Chapter 83. Umi wo Miteru
The time Oguri Cap finished the race flashed across the scoreboard—0.6 seconds faster than the runner-up.
"She won by about three and a half horse lengths," Shuta An said calmly. His eyes were like a measuring scale; even from this distance, he could judge it with certainty.
"Shall we go down and meet Oguri now?" Berno Light suggested from behind him.
"Not yet." Shuta An shook his head. "She has to prepare for her Winning Live immediately. Even if we go down now, we won't be able to see her." He paused, then added, "Besides…it's way too hot outside."
"We'll wait a little longer. When Oguri's about to start her Winning Live, we'll head down. We can watch the performance from there, then pick her up right after she leaves the stage."
"Then I'll enjoy the air-conditioning a bit more," Berno Light nodded enthusiastically. Today's Hallandale Beach was genuinely scorching.
Judging the timing to be about right, Shuta An led Berno Light out of the private room.
On the way downstairs, Berno Light spoke up again. "By the way, I thought about it carefully—the song Oguri's going to sing this time feels perfect for Gulfstream Park."
"Oh?" Shuta An raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
"Heh heh. You'll understand once you hear the song title," Berno Light said, sticking out her tongue and deliberately keeping him in suspense.
"Then I hope the song the URA Association chose lives up to my expectations." Walking ahead, Shuta An narrowed his eyes, secretly pondering what kind of punishment game he should suggest to the support Uma Musume behind him if the song disappointed him.
Because they were directly involved parties, even after leaving the private room, designated standing areas had been prepared for Shuta An and Berno Light near the Winning Live stage. There were no seats—during a Winning Live, everyone stood, regardless of status.
"I'm really looking forward to Oguri's new song," Shuta An muttered.
Thanks to their position, reporters didn't swarm them—though just beyond the restricted area, a group of reporters were clearly lying in wait.
"I can use 'picking up Oguri' as an excuse to dodge interviews at first—" Shuta An glanced sideways at the reporters in the distance. "But once I actually pick her up, I won't have any excuse left."
Having changed into a brand-new victory uniform, Oguri Cap ascended the Winning Stage alone.
At the Breeders' Cup Series, only the champion had the privilege of performing a Winning Live. Second and third place had no such honor.
Standing before the microphone, Oguri Cap scanned the crowd—and almost immediately found Shuta An.
For a fleeting instant, the corner of her lips lifted.
Then she remembered she had business to attend to.
Clearing her throat, she spoke clearly, "Today, I'll be singing a new song. I think it suits Hallandale very well. I'm deeply grateful to the staff of the Japan URA Association for helping me select it from the music library. I like it very much—and I hope you will too."
As she finished speaking, her gaze lingered—just for a moment—on the involved parties' area.
"The song is titled 'Umi wo Miteru / Looking at the Sea.'"
She bowed, then prepared to sing.
"No wonder Berno said it suited this place," Shuta An murmured, the moment he heard the title.
Gulfstream Park Racecourse sat right beside Hallandale Beach. A seaside song couldn't be more fitting.
The intro ended.
"You said the weather was nice…and then you took me out. How long ago was that?" Oguri Cap sang softly, her voice gentle, as if she were telling a personal story.
"This style really suits Oguri," Shuta An whispered.
"The more pain I experienced from loss, the more afraid I became of loving you—but now—"
Oguri Cap tightened her grip on the microphone. Her gaze once again found the involved parties' area. She lifted the microphone from its stand as the melody swelled—the chorus was approaching.
And the moment her eyes met Shuta An's, goosebumps ran across his skin.
His instincts already knew what words were coming.
"I look at the sea, and I look at you.
Even if our eyes don't meet, even if we say nothing—
as long as our hearts are connected,
like tide and shore overlapping… that's enough."
"I had a dream—a dream with you.
As long as we honestly lean on each other,
we can walk hand in hand through the decades ahead.
No matter when. No matter where."
Throughout the chorus, Oguri Cap radiated excitement. When she sang "a dream with you," she extended her free left arm, tracing a straight line through the air with her index finger—until it stopped, unmistakably, toward the involved parties' area.
Most of the audience didn't understand the Japanese lyrics, but Oguri Cap's presence made it unmistakable—
This was a love song.
Across the ocean, Japanese fans watching the broadcast felt that staying up this late had been more than worth it.
This was Oguri Cap's new song.
When the performance ended, Oguri Cap smiled brightly—brighter than ever—bowed deeply once more, then turned and exited the stage.
"We should go pick up Oguri now," Berno Light said.
When Shuta An didn't respond, she tugged at his sleeve and repeated herself.
"Oh. Right," Shuta An replied, snapping back to reality.
"Ann looks completely stunned," Berno Light said immediately, seeing through him at a glance. "You really liked the song, didn't you?"
"I liked it…" Shuta An swallowed. "I couldn't have liked it more."
He started walking forward. "Oguri's straightforward, passionate feelings—I received them."
—
Far away, at Tokyo's Central Tracen Academy, Tokai Teio lay beneath her blanket, biting her lip, eyes filled with longing.
"So it can be like this."
—
Arriving at the exit of the underground passage, Shuta An and Berno Light picked up Oguri Cap within minutes. With Gulfstream Park Racecourse staff providing security in the area, the reporters could only watch eagerly from a distance, not daring to approach or cause trouble.
"How was it? How was it?" Oguri Cap stood before Shuta An, asking with a radiant smile.
Though she gave no context, anyone present could easily complete the meaning of her question.
Shuta An reached out and ruffled the Gray Uma Musume's head. "Even better than I imagined. The URA Association has good taste—but Oguri's rendition was even better."
"Heh heh~" Oguri Cap hummed softly. "I trained especially hard so I could sing this song at Gulfstream Park Racecourse."
She then shifted the topic. "But even I didn't expect my performance in the Mile race to be that good. After crossing the finish line, I glanced back at the gap to second place and got a bit startled."
"To be honest, I was startled too," Shuta An laughed. "I even wondered whether I'd been holding Oguri back all this time—making her waste effort in middle-to-long distance races."
"Absolutely not!" Oguri Cap looked up sharply, denying his words without hesitation. "I achieved plenty of honors in middle-to-long distances as well. There's no such thing as being 'held back,' and Ann shouldn't think that way either."
Seeing her reaction, the faint guilt in Shuta An's heart finally eased. He turned his head, glancing toward the reporters waiting not far away.
"Berno, Oguri—go to the lounge, get your luggage, then head straight back to the private room and rest," he said. "I've kept the reporter friends waiting long enough. It's time for me to accept the interviews."
"Okay~" Berno Light replied sweetly, deliberately dragging out the word.
After passing the Gulfstream Park staff, Shuta An stepped forward to face the reporters.
"My apologies for making everyone wait so long," he said, bowing slightly. "I imagine you've already interviewed Oguri and asked most of what you wanted to ask. So now, I'll randomly call on a few reporters and answer some additional questions."
The reporters raised no objections. After all, questions asked by colleagues could still be used in their own articles.
Shuta An "randomly" selected a reporter from Twinkle magazine.
"We'd like to ask why you chose the Breeders' Cup Mile instead of the Turf Classic," the reporter said. "For Oguri Cap, the Turf Classic wouldn't have posed any difficulty, correct?"
The question was arguably disrespectful to the Uma Musume competing in the Turf Classic, but no one present felt it inappropriate—especially since the race's top favorite had already been decisively defeated by Oguri Cap in the Arlington Million.
"Because Miss Bamboo Memory and I made a promise a year ago," Shuta An answered without hesitation. "I promised to give her a chance to compete against Oguri Cap on the same stage."
The reporters stirred slightly.
"And what about Miss Oguri Cap's own wishes?" someone pressed.
"She had no objections," Shuta An replied calmly, leaving no room for embellishment. "For her, challenging a Mile race was also something interesting."
The next question came from a French reporter. "Japan has another Turf Mile G1 in mid-November. Will Miss Oguri Cap continue racing on the Mile circuit, following her Breeders' Cup Mile victory?"
"No," Shuta An denied it immediately. "The Mile Championship is held in mid-November—barely half a month away. Returning to Japan and adjusting her condition would be far too rushed."
He continued, his tone steady. "I don't intend to push her schedule so aggressively in the final six months of her Twinkle Series career. Her next target will be the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen, where she'll attempt to achieve an unprecedented third consecutive victory."
"Congratulations on your team's ninth G1 victory," an American reporter said next. "We've noticed your team added a new member this year. What are your expectations for her participation in the Breeders' Cup Turf?"
Shuta An considered briefly. "Silence Suzuka is a very talented Uma Musume—but turning talent into results takes time. After leaving the Japanese classic route, she came to America and won her first G1. I don't believe that will be her last."
"For this Breeders' Cup Turf, however, my goal for her is a top-five finish," he added. "This also won't be her last appearance in America. In the future, I plan to challenge more Twinkle Series G1 races here with her. There are many races in this country that suit Silence Suzuka very well."
At those words, both American and Japanese reporters visibly brightened. The idea of continued overseas campaigning was excellent news for them.
At that moment, a UK reporter spoke up. "Shuta Trainer, have you considered challenging the UK Twinkle Series? The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as well as the Derby, are among the most prestigious races in the world."
"It would be dishonest to say I have no interest," Shuta An replied, unbothered by the interruption. He paused briefly, then continued, "But I will not let the Uma Musume I train compete in races unsuited to them, merely to satisfy my own ambition."
"Whether it's Epsom or Ascot, those courses are not places where Oguri Cap or Silence Suzuka can perform at their best," he said plainly. "Unless I train an Uma Musume I truly believe can challenge those tracks, I will not consider UK G1 races."
After answering several more questions, Shuta An finally disengaged from the reporters.
He headed back toward the VIP box, intending to watch the next race—the Breeders' Cup Distaff, an 1800-meter dirt G1 limited to Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume.
"Dirt G1~" Shuta An murmured to himself as he walked. "Unfortunately, Japan doesn't yet have an Uma Musume with truly outstanding dirt talent. Even with my training, it's not easy to elevate ordinary aptitude to the level needed to win a top-class American G1."
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