Thank you for your Patreonage, Mr. LUCK!
Chapter 27. Japan Cup's Participants List
During the daytime of the second day, Shuta An carried out Oguri Cap's training in the real world as usual. By night, when it was time to enter the Dream World, he had originally planned to contact other owners—
Yet, on what should have been an ordinary Monday rest day, an unexpected visitor arrived.
"Excuse me."
The young man standing at the door bowed politely.
"My father is Yoshida Zenya. My name is Yoshida Katsumi. I'm currently assisting him. I've come today regarding Oguri Cap."
"Oguri Cap?"
Shuta An froze for a moment before coming back to his senses. A faintly awkward smile appeared on his face.
"I thought Mr. Yoshida's intention yesterday was to politely decline."
"Not at all," Yoshida Katsumi replied calmly. "It's precisely because Oguri Cap is such an outstanding Racehorse that even a transfer must be handled with great care. My father simply didn't want to agree lightly."
He continued, "That's why he sent me all the way from Hokkaido to discuss this matter with Shuta-kun in person."
"I see…" Hearing this, Shuta An felt a trace of shame for having doubted Yoshida Zenya.
"Then let's head to Ritto Training Center and find Trainer Setoguchi," he said. "I don't have much contact with owners, so these arrangements should really be handled by him."
"Please rest well today, Shuta-kun." Yoshida Katsumi smiled and shook his head. "I already contacted Oguri Cap's owner, Mr. Sato, last night. We're meeting today, and we'll handle that side ourselves. It's better if neither you nor Trainer Setoguchi are directly involved—otherwise, people may start finding fault."
"Then I'll leave it to you." Shuta An bowed slightly. "I just hope Oguri Cap can have proper rest and always race under conditions that allow him to fully display his strength."
"After we purchase him, he won't be registered under the Yoshida Family's name," Yoshida Katsumi added without concealment. "My father intends to place him into a racehorse club, divided into ten shares, held by members who contribute the most capital. Of course, race arrangements will still be discussed with you and Trainer Setoguchi. The members will only be responsible for funding and dividends."
"That would be even better." Shuta An visibly relaxed.
Yoshida Katsumi's words made it clear—they truly intended to handle everything properly.
Two days later, just as Shuta An was preparing to ride Oguri Cap for his morning exercise, Trainer Setoguchi Tsutomu called out to him.
"Shuta-kun, the JRA procedures are already being processed."
"For Oguri Cap?" Shuta An blinked. "That's great."
"That's right. The Yoshida Family has already completed the purchase."
Setoguchi Tsutomu raised his right hand, spreading all five fingers.
"It cost this much."
"Five hundred million yen?"
Shuta An guessed instantly.
"Correct. Five hundred million. Mr. Sato initially asked for more, but the Yoshida Family held firm. In the end, they secured both Oguri Cap's active racing ownership and his future breeding rights."
Setoguchi Tsutomu let out a long breath.
"Mr. Yoshida also informed me that Oguri Cap's entry for the Mile Championship has been canceled. This year, he'll only run the Japan Cup and the Arima Kinen. As for next year, the plan will be decided after the Arima Kinen, depending on his condition."
"Understood." Shuta An nodded solemnly. "Japan Cup and Arima Kinen—I'll make sure Oguri Cap wins both."
This was not bravado. It was the promise of the strongest active jockey. Hearing this, a realization suddenly struck Setoguchi Tsutomu.
Perhaps the 500 million yen didn't just buy Oguri Cap.It also bought Shuta-kun.
In the future, when Shadai's promising Racehorses debuted, if Shuta An were invited to ride, the chances of a successful debut would skyrocket. Higher win rates meant higher club popularity, which in turn meant the farm's breeding horses would never lack demand. Viewed that way, the 500 million price—so shocking on the surface—was insignificant compared to future returns.
Setoguchi Tsutomu's thoughts deepened further.
'I still have twenty years before retirement. If I can establish a strong relationship with Shadai Farm now, I'll gain access to more high-quality horses in the future… and achieving good results will become far easier.'
For a trainer in his prime, this was a rare and valuable opportunity.
Shuta An, however, was unaware of the calculations and considerations unfolding around him. With this matter resolved, the pressure weighing on him in the Dream World finally eased—but a new question quietly surfaced in his mind.
'If the Dream World and the real world truly correspond to each other… how does that correspondence manifest?'
He received his answer almost immediately. Just as Oguri Cap finished her morning training, Shuta An returned to the living room first—
And froze.
"Why is Miss Rudolf here?"
Symboli Rudolf was sitting calmly on the sofa, holding a teacup and chatting with Berno Light.
"Shuta-kun," Symboli Rudolf set down her teacup as she heard his voice and turned her head. "Has Miss Oguri Cap finished her morning training?"
"Yes."
Shuta An went to the refrigerator, poured himself a glass of sweetened barley tea, then returned to the living room and sat beside Berno Light. Upstairs, Oguri Cap had already gone to take a bath.
"Does Miss Rudolf have business today?"
"Yes." Symboli Rudolf paused briefly before continuing. "I received a call from the URA Association this morning. A domestic sports equipment manufacturer wishes to sponsor Oguri Cap. They couldn't reach her side directly, so they contacted the URA. I came to inform you."
"You could've just called," Shuta An said, setting his cup down steadily. "This kind of matter doesn't require you to spend half a day coming over."
"I have my own reasons," Symboli Rudolf replied honestly. "Primarily, I wanted to see Miss Oguri Cap's recovery progress for myself. The list of overseas Uma Musumes participating in this year's Japan Cup is still uncertain. If the lineup ends up weak, the URA Association will most likely focus its promotion entirely on Oguri Cap."
"So you're worried about Oguri's recovery?" Shuta An smiled faintly, confidence filling both his expression and his voice. "There's no need. Oguri's recovery is excellent. Her current training state is better than last year's. Although she hasn't raced once this year, I can guarantee she's made tremendous progress compared to last year."
"I trust your judgment, Shuta-kun."
Symboli Rudolf nodded.
"That's reassuring. After winning the Japan Cup and the Arima Kinen… Miss Oguri Cap won't need to prove anything further to show that she has surpassed me."
—
Shuta An personally handled the sponsorship contract. He had Oguri Cap test the sports equipment provided by the domestic manufacturer, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive—
"When I run, the recoil feels much lighter than before. I can exert more force."
"As for the horseshoes, I tested models for both good and heavy tracks. Both worked well—slightly better than what I used before. They may have been adjusted specifically for my running habits."
With such feedback, Shuta An did not demand an exorbitant sponsorship fee. Instead, he insisted on a one-year contract.
"Actually, a longer contract would be more stable," Berno Light commented.
But Shuta An shook his head.
"This contract ends at the end of next year—right when Oguri retires from the Twinkle Series and prepares to step onto the Dream Trophy Series stage. When it expires, it'll be time for a better deal."
"Then Oguri will need to deliver an even stronger performance next year," Berno Light said knowingly.
Shuta An explained this reasoning to Oguri Cap as well.
The Gray Uma Musume understood clearly—this "better performance" had to begin with her comeback race, the Japan Cup.
From that day on, her training grew visibly more serious. From time to time, she deliberately went to the Tokyo Racecourse, walking the track to familiarize herself with the turf currently in use. After her first visit, she returned home and reported her impressions.
"Compared to last year, the turf feels faster," Oguri Cap said seriously. "But even when running lightly in my old shoes, the shock absorption felt lighter too."
"In other words, the turf quality is better." Shuta An understood immediately. "That's right. The URA Association's research on turf seems to have made real progress. Running on it feels almost as good as the West Coast's turf."
"Improved turf benefits all Uma Musumes."
Shuta An patted her shoulder.
—
Symboli Rudolf followed Oguri Cap's movements closely and was pleased to see her preparing for the Japan Cup with full focus. However, for the "Emperor," the most urgent matter was finalizing the list of overseas Uma Musumes invited to compete.
"Truly unexpected."
After scanning the list, President Rudolf sighed.
"I thought this year's lineup would be disappointing. I didn't expect it to be almost on par with last year."
Seven foreign Uma Musumes had accepted the invitation—
Thief Crow (Hawkster), winner of this year's American turf G1 Secretariat Stakes, with three G1 wins.
Eve Binti (Ibn Bey), winner of the Milan Grand Prix two years ago and this year's Europa Stakes, with two G1 wins.
Obey Your Master, last year's Japan Cup runner-up. After returning to North America, she won two consecutive G1 races in Canada but failed to win again after returning to the U.S. She currently holds two G1 victories.
Run to The Top (Top Sunrise), winner of this year's French long-distance G1 Royal Oaks, her sole G1 win.
Callie's Room (Carrol House), winner of this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, also victorious in this year's Irish Champion Stakes and last year's Baden-Baden Grand Prix—though this year's Arc was a shocking upset.
Satias (Assatis), winner of September's Italian URA Association Gold Cup—her only G1 title.
Folkqueen (Horlicks), the sole Southern Hemisphere contender, with three G1 wins, though her longest victory distance was only 2100 meters, most of her success coming between 1200 and 1600 meters.
"After looking carefully, it's not outstanding," President Rudolf sighed again. "But at least Tony Bianca's fracture didn't leave this Japan Cup devoid of foreign challengers. Everyone should be grateful."
After finalizing the list, she submitted it to the URA Association, then sent a simplified copy to Shuta An via Line.
In her eyes, Shuta An's ability to gather opponent information was unmatched in Japan—perhaps even globally. It was rumored he had provided crucial intelligence behind Sunday Silence's decisive victory over Easy Goer in the Kentucky Derby.
"Giving him this list will certainly help Oguri Cap… especially Carrol House and Obey Your Master."
Setting down her phone, President Rudolf murmured:
"I hope Shuta-kun can find new ways to deal with them this month."
—
When Shuta An received the message, he was watching Oguri Cap run laps around the training track.
He glanced at the list. Aside from Obey Your Master, none of the names were particularly familiar.
"I'll collect all the data after training and take a proper look," he muttered. "But at first glance, none of them really feel like Oguri's opponents."
A heavy weight lifted from his shoulders.
"If we can win smoothly…that would be ideal."
Oguri Cap, having just finished her laps, noticed the relaxed expression on his face—and her own mood brightened unconsciously.
"Looks like he got good news," she thought with a smile. "I'll ask him later."
—
At the same time, in Wellington, New Zealand—
A shortie but beautiful Uma Musume lounged with a cup of hot malt drink in one hand and her phone in the other.
"Seriously…"
She muttered irritably.
"Trainer signed me up for the Japan Cup without even telling me. A 2400-meter race—I've never run one before."
And more importantly—
She didn't want to be dragged across the world just as spring was ending and her vacation was about to begin.
"I already planned my vacation!"
The more she thought about it, the more indignant she became.
(The Author change the sad background for Folkqueen. She didn't have the expectation crushed on her and her delusion anymore)
(I found an interesting pic when scrolling X before XD. Credit to @NooouBe. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/1989-japan-cup-146687163?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link)