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Description
Bahaha, Monty is so tiny compared to Nomad. Also, he is graying out super fast now, just like Dad. BECAUSE I SAY SO.

Also, out of all the flashy markings I have given my ponies over the "years," I have to say that Nomad's ear tip has to be my ultimate favorite.

August faded into September and it became clear that Serenity, though almost completely healed from her poisoning, would never race again. It was too much on her poor mind, so we kept her in the barn and simply galloped her to keep her fit. Some days she acted as a track pony and accompanied our racers onto the track in the mornings, but overall she was kept calm and relaxed as we waited out the rest of the season. In early September, she was officially retired and all thoughts concerning her turned to future stud prospects.

Still, September was important in the aspect that Reign returned to the track for the Travers. Many suspected he would win, but the Doubting Thomases out there spoke loud and clear: Reign had not been ready for the Belmont and it had obviously taken too much out of him. He wouldn't win the Travers. Not even after two months of rest.

To top it off, his one and only rival was prancing only two slots ahead of him in post number one, that near-black rump sashaying to and fro as Reign calmly walked the post parade. Because of his calm nature before races, Reign was first in the gate. Thundercat was last.

Then the bell sounded and the thoroughbreds leaped from their stalls to thunder down Saratoga's famous track in the GI Travers Stakes. It was an easy trip; no stumbles at the gate, no bumps or bruises down the backstretch. Thundercat lead the field, as always, while Reign sat predictably last. Then the mass of equine flesh moved as one into the far turn for home and every racer kicked into their final gears.

All but one.

"Don't do this to me, hoss," Dolorez begged quietly as he urged the indifferent colt on. "We can win this, T! But you gotta move!" Yet the as-of-yet undefeated champion didn't surge forward like he used to.

Desperate, Dolorez flapped his whip against Reign's knees again and pulled the red colt's head way up. Like in the Belmont, Reign squawked in outrage and began churning the dirt beneath him as he fought the bit. His jockey held his head back for a few moments more before setting his mount loose on the small field ahead of them.

Again, Reign took off like the unholy terror he was, surpassing colt after colt until he pulled even with the tiring Thundercat's right shoulder.

But this time the dark bay held on. The photo flashed and the judged swarmed to their viewing screens as the crowd held its breath. The frame by frame was viewed over and over again until it was finally placed on the big screen out by the track and the results were finalized.

In a twist of luck, Thundercat's nostrils had lost their flare for a split second as he breathed in and Reign's nose prevailed by a millimeter. Our dark champion had held onto his title as an undefeated racehorse, but barely.

Next time, though, Dolorez knew what to do. Like father like son, he thought.

***

Nomad started one last time before the BC Sprint as she faced the boys once more in the GII Gallant Bloom. It was a cake-walk race, really, more a prep for the Big Showdown than anything else, and our flashy sprint queen notched one more win for her undefeated resume.

Then there was Monty. Still restless and edgy from both the resurgence of his phobia and the distinct lack of Ling in his life aside from his morning workouts, he had yet to reclaim the form the world had witnessed during his four-year-old campaign. He had only one win out of three starts to show for the season, and it was won by such a tiny margin for such a fast horse that we were not placated. Still, we hoped with every start that he would get better. Thus, our speed demon was entered in the GI Woodward with Dolorez on board.

Ling made it a point to spend more one on one time with Monty, especially when Wyatt was around, and it seemed to work somewhat. Slowly but surely, Monty resurfaced from whatever hole he had hidden himself in. He only won the Woodward by half a head over his competition, but the blistering fractions made us hope against hope that the fall would see the return of the true Tantamount.

***

October dawned warm and sunny with few fall storms to mar the beauty of the changing trees. In a move completely uncharacteristic for such a magnificient champion, we set Andy loose on the poor hapless runners of two different allowance races, skipping the stakes races altogether in favor of training her hard but loosely. Her lead was unchallenged in both starts, and they proved to be mere warmups to what the world suspected would be her dramatic entrance into the BC Ladies' Classic.

Reign in turn swamped the field of the GII Jerome Handicap with Dolorez's expert mind games guiding him the whole way. Monty broke one last time as well in the GII Hawthorn Gold Cup, winning by two lengths over his competition.

And then November arrived and the world sucked in its proverbial breath as it waited to see the giants of the racing world clash during the awe-inspiring Olympics-equivalent event of the Breeders' Cup Championship.

OMGADS YOU GUYS I CANNOT WAIT.

Shown: Tantamount and Nomad

Art and Characters (C) me

Description
Bahaha, Monty is so tiny compared to Nomad. Also, he is graying out super fast now, just like Dad. BECAUSE I SAY SO.

Also, out of all the flashy markings I have given my ponies over the "years," I have to say that Nomad's ear tip has to be my ultimate favorite.

August faded into September and it became clear that Serenity, though almost completely healed from her poisoning, would never race again. It was too much on her poor mind, so we kept her in the barn and simply galloped her to keep her fit. Some days she acted as a track pony and accompanied our racers onto the track in the mornings, but overall she was kept calm and relaxed as we waited out the rest of the season. In early September, she was officially retired and all thoughts concerning her turned to future stud prospects.

Still, September was important in the aspect that Reign returned to the track for the Travers. Many suspected he would win, but the Doubting Thomases out there spoke loud and clear: Reign had not been ready for the Belmont and it had obviously taken too much out of him. He wouldn't win the Travers. Not even after two months of rest.

To top it off, his one and only rival was prancing only two slots ahead of him in post number one, that near-black rump sashaying to and fro as Reign calmly walked the post parade. Because of his calm nature before races, Reign was first in the gate. Thundercat was last.

Then the bell sounded and the thoroughbreds leaped from their stalls to thunder down Saratoga's famous track in the GI Travers Stakes. It was an easy trip; no stumbles at the gate, no bumps or bruises down the backstretch. Thundercat lead the field, as always, while Reign sat predictably last. Then the mass of equine flesh moved as one into the far turn for home and every racer kicked into their final gears.

All but one.

"Don't do this to me, hoss," Dolorez begged quietly as he urged the indifferent colt on. "We can win this, T! But you gotta move!" Yet the as-of-yet undefeated champion didn't surge forward like he used to.

Desperate, Dolorez flapped his whip against Reign's knees again and pulled the red colt's head way up. Like in the Belmont, Reign squawked in outrage and began churning the dirt beneath him as he fought the bit. His jockey held his head back for a few moments more before setting his mount loose on the small field ahead of them.

Again, Reign took off like the unholy terror he was, surpassing colt after colt until he pulled even with the tiring Thundercat's right shoulder.

But this time the dark bay held on. The photo flashed and the judged swarmed to their viewing screens as the crowd held its breath. The frame by frame was viewed over and over again until it was finally placed on the big screen out by the track and the results were finalized.

In a twist of luck, Thundercat's nostrils had lost their flare for a split second as he breathed in and Reign's nose prevailed by a millimeter. Our dark champion had held onto his title as an undefeated racehorse, but barely.

Next time, though, Dolorez knew what to do. Like father like son, he thought.

***

Nomad started one last time before the BC Sprint as she faced the boys once more in the GII Gallant Bloom. It was a cake-walk race, really, more a prep for the Big Showdown than anything else, and our flashy sprint queen notched one more win for her undefeated resume.

Then there was Monty. Still restless and edgy from both the resurgence of his phobia and the distinct lack of Ling in his life aside from his morning workouts, he had yet to reclaim the form the world had witnessed during his four-year-old campaign. He had only one win out of three starts to show for the season, and it was won by such a tiny margin for such a fast horse that we were not placated. Still, we hoped with every start that he would get better. Thus, our speed demon was entered in the GI Woodward with Dolorez on board.

Ling made it a point to spend more one on one time with Monty, especially when Wyatt was around, and it seemed to work somewhat. Slowly but surely, Monty resurfaced from whatever hole he had hidden himself in. He only won the Woodward by half a head over his competition, but the blistering fractions made us hope against hope that the fall would see the return of the true Tantamount.

***

October dawned warm and sunny with few fall storms to mar the beauty of the changing trees. In a move completely uncharacteristic for such a magnificient champion, we set Andy loose on the poor hapless runners of two different allowance races, skipping the stakes races altogether in favor of training her hard but loosely. Her lead was unchallenged in both starts, and they proved to be mere warmups to what the world suspected would be her dramatic entrance into the BC Ladies' Classic.

Reign in turn swamped the field of the GII Jerome Handicap with Dolorez's expert mind games guiding him the whole way. Monty broke one last time as well in the GII Hawthorn Gold Cup, winning by two lengths over his competition.

And then November arrived and the world sucked in its proverbial breath as it waited to see the giants of the racing world clash during the awe-inspiring Olympics-equivalent event of the Breeders' Cup Championship.

OMGADS YOU GUYS I CANNOT WAIT.

Shown: Tantamount and Nomad

Art and Characters (C) me