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Description

Show Info
________________________

Show: 2018 Major Race Qualifiers
Horse: RRC Star Fleet
Jockey: Seattle Hengsteler
Race: Santa Ysabel Stakes [G3]
Santa Anita Park
8.5 Furlongs | Dirt | 3yo F/M | $100,000 USD

Featuring:
SVI Spiced Rum
Only Make Believe (Partially :'D)

Story
________________________
[Word Count: 1,300]

Rain had softly begun to fall at the Santa Anita racetrack as Ruqio walked Star Fleet out of her stall and to the barn door. He stopped for a moment, not wanting to get wet until he absolutely had to.
"If I didn't know any better," a voice said from behind Ruqio, "I'd think you were making it rain on purpose." Seattle walked up and stood next to Ruqio under the eaves of the barn.
"At this point, I wouldn't doubt it," Ruqio laughed, "Three races in a row with bad weather. Not the best way to start the year."
"Freckles is going to be the best mud horse by the end of all this," Seattle said while reaching over to give Star Fleet a pat on the neck. "Now all that's left is to keep you from losing your mind when someone accidentally drops a lead line," Seattle joked as he wiggled the four lead ropes that were hung over his shoulder.
"Come on, let's get going before the rain gets too heavy," Ruqio said while leading Freckles out of the barn. The trio walked together across the stable yard headed for the practice starting gate. After Freckle's freak-out session at the Silverbulletday stakes, Ruqio had been working on further desensitizing her to weird occurrences. Freckles had shown improvement, but Ruqio didn't want to miss working with her at least one more time before her race the next day.

As they neared the track and the practice gate, Ruqio took the bundle of lead ropes from Seattle and then gave him a leg up so that he could jog Freckles for a moment before they began training. Seattle trotted Freckles down the track a short distance before turning back towards the gate. The rain was softly drumming against the roof of the starting gate as Ruqio waited for them to come back.
"Alright, I think she's ready," Seattle said as he pulled Freckles to a stop a little ways from the gate.
"Great. Walk her forward like you're loading into slot four, and I'll toss some of these down as you go," Ruqio called. Seattle clicked softly to get Freckles to go. She went ahead willingly, and walked straight for the gate. As they approached, Ruqio tossed one of the lead lines away from himself. Freckles turned her head and slowed down for a moment, but continued on with Seattle's reassurance. The pair took a few steps closer before Ruqio flung two ropes at once in their direction. Freckles' ear flicked, but otherwise seemed unbothered. Seattle then had Freckles walk into the gate, but stopped her before exiting to the other side.
"Good! That was good!" Ruqio said happily. "Alright, let's back her up and I'm going to toss one behind her as you go." Seattle shifted his weight a bit and Freckles backed slowly. When they were halfway out of the gate, Ruqio tossed the last rope so that it went through both fields of Freckles vision before landing out of view on her other side. Freckles raised her head and huffed a bit at this, but continued to back when Seattle asked. When they had fully backed out of the gate, Freckles turned her attention to the last rope that had just come into view. She huffed a little, but obliged when Seattle queued her to go forward and smell it. Freckles nuzzled the rope before bringing her head back up and began to lick her lips.
"Fantastic, that's what we needed to see," Ruqio said contentedly. "Ok, one last exercise I want to try. Walk her away and then come back towards the gate. As you walk, I'm going to toss the ropes so that they land on her neck. If she's ok with it, then we'll have her walk through the gate with them on."
"You got it," Seattle assured as he turned Freckles around. When they were headed towards the gate again, Ruqio walked up about three feet away, and then tossed one rope so that it went up and over her neck. Freckles lifted her head and stopped walking. Seattle patted Freckles on the neck before asking her to continue on. She did, though a little hesitantly. After a moment, Ruqio tossed another one. This time, Freckles kept walking but shook her neck.
"Nuh uh," Seattle said as he held the ropes in place, "Good try though," he laughed. Ruqio tossed the remaining two over her neck, and Seattle nudged her into the starting gate. As they walked through, the metal clasps hit the gate making several clanging sounds. Freckles was surprised by this, and trotted forward out of the gate.
"Almost had it, let's try again," Seattle said with a pat as he slowed her back to a walk. He then turned her around, and asked her to go through the gate again. She walked through a bit more gingerly this time, but when the claps clanged again, she didn't spook. Seattle stopped her in the gate, then reached down and hit a clasp against the wall himself. Freckles turned her ear, but otherwise was relaxed. Seattle then picked up all the ropes at once, and rubbed them up and down her neck. To this, Freckles lowered her neck and licked her lips, enjoying the scritches.
"There you go. Not so bad, huh?" Seattle laughed. Feeling that Freckles was progressing well, Seattle decided to do one more test by letting all four ropes slide off of Freckle's neck, and onto the ground. Some clanged as they went down, but Freckles merely readjusted her footing. Seattle then asked her to walk over them, and she did.
"Fantastic, that was perfect!" Ruqio said excitedly. He then walked up and gave Freckles a big rub on the forehead. "Tomorrow is going to be a piece of cake for you guys," Ruqio said as he reached up to Seattle for a high-five.
"Don't jinx it," Seattle joked as he returned the high-five.

----------------

The rain hadn't let up much since their training session the morning before, and had essentially turned the track into a slip-n-slide. It was a rather slow walk as Freckles and Seattle were being ponied to the gate. The mud wasn't too deep where they were on the middle of the track, but Seattle was concerned about the surface next to the rail. Thankfully the field of horses was pretty small, so chances of them getting unwillingly pushed into the rail was slim.
When the field of horses got to the gate, Freckles loaded in smoothly, having no qualms about the situation.
"That's my girl, good job," Seattle said, rubbing the crest of Freckles' neck.

Once everyone was loaded in, there was a moment of stillness before the bell rang out. Freckles launched powerfully out of the gate, but, like the other horses with her, had her momentum destroyed by the mud. The field of horses slogged along, eventually setting a slow pace a few feet off the rail. Freckles held a solid third down the back stretch, but seemed ready to let loose some more energy. Seattle kept a firm hold on the reins, trying to keep Freckles from launching off too early. As they headed into the final turn, it was clear that the field was getting worn out by the mud, but Freckles still seemed determined to keep going despite it. When they passed the quarter pole, Seattle reduced the pressure on the reins and wiggled his crop. Freckles took the queue immediately and dug her hooves into the mud, leaping ahead. When they cleared the turn, it turned into a free-for-all across the center of the track. Only seconds would tell if Freckles could hold her momentum, but Seattle felt confident. They were going to give it all they had.

Artist Comments
________________________
This entry was just a big ol' experiment. I really pushed myself to vary my color choices, and I had lots of fun with it! Also didn't plan to write such a long story, but there you go. :'D

Description

Show Info
________________________

Show: 2018 Major Race Qualifiers
Horse: RRC Star Fleet
Jockey: Seattle Hengsteler
Race: Santa Ysabel Stakes [G3]
Santa Anita Park
8.5 Furlongs | Dirt | 3yo F/M | $100,000 USD

Featuring:
SVI Spiced Rum
Only Make Believe (Partially :'D)

Story
________________________
[Word Count: 1,300]

Rain had softly begun to fall at the Santa Anita racetrack as Ruqio walked Star Fleet out of her stall and to the barn door. He stopped for a moment, not wanting to get wet until he absolutely had to.
"If I didn't know any better," a voice said from behind Ruqio, "I'd think you were making it rain on purpose." Seattle walked up and stood next to Ruqio under the eaves of the barn.
"At this point, I wouldn't doubt it," Ruqio laughed, "Three races in a row with bad weather. Not the best way to start the year."
"Freckles is going to be the best mud horse by the end of all this," Seattle said while reaching over to give Star Fleet a pat on the neck. "Now all that's left is to keep you from losing your mind when someone accidentally drops a lead line," Seattle joked as he wiggled the four lead ropes that were hung over his shoulder.
"Come on, let's get going before the rain gets too heavy," Ruqio said while leading Freckles out of the barn. The trio walked together across the stable yard headed for the practice starting gate. After Freckle's freak-out session at the Silverbulletday stakes, Ruqio had been working on further desensitizing her to weird occurrences. Freckles had shown improvement, but Ruqio didn't want to miss working with her at least one more time before her race the next day.

As they neared the track and the practice gate, Ruqio took the bundle of lead ropes from Seattle and then gave him a leg up so that he could jog Freckles for a moment before they began training. Seattle trotted Freckles down the track a short distance before turning back towards the gate. The rain was softly drumming against the roof of the starting gate as Ruqio waited for them to come back.
"Alright, I think she's ready," Seattle said as he pulled Freckles to a stop a little ways from the gate.
"Great. Walk her forward like you're loading into slot four, and I'll toss some of these down as you go," Ruqio called. Seattle clicked softly to get Freckles to go. She went ahead willingly, and walked straight for the gate. As they approached, Ruqio tossed one of the lead lines away from himself. Freckles turned her head and slowed down for a moment, but continued on with Seattle's reassurance. The pair took a few steps closer before Ruqio flung two ropes at once in their direction. Freckles' ear flicked, but otherwise seemed unbothered. Seattle then had Freckles walk into the gate, but stopped her before exiting to the other side.
"Good! That was good!" Ruqio said happily. "Alright, let's back her up and I'm going to toss one behind her as you go." Seattle shifted his weight a bit and Freckles backed slowly. When they were halfway out of the gate, Ruqio tossed the last rope so that it went through both fields of Freckles vision before landing out of view on her other side. Freckles raised her head and huffed a bit at this, but continued to back when Seattle asked. When they had fully backed out of the gate, Freckles turned her attention to the last rope that had just come into view. She huffed a little, but obliged when Seattle queued her to go forward and smell it. Freckles nuzzled the rope before bringing her head back up and began to lick her lips.
"Fantastic, that's what we needed to see," Ruqio said contentedly. "Ok, one last exercise I want to try. Walk her away and then come back towards the gate. As you walk, I'm going to toss the ropes so that they land on her neck. If she's ok with it, then we'll have her walk through the gate with them on."
"You got it," Seattle assured as he turned Freckles around. When they were headed towards the gate again, Ruqio walked up about three feet away, and then tossed one rope so that it went up and over her neck. Freckles lifted her head and stopped walking. Seattle patted Freckles on the neck before asking her to continue on. She did, though a little hesitantly. After a moment, Ruqio tossed another one. This time, Freckles kept walking but shook her neck.
"Nuh uh," Seattle said as he held the ropes in place, "Good try though," he laughed. Ruqio tossed the remaining two over her neck, and Seattle nudged her into the starting gate. As they walked through, the metal clasps hit the gate making several clanging sounds. Freckles was surprised by this, and trotted forward out of the gate.
"Almost had it, let's try again," Seattle said with a pat as he slowed her back to a walk. He then turned her around, and asked her to go through the gate again. She walked through a bit more gingerly this time, but when the claps clanged again, she didn't spook. Seattle stopped her in the gate, then reached down and hit a clasp against the wall himself. Freckles turned her ear, but otherwise was relaxed. Seattle then picked up all the ropes at once, and rubbed them up and down her neck. To this, Freckles lowered her neck and licked her lips, enjoying the scritches.
"There you go. Not so bad, huh?" Seattle laughed. Feeling that Freckles was progressing well, Seattle decided to do one more test by letting all four ropes slide off of Freckle's neck, and onto the ground. Some clanged as they went down, but Freckles merely readjusted her footing. Seattle then asked her to walk over them, and she did.
"Fantastic, that was perfect!" Ruqio said excitedly. He then walked up and gave Freckles a big rub on the forehead. "Tomorrow is going to be a piece of cake for you guys," Ruqio said as he reached up to Seattle for a high-five.
"Don't jinx it," Seattle joked as he returned the high-five.

----------------

The rain hadn't let up much since their training session the morning before, and had essentially turned the track into a slip-n-slide. It was a rather slow walk as Freckles and Seattle were being ponied to the gate. The mud wasn't too deep where they were on the middle of the track, but Seattle was concerned about the surface next to the rail. Thankfully the field of horses was pretty small, so chances of them getting unwillingly pushed into the rail was slim.
When the field of horses got to the gate, Freckles loaded in smoothly, having no qualms about the situation.
"That's my girl, good job," Seattle said, rubbing the crest of Freckles' neck.

Once everyone was loaded in, there was a moment of stillness before the bell rang out. Freckles launched powerfully out of the gate, but, like the other horses with her, had her momentum destroyed by the mud. The field of horses slogged along, eventually setting a slow pace a few feet off the rail. Freckles held a solid third down the back stretch, but seemed ready to let loose some more energy. Seattle kept a firm hold on the reins, trying to keep Freckles from launching off too early. As they headed into the final turn, it was clear that the field was getting worn out by the mud, but Freckles still seemed determined to keep going despite it. When they passed the quarter pole, Seattle reduced the pressure on the reins and wiggled his crop. Freckles took the queue immediately and dug her hooves into the mud, leaping ahead. When they cleared the turn, it turned into a free-for-all across the center of the track. Only seconds would tell if Freckles could hold her momentum, but Seattle felt confident. They were going to give it all they had.

Artist Comments
________________________
This entry was just a big ol' experiment. I really pushed myself to vary my color choices, and I had lots of fun with it! Also didn't plan to write such a long story, but there you go. :'D