Chapter 42. Expectations for Oguri Cap's Progeny and an Inspired Suggestion
Originally, Shuta An had intended to greet Yutaka Take and Yasuda Tomio after the race. However, Yutaka Take, head lowered, led Hokuto Vega away from the Racecourse early, while Yasuda Tomio also showed no intention of speaking with him. As a result, Shuta simply guided Vega back in front of the stands.
Vega stood quietly before the grandstand as Shuta straightened his back and raised two fingers toward the crowd. In response, deafening cheers erupted from every direction. Startled by the overwhelming roar, Vega instinctively stepped back several paces.
Following Vega's wishes, Shuta gently urged her toward the underground passage beneath the stands, where the Groom and training assistants were waiting.
"Too strong! Too strong!"
Vega's Groom, Keiji Yamaguchi, greeted them with unconcealed excitement.
"An undefeated Two Tiara! If she goes on to complete an undefeated Triple Tiara, she'll definitely have to be bred with Tokai Teio, right?"
Shuta An had no authority over breeding decisions, so he wisely remained silent.
"For next week's Japanese Derby, Shuta-kun, do you already have a riding booking?" Yamaguchi Kiyoshi asked as he led the way with the reins.
"No." Shuta An shrugged. "I'll probably be riding at Hanshin that day."
In truth, several camps that had already secured entry into the Japanese Derby had approached him with riding offers. However, the young man had instructed his agent to decline them all. Having already won the Japanese Derby before, Shuta An saw little reason to participate again if he did not believe he had a realistic chance of victory.
After entering the underground passage, Shuta dismounted in the saddling area, tidied up his tack, handed it over to his agent, who had come to assist, and then turned to greet Matsuda Hiroshi and Yoshida Katsumi.
"An undefeated Two Tiara—" Yoshida Katsumi shook his head. "I'm afraid the club members will start complaining again about why such an exceptional horse wasn't placed on the recruitment list."
"After all, nobody expected Vega, whose legs clearly weren't in ideal condition, to run this fast."
Shuta patted Vega's back.
"Honestly, it wasn't until I rode her in her debut race that I became convinced of how remarkable she was. Looking at her physique beforehand, even I had my doubts."
The young man grinned.
"I accepted the ride thinking I was simply doing Katsumi-san a favor, and it ended up bringing me results like this. I'm truly grateful."
"Even so, Shuta-kun is impressive enough. That celebration before the finish line was incredibly cool."
Yoshida Katsumi smiled as well. "I'll be entrusting the final crown of autumn to you too."
"I'll do my best," the young man replied with a nod.
—
During the interview session that followed, Shuta An stood on the podium surrounded by reporters.
Unlike in the real world, he did not need to select reporters one by one. The JRA Association had already arranged the questions in advance.
The first question was naturally about his thoughts on winning the Japanese Oaks.
"I'm very satisfied with this result. I was already confident of victory at the 200-meter marker, but I didn't dare relax. It wasn't until the final 50 meters, after confirming that my opponents couldn't catch me, that I allowed Vega to ease up."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"To win this race, I have to thank Trainer Matsuda Hiroshi and the Horse Owner, who confirmed me as Vega's main jockey last year. At the time, the Horse Owner mentioned that Vega's legs weren't straight, and that single comment reminded me of Oguri Cap—"
At that point, Shuta lowered his head and fell silent for a moment before looking up again with a smile.
"Just like everyone else, when I thought of Oguri, my heart told me that I had to ride her. And winning this year's Mare Two Tiara almost feels like a gift from Oguri, all the way from Hokkaido."
Shuta clenched his right fist and pressed it against his chest.
"Starting next year, the first generation of Oguri's offspring will begin making their debuts. I hope some of them inherit his abilities, even if I'm not their main jockey."
The reporters present were all industry insiders. They had already heard that most of Oguri Cap's offspring were receiving rather poor evaluations, so they understood even more clearly the concern hidden behind Shuta's expectations.
The second question concerned his expectations for Vega.
"Without a doubt, the next target is the Queen Elizabeth Cup. The goal is naturally to become the second Triple Tiara winner since Mejiro Ramonu. If I can achieve that, then simultaneously holding the honors of an undefeated Triple Crown, an undefeated Triple Tiara, and complete domination of the Eight Major Races—"
Shuta spread both hands before gently pressing them downward.
"Honestly, even if I retired as a jockey this year, I would have no regrets."
That statement instantly caused tension among the audience.
"Of course, I can't retire," he added with a grin. "I still need to work and earn money."
Only then did the crowd visibly relax.
For horse racing fans, Shuta An represented something close to absolute reliability. Whenever he was the first favorite, victory felt as secure as money in a bank.
After the interview concluded, Shuta was preparing to return to the jockey waiting room to get ready for the final race of the day when an overseas reporter called out to him.
"Hm?"
Turning around, Shuta saw a foreign reporter approaching. Although he questioned him with a glance, he still waved a hand.
"It's not interview time anymore, but I can give you one question. Excuse me, is Vega interested in racing in the United States this year?"
The moment he heard the question, Shuta immediately knew the reporter was American.
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe Vega has any such plans," Shuta replied with a shrug.
Yet after hearing the question, a familiar thought surfaced in his mind once more.
"Honestly, Hokuto Vega really could try racing in America this summer, couldn't she? Even if not on dirt, there are turf races she could challenge as well."
—
After winning the final race of the day, Shuta An encountered Trainer Nakano while leaving Tokyo Racecourse.
He walked straight over and got directly to the point.
"Trainer Nakano, have you ever considered sending Hokuto Vega to America?"
"Huh?"
Trainer Nakano's eyes widened.
"America?"
"Yes. There are suitable mare-only G1 races on both turf and dirt in America this summer. She could try either surface." Shuta spoke with complete certainty. "The Queen Elizabeth Cup is still six months away. If you're worried about recovery time, she could run two races in America between July and September before returning to prepare for the Queen Elizabeth Cup. There's more than enough time."
He continued:
"And if she performs well on dirt in America, why not aim for the biggest festival of all—the Breeders' Cup series?"
"What Shuta-kun says does make sense."
For Japanese horse racing circles, achieving success in America held enormous appeal. After hearing Shuta's suggestion, Trainer Nakano was visibly tempted.
"But I'll need to discuss it with the Horse Owner first."
"Naturally."
Shuta nodded in understanding.