New Beginnings
Hadley pushed her braid back behind her shoulder and let out a sigh. Her heart dropped as she looked down the isle of empty stalls that used to be occupied by so many of her favorite horses. She’d been tirelessly working to get Grayson Meadows back up and running over the last few months.
Over the last few years her heart had been broken over and over and over again. The loss of her brother was hard enough, losing the beloved animals she worked with every day just added to the pain. Hadley knew her decision to sell the horses and step away from the industry was probably a wise one but the task of starting over was daunting. She’d spent so much time pushing those she loved away, Alex, Steve, Aaron, Jessie, Andrew. She never expected she’d get to stand where she was today with the people she’d tried so hard to push away. She was so incredibly thankful.
Glancing down the line of horses that were going to be worked for the morning Hadley’s hope again rose. Grayson Meadows certainly was not what it once was there was no question in her mind that it would one day be the same. She walked down the line of stalls, about ten of them were filled with new and old faces.
The seven year old gray mare held a odd place in Hadley’s heart, she imagined it was similar to what Tanner had felt for Passion Heart. At face value she had a decent career under her belt and Hadley would have been fine retiring the mare after two years off from racing, except Honorary had other ideas. All she had done was improve with age and was still putting in solid work outs. If anything Honorary was feistier than ever. Alex demanded that Hadley give her a chance and let her run for one last year.
SmashDashing this unique horse didn’t know when to quit. He’d always been a tough horse but after two years off he too displayed a fight and will to run still. Hadley didn’t see a reason to retire the colt if he still had plenty of run left in him. A season in the undercards building up to bigger goals was her plans for him. Ultimately she’d like to see him run in the Breeders’ Cup at the end of the year but she wouldn’t be heartbroken if she had to wait another season.
Ephermeral had changed, while still her same sensitive self, she was beginning to come into her own and become a force to be reckoned with on the track. A win out from becoming a grade one winner Hadley had no doubts that she’d hit that magical thirteenth win and begin to make an entrance to the horse of the year races.
The black stallion was one of Hadley’s favorites to return to Grayson Meadows. She had helped foal him out as a colt and now here was at four years old. I Bet My Life’s career hadn’t panned out as she had hoped for, however with the right management he stood to make something of himself and he certainly had the bloodlines to do it. Aaron was really high on this horse from the start and was ecstatic to have a chance to train him again. He’d put in honest work outs thus far and was improving by the day.
The newcomers were unlike anything Aiden had experienced before. They weren’t typical Grayson Meadow type horses but perhaps they needed to start developing a new ‘type’ or a new brand of horse. Grayson Meadows roots had always been in sprinters and Shadowfax was an excellent one to get their name back into the conversation. Shadowfax was a lovely prospect, the grade three colt had been putting forth honest efforts in the dirt sprinting races over the last few seasons and with a little work likely would be a serious threat in the next season. He only improved off of his works and Aaron was head over heels in love with the horse.
True Sunrise was another sprinter Grayson Meadows had welcomed to the fold earlier that week. He was another horse who had a solid undercard record underneath him and was another horse that over the season could build up a record in the horse of the year races and could improve on that record in a following season. He had been lighting up their turf track in the few works he put in over it and Hadley was incredibly pleased with him. She couldn’t wait to see what the large grey would do in the next season.
Winged Passion was bred impeccably but had an okay record thus far. Hadley loved a challenge however. Grayson Meadows was known for the turn around of the fierce mare Passion Heart in a single season. Hadley had good faith that Steve could get the mare rolling in the undercards this season and eventually move her up as well.
Ambrose Light was a horse Hadley was ecstatic to have in her racing string. Allouette Divine had been one of her favorite horses to be around and having her daughter among her racing string was an honor. The possibilities that laid before her were endless, she might not hit the triple sprinter crowns and tiaras this season but she was confident they’d have an impact in the older horse sprint races next season.
The other three year old that Grayson Meadows had acquired was the green Fight or Flight. The horse perplexed her, he wasn’t super intelligent but had a heart of a champion. He needed more experience and she was determined that with time he’d come into himself and maybe, just maybe they could hit the miler series at the wire later in the season.
Atlantic Deluge was a young filly that just stirred something up inside of Hadley that she couldn’t help but get excited. Her record was small but functional and she had all the right things going for her at the time. The possibilities were endless with Lani.
They were quite a ways away from where they once were but with a little hard work and some luck, Grayson Meadows would return to the power house it once was and her heart flipped with the possibilities that laid ahead of them.
Over the last few years her heart had been broken over and over and over again. The loss of her brother was hard enough, losing the beloved animals she worked with every day just added to the pain. Hadley knew her decision to sell the horses and step away from the industry was probably a wise one but the task of starting over was daunting. She’d spent so much time pushing those she loved away, Alex, Steve, Aaron, Jessie, Andrew. She never expected she’d get to stand where she was today with the people she’d tried so hard to push away. She was so incredibly thankful.
Glancing down the line of horses that were going to be worked for the morning Hadley’s hope again rose. Grayson Meadows certainly was not what it once was there was no question in her mind that it would one day be the same. She walked down the line of stalls, about ten of them were filled with new and old faces.
The seven year old gray mare held a odd place in Hadley’s heart, she imagined it was similar to what Tanner had felt for Passion Heart. At face value she had a decent career under her belt and Hadley would have been fine retiring the mare after two years off from racing, except Honorary had other ideas. All she had done was improve with age and was still putting in solid work outs. If anything Honorary was feistier than ever. Alex demanded that Hadley give her a chance and let her run for one last year.
SmashDashing this unique horse didn’t know when to quit. He’d always been a tough horse but after two years off he too displayed a fight and will to run still. Hadley didn’t see a reason to retire the colt if he still had plenty of run left in him. A season in the undercards building up to bigger goals was her plans for him. Ultimately she’d like to see him run in the Breeders’ Cup at the end of the year but she wouldn’t be heartbroken if she had to wait another season.
Ephermeral had changed, while still her same sensitive self, she was beginning to come into her own and become a force to be reckoned with on the track. A win out from becoming a grade one winner Hadley had no doubts that she’d hit that magical thirteenth win and begin to make an entrance to the horse of the year races.
The black stallion was one of Hadley’s favorites to return to Grayson Meadows. She had helped foal him out as a colt and now here was at four years old. I Bet My Life’s career hadn’t panned out as she had hoped for, however with the right management he stood to make something of himself and he certainly had the bloodlines to do it. Aaron was really high on this horse from the start and was ecstatic to have a chance to train him again. He’d put in honest work outs thus far and was improving by the day.
The newcomers were unlike anything Aiden had experienced before. They weren’t typical Grayson Meadow type horses but perhaps they needed to start developing a new ‘type’ or a new brand of horse. Grayson Meadows roots had always been in sprinters and Shadowfax was an excellent one to get their name back into the conversation. Shadowfax was a lovely prospect, the grade three colt had been putting forth honest efforts in the dirt sprinting races over the last few seasons and with a little work likely would be a serious threat in the next season. He only improved off of his works and Aaron was head over heels in love with the horse.
True Sunrise was another sprinter Grayson Meadows had welcomed to the fold earlier that week. He was another horse who had a solid undercard record underneath him and was another horse that over the season could build up a record in the horse of the year races and could improve on that record in a following season. He had been lighting up their turf track in the few works he put in over it and Hadley was incredibly pleased with him. She couldn’t wait to see what the large grey would do in the next season.
Winged Passion was bred impeccably but had an okay record thus far. Hadley loved a challenge however. Grayson Meadows was known for the turn around of the fierce mare Passion Heart in a single season. Hadley had good faith that Steve could get the mare rolling in the undercards this season and eventually move her up as well.
Ambrose Light was a horse Hadley was ecstatic to have in her racing string. Allouette Divine had been one of her favorite horses to be around and having her daughter among her racing string was an honor. The possibilities that laid before her were endless, she might not hit the triple sprinter crowns and tiaras this season but she was confident they’d have an impact in the older horse sprint races next season.
The other three year old that Grayson Meadows had acquired was the green Fight or Flight. The horse perplexed her, he wasn’t super intelligent but had a heart of a champion. He needed more experience and she was determined that with time he’d come into himself and maybe, just maybe they could hit the miler series at the wire later in the season.
Atlantic Deluge was a young filly that just stirred something up inside of Hadley that she couldn’t help but get excited. Her record was small but functional and she had all the right things going for her at the time. The possibilities were endless with Lani.
They were quite a ways away from where they once were but with a little hard work and some luck, Grayson Meadows would return to the power house it once was and her heart flipped with the possibilities that laid ahead of them.
From The Start
Tread Carefully and Primrose
Grayson Meadows recently welcomed two new maidens into their racing roster, one a filly by Devils Blessing and out of horse previously owned by Grayson Meadows, White Rose. The other a three year old regally bred maiden by HOF Forbidden To Fly and out of Rules of Passion. It is extremely unusual to find a maiden at GHF, TW and BSD that had yet to make a start in the middle of May but Grayson Meadows is about to do it.
The two horses have been working over Grayson Meadows' training tack over the last few weeks to gain experience and prep for their first starts at the races and word is that they're expected to be entered the second week of may.
The two horses have been working over Grayson Meadows' training tack over the last few weeks to gain experience and prep for their first starts at the races and word is that they're expected to be entered the second week of may.