Eye of the Storm

Truly a Man 'o War to Remember

Field for the 2030 Man 'o War Stakes (Grade 1, purse $4k, 1 and 3/8 miles on the turf):

1-One Hot Dude
[Sahara Sky x Judy the Beauty]
2-Laura's Other Side
[Into Mischief x Quality Rocks]
3-What You Wanted-2 G2 turf wins
[Adelaide x Birdatthewire]
4-Falloffgeton-1 G2 turf win
[Caradhras x Awesome Flower]
5-Remember Him
[To Win and Repeat x Dreaming of Julia]
6-Repossess
7-Sing Your Praises-3 G1,1 G2turf wins
[Point of Entry x Seduire]

In the post parade, the horse ahead of me kept jumping around. When I asked him why he was so nervous, he replied that his dad had raced here and won a major race, and there was pressure on the poor colt, named Remember Him. When asked, he replied that his father's name was To Win and Repeat, and that he lived on a farm in Pennsylvania. That was where Remember Him grew up. Everything after "To Win and Repeat" dimly lodged in my brain. Tower was alive, but no longer racing. I said I remembered hearing Tower win that race, and Remember Him looked at me, confused.
"You raced him?"
"Yeah, he was my best friend."
"Wait....are YOU Repossess?!"
"Yes."
"Holy CRAP! Holycrap, holycrap, holycrap!"
I had no chance to talk to him further. I told him to calm down, everything would be alright. However, I was having misgivings myself. I was the last to load into the gate. Once in, I waited excitedly, ready to see how I could do on the grass. The chance to try a new surface had rejuvenated my love for racing.

The gates clanged open and I leapt out, but this surface was slower and I didn't get out as fast. I was mid pack as we barreled down the stretch into the first turn. Remember Him was out in front, but I had a feeling he wouldn't last too long. He was inexperienced and nervous, not a good combination when in front. I tried my best to move up.

"Entering the backstretch, Remember Him and One Hot Dude are neck and neck! One Hot Dude, the son of 2 champion dirt sprinters, is leading on the turf! Then it's 2 back to Falloffgeton and What You Wanted. Then it's 3 back to Repossess, Laura's Other Side, and Sing Your Praises. Repossess beginning to move up, with three-time Grade 1 winner Sing Your Praises close on his heels. One Hot Dude and Remember Him are both fading halfway down the backstretch! Falloffgeton has taken the lead with What You Wanted lapped right on him! Repossess coming up, and Sing Your Praises is in fourth but no longer gaining ground! They're entering the final turn and it's Falloffgeton in front and looking for his first Grade 1 win! What You Wanted is challenging from the outside! Repossess stuck in traffic and...Repossess has burst through the small opening in front of him! Repossess looks to repossess his former glory as he flys into the stretch! Sing Your Praises is coming up on the outside! What You Wanted is now dueling Falloffgeton for fourth! Repossess, looking to stay undefeated! But Sing Your Praises is looking for a fourth Grade 1! Those two are head and head coming down the stretch! 2 champions, dueling for one more win! What You Wanted cant gain ground from third. It's Sing Your Praises and Repossess. They've got 100 yards left to run and Repossess has his head in front, now a neck! Sing your Praises fights back! Repossess by a head, now Sing Your Praises, Repossess refusing to field like the old pro he is! They're coming to the wire and...it's...REEPOSSESSSSS! Repossess has come back to the top and he is STILL. UN. DE. FEATED! Sing Your Praises second and What You Wanted third five lengths back. Then it's another three back to Remember Him, who was named for Repossess, who came back for fourth. Falloffgeton fifth, then Laura's Other Side and One Hot Dude, not sure what those two were doing running on the turf. Well, Repossess is one for one on the turf!"

I was led into the winner's circle yet again, then back to the stable. Exhausted, I curled up on my plush straw bed and went to sleep immediately.