’d been raced in heavy rain, sleet and snow, but that was a tough home, the colt knew the course and could run it blindfolded, this was halfway across the world and he could hardly see three feet in front of him. Shadows danced everywhere, jumping out like ghosts in the night, though everything was so dank and dreary and Fox was a brave sort, so he didn’t spook too much. No, he seemed far more forced on outrunning the rain and getting somewhere dry; the quicker he ran the quicker he’d finish.

However, things weren’t as simple as Amalie could pray for, Fox was struggling and there were some new Big Names making their presence known to them. Cameron’s Law wasn’t just a Big Name, he was a big horse, a thundering brute (though Amalie had found out that he was quite cool off track, he was just a super scary horse for a human as tiny as Amalie) that you’d hear coming long before you saw him. She’d been sure all eyes would be on Fox during this race until the Jessie’s Way Colt was entered, now it was a case of seeing if Fox could outrun a horse miles stronger than he was while trying to tell if that was a shadow or secretly hidden yellow daffodil - those monsters are cunning after all.

She dared look back, a quick glance at who was behind her. CP Stryker took up place a few strides behind her, nearly invisible in the darkness and her brown coat completely caked in mud, she was a little-known horse that was becoming slightly more well known in circles though Amalie didn’t know of her before now. If Fox was anything to go by, a young newbie who after only a year had qualified for the Triple Crown in Kentucky (coincidentally the same state Fox Harber Farms were situated which was wonderful for the ginger jockey) Stryker could go far. From what she’d heard she was all business.

The Lioness Of Brittany was the other contestant nipping at their heels and she was determined. The Lioness wasn’t a mare to be easily beaten and, like Cameron’s Law, was strong and used it. Big, black and intimidating she wasn’t a mare Amalie liked to race against, she was talented and came from the same stable as Shadow Fox, honestly she believed the white chimera colt was only more popular because of his colour.

She had turned back to focus on Fox when she had to do a double take to look at Stephen, The Lioness’s jockey. Stephen had recently become quite paly with Scott, who had sent Amalie several selfies of himself with Shadow Fox and even one of him riding him while he’d been over visiting his not-quite-but-come-on-already girlfriend. Due to Scott’s constant chatter she already felt like the knew the jockey personally, though she’d only met him at Fox’s debut and maiden not long ago and even then they ran in different races. No, what caught her attention (and it was surprising it caught her attention at all in this rain and mud) was that Stephen was bleeding.

Not just a little either, all down his face from his nose, down the jockey silks and onto his mare, though she certainly wasn’t girly enough to care (if she had been Epona she wouldn’t even race in this weather, she’d stick her nose high and demand a hood manicure instead) as she tore up the track with determination in those dark eyes. While Amalie was distracted Cameron’s Law overtook them and she turned back to focus. She didn’t press Fox to regain the lead, she’d press that in the final stretch. She turned back once more to the Fox Park jockey, offering him a thumbs up in a ‘are you ok?’ sign, not that he could exactly do anything much if he wasn’t but jockeys were rarely antagonistic towards each other. At Antrium jockeys that trained and raced together all but held entire conversations while running.

Amalie had thought that this would be simple and easy, that Fox would steal another win and all would be good. He failure to predict the other entrants was something she hadn’t done in quite some time but she certainly reminded herself on it now. Cameron’s Law was the biggest threat (pun unintended) and Lioness was a close second, if only because she knew the trainers and their abilities. Stryker was an enigma, she’d never heard of her but rest assured she’d watch how she did in this race and see if she should be considered a more serious interest. The final stretch came and all Hell was let loose, how fitting for a race held at Devil Knight Downs, all the horses suddenly doubling their efforts. This was the moment she would push Fox past his limits and hopefully past the mighty 17.3hh buckskin colt. She never payed attention during the final stretch, who was in what position, she only ever focused on her horse. Often she’d win or loose and not even notice until someone else told her or she looked up at the board. This would be one of those times, with rain, wind and mud hitting her face she urged her white-turned-black colt to give it all he’d got, to push himself past the discomfort of the weather conditions and prove he wasn’t a small fish in a big pond.