Chapter 26. Satsuki Sho in the Dream World (Part 2)
In the VIP stands, the owner's anxiety was impossible to hide. He turned toward Matsumoto Shoichi, his voice tight.
"Was Tokai Teio's condition really fine before the race? Whipping this early—could it be that the cruising speed was too fast and his stamina is already being drained?"
"No problem at all!" Matsumoto Shoichi waved his hand decisively. "Mr. Nakamura, please trust my judgment as a Trainer. Shuta-kun definitely has his reasons. Don't overthink it—just trust him and Tokai Teio."
The owner frowned. "Even if Trainer Matsumoto says so—"
Before he could finish, a wave of astonished shouts from the commentator and the crowd swept across Nakayama Racecourse, forcibly dragging his attention back to the track.
"Just a feint! No real whipping—only pushing! Tokai Teio has passed After Me and Legacy of Zelda! The speed of the other racehorses is nowhere near comparable to Tokai Teio's!"
"Incredible! Only the final 200 meters remain! Tokai Teio has completely broken away from the field! Can he hold on to the finish?!"
The question echoed straight into the owner's mind. He murmured unconsciously,
"Can he really hold on?"
"Of course he can," Matsumoto Shoichi answered without the slightest hesitation. "Shuta-kun and Teio will definitely make it."
His own emotions were surging now. If they won this race, Tokai Teio would take the Satsuki Sho in just his third career start—the fastest such victory in history, and one that was theoretically impossible to surpass.
"Winning the Satsuki Sho in only three races also means less overall fatigue than his rivals," Matsumoto Shoichi thought, his gaze already drifting toward Tokyo Racecourse more than a month away. "That only increases his chances in the Derby."
The owner, however, was still staring fixedly at the famous Slope Road in front of the Nakayama stands. Tokai Teio was charging up it at the front—and then, inevitably, a normal deceleration appeared.
That moment nearly sent the owner's heart leaping out of his chest. The gap behind him visibly shrank. He almost shut his eyes, afraid of witnessing the instant Tokai Teio would be overtaken, yet he forced them open, locking his gaze onto the relaxed figure atop his saddle. Even now, in this critical moment, Shuta An looked completely unhurried.
The instant Tokai Teio stepped onto the Slope Road, Shuta An activated the skill "Highlander," earned from winning a major stake in the Dream World, reducing stamina consumption while climbing.
Even so, Tokai Teio still slowed slightly on the ascent. Shuta An could hear the pounding hooves behind them growing clearer.
But unlike the owner in the stands, he felt no anxiety at all. He knew exactly why the gap was closing—the horses behind him hadn't yet reached Nakayama's notorious Slope Road. That was all there was to it.
As Tokai Teio adapted to the terrain and fully entered the climb, his speed steadily rose again. Behind him, whether it was Shako Grade launching a desperate outside charge from the rear, or Iide Saison pressing forward from mid-pack, their closing speed was insignificant compared to Tokai Teio's current acceleration.
"What is this?!" the live commentator exclaimed in disbelief. "Tokai Teio has led from start to finish, yet his finishing speed is still faster than everyone else's! Is this the bloodline of the 'Emperor' on full display?!"
—
Yutaka Take sensed something was wrong the instant Shuta An gave the instruction whip. He urged Shin Horisky to respond and chase Tokai Teio.
"If Tokai Teio is allowed to accelerate freely here, all we'll be able to do is watch her disappear," that ominous premonition flashed through his mind.
What he hadn't expected was that Shin Horisky's stamina would drain at an almost terrifying rate the moment they hit the Slope Road. Powerless, Yutaka Take could only watch as he and his partner sank back into the pack, while Shuta An guided Tokai Teio farther and farther away from the rest.
"So this is the partner Ann-san was confident enough to challenge the Classic Triple Crown with last year…"
Envy welled up in his chest. Yutaka Take had already won a Classic Race—but the Japanese Derby still eluded him. And if Tokai Teio claimed the Satsuki Sho by a crushing margin, Shuta An's chances of becoming the Japanese Derby jockey this year would be enormous.
"Even though Ann-san is already a Kentucky Derby jockey…" Yutaka Take cut off the thought before it could sink him deeper.
—
After clearing the Slope Road, Shuta An could no longer hear any hooves behind him. He turned his head and glanced back.
"There's not much distance left," he decided calmly. "Let Teio rest a little."
He let the whip drop, held the reins firmly in his right hand, and with his left gently stroked Tokai Teio's hind neck, signaling him to ease off.
Tokai Teio, perfectly in sync with him, slowed down at the touch. Yet inertia carried him forward, his familiar Stride Gait now resembling a light, unhurried hop.
"He's slow-hopping!" the commentator shouted in astonishment. "Tokai Teio is slow-hopping! Is this really the Satsuki Sho?! Why does he look so relaxed?!"
The owner clenched his fists, threw his arms into the air, and shouted, "Oh—!"
Words failed him entirely. His mind was drowned in sheer exhilaration.
"Good—good—good!" Matsumoto Shoichi laughed, his grin stretching almost ear to ear.
"Following in his father's footsteps! Tokai Teio sets out on the path of the 'Undefeated Triple Crown'! Shuta An—first Satsuki Sho victory! The dream of being a Derby jockey has already been realized overseas, and now it's time for the home stage! So strong! This is the 'Kansai's Great Talent'! This is the 'true monster' every Ritto Trainer spoke of in interviews!"
Amid the commentator's roaring voice, Shuta An and Tokai Teio crossed the finish line together. Once he confirmed they were through, Shuta An squeezed Tokai Teio lightly with his legs, straightened his back with casual ease, turned toward the Nakayama stands—and confidently raised his index finger.
The reaction was explosive. The cheers only grew louder.
Satisfied, Shuta An curved his lips into a small smile. Settling back into the saddle, he patted Tokai Teio's hind neck once more and whispered softly, "Alright, Teio. It's over."
After Tokai Teio eased his pace, Shuta An guided her in a gentle arc, turning him back toward the stands and letting him walk slowly along the rail.
He glanced up at the scoreboard. 2:08.5. A winning margin of two and a half horse lengths.
"This is with just a single feint of the whip for the entire race—and even slowing down at the end," the Young man thought, exhilaration surging through him. "With this level of ability, the Japanese Derby is absolutely within reach."
That surge of excitement pushed Shuta An into an even bolder display.
Riding Tokai Teio to the front of the stands, he first blew a kiss toward the audience, then raised both arms high, beckoning for even louder cheers. The response was immediate—after the kiss, the roar of the crowd sharpened into piercing shrieks.
JRA had, after all, been deliberately promoting Shuta An and Yutaka Take as the faces of a younger generation, hoping to draw more young women into horse racing through the appeal of talented, handsome jockeys.
Neither Shuta An nor Yutaka Take objected to this. They didn't need to sell their looks—just maintain themselves properly and keep delivering results.
Yutaka Take, for his part, was rumored to be pursuing an idol slightly younger than himself. As for Shuta An, anyone familiar with him would say that aside from occasionally going out with friends to unwind, he spent nearly all his free time alone in his apartment.
A gossip magazine once tried desperately to dig up some scandal. They staked out Shuta An's residence and photographed it for half a year—only to discover that not a single woman ever entered. Unwilling to admit defeat, the magazine finally published a feature praising the Young man's "ascetic lifestyle."
—
Entering the underground passage, Shuta An swung down from Tokai Teio with a clean, steady landing. Turning back, he smiled warmly, stroked his head, and began removing his tack.
Matsumoto Shoichi had already arrived to greet them.
"Well done!" the Trainer said with a broad grin. "Winning by two and a half lengths even while holding back at the end—if you'd pushed harder, wouldn't the margin have been even bigger?"
Shuta An thought he was being questioned about his restraint and quickly explained, "That's true. If I'd really whipped and driven him at the end, Teio could've won by five lengths. But there was no need."
At that moment, the Racehorse Owner arrived as well—just in time to hear those words.
Shuta An paused, then continued calmly, "Once I confirmed we could secure the Satsuki Sho, my first thought was to conserve Teio's energy for the Japanese Derby. After all, this is only the first race of the Classic Triple Crown. Our main objective for the first half of the year is definitely the Derby. Even then, as long as victory is assured, I plan to save him strength."
"Aren't you afraid of being overtaken unexpectedly?" the owner asked abruptly.
Recognizing him at once, Shuta An shrugged. "No. I know this year's Classic Race competitors very well—I've ridden several of them in training and even in major stakes. They simply can't match Teio."
He was cut off mid-sentence.
"So his only opponent," the owner said quietly, "is herself, isn't it?"
"No." Shuta An grinned, deliberately wrong-footing him. "It's his father's record—the lingering shadow of the 'Emperor.'"
Matsumoto Shoichi silently committed that line to memory. Perfect for the reporters later, he thought.
As the staff of Nakayama Racecourse draped Tokai Teio with her blanket and ceremonial decorations, Shuta An had already exited the underground passage and stepped into the media zone, ready for the post-race interviews.
—
"Shuta-kun, how does it feel to win the Satsuki Sho for the first time?"
"It feels fantastic. I've often finished runner-up here, so winning at last is very exciting—especially with an undefeated Satsuki Sho partner."
"In this race, we saw you push Tokai Teio forward early and continuously improve her position. Was there a special reason?"
"No special reason. Tokai Teio can do that—and still win. That's all."
"Tokai Teio won the Satsuki Sho in his third career start, the fastest in history. What are your thoughts?"
"This route was something I proposed to Trainer Matsumoto last year. He accepted it without hesitation, and for that I'm very grateful. Tokai Teio is a genius who can't be measured by common sense. Next, we'll challenge the record for the fastest Derby win in history. I hope everyone continues to support us."
"You were assigned the outermost gate today. What kind of draw would you like for the Derby?"
"While I'd love to say no gate can stop Tokai Teio, I'd prefer a more relaxed position. Fighting for position from the very outside is still quite tiring," Shuta An replied, ending with a grin and a shrug.
JRA management could only smile wryly. Gate 18 in the Satsuki Sho had been assigned by computer. For the upcoming Japanese Derby, the jockeys would draw their own gates—though not on live broadcast.
"Whether he gets a good draw depends on Shuta-kun's luck," the JRA director joked. "If he pulls an outside gate himself, he can't blame us."
—
When Shuta An woke the next morning, he sat up against the headboard, not rushing to wash up. Instead, he opened his attribute viewer, eager to see what he had gained this time.
His expectations were high—but what he received left him mildly disappointed.
Amulet [Large] (1/1): Use before a race to significantly reduce the chance of injury during the race. (This is a sign that someone is gonna be injured)
"This thing again…" he muttered. He had already used the lesser version on Silence Suzuka and Oguri Cap. While it was certainly useful, compared to the achievement of an Undefeated Satsuki Sho, the reward felt underwhelming.
"Guess I'll save it for Suzuka," Shuta An sighed as he headed for the bathroom.
Facing the mirror, he thought quietly, "I really hope the reward for winning the Japanese Derby in the Dream World is better. An amulet like this won't matter much if I'm already careful during pre-race training."
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