Dead or Alive
Disturbia & Deadly Fashion

A dense layer of fog was slowly rolling through the property of Firestone Racing, with nothing to be seen but the bright white fencing of the ¾ mile training track. Carter stood at his little training post, bundled up in his winter jacket with a stopwatch in hand as he waited for the first group of exciting juveniles to make their way down the laneway. Checking the time on his wrist, Carter tapped his foot on the ground. 

“They’re late…” He muttered to himself, crossing his arms over his chest to conserve body heat. It was almost time for the farm to get their own covered track with the winters getting longer and colder…or maybe it was time to relocate to sunny Florida. Carter chuckled to himself but stopped when he heard a female voice yell out through the fog. 

“Damn you, stupid cow!” followed by a shrill squeal as Carter found himself face to face with a very angry filly. Deadly Fashion, named just that for a reason, tried to take her jockey Sammie for quite the ride. Her tail lashed side to side as she let out a buck, trying desperately to unseat the seasoned rider but was quickly disciplined by Johnny Garner, who was sitting atop one of Firestone’s former racehorse Inferno. Surprisingly, the now snow-white gelding had turned into quite the babysitter for the young guns. Carter could see the whites of the filly’s eyes as she pinned her ears flat against her head but continued to walk rather willingly towards the track. Deadly Fashion wasn’t tall, but her long legs made her look like she was at least 17hh and what she lacked in size was made up in anger. There’s no doubt this filly is royally bred – crossing Indigo Morning’s Pegasus Wings with Intrepid Racing’s Stiletto Allure, Deadly Fashion has a big name to uphold. 

“She may be nuts, but I do think she has mad talent.” Carter called out to Sammie, who rolled her eyes as she tried to sit the crow hops Freida was throwing her way. 

Following suit was a filly of equal energy but wasn’t as nasty with her intentions. Disturbia bounced along beside the trusty Firestone Quarter Horse mare with her ears perked forward and an excited gleam in her eye. Carter could hear the chestnut filly grinding her teeth on the rubber bit in her mouth, anticipating the run ahead of her. Naomi sat proudly on Desi’s back, excited to race her first juvenile in the coming New Year. Carter could tell she had put a lot of hard work into this particular filly and was excited to see if she would live up to her sister, Socialite. 

The track wasn’t mud, but it wasn’t as nice as Carter would have liked for the first run around the track. The girls were only breezing 3 furlongs as their final workout before their first start, but it was enough to get the sprinters in them working and thinking about the task at hand. Pony riders let go of the fillies’ halters, and jockeys guided them over to the railing. Deadly Fashion’s eyes were free from maliciousness and were now sparkling with excitement as the track opened up in front of her. The chestnut filly beside her was bouncing on her toes with the bit in between her teeth, anxiously chewing on the metal as both horses were guided to the rail to begin their short breeze.

Carter stood at the rail, stopwatch in hand and clicked the start button as both horses began to gallop. The fillies worked in unison, each having their own baby moments as they rounded the final turn and into the last stretch of the run. Deadly Fashion seemed a lot taller running beside Disturbia, but both were running head to head, giving each other the pissed off side eye that neither one had made a move yet. Carter liked the way these two ran, not just together, but the style they possessed was unique, and it sent an excited shiver up his spine. He smiled to himself as both horses crossed the wire in 37.12, switching their leads easily as if they had done it for years. Neither of the two fillies were blowing hard after that blow out, but if they had half the heart as their parents and siblings, they would be a deadly pair to watch for on the track – good thing Carter never had any plans of sending them out against each other.

Darkest Dreams
Dark Divine & Fifty Dreams

After watching Arctic Fox and Enrapture prepare for their Breeder’s Cup battle, the next two youngsters were making their way down the chute with their lead ponies towing them behind. The first horse Carter laid eyes on was the hunky bright red colt, who contrasted against Inferno’s now aged out white coat. Fifty Dreams looked bright-eyed and bushy tailed and almost a dead ringer for both of his redheaded parents. Sired by Fifty In Front and out of our own mare Dreamcatcher, both parents were relatively unproven in the breeding shed but that didn’t matter when we had a plethora of untapped lines on his dam side. Foster, albeit not overly tall, was long legged, stocky and definitely built more like a sprinter but his heart found happiness in the distance races. He trotted eagerly beside Inferno, who didn’t mind the colt bursting at the seams beside him. Naomi got the ride on the big red colt and she smiled to herself as they were led onto the track, which had now dried up slightly with the increasing temperature. After almost losing Dreamcatcher because Foster was so large, Naomi had a soft spot for both momma and son and had specifically asked to ride Fifty Dreams to which Carter couldn’t say no.

Not far behind trotted up Dark Divine, a sneaky little black colt that was always up to no good in the barn. Dex was an awkward looking horse ever since day one, and Carter was never sure as to what made him look so gangly. Top Admiral was a relatively fresh sire with only one other foal on the ground, a grade four filly who sold for $3 million as a weanling. Devon got to ride the devious colt, who pinned his ears at his lead pony and put his head between his legs, throwing his legs every way possible. He had a gleam of mischief in his eyes as Devon grabbed a piece of his growing mane, the man couldn’t help but smile at the colt’s antics. It was more useful than getting mad at the youngster for feeling good.

Both horses trotted a lap on the outside rail of the track before bringing the horses to their starting position. Neither horse needed too much encouragement as they gradually increased their speed from a canter into a four-beat gallop. The chestnut colt gave his stablemate a nasty glare as they fought for the lead, constantly switching positions as they lit up Carter’s stop watch. They both had such determination to maintain their speed and tactfully place themselves in a position of power that Carter didn’t have a single doubt that these two horses would be a force on the track.

Deal The Cards
Cynosure & Redoubtable

The next two horses strutted onto the track matching each other’s attitude and flair. Their bright chestnut coats contrasted against the snow on the ground, but it made them more noticeable to Carter, who had gone back to the barn to get an extra layer of clothing. While one colt had a large blaze, the other was pure chestnut other than the small white patch of hairs on his forehead that could barely pass as a star.

Cynosure was a last-minute addition to the Y19 juveniles, but he sure was a noble one. Nos was regally bred, with his father a grade one champion inducted into the Hall of Fame and his dam an all-around champion who was already proven at throwing exceptional foals. The colt was a powerful guy to handle and isn’t the type to be intimidated easily. Nos is quiet and contains himself around the track, allowing him to focus on what he was bred to do. What you see is what you get with this horse which is why he was so easy to train. James looked at home sitting on top of the chestnut colt, scratching his withers gently as they stepped onto the dirt. Carter was excited to see the colt run against a similar horse, who he could see trotting down the path now.

Redoubtable. A dead ringer for his sire with his copper red coat, he was one of our most expensive purchases at the sale and has yet to prove us wrong on why. Truthfully, Carter hasn’t been this excited since the days of Innerstellar. Red was one of Sun King’s first foals to hit the track, with his sister being the other foal poised to start in Y19. Sun King himself was a champion and dominated the sprints and the mile distances in his generation. Red’s dam is G1* winner Alouette Divine, a Breeder’s Cup champion who also was very successful competing against a top class of fillies and mares. Redoubtable was maturing nicely and looked at the track with determination and excitement gleaming in his eye. He was fluid in his transitions and respected his jockey Talia, who was bundled up and ready to start showing the colt off.

The pair picked up a canter, Nos made himself comfortable on the inside and Red gamely on the outside. Nos was mere inches taller than Red yet seemed to puff himself up and looked larger than the colt to his right. Talia could sense Red was trying to eye up his workmate but cantered on excitedly. Carter observed with his binoculars as the redheads increased their speed as they galloped along the backstretch, their strides in sync for such a slight moment they blended into the same horse. Until Red kicked into another gear, starting to pull ahead on the outside with long, even strides. Without missing a beat, Nos responded with a slight nudge on the neck from James.

Gliding across the track, Carter watched as the horses rounded the turn into the home stretch. The colts barely looked out of breath, Red shooting Nos daggers as the white-faced juvenile started to inch ahead along the rail. Redoubtable kept with his pace, not once giving him the chance to pull away. Carter was thoroughly impressed with the two as they blazed past the wire, jockeys raising themselves up in unison to slow the two colts. The trainer smirked slightly, chuckling to himself as he thought about the season ahead. It would be difficult keeping these two away from each other, but he had no doubts that they would both show up on race day and perform their best.

Light Show

Explosive & True Light

The next two horses to walk up to the track were of similar size and colour but varied greatly in build. Both fillies looked sharp but possessed a calm, quiet expression as they took in their surroundings for the last time before their first official start. Carter sat quietly on the sidelines, admiring the athleticism of both horses as they trotted their first couple of warm up laps.

Explosive lived up to her name and it took a while for the Firestone staff to get used to her energy level. Siva floated across the track, toes flicking, and ears set forwards as Johnny posted along to her trot. He was the most experienced man to handle her antics and one of the only people to get along with the bursting filly. Along with Redoubtable, Siva was one of the most expensive purchases Firestone has ever made and so far, she hasn’t disappointed.

True Light was daintier than her female counterpart, but what she lacked in muscle she made up with heart. This girl might as well have been a therapy horse with how gentle and calm her demeanour presents itself, however Trixy can turn on her turbos and charge into battle without a blink of her eye. She looked at home cantering beside Explosive, her long elegant tail streaming out behind her like a banner.

As Carter watched them gallop on, he couldn’t help but smile as they swept past him elegantly, their matching bay coats blending in with each other. They looked beyond good and ready to perform, Siva chasing Trixy down the home stretch with a playful yet determined fire in her eyes. Trixy didn’t bat an eye when Siva tried to take her down and just pushed forwards eagerly, enjoying the game of cat-and-mouse. Carter knew they were ready to take on their foes and he was excited to watch.

Lover's Fantasy
Kiss N Tell, Fantasma & Dark Hunter

Another day brought along another few groups of exciting juveniles for Firestone Racing. The first four sets of youngsters galloped around with minimal error and it was fun for Carter to see how hard these horses were willing to work already. Looking down at his clipboard, Carter smirked to himself. The next group he had scheduled were polar opposites of each other in every way possible - leg type, size, colour, and personality.

The first to trot down the laneway barrelled in guns a-blazing, holding his black tail up in excitement. At first glance, Dark Hunter looked like he belonged in the circus. The colt was a handful for Johnny, who was seasoned enough not to be bothered by the youngster’s tricks. The colt’s dark ears flickered back and forth between his rider and the track ahead of them which was still damp with morning dew. Dark Hunter looked like a fire breathing dragon, steam billowing from his nose and his body in the cool January temperature. He very much acted like his siblings on the dam side - almost as if Afterglow liked to throw some ‘problem’ children, but Carter didn’t see it as a bad thing. It was exciting that the colt had so much drive to run, but both Johnny and Carter would have to be careful as to make sure the young horse didn’t burn himself out too quickly.

A lighter bay colt followed suit, albeit way less excited than Dark Hunter seemed to be. Fantasma was the second from his sire, and first from his dam and looked to make a statement on the track following in his half-sister’s footsteps. Carter could see the whites of his eyes, and if you didn’t know the colt you would think he was on the brink of exploding. Fantasma was ultimately just scared of his own shadow, and with a calm scratch on the neck by Talia was instantly soothed by the sound of her cooing. This horse was such a people person Carter hadn’t seen anything like it before and it was a nice change from the usual Thoroughbred personality. The colt chewed on his rubber bit and spooked slightly as a tree beside the path rustled in the wind, and Carter couldn’t help but shake his head at the exuberant colt. 

Last but certainly not least came a dainty grey filly who used the laneway as her own personal catwalk. Kiss N Tell was strutting her stuff, showing off for the young boys that were in her presence. She almost always knew when she was the centre of attention and used it to her advantage, especially around her competition. Carter had a real attraction to the filly for some reason and was especially excited to see her run - she had the pedigree to back her and the success of her siblings to live up to. At first glance, Kiss N Tell seemed like she wouldn’t be competition for a lot of horses, but if she used her speed like she has in her workouts on the track, Carter knew this filly could be a deadly runner. 

Kiss N Tell stood out like a sore thumb working with Dark Hunter and Fantasma, but she didn’t back down when the boys fought back during their trip around the track. Dark Hunter threatened to go after Fantasma a few times, but with a sharp correction from Johnny he straightened out and focused on the track ahead. Fantasma galloped smoothly and confidently within the group, putting pressure on Kiss N Tell when needed. The three horses looked primed and ready for their first start and didn’t even look too badly out of breath once they met Carter back at the laneway.

Bite My Words
Impressive Call & Love Bites

The quiet pair of pony horses at Firestone were attempting to control the rowdy juveniles beside them as they made their way across the track side by side. The young horses matched in colour but varied greatly in size and muscle mass. Impressive Call towered over the pony horse and was expected to fully mature at 17 hands. He was quick to sprout like a weed and didn’t seem to have any problems growing into his body thus far. The colt bore no resemblance to his dam Siren Call and instead has followed in his father’s footsteps. Impressive Call was one of two foals that dignified the end of Impressario’s career and only one of three colts to carry on his genes through the sire line. Pairing Impressario and Siren Call was a rather unconventional match for Carter to come up with, but with an easy extension coupled with the predatory running style Cam possessed, he had no doubts that the last colt from Hall of Fame lines could pull it off and cover all grounds. 

The restless filly jogging beside the big-boned colt was on the daintier side but could literally kill you within seconds if you’re not careful around her. Love Bites looked like a princess, and makes it well known that she must be treated like one too. Sired by Axel Rhose, Lola is one of two foals from these coveted lines and looked to bring some fire onto the track, which she certainly seemed to be doing already in her workout. She was one of Firestone’s tiara hopefuls and if she followed in her relative’s footsteps she looked poised to have an eventful season. 

Both horses romped and flailed their legs on the track, having a little bit of fun while they got down to business. Long legs unfurled as the young horses glided across the track with ease, acting as if they had been in training for years. Impressive Call may not have look full in his body but that would be quick to change with experience and age, and he was going to be a tank with continued conditioning. Nevertheless, he was quick like a cat on his feet and never seemed to put a foot wrong. Love Bites followed suit in her steps, constantly pushing Cam to try harder. She was a fighter, and working alongside Cam brought her most competitive side to the table.

Humble Beginnings

Humble Hamish & Orpheus & In Style

Things were wrapping up for the week at Firestone and with that came the last group of workouts for the day. It was a mixed group consisting of one four year old and two juveniles and was surely going to be exciting to watch. Who knew the bay roan colt by the name of Orpheus would have ended up back in our care after a few years. The now stallion had been through a lot in the past 2 years however, like Firefall, looked to have a consistent and uplifting season with us. He didn’t have the best racing seasons especially being an older horse now, but ever since his arrival he is already looking more muscled and a lot more fit in his workouts than previous months. 

Following suit was another exciting turf runner acquired from the dispersal of Highgrove Thoroughbreds racing stock out of Jessie James. Humble Hamish was carefully bred and it was clear a lot of thought was put into his previous handling and, although sometimes very opinionated, Hamish has been a very hard-working and excitable addition to the roster. His work ethic is phenomenal and he’s been nothing but willing and always puts on a show for the Firestone staff and all who watches him. He may have been lanky when he first arrived at the farm, but has been blossoming into a beautiful, strong turf runner. 

The last horse to waltz onto the track had to be one of the calmest colts Firestone has trained a while and it was a nice change. In Style certainly took everything in style as he flexed his muscles preparing to start his run. The colt has always had a very positive attitude and is always searching for something to do with an eager expression. In Style loves to be the centre of attention and showed us by putting on an aerial show beside Orpheus and Humble Hamish just to let them know he wants all eyes on him. We’ve learned that his stamina is insane and he rarely comes off his workouts blowing. 

The trio worked in unison, Orpheus looked more physically mature running beside the two juveniles but his track experience was presented as a clean slate. Hamish and Stag looked lanky beside the older horse but kept up with him and Hamish managed to keep the lead from Orpheus and Stag for a few strides, before Stag had enough and said no thank you. They circled the track one last time at a gallop, legs flying everywhere as Carter clicked the stop button on his watch. Impressive times for all three, he was excited to finally kick off the New Year in style.