Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything else.
Warnings: This is a SasuNaru meaning it is a Yaoi, if you don't like it, leave. Simple as that.
It is said that all modern Thoroughbred are descendants of three horses, the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Byerly Turk, these three horses had three offspring, Eclipse, Matchem, Herod, who in turn helped build the Thoroughbred that we have today. In the General Stud Book, which dates, back to at least the 1700's or so, 387 mares are listed in the first volume alone, and trace their origins to these three Thoroughbred stallions. The lineage of Eclipse is dominant in the modern Thoroughbred.
The sun beat down on the poly turf, sending heat waves glimmering into the distance. Excitement and anticipation were in the air as the track prepared for the final event of the day. Even the backside was alive with noise as grooms checked over the horses that were getting ready for the last race, while others made sure that the animals were ready to return home. Hot walkers cooled down horses from the previous runs before they were looked over by the trainers, making sure that nothing was injured during their time on the track.
Jockeys who had already rode earlier during the day talked with owners and trainers, setting up rides for races in the future. While the jockeys that were getting ready to race headed into the jockey room to change into their silks and weigh in.
"Ladies and gentlemen, fifteen minutes until post time. All betting stations close in five minutes." A voice boomed over the stands and the backside.
High-stung horses pranced on the end of their lead lines as their handlers led them out for the post parade where the crowd was able to look at them to put in any last minute bets and awe over them. Cameras flashed as the sleek animals moved past the crowd and their jockey's came up to meet with them.
It was a picture of calm; depicting a track where everything ran smoothly and on time. However, things are never that quiet and smooth, they just look that way for the people sitting comfortably in their couches at home. In real place and time, things are much, much, louder. And normally chaotic.
And he hated it.
There was a shrill cry of a stallion as it whistled out a challenge to others as it was being led towards the track and hundreds of people were pressed up against the white, metal railing that separated the viewers from the stabling area. Tension was thick in the air as the jockeys made their way out to their horses, each eyeing the other; each wanting to win.
It was hard to ignore the yelling that came from the crowd, as well as the journalist that asked annoying questions, but he managed somehow. Years of practice, he guessed. He instead turned his attention onto his older brother who was walking just a few steps in front of him as they met up with his mount in the paddock.
The handler was finishing tightening the girth on the saddle and straightened up as they approached, "He's ready to race Mr. Uchiha." He announced.
"Obviously," his older brother answered smoothly, "Otherwise he wouldn't be out on track, now would he?"
The handler stumbled over an apology as he gave the jockey a leg up onto the mount, and once he was settled, handed him the reins.
"Ladies and gentlemen, five minutes until post time!" The voice boomed.
A silver haired man wondered over and looked over the chestnut stallion before releasing a sigh, "Well at least he isn't washy this time." He glanced up at the jockey, "Sasuke, just run him like we always do and he should be fine. Just keep him somewhere in the middle for a while until an opening presents itself, then let him run."
Sasuke adjusted his black and white silks before giving the head trainer a sharp nod and looked towards his brother for any advice. But Itachi simply shrugged and sauntered off to the rail.
"Well Sasuke, we'll see you in the winners circle then, good luck."
"Hn."
He pushed the horse onto the track and allowed the lead pony to take the reins and escort him towards the chute. It wasn't long before he allowed his mount to move into a trot, then a canter. After he deemed the horse ready, he signaled for a slow gallop so the horse could become accustomed to the track, before he dropped him back to an easy walk.
He grunted slightly, noticing that his mount wasn't nervous; seemed that even his crazy trainer knew what he was talking about sometimes.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is a fine April day here at the Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky for the Blue Grass Stakes. The horses have entered onto the track, and we will have several contenders for the $750,000 purse. Jockey Pat Day has drawn the number one slot for the gate, giving him the best shot for the rail; however, the youngest member of the Uchiha family, riding Tobi, has drawn gate number three. Pat Day is going to have to keep his eye on this rider if he wants to keep his rail position. We also have other jockeys here, such as Garrett Gomez on Sinister Minister (3) and Shane Sellers on The Cliff's Edge (4) who can give this field a run for its money. And it looks like the horses are entering the gate."
Sasuke circled Tobi around in a circle to keep him calm while the other horses loaded, before he led the horse into the gate with the others. He double-checked his clip on his helmet before settling into the saddle, ready for the gates to spring open. The feeling of excitement rushed through his body, knowing that once the gates opened, things would speed up. Where a moments hesitation could be the difference between first and second place, and that a single fall could mean death.
He loved the feeling.
A hush had fallen upon the large stadium as the crowd waited for the starting bell. On the track things had quieted as well, and in the gate, the horses shuffled slightly; then the bell rang, the gates shot open, and the race had started.
"Pat Day riding High Yield(5) has broken clean from the gate and has first position on the rail as we start this race of nine furlongs (or one and one-eighth miles) and the rest of the pack follows closely behind. Uchiha had a clean break but he seems stuck in the pack in fifth place and has no where to move." The voice commentated for the crowd.
Sasuke gritted his teeth as he angled Tobi for the spot next to Sellers, and then held his position waiting for some of the others to fall back and the opening he needed to make itself available. The fifth furlong flashed by signaling the half-mile mark had passed, when one of the lead horses began to drop back.
"The number six horse is tiring, despite the urging of his rider, and the riders are making their moves. Day is moving Yield up to second, and look at that, Uchiha has shot Tobi forward to take third, ridding right behind Day. We now have four new leaders in this race as we come up to the final turn and past the sixth furlong with three left."
Sasuke shot a quick glance in front of him and knew that there was no way that either Day or the number two horse were going to create an opening, so he needed to go wide. He could feel Tobi still running strong under him and with only three furlongs left, he pulled him to the right, swinging to the outside of the turn. Tobi changed gears and picked up more speed as he saw the open track in front of him, and with in seconds had pulled even with the two leaders.
"Uchiha has taken Tobi wide and has now leveled up with the leaders, but holding the lead for so long has taken its toll on the Number Two horse who is beginning to tire and drop back, leaving this race up to Uchiha and Day as they continue to pull ahead of the pack."
As the Number Two horse fell back, all that remained were two furlongs, and Tobi still had more to give. Sasuke crouched down further in the saddle and moved his hands up Tobi's neck, giving him more rein, allowing Tobi to shift gears one more time. They began to eat up the track and Sasuke glanced back under his arm to make sure that Day was staying behind as the quarter pole flashed by.
"Tobi has found another gear as we move down the homestretch and past the quarter pole with one furlong to the finish. I don't think that Day can bring his mount up enough to catch Tobi and Uchiha, who have a length and a half on them. And as we continue down to the wire, Tobi is still running strong and our winner will be Tobi, ridden by Sasuke Uchiha. Winning by almost two lengths with a time of 1:51:45."
Sasuke stood up in his stirrups as he brought Tobi down to a slower gallop, before the horse settled into an easy canter. He turned Tobi around as he finally dropped into a jog and brought him back to the rail where his brother and trainer were waiting.
"Great race Sasuke." Their trainer said, "Couldn't have asked for anything better."
He didn't answer the trainer, instead, his eyes scanned the crowd as his brother came forward and stood next to Tobi as the crowd and interviewers moved next the Winner's Circle to get pictures for the paper. A reporter squeezed his way through the crowd and shoved a tape recorder into his brothers' face. Itachi glared at him, and the reporter took a step back, nearly passing out from fear.
"Mr. Uchiha, what are your comments about today's race?" Another reporter asked from a distance.
"This was a fast track today, and Tobi ran well, as we expected of him." He answered.
"And what of your brother, who pulled up from fifth and into first place to win in the blink of an eye, not to mention him going wide on the turn."
"The horse did all the work today; there was nothing spectacular about the jockey's riding that I saw today."
Sasuke kept his face neutral as his brother and trainer continued to answer questions, but inside he was fuming. He knew it was a good race and attempt, but he wasn't going to press the matter with his brother until they were on their way home and away from the press. Instead, he focused on the crowd who was gradually thinning out with the exception of the fans, most of whom were female.
A blond haired female made her way through the crowd sporting a black and white jacket and grabbed Tobi's bridle, "All right people, we need to get this horse cooled down." She announced and Sasuke dropped to the ground.
"Good race Sasuke." She murmured as she led the horse away and back into the backside where she could walk him in quite. He followed and tried to ignore the reporters and fans as he pulled his helmet off his head and shook out his black bangs. A small group from the crowd surrounded him, asking for pictures and autographs. He glared at them icily and before he had the chance to answer, they backed up slightly as someone came up behind him.
"If you'll excuse us, we have to get ready for our trip back home. Sasuke can play later." The soft voice of his brother said. A shiver ran through the group and they moved out of the way, as the two brothers passed.
They reached the backside where the handler held Tobi's head as the vet checked over him for any injuries. She stood up and smiled at them, "He came off that race just fine Itachi, give him some rest tomorrow, and he should be ready for the track again."
Itachi nodded and Sasuke moved past them so he could change out of his silks and get ready for the part of the day that he dreaded even more than his fans; the after race party. Well, in all honesty, it was a toss up between the two; he still wasn't sure which he hated more. But it was up there in the number three to five range with his brother as the number one thing he hated the most and bruised tomatoes closely behind.
He moved through the slowly thinning out locker room and quickly rinsed the dirt off his body that the horses had kicked up. Once clean, he dressed in some nice jeans, and a dark blue long sleeve shirt, and then he proceeded back to the backside where Itachi was waiting for him.
"I hate you for making me do this after every race." He hissed as they walked to the lounge where music could be heard drifting out into the night air.
Itachi turned and gave him a smirk; Sasuke cursed that smirk. He only liked it when he was allowed to use it on other people, not the other way around.
They entered the room and in the blink of an eye, Itachi vanished; leaving Sasuke to face the lions, alone. He could feel the hungry eyes on him as trainers and owners sized him up like a piece of meat, ready for the taking, while other jockeys whispered ways to take him down.
So it wasn't really that bad, but it felt that way. He found himself making his way to the refreshment table where he picked up a cup of punch and sipped from it, moving to the back part of the room, trying to make himself invisible. His dark eyes scanned over the crowd as they talked together and he tried to pick out his brother amidst the crowd, as well as trying to stay invisible.
His plans were foiled as he was at last spotted in his own little area and some people came over to talk. At the same time, he finally located his brother near the center of the room, their eyes caught, and that same evil smirk flickered across his brother's face.
Bastard.
Itachi fought the grin that threatened to reach his lips, and instead focused his attention back to the discussion in front of him, namely the owner he had been talking to. He knew the owner well and had done business with him many times before, and hearing this new bit of information had spiked his curiosity. Something that Uchiha pride normally didn't allow.
"So rumor has it that you're breeding with some new people these day's." Itachi stated.
The man nodded, "He's new to the track, but his horses have excellent bloodlines. I'm talking about linage that was able to be traced back to some of the original studs, and to make things even better; he has two horses that are direct descendants of Eclipse and Matchem."
"Interesting." Itachi agreed. "What is the address of this breeder?"
"Oh, he's not a breeder." The man said, shaking his head, "He's a jockey, like your brother. I believe that he is racing the same race that Madara is in next week. You will be able to meet him there."
Itachi thought about this new bit of information. Having a jockey with a talented horse was something every racing facility wanted, and if he could convince him to run under the Uchiha silks or under contract, then the possibilities could be endless.
"Do you have a number for this jockey?"
The man reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, "Better, I have a card that his advisor gave to me." He handed the small, black square to Itachi, "If my guess is correct, he's not that far from your Estates."
After scanning the card, Itachi nodded, knowing exactly where this new operation was set up, and he planned to make a call sometime soon. In the mean time, he figured it was time to go rescue his little brother before he did something stupid.
There was only so much more Sasuke could take. He had already stepped outside of his comfort zone when it came to talking to other jockey's about past races. He was fine talking to trainers and owners, but fellow jockeys were a different thing.
He was currently trying to block out several other riders, thinking instead of how he was going to get back at his brother for sending them over in the first place, when the Devil himself showed up.
"Sasuke." He said; amusement in his voice.
"What?"
"Let's go, I have matters that I need to attend to." Itachi answered.
Sasuke nodded, hiding the relief that raced through his body, and followed his brother out of the lounge after nodding goodbye to the other jockeys. He took in the cool air as they walked to the car, glad to finally get away from the party.
"What business did you run into that made you want to leave so soon?" He asked as they pulled away from the track.
"Just some racing business that could help push our operation to a new level."
"Hn."
It was silent for a while as they moved onto the highway before Sasuke finally spoke up, "So what was wrong with my ride today?"
"Nothing." Itachi answered, "Tobi ran well, and you waited for the opening, just like you were supposed to."
Sasuke frowned, "Then why did you say that it wasn't spectacular?"
"Because it wasn't. It was just a normal race that we knew we could win since Tobi was primed, the field was good; need I go on?"
He shook his head, knowing that his brother had made a point. While it was a good race, it wasn't something close that allowed the jockey to really push the horse forward. Tobi was in physically great shape, so the outside move wasn't a big deal for him.
He pushed the thought away. He was an Uchiha, and it was known that they didn't pout over something so small. It would just mess with his mind during his next race and it would go downhill from there.
Instead, he would focus on next week, when they took Madara to the track and he came one-step closer to catching up to his brother.
They finally pulled off the highway and moved down a wide road lined with trees coming into bloom. Green grass and white fences came into view as Itachi turned onto their property, where three large barns greeted them. Their estates covered over ten acres, with more land that could still be used if needed. To the right of the barns was an outdoor track, complete with a chute and gate, and the track could be doubled for steeplechase training.
There were several arenas' spread out on the land that was used for breaking colts and extra training. Some were located outside near the track, while others were stationed indoor for the winter and wet months. The rest of the land was used as pastures for the horses, each horse getting their own small enclosure.
The grooms were already back and were unloading the horses as Itachi pulled up to the barns. The smell of hay and grain flooded Sasuke's nose as he stepped out of the car and wondered into the barn to check over the horses, including his own personal Thoroughbred; Sanis. She was retired from racing a few years ago after pulling a tendon, and was given to Sasuke after he received his license to race.
After making sure she was settled in for the night he went to his fathers' office, only to find the door closed. He could make out the muffled voices of his brother and the Head Trainer; Kakashi.
Knowing that it would be a while before they finished talking about the races, and the deals that would be made, he let them be and wondered up to the house where his mother was waiting with dinner.
"I saw your race today Sasuke," She said and kissed him on the forehead, "You looked good out there."
"Thanks." He murmured and sat down to eat.
His mom told him about the activities that had happened at the barn while they were at the track over the weekend. He was pleased to learn that his father had sold two of their colts over the weekend, and had bought a new mare.
After finishing dinner, he trudged up the steps to his room, which was newly cleaned, courtesy of his mother he guessed. His room was large, with bookcases covering parts of the wall. A desk was stationed at the far side of his room, where papers were stacked next to the computer. Pictures of horses and family hung on the dull blue walls, and white French doors led to his bathroom. There were some windows that faced out towards the pastures and another set of French doors that went to a balcony.
He changed out of his party clothes, and tossed them onto the floor. He turned the radio on while he got ready bed, and then crawled into the covers once he was done.
After picking up a book sitting that sat on the nightstand table, he leaned back against the dark oak headboard, and started to read. Even though he was a full time jockey, he was also taking classes at college, and he needed to keep his grades up, otherwise his father wouldn't let him race.
He studied until he felt his eyelids droop, and then set the book aside. A quick glance at the clock showed it to be ten, and the days events finally caught up with him as he passed out the moment his head hit the pillow.
Itachi sat in his office, staring at the black card in front of him. He didn't want to tell his father about this new jockey until he learned more about the rider, in case it proved to be a dead end.
He reached for the phone and punched in the numbers, listening to the dial tone for a few moments before someone picked up.
"Eclipse Estates, how can I help you?"
"This is Itachi Uchiha from Uchiha Estates; may I speak with your Head Jockey?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Uchiha, he is currently visiting family at the moment. Can I take a message?"
"Yes, can you tell him that I called, and I would like to speak with at the race this week?"
"Of course Mr. Uchiha and I'm sorry once again that he's not here right now."
"Thank you, have a nice night."
"You too."
Itachi hung up and let out a sigh, he hated talking so formally on the phone and normally left it to Kakashi, but even his head trainer didn't know about this. Instead, he had gone against his likings, and made the call himself.
He looked down at the little card in front of him with a picture of a galloping horse in the corner, and in dark red, the words read,
Eclipse Estates
Head Trainer: Jiraiya
Jockey: Naruto Uzumaki
9014 Kona Ln., Kentucky
A/N: I made up the address, but I would laugh if it was real. This takes place in America, because I know a lot more about racing in America than in other parts of the world, but my racing knowledge isn't 100% correct, so don't kill me if anything is wrong. But if you see that I posted something that is wrong, please feel free to correct me, I want this to be as close to accurate as possible. Thanks!
(3) Winner in 2006
(4) Winner in 2004
(5) Winner in 2000