Reaching For The Stars

Beyond His Candy and Jake Allen

Candy was three wins away from Grade one. He would be his sire's first grade one foal, and the best, at that. The gray stallion's coat was starting to fade a flea bitten white color, the dapples slowly disappearing. He was in his prime racing condition ending his three year old season on a good note by placing 2nd in Breeder's Cup Dirt Mile.This year we planned to take our dream and run with it. It was going to be a tough year with a new jockey on board and Spencer would be a by iffy his first few races out there, but that wouldn't matter. We would still prove some people wrong.
It was early morning and Bell had told me and Matt to get our mounts ready. We were going to work each one of them in some form. So here we are now. I was on Candy, and Matt was on Zazzy. We were loaded in the gates just waiting for them to burst open we were can run. Fight for the lead. Ready? I whispered in the colts ears. His ears pinned back and suddenly the gates open. Candy jumped out of the gates, a moment after Zazzy. Darn... I whispered and urged the colt faster. We were running on dirt, 9 furlongs. Candy pushed him self forward, running around behind the palomino colt.
If you were watching from the stands you would see a battle going on right now. Candy was making his way around the colt and they were now head from head, battling it out on who was going to take the lead and Candy hadn't even hit 2nd gear yet! Come on! I said urging the grey stallion on. Candy shot forward quickly taking over the lead. Not this is where the turn, eat my dust comes in hand. The track was so dry, when Candy dug his his hooves in and kicked back to run, the dig flew back and covered the golden colt, making him look bay.
Candy quickly sprinted forward, proving that he still over take young competition. Jake urged the colt faster, and wasn't really expecting much of a change, but then suddenly Candy shot forward. He was fast as a cheetah. No wait. He was the faster animal alive. By the time he crossed over the wire he was 4 furlongs in the lead, and still had more in him. Woah... I said softly, pulling him down from his wild gallop, to a trot, than a canter and soon a walk. I walked him out a bit, and lead him over to the rail with Bell stood. She had a oh my god expression on her face, wide eyes watching the leggy stallion come towards her. She could of never got Candy to go that fast or put his heart in it like Jake just did. She never expected Candy to go that fast. Those stars are just an arms reach away, now I said proudly, patting the stallion affectionately on the shoulder. The colt nickered and tossed his head happily. He pawed the ground playful and forcefully nudged Bell. Bell smiled and rubbed the colts forward. We have a champion here.