Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 116: Moving Forward in the Mud
On a somewhat sultry afternoon, Hetian stepped into the grounds of Churchill Gardens.

The sky gradually darkened and dark clouds pressed down on the ground.

The rainy season arrived at Churchill Park before the derby.

Several horses on the track hurriedly finished their training.

The clatter of riding boots echoed down the corridor.

The season has not yet begun, and the stadium, which is said to have a capacity of 150,000 people, is so empty that it is almost abstract.

The occasional sparse figures were mostly just horse trainers and their stable assistants.

This will be Hetian's first ride at Churchill Park.

Fortunately, there is still a chance to trial and error before the official competition.

Even if it's just a warm-up match, he is ready to devote himself to it.

“If you don’t give your best, you won’t be able to repay them enough.”

With this mentality, I walked through the entrance corridor and arrived at the stadium.

It is impossible to say that you feel no pressure at all when you step into Churchill Park as a rider.

It's like a player standing on the 12-yard line in the Champions League final, taking the penalty kick that decides his fate.

The short distance of just over ten yards from the center of the field to the penalty spot may very well be the longest distance he will ever travel in his life.

Wada's heartbeat began to accelerate.

The sky grew darker and darker, and the scattered human figures completely disappeared as if being wiped out with an eraser.

The cold rain suddenly fell, hitting the ground violently.

With no intention of seeking cover, Hotan continued to approach the track.

The rain slid down his jawline, continuing to wash away the traces of time on the rider's sportswear.

The already wet track began to turn into a mud pond.

After crossing the fence, Hetian began to inspect the stables.

"What is this—"

There was a strange feeling from under my feet, as if someone was reaching out and pulling me.

The rain hadn't even started to fall yet, but the conditions on the track were already quite bad.

The rider moved through the paddy fields, making his way to the inner edge of the track with a series of shallow and deep glides.

After repeated attempts, Hetian finally came to a conclusion.

If it rains on the day of the race, both the inside and outside lanes will be similarly bad routes.

"Maybe we can catch some loaches."

Thinking of this, he bent down.

It feels sticky and no different from mud.

When he stood up again, there was worry in his eyes.

On the equine side, Mejiro Sakuya's pure American bloodline, broad hooves and strong forelimbs are enough to help it cope with the challenges of the harsh track at Churchill Park.

But, turning to the rider's side—

I had no idea how to ride on this kind of track.

Although I studied a lot of videos of previous Kentucky Derby races, what I learned was very limited.

Running style, foot quality, mileage... all these things were thrown out of the mind. The moment the horse left the gate, the man and the horse began a close combat like a hand-to-hand fight.

The opening game unfolded like a Western cowboy showdown.

Do not--

In the Kentucky Derby, with twenty horses running, it should be a "Western Cowboy Melee."

As if playing, Wada raised one foot and kicked backwards.

Lumps of mud were carried behind him as he moved.

"That's terrible."

If you start the race from the back, you will be significantly disturbed.

There's more to worry about than just "Kick Back."

Although we don't have much idea about the track itself, there are still many similarities between mud track races.

The last thing any conscious dirt rider wants is to have their course blocked just as their horse starts to pick up speed.

Once the momentum is abruptly interrupted, restarting on mud is far more difficult than on grass. It's foreseeable that Megumi Sakuya, starting from the back of the pack, will likely experience a lot of collisions on the day of the Kentucky Derby.

It will also be more difficult for riders to find a suitable route when their vision is severely obstructed.

Considering the number of opponents, it is not easy to stand out from the layers of horses.

The idea of ​​relying on the last kick to win in the final straight line was ruled out first.

Although the straight line is not too short, the field conditions at Churchill Park are not conducive to fully displaying the last kick.

I'm afraid even the Secretariat can't achieve a one-on-nine advantage here just by relying on the last kick in a straight line.

So what about trying to escape?

Hotan quickly dismissed this unrealistic idea.

Even without considering the issue of foot quality, Mejiro Sakuya's slow start to the race basically eliminated the possibility of competing for the pace dominance.

What about the roll?

Not at all.

When you are stronger than the rest of the class, there is really no problem in starting to exert force from the fourth turn or even earlier, the third turn, and catching up to the front in one breath.

Even though he had confidence in Mejiro Sakuya, he also thought that there might be a chance of winning the Kentucky Derby.

However, this running method places extremely high demands on both the rider and the horse, and is not suitable for the world-class competition at hand.

"Isn't it still just a maze?"

After completing the exploration of the horse farm, I didn't feel any more relaxed.

Instead, he fell into an even more distressed situation because of the information he discovered.

However, retreat is impossible.

He had experienced this feeling of standing on the edge of a cliff in fear many years ago.

There's no need to change anything deliberately or overthink it.

There's no need to go to the extreme of living in the stables to develop a relationship with your partner, but you shouldn't slack off on the task at hand either.

Work at a normal pace and then greet that day in the best condition.

If he learned anything during that dreamy year, it was perhaps the ability to take the game in stride.

Be prepared, and then meet unexpectedly one day.

That’s probably how it feels.

In the rhythmic sound of rain, my mood gradually became peaceful.

drop--

Suddenly, a short message alert sound came from my ear.

"Oh no, water won't get in!"

As if struck by an electric current, Hetian hurriedly pulled out his cell phone from his pocket.

After seeing the message intact on the screen, I felt a little relieved.

Katuna has arrived at the stables. If it's convenient, could Wada-kun come over and take a look?

This is the message from Master Huangshan.

Thinking that I would have to make this trip sooner or later, I turned my steps towards the exit and headed towards the stables.

Just like in professional golf, changes in wind direction, where the ball is hit, and other factors make it difficult to have another match under the same conditions.

The same is true for horse racing. Even if you cannot successfully match your partner before the race, you should at least have a rough idea of ​​your partner's situation.

[Coming Soon]

After several accidental touches, I finally managed to send the reply successfully.

Before arriving at the stables, he switched to his "inner personality" for work.

This has little to do with whether one's personality is lively or cold.

Do the right thing in the right atmosphere——

For him, it was a matter of course.

　Thanks to Destiny Lingfeng for the 500 starting coins, and thanks to Xichuan Juebi for the 500 starting coins.

　　Thank you for your support

　　Ciallo～(∠ω<)⌒★
　　
　
(End of this chapter)