Thinking about matters related to the Secretariat and the Domain, Kitahara couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
Even if, in this timeline, the people of the world still did not have a clear understanding of just how powerful that horse girl was, it didn't matter. As long as he knew, that was enough.
But in the next instant, he calmed down.
First of all, even making contact with her would likely be a problem.
Through his uncle and Sunday Silence, he knew that the structure of Tracen Academy in the United States was similar to that of Japan's, with a distinction between central and local branches—only there they were called federal academies and state academies.
The Secretariat happened to be the newly appointed chairwoman of the U.S. Federal Tracen Academy for the past two years.
From Kitahara's perspective, this comparison didn't seem particularly problematic. After all, these two horse girls truly belonged to the same generation.
Moreover, although the former had been born in Oshawa, Ontario, she later went to New York in the United States to study.
During that same period, the Secretariat happened to be in Caroline County, Virginia.
At the time, the two of them were actually separated by nothing more than the distance of Pennsylvania.
Beyond that, however, there were no other coincidences between them.
In terms of background, Akikawa Yayoi's family possessed considerable influence, whether in Japan or on a global scale.
As for the Secretariat, her background couldn't be called ordinary, but the team she belonged to was far from strong—in fact, when it first began operating, it had been on the brink of bankruptcy.
In a sense, it was precisely the Secretariat's later brilliant performances that saved her team. Her retirement was also influenced by certain agreements the team had signed early on.
After all, the Secretariat completed her full professional phase—that is, she retired just over two years after her debut, without participating in many races during her senior years.
If it hadn't been for those agreements, such an outcome would have been utterly unimaginable for a horse girl of her caliber.
After completing her professional phase, Akikawa Yayoi left the United States and headed to Europe to compete.
She participated in events such as the 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby, both part of the British Classic Triple Crown, but only achieved fourth and fifth place—results that were hardly satisfying.
In comparison, the Secretariat's career record was far more formidable.
Not only did she win the American Triple Crown, but she also amassed a career record of 16 wins, 3 seconds, and 1 third. Whether in terms of total wins or consistency, she was unquestionably among the very best in the world.
That overwhelming momentum only faltered after the Belmont Stakes, and both her training team and the broader racing community generally agreed that most of her losses were related to illness.
For example, fevers and diarrhea caused by viral infections.
Seen this way, the circumstances under which the two chairwomen assumed their positions were clearly very different. If he really wanted to get in touch with the Secretariat, it likely wouldn't be anywhere near as easy as it had been with Akikawa Yayoi.
Moreover, the channels through which he could reach the United States were limited.
Chairwoman might have some degree of acquaintance with her counterpart across the ocean, but it was hard to say just how close that relationship actually was.
As for Musaka Ginjiro and Sunday Silence—one had only been in the United States for a few months, and the other hadn't even completed her full professional development yet. Her rise to fame wouldn't come until next year's American Triple Crown.
That made it inconvenient to ask either of them to help make an introduction.
"So in the end, even if I want to improve things, I still have to take it slowly…"
After thinking through the matter that had suddenly come to mind, Kitahara let out a sigh.
"…Huh? Did you say something, Brother Kitahara?"
Yuzuhara froze slightly.
The bath was thick with steam, and the sound of water never ceased. From next door, the lively chatter from the women's bath could faintly be heard.
With neither sight nor sound clear, he hadn't caught what Kitahara said—or even whether he had said anything at all.
"Ah… I was just thinking about some things."
After hesitating for a moment, Kitahara decided to briefly explain what he had been thinking. After doing so, he smiled somewhat wistfully and said:
"So what I meant earlier is that even if we can establish contact with that chairwoman in the U.S., whether it's domain inheritance or methods of communication, we're simply not adequately prepared on our end."
"In that case, it's better to plan things over the long term."
"…From what you're describing, Brother Kitahara, the Secretariat seems far more powerful than I imagined."
Yuzuhara couldn't help but ponder. "After all, even Chairwoman Akikawa hasn't reached the domain-level."
"In contrast, that person not only has domain-level strength but is also a chairwoman."
"If we could receive her guidance, whether for horse girls like Inari and the others, or for trainers like us, it would surely be immensely beneficial."
"Not 'surely'—definitely."
Kitahara corrected him slightly, because from his colleague's reaction, he could already tell that in this timeline, the public's understanding of the Secretariat was just as incomplete as he had expected.
"In fact, her strength might even be greater than you're imagining."
"Put simply, there may be others with influence comparable to hers, but I don't think there's anyone in Japan right now who can compare to her in terms of pure ability."
"You know how horse girls develop—generally speaking, before their full maturation, their strength isn't stable."
"The Hanshin and Asahi races in Japan exist to showcase potential at that stage, not actual strength."
"But if you compare them, you'll find that if the Secretariat had competed in Japan, she would've been equivalent to winning six or seven of those races by huge margins before even reaching her Classic year."
"As discouraging as it sounds, the truth is that even if you swapped in Oguri Cap, Creek, or Ardan, I don't think they could've put up such astonishing performances last year."
"The same goes for Inari and Tama—and not just them. I think even President Rudolf and the others would be the same."
As he spoke, Kitahara sighed. "And once the Classic year comes, the gap would still be there…"
"Alright, it really is discouraging—but it's the truth. The gap between Japan and the world is still plainly visible."
"But then again, as you just said, if we could receive guidance from a horse girl of that level, it would be a huge boost for Oguri Cap and the others—and for us as well."
"Still, like I said, even if we have the idea, we need to wait for the right opportunity…"
After chatting casually while watching the races, the two gradually felt they'd soaked enough. They left the bath, changed into bathrobes in the dressing room, and headed to the lounge—only to discover, much to their surprise, that White Narubi was already there.
And judging by her appearance, it seemed she'd been waiting for quite some time.
"Ms. White Narubi , you're…?"
Startled, Kitahara exchanged a glance with his colleague beside him and stepped forward. "Is something the matter?"
In Kitahara's experience, women tended to take longer in hot springs, much like bathing in general.
So for White Narubi to have come out so early, she must have had something she wanted to discuss—most likely with him.
And just as Kitahara had anticipated, White Narubi was pacing back and forth in the lounge, as if hesitating. When she heard someone approach, she reflexively looked up.
Upon seeing Kitahara, a smile immediately appeared on her face.
"Ah, Mr. Kitahara, there's something I'd like to ask…"
Having spent quite some time with the Eisei Team in Tokyo, White Narubi didn't stand on ceremony. She quickly explained what she had discussed with her daughter before and after entering the hot spring.
"…So that's about it."
She showed a somewhat apologetic expression. "It might sound a bit selfish, but seeing Oguri having such an active mindset, as her mother, I want to help her."
"It's just that, whether it's my own talent or my training knowledge, they're all fairly ordinary."
"So after thinking it through, I realized I could only come and ask trainers like you, Mr. Kitahara, to see if there's any way for her to perform even better tomorrow—and in future races."
"Of course, I know this is already what you're striving for, so please consider this a selfish request from me as a mother."
"I see…"
After understanding the situation, Kitahara subconsciously glanced toward the women's bath and smiled unconsciously.
"I never imagined that Oguri Cap, who usually doesn't like talking much, actually thinks about so many things…"
Hearing this, White Narubi smiled warmly, and Yuzuhara nodded with a smile as well.
"That's right. I hadn't noticed it myself at first."
He said thoughtfully, "It was only during the Takamatsunomiya Cup that President Maruzensky suggested that people like Brother Kitahara and me—who rarely show our emotions—really ought to express our thoughts more to our horse girls."
"So afterward, I tried talking with Inari, and I realized there were indeed many things—her thoughts, for instance—that I hadn't known about."
"Her ideas about training, about interacting with friends, or other things she encounters—she has her own thoughts about all of it."
"Even though I've watched her grow up, she's grown now, hasn't she?"
"I think it's truly necessary to talk more with who she is now."
As he spoke, he stepped closer to Kitahara and patted his shoulder.
"Brother Kitahara, the horse girls under your care probably need that kind of communication too."
"Yeah… whether it's Oguri Cap, Creek, or Ardan, when we talk, it's always about training and races…"
Kitahara felt a slight headache coming on and couldn't help but give a wry smile. "It feels like I've neglected the everyday, life-related aspects."
"Although Oguri Cap's thoughts are related to racing, it sounds like they're more about emotions that grew out of spending time with her friends."
After reflecting for a moment, and under White Narubi's apologetic yet hopeful gaze, Kitahara thought quietly for a while before suddenly nodding.
"Alright then. I'll try to think of a way—see if we can further optimize things within the existing race schedule."
After making this promise, he added apologetically:
"For now… Yuzuhara, could you keep Ms. White Narubi company for a bit? I need to make a video call."
Hearing this, both White Narubi and Yuzuhara were taken aback. But after thinking for a moment, the latter quickly nodded.
"No problem. Leave it to me."
"Ah… Mr. Kitahara, you're…?"
After he responded, Kitahara took out his phone and walked off to the side. Watching his back in confusion for a moment, White Narubi turned to Taohara in puzzlement.
"Well… it's probably an attempt to seek overseas assistance."
After some thought, Yuzuhara explained. "Ms. White Narubi just mentioned that Oguri Cap herself understands that trying to come up with a new running style or strategy in less than a day before tomorrow's race is basically impossible."
"That's also why she felt she shouldn't trouble Brother Kitahara."
This detail hadn't been explicitly mentioned in White Narubi's earlier account, but the implication had been clear.
"That's right. For Oguri, aside from not wanting to disturb Mr. Kitahara's rest, she was worried that such a request might be putting him in a difficult position."
White Narubi nodded in agreement.
"Mm, under normal circumstances, that's exactly the case."
Yuzuhara nodded as well. "An 1800-meter dirt track, at the Chukyo course where she's often trained alongside Inari to adapt."
"The opponents' conditions are well understood, and corresponding abilities and tactics have already been fine-tuned."
"Under those circumstances, adjusting the strategy within a single day is already very unlikely—let alone coming up with a better one."
"That's why I said Brother Kitahara is probably seeking help overseas."
Smiling, and seeing White Narubi's puzzled expression, Yuzuhara paused before explaining further.
"Actually, it's also related to a future development idea Brother Kitahara mentioned while we were in the hot spring. Now that Oguri Cap has made this request, he might want to try moving it forward…"
While he was explaining, Kitahara had already connected the video call.
Just as they had guessed, he was contacting his uncle, who was far away in the United States.
However, this call wasn't about asking his uncle to introduce him to the Secretariat or to obtain guidance that way—there were simply too many uncertainties in such an approach.
What he wanted was, at the very least, to discuss things again with his uncle and see whether this "old Kasamatsu geezer" could squeeze out a few more "gold coins."
Of course, "gold coins" referred to insights on race planning.
In Musaka Ginjiro's own words, he was an old Kasamatsu native, an old Nagoya native—and an old trainer.
Before retiring, the number of times he'd taken horse girls to compete at the Chukyo Racecourse in Nagoya probably far exceeded the number of times "you brat" had ever been there.
If it came to devising tactics grounded in real conditions, there was absolutely no problem.
In fact, for Inari's Takamatsunomiya Cup and for Oguri Cap's three races tomorrow, Kitahara had already consulted his uncle many times.
With guidance from a senpai, one should listen humbly and accept it critically—that had always been his approach.
It was just that the advice he'd received before had been fairly conservative. More specifically, the preparation plans and race strategies Kitahara proposed were all approved, with nothing deemed in particular need of improvement.
Now that new ideas had emerged because of Oguri Cap, it was only natural to see whether this "Nagoya old geezer" really had as many "gold coins" as he claimed.
Once the video call connected, before Musaka Ginjiro's stern, deeply wrinkled old face even appeared on screen, the phone already rang with dissatisfied shouting and helpless attempts at consolation.
"WTF?! Why is that person named 'Best Player' for this match?! I scored one point more than her!"
"Calm down, Little Silence. Football isn't the same as racewalking—the scoring criteria are different. It's not just about who scores more points…"
"I don't care! I scored one more point than her! I'm going to protest to the chairwoman and the president! And old man, don't call me 'Little Silence'! Hmph!"
This was followed by the sound of hurried footsteps retreating, and then, a moment later, a long sigh.
"Uh… Uncle Roppei, what's going on…?"
From what he'd just heard, Kitahara could roughly guess that Sunday Silence had participated in a Football match—and, coincidentally, one of her opponents had been Easy Goer.
In Kitahara's memory, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer were bitter rivals.
In terms of their original racehorse counterparts, the two had been born only a few hundred meters apart, on what were practically the same breeding farms, grazing face-to-face when they were young.
The difference lay in their backgrounds: the former was essentially a grassroots underdog, while the latter's owner was Phipps, who had served as chairman of the U.S. Jockey Club for twenty years.
Yet it was precisely this contrast, combined with their coincidental births, that made their rivalry all the more intense.
And the dramatic clashes that followed only elevated it into legend.
After debuting, Sunday Silence won the first two legs of the American Triple Crown, dealing two blows to Easy Goer, who had been the unrivaled star at age two and dubbed "the next Secretariat."
All of America thought a grassroots hero was about to be born.
But at the third race, the Belmont Stakes, Easy Goer shattered Sunday Silence's and the fans' Triple Crown dreams by winning with the second-fastest time in history—second only to the Secretariat—leaving countless spectators sighing in regret.
And that wasn't the end.
The two also clashed at the Breeders' Cup Classic.
At that point, Sunday Silence was on a two-loss streak, while Easy Goer was riding five consecutive wins. Anyone would've thought the outcome was obvious.
Yet once again, expectations were overturned. As if repaying the defeat at Belmont, Sunday Silence claimed victory with a record-breaking time, bringing their four encounters to a close.
Even at the end of their careers, both horses retired almost simultaneously due to leg injuries.
Whether viewed individually or together, these two horses could be said to have written countless legendary stories.
[Toxic yuri?]
And in the context of this world, it seemed that even before their post-debut racewalking competitions, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer had already begun clashing in various events.
"Ah… how many times do I have to tell you—call me Musaka…"
As usual, he corrected him. But Musaka Ginjiro's expression and voice on screen were both weary, tinged with helpless amusement.
"What else could it be? That kid Silence got into another spat with a kid from the neighboring class."
"Isn't it the school rugby tournament these days? The two classes faced off. Little Silence's team won, but she didn't get the MVP, so she got mad."
"Alright, enough of that. What do you want, kid?"
"Ah… well, it's like this…"
After thinking for a moment, Kitahara slowly explained everything they had discussed, then said:
"So I wanted to ask—if Oguri Cap wants to perform even better, do you have any more advanced suggestions for tomorrow's races, Uncle?"
"I see…"
Musaka Ginjiro frowned deeply. "The race is tomorrow, and in such a short amount of time…"
The old trainer sounded somewhat troubled, but after speaking halfway, his expression suddenly changed.
"Wait a moment… tch."
"That kid Silence—how did things escalate to the point that even the chairwoman came over…?"
"Kid, wait here for a bit. I'll go see what's going on, then I'll come back and talk."
(End of Chapter)