2018 Belmont Stakes

6. Ella Lorena ridden by Alex Curragh for Coventry Stables

Extra: fav.me/dcia0ue

Ahhh i know the scale looks weird but Ella's just so tiny!


Story: [1010 words]

After the Kentucky Oaks, there was one race on everyone's mind: The Belmont.
Rachel Alexandra easily took both the Kentucky Oaks and the Preakness, but that was not the right path for Ella Lorena. It certainly was not an unheard of thing to do, considering that Rags To Riches took the Oaks-Belmont path and swept both of them. The longer distance of the Belmont would be better suited for her. On top of that, she would be able to enjoy the small break. Her trainer would have liked to have tried for back to back preakness wins but it was undeniable that the Belmont would have been a much better fit.

During Ella's time at her home stable, she was able to stretch her legs and grow a bit. Literally. For months she had teetered just under fifteen hands and now she measured a full 15.0. Luckily, size isn't everything and even the great filly Dark Mirage reportedly clocked in at only 15.1. Early thoroughbreds supposedly stood less than 14 hands high. Still, a smaller legs make for a smaller stride. When she arrived at big sandy, the track looked like it could swallow her whole. The bay filly remained unphased by the massive and unforgiving track. During her workouts she was rather easy to spot considering she still sported her pink Kentucky Oaks saddle blanket. She glided effortlessly over the track with fluid strides, perked ears, and boundless energy. The rest had done her well. Ella had a big job to do, but she was ready.

The aftermath of the Preakness was only realized until much later. Racing fell into a whirlwind after the initial shock and only more questions were raised after time passed. Was Connachan really that good? Was it a weak crop this year? Was it a fluke? No one seemed to have any answers. The Belmont probables dwindled during the confusion. So many were certain of a triple crown attempt this year, and when it didn't happen, the excitement for Belmont faded. Trainers seemed more interested in avoiding the mess of a race entirely, and their promising 3yos were sent elsewhere. Only 7 remained by the time the posts were drawn

Already sporting multiple stakes wins, Demon was the oddsmaker's favorite. His favoritism did not transfer over to the general public. AS Foxfire was heavily bet down and was looking to be the odds on favorite by post time. The public spoke, and they wanted to see a dual classic winner, albeit an unconventional one. Mustard Blue, the solid colt that placed in the last two triple crown races, was locked in as a firm second choice, but questions about his pedigree left some bettors with cold feet. Ella's odds where somewhere in the middle. She wasn't the long shot, yet she was far from the favorite.
Despite her flaws, Ella ran a solid race in the Kentucky Oaks. Although, many critics claimed she would not have won if Iwar and Connachan did not duel each other. The chestnut filly's win in the preakness solidified this point of view to Ella's distractors. Many overlooked the fact that this race was not her first again colts. She ran against (and defeated) another horse in the field - Proletarian - in her maiden race. It wasn't a jaw dropping win, but it was still a win. However, he had improved greatly since that race, and her trainer knew that just because she was able to put him away once did not guarantee she could do it again.

The saddling stalls and paddock were rather quiet on race day. There was still energy, although not quite as much as previous years. Of corse, fan favorites Foxfire and Mustard Blue were getting the lion's share of attention, but they did not capture all of it. Proletarian was getting a good bit of attention due to his beautifully dyed tail. Peppercinni And Cream, the hardy palomino filly that ran in both the Kentucky Oaks and Preakness, was getting a fair amount of buzz due to the Belmont being her last race. Her connections surely hoped she'd go out a winner, and her fans did too. Aside from a few photographers, the crowd was centered around other horses. Ella was able to relax a bit. If you didn't know better, the paddock appeared to be a peaceful sight. The last remaining afternoon rays of sun cast long shadows as the sky began to tAke on an orange hue. The peace was short lived.
Standing at an impressive 17 hand high, Agent Of Hell was an imposing horse. He needed no introduction. His reputation preceded him. Ella  reflexedly retreated a few steps back in the saddling stall as he was rushed by, already snorting.
"Demon", as he was so aptly nicknamed, was the freshest, most accomplished horse in the field and anyone with any sense could tell that he was the one to watch out for. Even worse, as a deep closer, he would pose a massive threat to Ella's front running style. Even if he kept it to himself, the filly's trainer worried that Ella would back down the moment the massive horse began to barrel towards her. Ella could be a timid horse at times and she had never faced anything ike Demon. But the intimidating black colt wasn't the only closer in the race. She'd also have to keep away from Foxfire, Mustard Blue, and Proletarian. Closers seemed to take up most of the small field and they'd all be watching her every move.

Things began to fall apart as race time approched. A horse in front of Ella began to act up during the post parade, causing the filly to freeze in place for a moment. The tunnel leading to the track felt claustrophobic, and the barriers separating the horses from onlookers felt impossibly small.  The gates were too loud. They clanged as horses banged back and forth in the small metal stalls. It made Ella uneasy. These boys where too rowdy for her to relax and she refused to enter the gate. That was a first. The gate crew had to push the filly in, which only distressed her even more. She didn't even have a moment to settle before the bell rang and the gates opened. She broke okay. Others broke better.



References:
horsephotos.com/watermark.jsp?…
www.deviantart.com/feuersglut/…
www.deviantart.com/feuersglut/…
Still looking for the other two