A Horse From Nowhere

Chapter 31--Off for Dubai

February first.  The day Storm leaves for Dubai.  It was 4:30 in the morning and Storm was getting his shipping gear on to take the 30 minute drive to the airport to board the plane to Dubai for 17 hours.  But he was ready for it. 

Sure, it could be a risk sending him to Dubai, especially with the climate change.  California to Dubai had some differences and some similarities.  But more differences. 

Finally, Steven had him groomed and had his shipping gear on him.  And finally, the van with the trailer to bring him to the airport arrived.  Steven would be going with Storm, along with the assistant trainer who has never worked with Storm named Scott Roberts.  But he has been told how to train Storm. 

Victor wouldn't be able to ride Storm in workouts, so William Johnson from England would be working him out.  There was already an agreement made with William to ride Storm.  And so, the decision was made for William to work Storm out and let Victor ride him in the races.

Steven then led Storm out of the stables along with Scott.  They would follow and board their plane to follow Storm to Dubai. 

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17 hours later, Storm arrived at the Dubai airport and was unloaded off of the plane as Scott and Steven made their way over to Storm to check him before he would board the trailer to Meydan Racecourse. 

When Storm was checked over, he was loaded onto the trailer, and Steven and Scott got into the vehicle that would bring them to the track.  And off they went.

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Once at Meydan Racecourse, Storm was unloaded and brought to the quarantine stables, where he would be kept for a few days.  In the same stable, there was a familiar face.

"Nice to see a familiar face," Steven said.  "Huh Smokestack?"

The dark grey colt nickered to Steven, Scott and Storm.  He was looking just fine in Dubai, and it was his last day in the quarantine stables.  The next day he could go to the regular stalls and be able to workout on the track. 

Smokestack was on a layoff.  He hadn't raced since the Breeder's Cup Classic.  And he finished third in that race. 

A lot of horses were wanting to run in the Dubai World Cup.  Shady Hopes and Dubai Bird, the two colts who ran in America, were at their home track, and there they would be a danger.  More of a danger than in America.  This is their home track. 

Dubai Bird actually had a prep the day Storm arrived.  It was time for them to be in the paddock.  Steven and Scott were able to get into Meydan Racecourses stands to watch Dubai Bird race.

Finally, the horses came out onto the track.  Dubai Bird was number one in the field.  He was easily spotted.  A big bay colt with two front white socks, no back leg markings and no facial markings.  The saddle towels were all white, and Dubai Bird had on a white shadow roll and white bridle and reins.  The colt who wore mostly white tack.

Ten minutes later, the horses loaded in.  When they took off running, Dubai Bird broke alertly, but his jockey held him back in fifth.  A speedy horse, the horse named Speed Demon, went out quickly to the front from the number four post.  He bounded right to the front, very happy with the way he was running.

Speed Demon quickly opened up six lengths going into the first turn.  This horse wasn't going to win.  He was just a rabbit for the other horses in the field.  He doesn't even have any wins on his race record except for a maiden on the turf.  A turf horse to the dirt-not really something that always works.

Exiting the first turn, Speed Demon was setting blazing fractions as he came out of the turn thirteen lengths in front. 

With a mile left to run, Speed Demon has a twenty length lead.  Definitely a rabbit.  He wouldn't last much longer.

Low and behold, though he had a twenty five length lead entering the final turn, he started to fade.  Yep.  A rabbit.  And then, you see two front white socks reaching out across Meydan Racecourse.  And also the white tack become a blur with the colt flying up into the stretch.

All of a sudden, the colt started to open up by a lot.

"Dubai Bird is flying on home to victory!  Dubai Bird takes a major step forward to the Dubai World Cup as he dominates the field by seven lengths!"

Speed Demon luckily held on for second place, two in front of the third place finisher.