HOME | DD

Description
Sassafras John JMR , 3yo TB colt URA L2
James Mighty Oak
URA Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby GI
Date: May 5th, 2012 (entry deadline is May 4th, 8 pm USE)
Distance = 1 and 1/4 miles
Surface = Dirt
Weather = Bright, sunny, ground will be sopping wet.

Past URA Tickets: 0

URA Sponsored/Sanctioned Races:
Hopeful Stakes 2011 (First Place - qualified for URA BC 2011)
URA Breeders Cup 2011 (Third Place)
THS Derby Dozen Stake 2012

Other Races:
Live Race Juvenile hosted by ~HorseandWolfLover

Training:
Painting Pennies
One Furlong Sprint
Two Furlong Sprint
Three Furlong Sprint
Uphill Jogging

Triple Crown Prep Races:
(I found these by a simple search of Crown prep races on wikipedia. I'm not sure of their dates in relation to the crown races, but they were listed as prep races.)
Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland
Wood Memorial, Aqueduct
Florida Derby, Gulfstream

Cameo appearances by:
5. HMF Lucky 7 , owned by ~HiddenMoonFarm-HARPG
7. Meadowlark's Baroque Baron, owned by ~MooiHorseDesigns
8. bc Entity , owned by *fuangel29
6. IDS Fight Club , owned by ~patchesofheaven74
2. THS Pick Up Line , owned by ~xLadySadiex

Predictably, the Derby gathered the elite of the racing world. Eleanor, Celeste and Bec browsed the program with murmurs and nods of assent – the roster nothing less than what they expected. The women of JMR had upped the ante on the occasion of the pinnacle of American racing, and all looked more than capable of standing next to the fine ladies circulating around the paddock and stands. Eleanor had chosen a rather plain black dress, slit up the leg almost to the point of indecency, topped off with a white bonnet with black ribbon. Celeste, of course, chose something violently red that had every straight male panting like a dog. Bec, under threat of her father, had been forced into a sundress instead of her wish to copy Celeste. Still, her long dark hair, for once let free instead of hiding under the orange bandana, wrapped around her face and fell over her shoulders in just such a way that made people question her age.

Unlike many of the arm-ornaments wandering through the saddling paddock, the JMR women watched the horses like hawks, their eyes appraising each in turn and checking silks against their programs. “Look,” Bec said, tugging on Celeste's arm, “A Geist baby!” All three women turned their heads to watch the black, bald-faced colt slink past. Eleanor consulted her program.

“You're right, Bec. Entity, by Poltergeist, owned by Birdcatcher farms.” Eleanor nodded. “Good eye.”

“That makes him a cousin of Hasmodia, Pas de Couleur, and a nephew of Coals of Perdition,” Celeste remarked, thinking of the El Diablo blood running around back home. “Oh, and he's also related to Preternatural.”

“We certainly have an abundance of Thalion blood,” Eleanor admitted. She would not apologize, as the bloodline was something of an obsession with her. John had given her the task of breeding manager, and her word was law in the broodmare barn. The Thalion progeny for the Derby looked the part: big and black, with the stark white markings that set the Poltergeist line apart. “He'll be a threat,” the woman sighed, her comment equal parts envy and praise. Illustrious lines were a matter of pride in one's own stable, and cause for alarm in the competition. JMR liked Birdcatcher farms well enough, but them running a Diablo colt was something like holding an extra ace in a game of twenty-one.

“There is Top Hat's entry,” Celeste commented, waving at another dark colt making his way around the enclosure. He was sporting the stable's silks, his jockey already sitting astride, gathering the reins and stroking his neck affectionately. “They'll be running a Martini baby, if they have any sense.”

“Unhappily, everyone seems to be graced with clairvoyance today,” Eleanor chuckled. “He's by I'll Have Two, alright. We've seen him before, remember? Pick Up Line?”

“Oh, yeah,” Bec nodded. “They call him Alex around the barn. I hate to tell you all this, but he's not going to be a push-over either. He's been a big player in the URA.” The women looked both admiringly and anxiously at the THS colt. As with Birdcatcher's entry, they were fans of Pick Up Line, but also wished that he would not be racing in this particular race.

There was no time to be worried, however. Their own brown and green silks were ambling over, as only Sassafras John could amble. The big white colt had a slobbery kiss for each of the ladies, his calm blue eyes a balm for their frazzled nerves. “We'll do our best,” James said from the saddle. “Try not to worry.”

“Oh, we know you will,” Eleanor said, stroking the pink muzzle one more time. “But we love you both too much not to worry.” The other women nodded, because she was right. As much as Thalion blood gave Eleanor heart palpitations, and as much as everyone had their favorite runners in other stables, their own horses always held the first place in their hearts. Sassafras was a great horse, worthy of all of the press and the fuss, and sweet as a puppy besides. Everyone wanted, needed to see him win.

James spared a handshake for each of the women, allowed them one final good-luck kiss on Sassafras John's nose, then turned his white charger around toward the track, where the rest of the field made their way to the mud-strewn Derby.

artwork and Sassafras John (c) *Niur-Tarow
other ponies belong to their respective owners
all horses referenced from this [link] by *Sooty-Bunnie

Description
Sassafras John JMR , 3yo TB colt URA L2
James Mighty Oak
URA Triple Crown
Kentucky Derby GI
Date: May 5th, 2012 (entry deadline is May 4th, 8 pm USE)
Distance = 1 and 1/4 miles
Surface = Dirt
Weather = Bright, sunny, ground will be sopping wet.

Past URA Tickets: 0

URA Sponsored/Sanctioned Races:
Hopeful Stakes 2011 (First Place - qualified for URA BC 2011)
URA Breeders Cup 2011 (Third Place)
THS Derby Dozen Stake 2012

Other Races:
Live Race Juvenile hosted by ~HorseandWolfLover

Training:
Painting Pennies
One Furlong Sprint
Two Furlong Sprint
Three Furlong Sprint
Uphill Jogging

Triple Crown Prep Races:
(I found these by a simple search of Crown prep races on wikipedia. I'm not sure of their dates in relation to the crown races, but they were listed as prep races.)
Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland
Wood Memorial, Aqueduct
Florida Derby, Gulfstream

Cameo appearances by:
5. HMF Lucky 7 , owned by ~HiddenMoonFarm-HARPG
7. Meadowlark's Baroque Baron, owned by ~MooiHorseDesigns
8. bc Entity , owned by *fuangel29
6. IDS Fight Club , owned by ~patchesofheaven74
2. THS Pick Up Line , owned by ~xLadySadiex

Predictably, the Derby gathered the elite of the racing world. Eleanor, Celeste and Bec browsed the program with murmurs and nods of assent – the roster nothing less than what they expected. The women of JMR had upped the ante on the occasion of the pinnacle of American racing, and all looked more than capable of standing next to the fine ladies circulating around the paddock and stands. Eleanor had chosen a rather plain black dress, slit up the leg almost to the point of indecency, topped off with a white bonnet with black ribbon. Celeste, of course, chose something violently red that had every straight male panting like a dog. Bec, under threat of her father, had been forced into a sundress instead of her wish to copy Celeste. Still, her long dark hair, for once let free instead of hiding under the orange bandana, wrapped around her face and fell over her shoulders in just such a way that made people question her age.

Unlike many of the arm-ornaments wandering through the saddling paddock, the JMR women watched the horses like hawks, their eyes appraising each in turn and checking silks against their programs. “Look,” Bec said, tugging on Celeste's arm, “A Geist baby!” All three women turned their heads to watch the black, bald-faced colt slink past. Eleanor consulted her program.

“You're right, Bec. Entity, by Poltergeist, owned by Birdcatcher farms.” Eleanor nodded. “Good eye.”

“That makes him a cousin of Hasmodia, Pas de Couleur, and a nephew of Coals of Perdition,” Celeste remarked, thinking of the El Diablo blood running around back home. “Oh, and he's also related to Preternatural.”

“We certainly have an abundance of Thalion blood,” Eleanor admitted. She would not apologize, as the bloodline was something of an obsession with her. John had given her the task of breeding manager, and her word was law in the broodmare barn. The Thalion progeny for the Derby looked the part: big and black, with the stark white markings that set the Poltergeist line apart. “He'll be a threat,” the woman sighed, her comment equal parts envy and praise. Illustrious lines were a matter of pride in one's own stable, and cause for alarm in the competition. JMR liked Birdcatcher farms well enough, but them running a Diablo colt was something like holding an extra ace in a game of twenty-one.

“There is Top Hat's entry,” Celeste commented, waving at another dark colt making his way around the enclosure. He was sporting the stable's silks, his jockey already sitting astride, gathering the reins and stroking his neck affectionately. “They'll be running a Martini baby, if they have any sense.”

“Unhappily, everyone seems to be graced with clairvoyance today,” Eleanor chuckled. “He's by I'll Have Two, alright. We've seen him before, remember? Pick Up Line?”

“Oh, yeah,” Bec nodded. “They call him Alex around the barn. I hate to tell you all this, but he's not going to be a push-over either. He's been a big player in the URA.” The women looked both admiringly and anxiously at the THS colt. As with Birdcatcher's entry, they were fans of Pick Up Line, but also wished that he would not be racing in this particular race.

There was no time to be worried, however. Their own brown and green silks were ambling over, as only Sassafras John could amble. The big white colt had a slobbery kiss for each of the ladies, his calm blue eyes a balm for their frazzled nerves. “We'll do our best,” James said from the saddle. “Try not to worry.”

“Oh, we know you will,” Eleanor said, stroking the pink muzzle one more time. “But we love you both too much not to worry.” The other women nodded, because she was right. As much as Thalion blood gave Eleanor heart palpitations, and as much as everyone had their favorite runners in other stables, their own horses always held the first place in their hearts. Sassafras was a great horse, worthy of all of the press and the fuss, and sweet as a puppy besides. Everyone wanted, needed to see him win.

James spared a handshake for each of the women, allowed them one final good-luck kiss on Sassafras John's nose, then turned his white charger around toward the track, where the rest of the field made their way to the mud-strewn Derby.

artwork and Sassafras John (c) *Niur-Tarow
other ponies belong to their respective owners
all horses referenced from this [link] by *Sooty-Bunnie