Chapter 27. Fantasies at Nakayama Racecourse
Time moved to Sunday. After guiding Silence Suzuka through an adjusted training session in the morning, Shuta An was dragged out by her for a stroll in the afternoon. Along the way, the two of them stopped at a nearby ice cream shop, sampling a variety of desserts. By evening, after quite literally coaxing Silence Suzuka to rest, the Young man held her in his arms as they both drifted peacefully into sleep.
Although Shuta An remained in Hong Kong in the real world, in the Dream World, he returned to Tokyo. When he opened his eyes, he found himself seated in the jockey waiting room at Nakayama Racecourse.
Last week had been the Oka Sho.
Today—Was the Satsuki Sho.
This would also be his second time facing Mihono Bourbon while riding Rice Shower. In the Spring Stakes, Mihono Bourbon had easily shaken her off.
After learning that Shuta An would once again ride Rice Shower for the Satsuki Sho, Kojima Sadahiro had quietly breathed a sigh of relief. In his eyes, if Shuta An riding Asaka Regent—the Yayoi Sho winner—would have been far more troublesome. A horse like Rice Shower, even under Shuta An, simply didn't pose much of a threat to Mihono Bourbon.
Although Shuta An had been last year's champion jockey, most of his activity was centered in Kansai. When he wasn't stationed in Kanto, the number of rides he received naturally decreased. Aside from the Satsuki Sho, the other five races he had today were all Maiden or New Horse races. Even yesterday, he had only received a single riding request.
There were still five months remaining before the end of the Maiden season, yet many Trainers were already beginning to feel the pressure. Whenever an opportunity arose to invite Shuta An, they seized it, hoping that his skill could secure their horses' place within Central.
In the first race—a 1800-meter dirt New Horse race—Shuta An, riding Kagayaki, opened up an eight-length gap over the second-place finisher.
"This is unbelievable." Kagayaki's Trainer, Okubo Katsuyuki, stood frozen, staring at the result board. "The training data was completely average…yet he ran like this?"
As the elder brother of Iizuka Yoshitsugu's wife, he had only managed to secure this ride through that connection. Otherwise, given his ranking of 137th among Trainers last year, inviting Shuta An would have been nothing short of wishful thinking.
"First win of the year."
For Okubo Katsuyuki, who was already approaching retirement age, even a single victory was enough to bring lasting satisfaction.
In the Dream World, the pressure on Trainers far exceeded that of the real world. Here, poor results didn't just mean stagnation—they could mean financial collapse. There were many Trainers who, unable to sustain their stables, were eventually forced into retirement.
In the second race, Shuta An rode Marutoyo Merci in a 1200-meter dirt Maiden. Breaking sharply from the gate, he seized the lead and held it firmly, denying every attempt from behind. In the final straight, a few decisive whips were enough to widen the gap and secure another victory.
"At this stage, there aren't many unregistered races that reveal future star horses," Shuta An thought calmly. "It's just that the opponents were weaker."
The third race, another 1800-meter dirt Maiden, saw him partnered with Vendome—a horse sharing ownership with Rice Shower, and one carrying odds as high as 10,000, ranked 14th in popularity. Against Brand Pearl, the clear favorite at 2.4 odds owned by Nishiyama Masayuki, Shuta An pulled off a stunning upset with a windmill whip, though it came at the cost of a 10,000 yen penalty.
After returning to the underground passage, he briefly exchanged words with Vendome's Trainer, Yoshino Isamu, before heading back to the waiting room. Along the way, he passed Nishiyama Masayuki—and had to suppress the urge to mock him.
"It's only a Maiden race," he reminded himself. "If I want to provoke him, I'll do it properly—by beating his main horse in a G1."
His thoughts drifted briefly.
"If I could beat Nishino Flower in the Oaks like yesterday—that would be satisfying."
Yesterday, his only ride had been in the G3 Crystal Cup—a 1200-meter turf sprint for three-year-olds. Riding Sakura Bakushin O, who had finished near the back in the Spring Stakes, he had led from start to finish, winning by three and a half lengths.
"If I can do the same with Adorable in the Oaks—"
A faint smirk flickered across his mind.
"that would definitely get under his skin."
The fourth and fifth races, however, did not go as well—finishing third in one and sixth in the other. His mount in the sixth race, Quincey City, was in particularly poor condition. As a late-runner, she showed no willingness to accelerate, and Shuta An could only force the issue through his own effort.
"In the end, racing still depends on the horse's own will," he reflected upon returning to the waiting room. "If the horse doesn't want to move… winning becomes impossible."
After a short rest and lunch, he allowed some time for digestion before standing up to meet Rice Shower in the waiting area.
"Satsuki Sho."
His thoughts settled.
"Rice Shower's development is still incomplete. A top-five finish is enough—to secure a place in the Derby."
Arriving at the waiting area, already mounted on Rice Shower, Shuta An raised his hand and exchanged a high-five with Iizuka Yoshitsugu and the stable staff.
"I'll make sure he gets into the Japanese Derby," he said firmly.
"I trust you, Shuta-kun," Iizuka Yoshitsugu replied. "But more importantly—no injuries."
"That's right," Shuta An nodded. "The track condition is good today, so the risk should be low. And judging from Kojima Sadahiro's style, the pace won't be overly fast."
He gave a small pat to Rice Shower's neck.
"Let's aim for top five."
"He still needs time to build muscle."
"Everything is in your hands, Shuta-kun!"
As Shuta An guided Rice Shower out toward the track, Iizuka Yoshitsugu bowed deeply to their departing figures.
In the Satsuki Sho, Rice Shower drew gate number 9, while Mihono Bourbon once again secured an inside position—this time, gate 4. For Mihono Bourbon, this was naturally excellent news. For Shuta An, it wasn't a bad outcome either.
"Still better than being thrown all the way out to gate 18," he thought to himself.
Even so, his gaze lingered briefly on Rice Shower.
"His development is slower than I expected."
If the goal of this race was simply to secure a top-five finish, then pushing for an aggressive front-running strategy would only introduce unnecessary risk. After a brief moment of consideration, Shuta An quietly discarded that approach.
"We'll run conservatively this time."
He adjusted his plan accordingly, intending to have Rice Shower settle into the middle of the pack instead.
—
On the other side, Kojima Sadahiro appeared far more at ease.
For Mihono Bourbon, there was no need for overly complex tactics. As long as he seized the lead, everything else could be entrusted to Bourbon.
"Trainer Toyama's instructions are simple enough," he murmured, his gaze lowering slightly to Mihono Bourbon's powerful hindquarters and the familiar turf of Nakayama Racecourse beneath him. "Just trust him."
At over forty years old, he knew this course inside out.
And yet—this was his first time standing at the center of a G1 Classic race, as one of its main contenders.
It was impossible not to feel the pressure.
His grip on the reins tightened unconsciously.
"I can't betray Trainer Toyama's trust—"
His voice was low, almost swallowed by the surrounding noise.
"If it weren't for him—I wouldn't still be riding Mihono Bourbon."
He raised his head slightly, looking toward the clear, cloudless sky.
"I know my riding isn't on Shuta An's level."
A faint tension passed through him.
"But I have the strongest partner of this generation."
His gaze hardened.
"Mihono Bourbon won against him in the Spring Stakes—and he'll win again in the Satsuki Sho, the Japanese Derby, and the Kikuka Sho."
As that thought took shape, he couldn't help but turn his head, catching sight of the champion jockey strolling calmly across the turf with Rice Shower.
"If I could face you again at the end of the year… riding Tokai Teio…"
Even if Shuta An would be even stronger by then—Kojima Sadahiro had no doubt.
"Mihono Bourbon won't lose."
His fingers tightened slightly.
"At that time—we'll both be undefeated Triple Crown winners."
A faint tremor ran through his voice.
"And we'll leave behind a battle worthy of being remembered—like Mr. CB and Symboli Rudolf."
—
In the restricted section of the grandstand, Toyama Tameo stood quietly, his gaze fixed on the starting gates where Mihono Bourbon would soon depart.
He had been in the industry for twenty-eight years.
And Mihono Bourbon—Was the first G1 horse he had trained.
Of course, that was partly because the grading system had only been introduced to Japan less than a decade ago. Four years after beginning his career as a Trainer, he had already guided Tanino Haruomoi to victory in the Japanese Derby.
But Mihono Bourbon was different.
He was not just another strong horse.
He was the embodiment of his philosophy.
Once, when criticized for pushing his horses too hard in training, he had answered without hesitation—
"We are professionals in racing. Horse racing is war. And in war, it is only natural that one general's success comes at the cost of countless sacrifices."
"If you pity the horses too much, you will never produce a true champion. To win, you must be prepared for loss. When a horse breaks down in training… of course I feel pain. They are living beings, not machines. But even if it brings tears, there are things that must be done."
"Because I believe—my philosophy is correct."
—
When Shuta An had once announced that he had no mount for the Satsuki Sho, Mihono Bourbon's owner had suggested inviting him to ride him.
Toyama Tameo rejected it outright.
He firmly believed that even ordinary horses, under sufficient training, could display strength equal to any elite.
To hand them over to a top jockey—would only diminish the meaning of that training.
That was his public reasoning.
But beneath it—might be there was something deeper.
—
In his early days as a jockey, Toyama Tameo had rarely been given opportunities.
Owners and Trainers always chose the more skilled riders. Even the horses he once rode would be reassigned to top jockeys for major races.
More than once, he had lain awake at night, his pillow damp with frustration.
After becoming a Trainer, he built his stable like a family—And established one unyielding principle.
"I will not let the children in my stable suffer what I did."
Every horse under his care would be ridden by his own jockeys.
Kunihiko Take—father of Yutaka Take—had once benefited from this very approach. When he was still a young jockey, Toyama Tameo had entrusted him with all of his best horses.
Now—
It was Kojima Sadahiro's turn.
—
No matter what others said—
Toyama Tameo would not waver.
Under his training, Mihono Bourbon—
The culmination of everything he believed—
Would defeat Shuta An.
Even if his rider was not as skilled.
"It's possible."
His left hand gripped the railing tightly.
"Satsuki Sho… Japanese Derby… Kikuka Sho…"
"They will all be ours."
In his eyes, there was no opponent more worthy than Shuta An.
After all—he had once guided an undefeated Triple Crown winner.
If Mihono Bourbon could do the same—
And then defeat Tokai Teio in the Arima Kinen—
The image began to take shape in his mind.
Mihono Bourbon, undefeated, standing once more at Nakayama at the end of the year.
That vision overlapped with the present before his eyes.
His body trembled slightly. Not from fear—
But from excitement.
Placing a hand over his chest, he closed his eyes.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For the first step… I've already given Kojima Sadahiro-kun his instructions."
"As long as he follows them—victory is assured."
—
As for Shuta An—
Though Toyama Tameo acknowledged him as a worthy rival—
He could not help but feel a trace of disappointment.
The horse beneath him—
Too slender.
Too underdeveloped.
Too lacking in refinement.
"What a pity."
If Rice Shower had been trained properly— If his potential had been fully drawn out—then defeating Shuta An would have held even greater meaning.
And that—was something he could not help but regret.