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Description
George's Gift, winner of the Fountain of Youth and Holy Bull. Long, lean, every bit a champion from his well proportioned head to his coal black tail. Rachel Grunwald studied the dapple grey colt as he was unloaded from his trailer. The colt was rather subdued, licking his horsey lips as he was led to the Meadowlark Acres barn on the Aqueduct backstretch. Rachel was trying to downplay in her mind the brilliant Old fashioned son but even she had to admit that he was a great threat to her favorite White Ghost. What The White Ghost had in speed George's Gift had in stamina and a deadly closing kick. However the field was relatively light in speed besides her white colt and with the right slow fractions he could skirt away from the Wood Memorial hopefuls. Time would tell as the post positions would be drawn tomorrow.
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"Drat!" Rachel muttered under her breath as George's Gift received his perfect post position of number 5 while The White Ghost was bottled up in the number 1 hole. The white colt was terrible at starting, always a beat too slow. With this post he would surely get rank after being boxed in behind the rest of the field. Things were not looking good for the son of The White Fox....
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Race day. The sun was hidden behind hoards of dark omnious clouds. Rain had yet to fall on the crowd at Aqueduct racetrack however and people came in droves.

The viewing paddock was already filled with willing eager hopefuls. Colts pranced haughtily around the small oval, throwing up their sculpted heads as their grooms looked on with indifference. Rachel scoured the throng until she spotted her white colt. His coat was shining with the brightness of a polished diamond despite the lack of light. He was jigging on the end of his lead, chewing on chain threaded over his tongue. A couple horses back George's Gift looked just a good. He was much more laid back, showing the ease and grace of a horse twice his age. Rachel chewed her lip nervously.
"Go get them Ghostie." she whispered to herself as the jockeys were given a leg up.
---------------------------------------------------
As the field was paraded to the starting gate, the jockey of Mambo Italiano, the number 4 horse was trying to get her mind straight. Crystal Rainsford was not only a jockey in this race, but an owner. Her horse, George's Gift of whom she owned a percentage of, was in this race. And her she was riding against him. To make matters worse her steady boyfriend, of whom she had named the horse for, was riding him. It was a terrible coincidence that seemed only a sitcom drama could have.

Most of the time she and him tried to steer clear of each other on the racetrack. George was based in Southern California while Crystal had her tack centered in the East. But it was times like this, when the large stakes races came about, that it became a problem. Both of them were intensely competitive and headstrong. Crystal patted Mambo's sweaty neck as they arrived to the starting gate. She was going to ride her race, no matter what. Loading into the number 4 hole she looked over at George as his dapple grey mount was loaded into the five hole. He happened to look over at her and he shot her a short smile.
"Ready to eat dirt my love?" he joked as he grabbed a handful of mane.
"Only if you're ready to kiss my ass." Crystal replied lowering her goggles. He gruffed at that and turned to focus on the track ahead. Smirking she grabbed black mane and waited for the start.
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Brrrrrrinnnnnggggg!! The gates clanged open, the race was on.
"As expected The White Ghost was off a beat slow at the start." the track announcer said as the field left the gate.
"Oh no." Rachel moaned. Her worst fears were being released.
She watched as the rest of the field surged around the colt, boxing him on the rail. George's Gift had gotten a perfect start. He was laying his customary last while Mambo Italiano found himself on the lead. The first quarter was dawdling and the half mile was absolutely pacer-like. They were carousel horses throughout the first part of the race, no changes whatsoever in their order. Surprisingly The White Ghost was sitting quite chilly despite the close quarters. His jockey was just hoping a hole would open before or into the far turn.
Finally the pack began to pick it up. The seventh furlong would be run in 10 1/5. George began to go to work on the dapple grey Old Fashioned son. Picking it up he began to spurt away from the field, but not without a ghost and a dance partner with him. The White Ghost had found a seam on the outside and now was gaining ground. Mambo Italiano fought back against the closers and was between the two colts. In the eighth furlong the three colts were locked in battle. Finally though fatigue made Mambo crack and he began to fade. The White Ghost's jockey asked for more and he responded willingly poking his pearly head in front. George's Gift however would have none of that and flattened out to his belly.
The two colt were head bobs away when they crossed the wire. Photo finish.
Rachel was screaming as they crossed the finish line. She had no idea who won but the grit that her Ghostie put on was absolutely incredible.
It took a full seven minutes before the results were posted. The White Ghost by a nose, George's Gift had to settle for a hard fought second and Mambo Italiano had taken third by five lengths. The trio were ready for Louisville.

Name: George's Gift
Barn Name: Georgie
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age: 3 years
Gender: Colt
Colour: Dapple grey
Markings: Trailing star
Genotype: ee/Aa/Gg
Height: 16.3 hands
Discipline: Flat racer dirt
Ideal distance: 9-12 furlongs
Running position: Deep closer
Sire: *Old fashioned
Dam: Good n' Plenty (Bourkan)
Owner: Crystal Rainsford & Meadowlark Acres
Breeder: Beauchamp
Trainer: Ian Macmahon
Jockey: George Rodriguez
Race Record: 5/3/0 8 starts
Big race wins: Holy Bull, Fountain of Youth.

Name: Mambo Italiano
Barn name: Mambo
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age: 3 years
Gender: Colt
Colour: Bay
Markings: Star with stripe
Genotype: Ee/Aa
Height: 16.2 hands
Discipline: Flat racer dirt
Ideal distance: 7-10 furlongs
Running position: Midpack/Stalker
Sire: Milwaukee Brew*
Dam: Cozy Bird* (*Birdstone)
Owner: Mr.& Mrs. Jennings
Breeder: STR Stables
Trainer: Ian Macmahon
Jockey: Crystal Rainsford
Race Record: 4/2/1 9 starts

Whew. That took a long time to write. Yesssss...can't wait for the derby!

© to afleetalex

Description
George's Gift, winner of the Fountain of Youth and Holy Bull. Long, lean, every bit a champion from his well proportioned head to his coal black tail. Rachel Grunwald studied the dapple grey colt as he was unloaded from his trailer. The colt was rather subdued, licking his horsey lips as he was led to the Meadowlark Acres barn on the Aqueduct backstretch. Rachel was trying to downplay in her mind the brilliant Old fashioned son but even she had to admit that he was a great threat to her favorite White Ghost. What The White Ghost had in speed George's Gift had in stamina and a deadly closing kick. However the field was relatively light in speed besides her white colt and with the right slow fractions he could skirt away from the Wood Memorial hopefuls. Time would tell as the post positions would be drawn tomorrow.
-----------------------------------------------------
"Drat!" Rachel muttered under her breath as George's Gift received his perfect post position of number 5 while The White Ghost was bottled up in the number 1 hole. The white colt was terrible at starting, always a beat too slow. With this post he would surely get rank after being boxed in behind the rest of the field. Things were not looking good for the son of The White Fox....
----------------------------------------------------
Race day. The sun was hidden behind hoards of dark omnious clouds. Rain had yet to fall on the crowd at Aqueduct racetrack however and people came in droves.

The viewing paddock was already filled with willing eager hopefuls. Colts pranced haughtily around the small oval, throwing up their sculpted heads as their grooms looked on with indifference. Rachel scoured the throng until she spotted her white colt. His coat was shining with the brightness of a polished diamond despite the lack of light. He was jigging on the end of his lead, chewing on chain threaded over his tongue. A couple horses back George's Gift looked just a good. He was much more laid back, showing the ease and grace of a horse twice his age. Rachel chewed her lip nervously.
"Go get them Ghostie." she whispered to herself as the jockeys were given a leg up.
---------------------------------------------------
As the field was paraded to the starting gate, the jockey of Mambo Italiano, the number 4 horse was trying to get her mind straight. Crystal Rainsford was not only a jockey in this race, but an owner. Her horse, George's Gift of whom she owned a percentage of, was in this race. And her she was riding against him. To make matters worse her steady boyfriend, of whom she had named the horse for, was riding him. It was a terrible coincidence that seemed only a sitcom drama could have.

Most of the time she and him tried to steer clear of each other on the racetrack. George was based in Southern California while Crystal had her tack centered in the East. But it was times like this, when the large stakes races came about, that it became a problem. Both of them were intensely competitive and headstrong. Crystal patted Mambo's sweaty neck as they arrived to the starting gate. She was going to ride her race, no matter what. Loading into the number 4 hole she looked over at George as his dapple grey mount was loaded into the five hole. He happened to look over at her and he shot her a short smile.
"Ready to eat dirt my love?" he joked as he grabbed a handful of mane.
"Only if you're ready to kiss my ass." Crystal replied lowering her goggles. He gruffed at that and turned to focus on the track ahead. Smirking she grabbed black mane and waited for the start.
-----------------------------------------------------
Brrrrrrinnnnnggggg!! The gates clanged open, the race was on.
"As expected The White Ghost was off a beat slow at the start." the track announcer said as the field left the gate.
"Oh no." Rachel moaned. Her worst fears were being released.
She watched as the rest of the field surged around the colt, boxing him on the rail. George's Gift had gotten a perfect start. He was laying his customary last while Mambo Italiano found himself on the lead. The first quarter was dawdling and the half mile was absolutely pacer-like. They were carousel horses throughout the first part of the race, no changes whatsoever in their order. Surprisingly The White Ghost was sitting quite chilly despite the close quarters. His jockey was just hoping a hole would open before or into the far turn.
Finally the pack began to pick it up. The seventh furlong would be run in 10 1/5. George began to go to work on the dapple grey Old Fashioned son. Picking it up he began to spurt away from the field, but not without a ghost and a dance partner with him. The White Ghost had found a seam on the outside and now was gaining ground. Mambo Italiano fought back against the closers and was between the two colts. In the eighth furlong the three colts were locked in battle. Finally though fatigue made Mambo crack and he began to fade. The White Ghost's jockey asked for more and he responded willingly poking his pearly head in front. George's Gift however would have none of that and flattened out to his belly.
The two colt were head bobs away when they crossed the wire. Photo finish.
Rachel was screaming as they crossed the finish line. She had no idea who won but the grit that her Ghostie put on was absolutely incredible.
It took a full seven minutes before the results were posted. The White Ghost by a nose, George's Gift had to settle for a hard fought second and Mambo Italiano had taken third by five lengths. The trio were ready for Louisville.

Name: George's Gift
Barn Name: Georgie
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age: 3 years
Gender: Colt
Colour: Dapple grey
Markings: Trailing star
Genotype: ee/Aa/Gg
Height: 16.3 hands
Discipline: Flat racer dirt
Ideal distance: 9-12 furlongs
Running position: Deep closer
Sire: *Old fashioned
Dam: Good n' Plenty (Bourkan)
Owner: Crystal Rainsford & Meadowlark Acres
Breeder: Beauchamp
Trainer: Ian Macmahon
Jockey: George Rodriguez
Race Record: 5/3/0 8 starts
Big race wins: Holy Bull, Fountain of Youth.

Name: Mambo Italiano
Barn name: Mambo
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age: 3 years
Gender: Colt
Colour: Bay
Markings: Star with stripe
Genotype: Ee/Aa
Height: 16.2 hands
Discipline: Flat racer dirt
Ideal distance: 7-10 furlongs
Running position: Midpack/Stalker
Sire: Milwaukee Brew*
Dam: Cozy Bird* (*Birdstone)
Owner: Mr.& Mrs. Jennings
Breeder: STR Stables
Trainer: Ian Macmahon
Jockey: Crystal Rainsford
Race Record: 4/2/1 9 starts

Whew. That took a long time to write. Yesssss...can't wait for the derby!

© to afleetalex