Kickstart The Year

[Alexia]

Afterglow & Alana Stratt
Dark Charmer & Jacob Donovan

As two year olds, Stormi and Dark had been impressive. Locked in a strong rivalry they had been workout partners while competing in many of the same races. To start with it had always seemed that Dark had the upper hand but in the end it came down to the fact that Stormi had done some amazing things in the last feew months of the year. While Dark took third in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile and finished the year as a grade five Stormi had done what they had hoped for, and yet been unsure of her being able to accomplish it. Stormi had taken the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies', proving herself to be a strong competitor and ending the year as a grade four. Now, the two would continue as they had the year before, going head on head to be the best.

The Kickstart Cup was to be their first race, ten furlongs on the dirt for grade four and five horses. The two three year olds were already fired up and as their respective jockeys led the horses down to the track you could already see the two competeing mentally. Trying to irk the other and come out ahead. It was their typical game, and Stormi seemed to be one of the few horses that could truly bring out the usually thoughtful Dark's stubborn and competetive side. As they reached the tracks and mounted the two jockeys nodded at each other. It was game on, these two never gave in with ease.

Once the horses were gated the tension started to build, both horses determined to out do the other and when the gates opened the games could truly begin. Stormi and Alana broke relativey wuickly and settled into a middle pace while Dark and Jacob settled behind. Darks auds were pressed forwards, the colt alert and on the move. Little changed as they moved down the straight, although Dark began to pick up speed and as they rounded the bend him and Stormi were head on head. Both horses pressed hard and once crops cracked against them they threw themselves into full on charges.

Dark inched ahead, only for Stormi to catch up. Neck on neck they fought but in the end Dark was able to take the post by a nose. It had been aa heated workout, and it boded well for the future.