Clifford Stakes

Horse: Sunday Memory 
Show: Heat Race Prep Races (Extended)
Story:

Nichi had been running well lately, he'd been stabled at Garnet Park and had shown that he was officially back to his form before his injury. In fact he seemed to be much stronger now than he had been before after his lay off. So they figured, why not throw him back at his old distance. There was an opportunity to get him into a heat race, and though it was a little unusual, they wanted to see what he would do given the chance. Nichi would be traveling with Hurricane a gelding that thankfully he got along with. And Colton would be back in the stirrups, which was good because only Cecily could ride Cane.

The day of the race the track was running fast, which was good for Nichi who loved to be in the front of the pack. It was a small field, basically a match race with the three entered and though no one there really knew anything about Cane, they definitely knew Blackbeard and Nichi. Coming into the paddock Nichi was strutting his stuff, high stepping and nibbling on whoever he could get his teeth on, just like he always did.

Colton hopped up in the saddle and gave him a little tug, "Now what do you say we put it to 'em bud?" Nichi snorted and stamped a hoof, half kicking as they pulled away from their lead pony to the gate. He was ready to go go go! Into the gate they went and he leaned back against it, lowering his front, the moment those gates snapped open he propelled himself forward with a great surge and fought to take the lead. Colton reined him in after he pulled ahead of Cane and Blackbeard, keeping him tucked up a bit so he didn't exhaust himself too soon. It was a long race after all!

Horse: FHF Natural Disaster
Show: Heat Race Prep Races (Extended)
Story:

Cecily had been looking for a long distance flat race to put her flashy gelding in for a while now and finally one had fallen in her lap. The chase horse wasn't built for sprints, and sadly that's all there seemed to be right now. But...this race, this 2 mile heat could be exactly what Hurricane needed to stretch his legs over on the flat. After convincing Waylon that Cane was ready she loaded him up...only to find that Nichi was going too.

"What do you mean he's going?"

"He's suited for the distance, and he needs a good stretch too."

"But you weren't going to send anyone?"

"Now I'm sending too, our two best over jumps and flat. They'll do just fine."

"Fine." Cecily had been furious, but she understood despite her anger. She just wanted something for Hurricane to prove that he was more than just a jump horse. And then when they got there to find out Blackbeard was entered just gutted her. Unloading Cane she rubbed his nose and sighed, "Oh big guy, what did I get you into?" The hot tempered gelding snorted but he didn't offer her any apologies, to him he didn't care who was in the race he'd do exactly what he always did, run them down over time.

When they got into the gate she shifted her weight, giving his reins a good squeeze and waited, "Nothing to jump over today boy, just a good straight run right over this dirt like we've practiced at home." Those gates flew open and she saw Nichi tear off for the lead, watched Blackbeard take up his position, and she eased behind them. Keeping Hurricane just behind and to the outside of Nichi as they coasted along. He could handle the distance better than any of the other horses in their stable, that she knew well, so she didn't worry about him overexerting himself this early. It would come down to the wire, and whether or not he could handle the flat as well as he did the jump.