Ryu At The Monthly

Show: J.C Monthly
Horse: AS Ryukotsei 
Jockey: Scott Aleiangch

Featured Horses:  Monsoon and Pioneer AroonCat 

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Ryu was keeping stride with everything today, wether that be in training or in simply keeping everyone's spirits up. When Scott went to greet him before the Juvenile Stakes began, the buckskin colt lifted his head, cheerfully whinnied with head raised and ears forward, before craning his head to the side until he was parallel with the ground in the oddest position, causing the Scot to burst out laughing before giving his little friend a hug. Ryu nickered in approval and thumped Scott on the back in a traditional Ryu hug. 

A hug/greeting and a demand for that polo mint Ryu just knew was hidden in Scott's back pocket. 

Ryu hadn't been raced with any big big names for his career. Ryu was only two years old and so wasn't under a lot of stress to work, as Amalie was generally very wary of racing her horses at two and preferred to start them at three. Ryu was an exception because of how bulky and broad he was, not to mention how quick a learner and Racer he could be when he'd woken up on the right side of his bed. This did mean that his experience in racing big-name, big-stable horses was near non-existent. Due to the low-key races he'd been entered in Ryu had a very laid back attitude to his occupation. During his two year old season, everyone at Antrium's racing stable was content to let him stay laid back. When he started his three year old season they would kick it up a notch or two if he showed he could handle it and then she should get plenty out of him before deciding his future, wether it be at Antrium or in the Sales ring. 

For this race Ryu seemed eager to impress. He'd been simply worshiping the sun and the heat since they arrived and didn't seem to mind the idea of running his heart out in blazing sunlight. He was also showing himself to be quite the attention hogger as when the crowds started cheering he pulled away from Scott and his handler to look up into the stands and bob his head at them, ears pricked forward, tail raised, lifting his feet just a little nicer than usual. Scott laughed and patted him on the neck, praise the colt simply revelled in as he proceeded to the starting gate. 

He seemed to bounce a little, shifting around impatiently, before lurching forward as the gates swung open. Scott had been working with him on his starts and this time Ryu was much smoother than he used to be. Still room for improvement but he did well this time, falling nicely into place behind a couple of leaders. Scott knew Ryu would charge ahead later and so he kept him steady... your time will come, boy, your time will come...