Chapter 136.
After returning home, Shuta Ann took a quick shower and headed straight for his room. As he slipped into bed, he noticed a sliver of light spilling up from the floor below—Oguri Cap was still awake, diligently burning the midnight oil to study for Trainer Minamizaka's exam.
"Now is her time to work hard."
The young man murmured to himself, smiling warmly at the glow before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.
In tonight's Dream World, the scent of fresh turf and the roar of the crowd rushed over him. Shuta Ann materialized at Kyoto Racecourse.
It was the day of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, and his schedule was packed with eleven riding assignments at the Kansai home track. The crown jewel of his day was the 11R Queen Elizabeth II Cup itself, where he was assigned to ride Hishi Amazon.
As a foreign-born import, the fierce Uma Musume had been barred from participating in the first two legs of the mare Triple Tiara. Eager to see his star perform, the Racehorse Owner had been ecstatic to secure Shuta Ann for her second G1 challenge, agreeing instantly when Trainer Nakano Takayoshi proposed the switch.
The original main jockey, Nakadate Eiji, had been understandably disappointed, but he took it in stride.
"Compared to me, Shuta-kun's pushing technique is definitely more suited to her style." Nakadate had confessed to the trainer. "But, will I have a chance to partner with her again in the future?"
"Absolutely." Trainer Nakano had reassured him without hesitation. "Shuta-kun will have his own main partners to ride next year. He won't always be in Hishi Amazon's saddle."
That had brightened Nakadate's mood considerably.
Unlike the real world, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in this Dream World was a grueling 2400-meter turf race. The extra distance demanded a significantly higher tier of endurance from the participating mares.
It doesn't matter. Hishi Amazon's raw ability is more than enough.
Shuta Ann thought, sitting comfortably in the saddle as he listened to the stable staff's final instructions. He closed his eyes, tuning out the noise to focus on the race ahead.
For this Cup, Hishi Amazon had drawn Gate 6.
According to the stable staff, her starts were notoriously poor. To compensate, she relied heavily on her terrifying explosive power, employing a late-charging, back-of-the-pack tactic for almost the entire year.
Trainer Nakano fully expected Shuta Ann to run that same late-charge strategy today, trusting that the young jockey's elite pushing mechanics would make her final sprint unstoppable.
But Shuta Ann had a completely different script in mind.
Hanging at the back on Kyoto's 2400-meter turf is too much of a disadvantage. We need to secure a forward position early. Gate 6 is very tight to the rail; if we get boxed in at the rear, breaking out will be a nightmare.
As they loaded into the starting gate, Shuta Ann deliberately manipulated the reins. He pulled back, reining her in tightly, and then—just a fraction of a second before the gates snapped open—he completely relaxed his grip.
The sudden release of tension stimulated Hishi Amazon's instincts. She burst forward like a coiled spring, rocketing out of the gate with such explosive speed that Trainer Nakano and the Owner nearly dropped their binoculars in the stands.
"Since when could she break from the gate that cleanly?!"
Trainer Nakano gasped, a spike of panic hitting his chest.
"Is she going to burn out?!"
The Owner turned to him, beaming.
"You've trained her starting mechanics perfectly, Nakano! That was incredible!"
"To be honest, I'm just as surprised as you are." Trainer Nakano waved his hand awkwardly, entirely baffled. "I had no idea she could launch like that."
Riding that flawless break, Shuta Ann and Hishi Amazon smoothly settled into a prime cruising position in sixth place. Riding on their outside was Kojima Sadahiro aboard Umi no Sanka, the winner of this year's Japanese Oaks.
But having watched the first two Tiara races, Shuta Ann wasn't worried. He didn't believe Umi no Sanka, nor the Oka Sho winner Oguri Roman, had the legs to beat Hishi Amazon over this distance.
(Incidentally, Yutaka Take was in the saddle for Oguri Roman today, as Shuta Ann had been out of the country during her Oka Sho victory.)
The young man's pre-race reads proved razor-sharp. As the pack rounded the final bend, Oguri Roman visibly faded, her endurance completely tapped out. Umi no Sanka fared no better, rapidly falling behind Hishi Amazon's devastating cruising speed.
The moment they hit Kyoto's massive 400-meter final straight, the race belonged entirely to Hishi Amazon.
Shuta Ann snapped his left-hand whip once and dramatically increased his pushing rhythm. As if she had suddenly sprouted wings, Hishi Amazon tore past the frontrunners with terrifying velocity, claiming the absolute front of the pack. The rest of the field could only watch in despair as she ran faster and faster, widening the gap with every stride.
"Oh! Just as expected, Shuta-kun has drawn out her true, terrifying talent!"
The Owner cheered from the VIP box, his fists raised in triumph.
"Her second G1 victory, and her sixth consecutive graded stakes win!"
After crossing the wire and exchanging a few celebratory pleasantries with the other jockeys, Shuta Ann guided his mount over to Yutaka Take.
"Oguri Roman needs to shorten her distance."
Shuta Ann noted casually.
"She definitely does." Yutaka Take agreed with a tired sigh, patting his mount's neck. "She had absolutely no gas left by the final corner."
"Perhaps she didn't inherit the family endurance." Shuta Ann mused. "After all, Oguri Cap's stamina is monstrous."
"That's Oguri Cap." Yutaka Take shot his friend a helpless look. "She's a once-in-a-generation freak of nature in racing history. How could anyone easily replicate that? Honestly, it's a miracle Roman managed to win the Oka Sho at all."
"Fair point." Shuta Ann conceded. "If she decides to retire soon, will she head back to her home ranch?"
"Undoubtedly. Inaba Ranch would never give her up." Yutaka Take shrugged. "They'll want her back in the breeding sheds no matter what."
Shuta Ann nodded, opting to stay silent. He had considered offering some breeding advice for Roman's post-retirement career, but realizing he wasn't intimately familiar with the Inaba Ranch's internal politics, he decided it was best to keep his thoughts to himself.
Down in the underground passage, Shuta Ann dismounted with the help of the stable staff and shared a warm, celebratory embrace with Trainer Nakano.
"Thank you so much, Shuta-kun! Amazon ran an absolute masterpiece today."
Trainer Nakano beamed, though a hint of melancholy touched his voice.
"It's just a crying shame that the import policies kept her from claiming the Triple Tiara."
"She proved she was the best today, and that's what matters."
Shuta Ann smiled, before seamlessly shifting gears.
"By the way, I'd like to leave Hokuto Vega's upcoming adjustments in your hands, Trainer."
"Oh?"
"Next April is the Teio Sho." Shuta Ann explained. "It's going to be a designated exchange graded race for the first time. I want Hokuto Vega to open her season there."
Trainer Nakano nodded thoughtfully.
"The Owner actually mentioned wanting to run her in a turf race before April as a warm-up."
Shuta Ann knew exactly what that meant. They called it a "warm-up." but the reality was that keeping a racehorse fed, housed, and trained for six months without racing incurred massive costs. The Owner needed Hokuto Vega to run a race to earn her keep.
"I have no objections to that."
Shuta Ann agreed easily, thoroughly understanding the financial realities of the sport.
"As long as she avoids the highest-intensity graded bloodbaths, Hokuto Vega will easily win her warm-up. Let's get her ready."