It's already been half a month since the new year began. During this time, Team Kitarufa was active as usual, with the exception of Rice who was in recovery. As for me, I have a lot on my plate, including work and other things.
One of those things... it's a bit misleading to call it "one of those things" or even work, but it was very important to me.
"So, Happy New Year everyone! And a party to celebrate your first stakes race victory! Let's get started! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
After work, with the sun already set. I found myself leading the toast at a bar in the shopping district near Tracen Academy, which I had rented out for the occasion.
The reason for this gathering was a few stakes races that took place in early January. The horse girls my colleagues and I were training had won those races.
...Well, there are no complicated circumstances. As we had promised before, they said they'd treat me to a drink since their horse girls had won a stakes race. So, since we were already celebrating, I invited our other colleagues and our junior trainers as well.
My colleagues' horse girls had won the G2 Nikkei Shinshun Hai, the G3 Kyoto Kinpai, Nakayama Kinpai, and the Aichi Hai. Furthermore, some of our juniors had won stakes races in the Junior class, so I planned a party and invited all of them.
You can't have the people being celebrated organize the party, so I was the organizer, and the people who had won the stakes races would pay for everything. However, I would be treating the juniors. If they've won stakes races, then my Rice won the Arima Kinen.
"If you pay for the juniors, it's not really us treating you..."
"Hahaha. Rice won the Arima Kinen, so I have the prize money. Next time, win a G1 and treat me."
"You... you're provoking me! I'll make sure the drink you're having isn't a celebratory one, but one that tastes like defeat!"
As soon as we toasted and the alcohol started to kick in, the friendly banter began. Hmm, drinks at a tourist spot are nice, but having drinks and making a ruckus with my colleagues and juniors is also a special experience.
That being said, we weren't just bantering. We're all trainers, so while we drank and ate, we also talked about horse girls and races.
"Even though I won a stakes race, it doesn't feel like a big achievement since none of the Golden Generation were in it... Should I try to take on the Spring Senior Triple Crown?"
"You've won this time, so you have more prize money. You can probably run in it. But even if you do? My King will win."
"You bastard... Don't come crying to me if you lose! No, I'll make you cry! My Unchanging is the strongest! And she's cute!"
"My Urara is cuter. And the strongest are Rice if you're a stayer and King if you're a sprinter."
"No way! My Unchanging is cuter and stronger!"
"No, no, my Tomoenage is better."
"What are you saying? My Yuiitsumuni is the strongest, of course. She's Yuiitsumuni, after all!"
I was bantering with one of my colleagues and started to brag about my horse girl, and my other colleagues joined in. Everyone was drinking, so it couldn't be helped.
"Yuiitsumuni is a great name... 'One and only, with no equal.' It's an amazing name for a school whose motto is that."
"Don't say that, she's sensitive about it. She was so relieved to finally win the Kyoto Kinpai..."
"I'm barely getting my horse girl to win open races... 3rd place is my limit in stakes races..."
I laughed as I listened to my colleagues' conversations. I was still aware of my surroundings, and it seemed our juniors were also having fun. However, the juniors who were under twenty were drinking juice instead of alcohol. We had to follow the rules, or the bar could have its license suspended or even revoked.
Well, some of the juniors were in a solemn mood. Some of them weren't doing so well, but in the current Junior class... oh, the new year has started, so it's the Classic class. There's one incredible horse girl in the Classic class.
Her name is Narita Brian.
I saw her during the summer training camp. She's a horse girl from Team Rigil, trained by Tojo-san.
She won the Junior class G1, the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, and has an impressive record of four wins in six races.
She's a powerful horse girl who will undoubtedly be aiming for the Classic Triple Crown this year. For now, there are no other outstanding horse girls in the new Classic class besides Narita Brian. So, we might get to see a horse girl win the Classic Triple Crown live.
Well, our juniors are all working hard to train their horse girls, so when the time comes, it's possible for them to win even against Narita Brian.
While I was listening to the conversations around me, bragging and bantering with my colleagues, and listening to my juniors' problems, I spotted Kiryuin-san huddled in a corner of the party, looking uncomfortable. She was holding a beer mug with both hands and drinking it slowly, looking uneasy.
"Kiryuin-san? Are you okay?"
"Yes... I'm fine..."
Oh no, she's clearly not fine. Maybe she's not used to these kinds of parties with her colleagues and juniors, so she doesn't know how to act. When we go drinking together, she brags about Meek...
"By the way, how was your New Year's holiday? I went to Hokkaido with Rice, who was injured. The hot springs in Noboribetsu were amazing."
I brought up the topic of the New Year's holiday, which would probably be easy for her to talk about. Half a month has already passed, so it's a bit late, but it's better than talking about the weather or the news.
I asked her, but for some reason, Kiryuin-san's mood darkened.
"I went home just like last year... They said a lot of things about Meek's record from last year, so I yelled at them to stop talking badly about Meek and left the house... It was the first time I've spent the New Year's holiday away from my family..."
"That's..."
I was at a loss for words at her unexpected answer. I've heard stories like that from her before, but this time she seemed to have rebelled against her parents and immediately came back.
My family is a regular family, so I don't really understand the feelings or position of Kiryuin-san, who was born into a prestigious trainer family, but if she rebelled because they were talking badly about Meek, I don't think she did anything wrong...
However, even my family is a regular family in this world. We watch horse girl races on TV and know a lot about horse girls, to the point that we even know about Urara and the others.
My parents have asked me for Urara and the others' autographs, and they were overjoyed when I got Rice to sign her merchandise and sent it to them. I've also received samples of Urara and King's merchandise, and I plan to have them sign it and send it to my parents.
Well, even in my family, which is a regular family, things are like this. I can't even imagine what kind of things the Kiryuin family, which is called a prestigious trainer family, said to Kiryuin-san.
(Hmm... She's more sullen than moody... Since she's able to fight with her family, I don't think it's a big deal from my perspective as an outsider...)
It would be a problem if they were putting some kind of pressure on Kiryuin-san or if it would have a negative effect on Meek. But if that's not the case, then it should be fine. Kiryuin-san is a bit down right now, but she's also careful not to let it affect Meek's training.
(Kiryuin-san doesn't seem like she's ever had a rebellious phase... I guess I can only think that it's a good thing that she's able to fight with her parents because I'm an outsider.)
By the way, I didn't have a rebellious phase in this life, let alone my past life. Having experienced the hardships of earning a living, I couldn't rebel against my parents, who had raised me with so much warmth.
Also, since I took on King's training, I've been in a rivalry with Kiryuin-san, so it's hard for me to say anything. If they're talking about Meek's record, King has also won races against Meek, so... yeah, Urara has won too.
Now, as I was wondering what to say, Kiryuin-san, for some reason, tilted her beer mug and chugged her beer.
"Hah... Sigh, Meek is an amazing girl! My mom and dad will realize they were wrong later on!"
"..."
I gave a wry smile at Kiryuin-san, who was filled with motivation. When I had her vent her frustrations before, she didn't even have the energy to get fired up like this. Now, she's able to get back on her feet on her own and is so motivated to show her parents what she's made of. She's really become a stronger trainer.
There's a possibility that she's just putting on a brave face, but if she can put on a brave face, then she's fine for now.
"Eat and drink in moderation to relieve your stress. But it's dangerous to chug your drink, okay?"
I said that to Kiryuin-san, who was sitting next to me, and her face turned red, as if she was embarrassed about chugging her drink. No, it was a good show of her drinking ability, but since she's not used to drinking, it's better to take it easy.
As I was talking to Kiryuin-san, I noticed that my juniors were glancing at me. They weren't interested in my conversation with Kiryuin-san; they were looking at me with a bewildered expression, as if they had something to ask me.
I excused myself from Kiryuin-san and went to sit next to one of my juniors—a guy who had asked me for advice about training his horse girl before.
"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
"No... It's just... I'm amazed that you can talk to Kiryuin-senpai... She's that Kiryuin, right? From the prestigious trainer family..."
I tilted my head at my junior, who was whispering.
"Huh? I don't decide who to talk to based on their family background. If I did, I wouldn't be able to train some of the horse girls."
Like the prestigious Mejiro family, or my Rice. I don't think I'd be able to be a trainer if I cared about those things... Oh, but a lot of my colleagues didn't know how to approach Kiryuin-san either.
The exception was a few of the female trainers among my colleagues. They kept their distance at first, but they started to treat her like a cute little sister last year.
Well, maybe I don't care about a family's background because I wasn't born into a trainer family.
"Is that all it is?"
"Yeah, that's all it is."
If Kiryuin-san was a snob with a strong sense of her family's prestige, I would probably have a hard time with her too, but to me, she's an innocent young lady who's sheltered and not used to the ways of the world.
(...Come to think of it, maybe what her parents said was just a normal thing, and Kiryuin-san is just overreacting because she's not used to being scolded? I don't think it's the same situation as King's mother, but...)
I've only heard Kiryuin-san's side of the story, so it's hard to say. But I can't meddle in other people's family affairs, especially since she's not my horse girl.
(If she gets too stressed and looks like she's about to explode, I'll invite her out for a drink again...)
When I looked over at Kiryuin-san with that thought, the female trainer from Yuiitsumuni, who I had just been bantering with, was talking to Kiryuin-san. Oh, the female trainer from Tomoenage is also sitting next to Kiryuin-san, whispering something...
"By the way, senpai, there's something I've been wondering about..."
"Huh? What is it?"
I decided to leave the women's affairs to the women and turned my attention to my junior. He held out a mug of draft beer he had ordered for me and whispered.
"You lied to me, senpai, didn't you?"
"...What are you talking about?"
Huh? I seriously don't know what he's talking about.
I tilted my head as I took the beer mug. Hmm, I was in the mood for sake, but since my junior was kind enough to order this for me, I should finish it.
"You said it wasn't unusual to do a physical check, to be close to a horse girl, or to give them a piggyback ride! Since then, I've... yeah, just a little, but I've become... closer to my horse girl..."
My junior started off speaking with a lot of energy, but his voice got quieter as he continued.
"I don't know how to put it... My horse girl is getting close... She's shy, but she's coming on a lot stronger than I thought... I-Is it really okay? I feel like I'm stepping into a forbidden path..."
My junior looked anxious as he said that. Is he anxious about his horse girl's closeness, or his own closeness to his forward horse girl?
"Hmm... I can't say for sure without seeing what's actually happening... But look, your horse girl ran a good race against Narita Brian in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, didn't she? It's not like it's having a negative effect on her training, right?"
"I lost to her in the final stretch and came in 2nd by 3 lengths... A loss is a loss, even if it's 2nd place... Huh? But you're right, she seems to have gotten stronger in a shorter amount of time than before..."
My junior started muttering to himself as he was deep in thought.
I think coming in 2nd by 3 lengths against Narita Brian, who is being trained by Tojo-san, is a sign that she's developing very well... Well, he's right that a loss is a loss, even if it's 2nd place. If he feels that much regret, then both he and his horse girl will become stronger.
"The horse girls I'm training also get spoiled a lot... It's fine as long as you maintain a sense of moderation."
"That's the problem, isn't it? Maintaining that moderation..."
"Your horse girl is in middle school, right? You should just interact with her as if she's a cute little sister you've just gained."
"A little sister... I see, so that's why they call you onii-sama..."
My junior muttered as if he finally understood. Huh? I'm being called by my colleagues again... Wait, they're just drunk. But I can't just ignore them...
"I'm being called over there. I'll see you later."
"Oh, okay. Thank you... Huh? Senpai? I feel like nothing was resolved... Huh?"
And so, I went to drink and chat with my colleagues and juniors.
I went a little wild at the party, but the next day, it was back to work as usual.
I did my assigned work, and after work, I gathered information, organized data, and checked on races for Urara and the others, but the days just flew by.
By the time February arrived, the public's interest in horse girl races had shifted to the G1s in the spring, the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and the Osaka Hai. The February Stakes, a dirt race, was just around the corner, but its popularity was lower than turf races, so it wasn't getting as much attention—that is, until this year.
I unfolded the sports newspaper I subscribed to, and there was an article about Smart Falcon with the headline "Japan's Falcon Challenges the World." The article was about the Saudi Cup, which would be held in late February, and Smart Falcon's name had been in the newspaper a lot recently.
(Smart Falcon running in the Saudi Cup, huh... She won the Champions Cup, so she has the priority to run in it if she wants to...)
The Saudi Cup's timing is almost the same as the February Stakes. In other words, there's no way she can run in the February Stakes.
(Hmm... I had a feeling she was obsessed with Urara. Has something changed in her heart?)
The Saudi Cup is an exceptionally high-stakes race, with the winner receiving a whopping $10 million. 2nd place gets $3.5 million, 3rd gets $2 million, 4th gets $1.5 million, and 5th gets $1 million, making it the highest prize money race in the world.
Moreover, since it has nothing to do with the Japanese URA, the prize money goes entirely to the horse girl and her trainer. It's a global race that horse girls and trainers from all over the world want to run in. Because of the high prize money, it seems that hundreds of horse girls applied to run in it this year.
However, she's going to an unfamiliar country, running on an unfamiliar course with a completely different environment than the one in her home country. It's not uncommon for many talented horse girls to challenge overseas races and suffer a miserable defeat.
Even Symboli Rudolf ran in an overseas race and came in 6th out of 7, unable to even place. It wouldn't have been strange for Symboli Rudolf to win with her skill, but a different race environment from her home country is a huge deal.
Horse girls like Meek, El Condor Pasa, or Oguri Cap, who can run on both turf and dirt and have a wide range of distance aptitudes, might be able to do well. But such talented horse girls are truly rare.
Will Smart Falcon's skills be effective in an overseas race? We won't know until she actually runs in it, but her running in it is already having a big impact, as she's being featured in newspapers and news reports.
While I was thinking about that, I looked at the shelf in the clubroom. On it were trophies from the races we've won and merchandise of all of my girls.
—That's right, merchandise of all of my girls.
Urara and King's merchandise were finally released, and I've displayed the samples in the clubroom. Both Urara and King's merchandise are selling well, and the initial batch has already sold out, so they're already in mass production.
And the reason I thought about that was because Smart Falcon's merchandise has also been decided to be released. The URA announced the release of her merchandise just as she announced her entry into the Saudi Cup, a perfect timing to get the public's attention on Smart Falcon.
She has won three G1s, so it's not strange. Even Rice's merchandise is now one of the top sellers, but the start of her merchandise sales was quite late...
Well, that's why Smart Falcon is going to run in the Saudi Cup. However, something unexpected has also happened with the other horse girls who might clash with Urara in the February Stakes.
This isn't unexpected, but El Condor Pasa has announced her entry into overseas races. She had always planned to challenge overseas races, but she's finally doing it now that she's a senior.
And sadly, Taiki Shuttle has been put on long-term rest due to an injury. She broke her toenail during training and won't be able to race until it heals.
The only other horse girl who might run in a dirt race is Oguri Cap... but she's also injured, just like Taiki Shuttle. It seems she suffered a severe sprain in her right ankle during training and is now on long-term rest.
It's said that winter is a time when injuries are common, but with so many injuries around me, I need to be extra careful.
Just like with Rice, if they get injured, they can't even train, let alone race, and in some cases, it can lead to retirement.
For now, I haven't heard of any other seniors in the dirt division going on long-term rest. So, even with Taiki Shuttle and Oguri Cap's departure and El Condor Pasa going overseas, I can't let my guard down at all.
Still, I have my own feelings about this.
(I wanted to repay them in a real race...)
All of those horse girls are ones that Urara has lost to in an official race. Especially Smart Falcon, whom Urara had lost to many times, and I thought Urara had a good chance of winning against her at the distance of the February Stakes.
(I guess it wasn't meant to be this time.)
With that thought, the conversation I had with Mihono Bourbon's trainer came back to me, and I shook my head as if to tell myself that there would be more opportunities to fight them.
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