HOME | DD

Description

"let's race, boys!"
edit: story added

*The J.C. Monthly Show: DEC OPEN *


horse name and reference: WR WFS Halfflattered

rider name: Solette Tate

stables & country: Willow Ridge Stable // USA

race: Lost in the Fog Juvenile Stakes (Listed)

+
ft Sweetwater's Tori Harper on Helios
ft Golden Vale's Peter Wright on GV TriggerHappy

/

STORY:

Solette wished it was one of those beautiful, sunny days that she loved so much.
Somehow, desert-y Arizona had failed her.
With a scowl, the tall, dark woman yanked her hood down lower over her face, shielding as much of her head as she could from the rain. She ran across sucking mud to the warm, lit guest stables, huffing through the heightened humidity.
Solette had flown in from D.C. only two hours before; she had been visiting her parents in Maryland for the holidays, while the rest of the racing team had driven down with Chickadee. The plane had been available, but Diana had insisted on the drive. It wasn’t often their fearless leader got to visit her cousin, and she had wanted to take advantage of the situation. The rest in Colorado had put a huge spring in everyone’s steps, Chickadee included; the filly was frisky and vibrant, bucking and playing like a foal when turned out for her pasture time. Solette loved the filly’s happiness; Chickadee was a bitch to ride when she was unhappy, and Solette had enough of grumpy racers with Dandy. Solette’s own holiday had been quiet and warm, with the early-morning plane ride to Phoenix the only disruption. The rain was the worst part of all, though it had lessened some since her arrival at the track.

Solette sighed audibly when she reached the interior of the stabling, slowing her jog to an easy walk as the light and warmth hit her. Horses nickered and tossed their heads as she passed, a stranger to most of them. She tried to mask her grimace as she passed a set of stalls with Sweetwater silks; she had seen that the big bay colt Helios was running with them, but she hadn’t expected to see Helios here in Arizona. The colt himself wasn’t a big deal; he was friendly enough, and she liked him. His trainer and hands, though...she didn’t get on well with them. Probably because they’re kinda a bunch of assholes, Solette thought to herself, walking a little faster to avoid Helios and his people. Chickadee was in the next set of stalls, little Winona in the stall fussing at her. The big bay filly shook her head and snorted in greeting when Solette approached, letting Winna climb up on her stool to brush her back.
Solette raised a brow.
“You know it’s all foggy and gross outside, right?” Winona turned her head just enough to fake a glare at Soletted.
“Momma said that us and our horses should always look our best,” the darkhaired girl said primly, a sneaky smile on her face as she turned back to Chickadee.
Solette grinned and left Chickadee in Winna’s capable hands. She turned away from the stall to look around her, taking in the hustle and bustle of pre-race preparations. She spotted Diana and Savannah talking to another woman in a blue jacket but didn’t walk over to talk. Bypassing Chickadee’s sniffing nose, Solette instead grabbed up the black duffel next to Chickadee’s stall, a piece of tape with ‘TATE’ written on it identifying the bag as Solette’s. She ducked into the empty stall next to Chickadee’s, shrugging out of her jacket and street clothes into her thermals and jockey silks.
Ten minutes later she was back out in the aisle, leaning against the empty stall tying back her hair. Chickadee was in the process of getting saddled, Winona’s young voice scolding the filly when she was too frisky. Solette took the filly’s bridle from the hook inside her stall, smiling and petting Chickadee’s velvet nose as she eased the bridle on. Chickadee licked the bit before allowing it in her mouth, and she butted her head against Solette’s shoulder when the last buckle was fastened. The jockey laughed and petted the filly’s forehead, stepping back as Winona lifted the slight saddle onto Chickadee’s back.
Solette turned away from the filly and kid again to look for Diana, this time finding her boss down the aisle talking to another jockey. Solette followed the sound of Diana’s voice, bumping shoulders with her boss as the pair greeted her.
“Peter Wright,” the other jockey said, sticking his hand out. Solette shook it, smiling at the friendly welcome. “Solette Tate - you riding out there today, too?” she asked, eyeing his jockey silks. The other jockey nodded and laughed.
“Yeah, hope we don’t slip up too much in the mud,” he joked amicably, Diana laughing next to them. “It’s almost time to saddle up,” the stable owner reminded the jockeys, leading Solette away as she waved a goodbye at Peter Wright

Diana had been right about the time. As soon as the pair walked the couple yards down the barn back to Chickadee’s stall, Winona and Savannah holding the energetic filly still as the other horses around then were also emerging from their stalls. Solette grinned as she ran a hand down Chickadee’s flank; the filly was friendly but competitive, and it was going to be an interesting ride out to the starting gate.
The crew led Chickadee out; it had mostly stopped raining, but the fog from it had rolled in and settled. Chickadee had her ears back as Solette mounted, the bay gnawing on the bit as they were led to the gate. The filly was pretty fearless against the evil gate, and she proved her bravery with an easy load.
Then there was only the tense wait, the horses already snorting and stomping, the jockeys soothing and mumbling.
The gate opened.
Chickadee burst out of the gate like a demon, and Solette grinned. This was going to be one helluva race.
(wc: 946)

stock art used: Thoroughbred racehorse stock
Sweetwater Farms belong to soulswitch
Toni Harper / Helios belong to Jyynxx
Golden Vale / Peter Wright / GV TriggerHappy belong to shot-fired

Description

"let's race, boys!"
edit: story added

*The J.C. Monthly Show: DEC OPEN *


horse name and reference: WR WFS Halfflattered

rider name: Solette Tate

stables & country: Willow Ridge Stable // USA

race: Lost in the Fog Juvenile Stakes (Listed)

+
ft Sweetwater's Tori Harper on Helios
ft Golden Vale's Peter Wright on GV TriggerHappy

/

STORY:

Solette wished it was one of those beautiful, sunny days that she loved so much.
Somehow, desert-y Arizona had failed her.
With a scowl, the tall, dark woman yanked her hood down lower over her face, shielding as much of her head as she could from the rain. She ran across sucking mud to the warm, lit guest stables, huffing through the heightened humidity.
Solette had flown in from D.C. only two hours before; she had been visiting her parents in Maryland for the holidays, while the rest of the racing team had driven down with Chickadee. The plane had been available, but Diana had insisted on the drive. It wasn’t often their fearless leader got to visit her cousin, and she had wanted to take advantage of the situation. The rest in Colorado had put a huge spring in everyone’s steps, Chickadee included; the filly was frisky and vibrant, bucking and playing like a foal when turned out for her pasture time. Solette loved the filly’s happiness; Chickadee was a bitch to ride when she was unhappy, and Solette had enough of grumpy racers with Dandy. Solette’s own holiday had been quiet and warm, with the early-morning plane ride to Phoenix the only disruption. The rain was the worst part of all, though it had lessened some since her arrival at the track.

Solette sighed audibly when she reached the interior of the stabling, slowing her jog to an easy walk as the light and warmth hit her. Horses nickered and tossed their heads as she passed, a stranger to most of them. She tried to mask her grimace as she passed a set of stalls with Sweetwater silks; she had seen that the big bay colt Helios was running with them, but she hadn’t expected to see Helios here in Arizona. The colt himself wasn’t a big deal; he was friendly enough, and she liked him. His trainer and hands, though...she didn’t get on well with them. Probably because they’re kinda a bunch of assholes, Solette thought to herself, walking a little faster to avoid Helios and his people. Chickadee was in the next set of stalls, little Winona in the stall fussing at her. The big bay filly shook her head and snorted in greeting when Solette approached, letting Winna climb up on her stool to brush her back.
Solette raised a brow.
“You know it’s all foggy and gross outside, right?” Winona turned her head just enough to fake a glare at Soletted.
“Momma said that us and our horses should always look our best,” the darkhaired girl said primly, a sneaky smile on her face as she turned back to Chickadee.
Solette grinned and left Chickadee in Winna’s capable hands. She turned away from the stall to look around her, taking in the hustle and bustle of pre-race preparations. She spotted Diana and Savannah talking to another woman in a blue jacket but didn’t walk over to talk. Bypassing Chickadee’s sniffing nose, Solette instead grabbed up the black duffel next to Chickadee’s stall, a piece of tape with ‘TATE’ written on it identifying the bag as Solette’s. She ducked into the empty stall next to Chickadee’s, shrugging out of her jacket and street clothes into her thermals and jockey silks.
Ten minutes later she was back out in the aisle, leaning against the empty stall tying back her hair. Chickadee was in the process of getting saddled, Winona’s young voice scolding the filly when she was too frisky. Solette took the filly’s bridle from the hook inside her stall, smiling and petting Chickadee’s velvet nose as she eased the bridle on. Chickadee licked the bit before allowing it in her mouth, and she butted her head against Solette’s shoulder when the last buckle was fastened. The jockey laughed and petted the filly’s forehead, stepping back as Winona lifted the slight saddle onto Chickadee’s back.
Solette turned away from the filly and kid again to look for Diana, this time finding her boss down the aisle talking to another jockey. Solette followed the sound of Diana’s voice, bumping shoulders with her boss as the pair greeted her.
“Peter Wright,” the other jockey said, sticking his hand out. Solette shook it, smiling at the friendly welcome. “Solette Tate - you riding out there today, too?” she asked, eyeing his jockey silks. The other jockey nodded and laughed.
“Yeah, hope we don’t slip up too much in the mud,” he joked amicably, Diana laughing next to them. “It’s almost time to saddle up,” the stable owner reminded the jockeys, leading Solette away as she waved a goodbye at Peter Wright

Diana had been right about the time. As soon as the pair walked the couple yards down the barn back to Chickadee’s stall, Winona and Savannah holding the energetic filly still as the other horses around then were also emerging from their stalls. Solette grinned as she ran a hand down Chickadee’s flank; the filly was friendly but competitive, and it was going to be an interesting ride out to the starting gate.
The crew led Chickadee out; it had mostly stopped raining, but the fog from it had rolled in and settled. Chickadee had her ears back as Solette mounted, the bay gnawing on the bit as they were led to the gate. The filly was pretty fearless against the evil gate, and she proved her bravery with an easy load.
Then there was only the tense wait, the horses already snorting and stomping, the jockeys soothing and mumbling.
The gate opened.
Chickadee burst out of the gate like a demon, and Solette grinned. This was going to be one helluva race.
(wc: 946)

stock art used: Thoroughbred racehorse stock
Sweetwater Farms belong to soulswitch
Toni Harper / Helios belong to Jyynxx
Golden Vale / Peter Wright / GV TriggerHappy belong to shot-fired