A Beautiful Death

[Sam]

Horses Beautiful Roses and Death Amulet
Jockeys Sam Lettington on Beauty (Beautiful Roses) and Jake Jones on Lottie (Death Amulet)
Notes None
Purpose Workout for May Maiden Turf

The colt and filly were like Beauty and the Beast.

The filly was of a silver dapple coloring. Her mane and tail were smooth and seemed lighter then air. They were kept together nicely and seemed tidy. The smooth locks looked to be soft to the touch, as if they were made of silk. Her body looked delicate and she appeared agile. Her frame was tall and lean. Her expression showed her seriousness of this whole workout.

Then came the colt.

He was pure black with a few white scares on his hide from his past misadventures. Unlike the filly, his mane was ruffled and stuck out every which way. No matter how hard the grooms tried, they could never get the pesky locks to stay on one side of his neck. One half would go one way, and the other couldn't seem to decide and would split both ways. His forelock was poofy and frizzy and constantly in his eyes. He was a power house in built and trucker when he moved. And completely unlike the filly, his eyes danced and you could have sworn the colt was smirking as he seemed to bound down the track beside the filly. It was as though he was here for the fun of the race.

The filly found no fun in this. As if to roll her eyes at the colt's acts, she pinned her ears half way at the colt. Who could mock racing with such fooling around? When the colt took a canter stride a tad too close, she pinned her ears until they were to her neck.

The colt's jockey just laughed and pulled his black stud a bit farther away. Seems like Beauty doesn't like our little beast, the jockey laughed, giving a hearty pat on the black beast's neck.

I don't know what's up with Beauty, the jockey of the filly replied. She pulled Beauty a bit farther away and closer to the rail. Something about Lottie she doesn't like.. I would just give her her distance, Jake, the jockey said, her eyes watching the black colt.

Aye, aye, Captain Sam! said Jake with another laugh and pulled Lottie out of Beauty's striking range. It was unlikely that Beauty would try to harm Lottie, but then again, it was unlike her to not like a horse.

Sam just rolled her eyes at her employee. Soon though, her gaze looked straight ahead. The nine furlong maker was dead ahead. She began to pull Beauty up. At first the filly seemed confused and was enjoying her nice canter but soon followed directions and came to an easy trot then her usual forwards, places-to-be-people-to-see walk.

Lottie and Jake soon followed suit. But he responded much slower then Beauty. It didn't seem much of a discipline problem but more of a "he really just can't stop fast" problem. He was a big horse at nearly seventeen hands high and was large all around. It took him a while to both start and stop- which is why Sam preferred long distance races for Lottie. Gave him plenty of time to start his engine and get himself rolling.

Lottie walked lazily beside Beauty, who didn't seem as bothered about Lottie being so close to her at the moment. She was far too confused about what was happening.

As for Lottie, he wasn't very concerned.

They came to the metal gates and staff accompanying the gates sitting on the invisible line of the nine furlong maker.

Beauty soon relaxed a good deal. She knew the gates. She wasn't scared of them and actually seemed to enjoy being in them, though she was just as quick as any horse to run out of them.

Lottie on the other hand, seemed a tad bit worried. He snorted and his ears pricked up. He walked sideways to hide behind the smaller Beauty, who really didn't seem to care much anymore but still did not find this very amusing. In fact, it looked like she was pitying the colt's fears.

The staff came and lead Beauty to the gate. She went in without fuss and waited patiently.

As for the colt, he grew even more nervous at this. He snorted and nickered to Beauty, as if he was begging her to come back. But Beauty didn't seem to care. She stared ahead with an indifferent gaze.

A staff member began to lead him to the gate beside Beauty. She turned a bit and gave him a glance before concentrating and gazing straight ahead. If a horse could roll their eyes, she would have.

Slowly and carefully, they got Lottie into the gate. He stood quivering. Whether this was with fear or excitement, I couldn't tell. He nickered to Beauty, but she half pinned her ears, showing her pure ignorance of the black stud.

Sam nodded to the staff and both she and Jake began a silent count down. Both horses grew still, even shivering Lottie. They waited nearly impatiently for the metal gates to fling open and the blare of the old, metal bell. Lottie chomped on his bit and Beauty began to rock back, wanting to go ahead and get ready for the burst out.

The wind blew their manes, both silky and ragged. Lottie began to wonder if maybe the gates had stopped working. But then the sprung open.

He flew forwards as fast as he could, but the filly was much faster. She took the lead easily by two length.

Lottie galloped on, trying his best to pick his pace but as always it took him a while to really get going. With such long legs, he could eat up the ground but just couldn't bring them back fast enough to make the strides really count for much until he got his rythm.

The first turn came fast and Beauty was pulling away still. She didn't relax even at the sudden distance between her and Lottie. She kept the pace relatively fast, hoping the colt wouldn't have time to catch up.

As for Lottie, he watched sorrowfully as Beauty pulled farther and farther away. Now she was perhaps six or seven lengths away. Come on, Lottie, Jake breathed as he encouraged the colt to go faster. But the colt tried and did indeed go faster, but unfortunately, it was at a slow pace.

The back stretch came up and slowly, very slowly, Lottie began to catch up. They were roughly five length away from the filly, and carefully gaining. By Jake's guess, they could be neck and neck by the first turn at this rate.

Course that was just a guess.

Soon, Lottie really began to roll. He picked up his pace quickly now. His large strides increased in tempo and he was soon only three lengths away. It look little effort for the large, black Thoroughbred to keep up his speed.

As for Beauty, she was perfectly content with watching Lottie painstakingly catch up to her. She wanted to pick up the pace and leave him in the dust again but Sam's steady hand on the reins kept her still. She was an obedient filly and listened well. Sam, who was use to more bratty horses, really enjoyed that about Beauty. She supposed it was her older age that made her more mature in her decisions.

Now Lottie galloped only a length away from the filly. After a few more strides though, he was at the filly's flank. She didn't look too pleased about this but did nothing.

The final turn came up fast and Lottie was at her shoulder. Then neck and neck. Slowly, he was passing her and still gaining speed.

Now the stretch was open but Lottie had taken a length in front of the filly. Sam couldn't tell if Beauty was impressed by this or annoyed.

Soon though, she let the silver Thoroughbred go and she was catching up at a freighting pace.

Lottie, however, was finally putting the petal to the metal. Just like always though, it took him a while to get to full speed. It was just long enough for Beauty to pass by in a flash. She pulled ahead by a length, but then slowly Lottie began to close that distance.

His large, ground eating strides, became even larger. Though his strides were farther between, they made up for it. They easily doubled the filly's quick strides.

Soon, they were racing neck and neck. The filly looked to be doing double time next to Lottie who looked to be out for a Sunday stroll. (Though by their speed, you could easily tell it was anything but.)

The wire flashed over them and they slowly began to pull their horses up. Lottie could barely stop himself. He put on the breaks but it still took him half the track to slow down to a trot.

As for Beauty, she came up after a few furlongs. She seemed to have grown a new respect for the beast. When the ragged and wild looking stud returned to walk with her back to the stables, she didn't even pin her ears.

But maybe this was because her job was done.
Who knows?

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