Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 349 The Dream of the Grassland
Saturday morning, 10:00 AM.

While I was leisurely drinking tea in the ranch's lounge, I looked at myself, busy as a horse owner, with somewhat mixed feelings.

I yawned, trying to suppress the fatigue from the flight.

The upcoming match is the first of two races between the horse owners, the Kwai Stakes.

This time it wasn't a Level 1 race departure, so there was no welcome bus from the moment they landed.

Taking the Hankyu Takarazuka Line north from Hotaruike Station outside the airport, then transferring to the Kyoto Line to Nishiyama Tenno Station, and then taking the shuttle bus to Yodo Station, is a much longer journey than the direct shuttle bus.

I'm already feeling a bit listless.

On Saturday, I revisited Yodo Station at noon on race day. Although it wasn't as spectacular as the last time, it was still close to the level of Shibuya streets during a holiday.

Following the crowd surging towards the entrance, we walked into the Kyoto Racecourse.

Instead of following the crowd to the larger "goal side" stand, they turned to the "station side" stand on the other side.

I've only eaten a few perfunctory biscuits since last night, and I'm really hungry.

but--

Even if you're hungry and want to eat, it doesn't mean you've already thought about what to eat.

Upon reaching the first level of the stands, a variety of restaurants came into view.

There's just too much to see.

Based on the principle of proximity, I chose a small shop nearby called "Tessho Curry," whose main cuisine can be seen from the signboard.

I decided to splurge for once and ordered the pork curry, which cost 1,300 yen.

Although it's considerably more expensive than fast food curry, the advantage of being able to relax comfortably in a chair with a backrest inside the racetrack is irreplaceable.

The aroma emanating from the plate was so strong that it made people blink repeatedly.

He dipped the spoon into the hot curry and took a bite.

"So spicy—"

Thanks to the intense spiciness that hit me right in the head, I was able to concentrate much better.

I used to prefer milder flavors, but now I find this spicy seasoning surprisingly quite good.

It is said that on the sixth level of the "goal side" grandstand, there is a high-end Western restaurant specifically for horse owners.

However, after inquiring about the price, I gave up.

As lunchtime approached, the number of horse racing fans entering the stands began to increase.

"That shop has really delicious desserts, President Kitano."

I came to a small dessert shop recommended by a fellow horse racing fan who took a photo with me. There was a long queue outside.

Most of the horse racing fans queuing here look like they've only recently become interested in the sport.

—If I had to say why, it would probably be because of the various decorations on their backpacks or shoulder bags.

Almost as soon as he stood still, he was recognized by the horse racing fans in front and behind him, and they quickly whiled away the time in line by chatting.

Although I wasn't full yet, I couldn't really handle the sweet after-dinner feeling.

So I ordered matcha-flavored ice cream sprinkled with soybean powder.

For some reason, suddenly there were many more horse fans asking for photos.

I finished my ice cream before the elevator reached the fifth step, where Chairman Ma was standing.

Because I bit into it so hastily, a dull ache started deep in my head, but I guess that's a memory of the racetrack.

Just as I was full and sleepy—
"Oh, Kitano-kun is here—"

"Haha, everyone's been talking about you the whole time!" Unlike most of the Central Turf races he's experienced so far, the day's departure seemed quite lively for the chairman.

After greeting my familiar horse owner friends, I sat down next to Mr. Sugiyama at his invitation.

"I was hoping to win the big prize for the lawn today, but I ended up running into President Kitano."

A horse owner who had interacted with the Tokyo Horse Owners Association jokingly raised his hands in a gesture of "surrender".

"Hey, hey, the unlucky guy on my fifth round of challenges hasn't even said anything yet!"

Mr. Sugiyama's follow-up sarcasm immediately drew laughter.

Chrysanthemums blooming in autumn—

In recent years, this phrase has replaced "the strongest horse with the best chrysanthemum" in the common saying among horse owners.

However, precisely because of this, even new horse owners now have the opportunity to compete in the Classic, which was originally monopolized by big owners and club horses.

—And the Aoi Stakes, which opens between the Oaks Tournament and the Japanese Derby, is actually in a similar situation.

Including Mr. Sugiyama, whose owners and breeders focus on turf short English races, most of the owners who left the Kwai Stakes were individual owners outside of clubs.

As for the level of speaking about horsemanship—

The first horse to gain popularity this time is the Dragon King's spawn, Armed Runner, which has won two out of three races and has a 3-year-old saddle with one win.

Even Noah, who was making his first appearance on the grasslands, was once a popular player, although he later fell back to fourth place, which is still not low.

"Although I am also a fan of Golden Ship Producer, I would prefer to support my own idol this time. Sorry, President Kitano."

A female horse owner, whom I had met once at the Tokyo Horse Owners Association, put her hands together in an apologetic gesture and smiled as she spoke.

"As for me, I hope he doesn't resemble his father too much."

After responding with "No, no," he continued the conversation with this sentence.

Although it was a day with a hefty prize, there was still quite some time before the competition officially started, and the rest area was filled with a relaxed atmosphere.

After the chat, some of the older horse owners, or those who had rushed to catch the flight to watch the race, put on eye masks and prepared to take a nap, while the others who wanted to continue chatting gathered at the window some distance away to continue.

—Although I was very sleepy, I still joined the latter group instead of the former.

Communication with people involved in horse racing should not be overly intimate.

However, in the context of horse breeder activities, contact with other horse owners is necessary, and it is through their networks that this contact is expanded.

Even at auctions, which have become mainstream in recent years, buyers of horses consider the producer in addition to pedigree or horse breed when making a purchase.

They sipped the complimentary tea while chatting about topics related to or unrelated to horse racing.

Before I knew it, the clear blue sky of the morning had vanished, and all I could see through the glass window was a gray sky.

"Is it going to rain?"

The worry that came to mind was the opposite of what I had been feeling before.

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"—So it's true that Professor (Huangshan) and his colleagues really had a tough time. They put a lot of effort into weight management until their retirement."

"So, what is Sakuya's current weight?"

—"To protect the girl's reputation, I won't reveal the specific numbers, but her growth after retiring from horse racing has indeed been like a Shinkansen bullet train, although part of it is due to adjustments in her muscle condition."

"She really is a child who is pampered by President Kitano and everyone at Mejiro Ranch."

"—It's reached the point of spoiling her (laughs)."

—"Another Legend of Retired Horses: The Future of Those Horses Revealed by Insiders"—Sakuya Mejiro Chapter 1

(End of this chapter)