Chapter 52. Mejiro Dober's Next Race
André Fabre's gesture of thanks was accepted by Shuta An, though he attached a condition of his own: it could not interfere with the race schedules of Tokai Teio and Rice Shower.
Between June and September, taking advantage of the absence of domestic G1 races, Shuta An had already been planning an overseas campaign with Tokai Teio. Fabre's invitation merely provided additional opportunities to compete for further honors.
"In that case, we'll need to submit an overseas campaign application to the URA Association first."
While André Fabre headed off to share the news with Sheikh Mohammed, Yoshida Katsumi gave Shuta An a pat on the shoulder.
"You've really struck gold this time, Shuta-kun. Not only did you receive an invitation from one of the world's most renowned Trainers, but you also left a favorable impression on someone as influential in the thoroughbred breeding industry as Mohammed bin Rashid. Who knows? If the Sheikh expands his operations in Japan in the future, he might even bring you more riding opportunities."
"I'm not particularly concerned about that," Shuta An replied. "My focus is still on the support I receive here."
"I wouldn't call it support." Yoshida Katsumi grinned. "By the way, mind if I tag along on this European trip? I'd like to see Europe's racing and breeding industry firsthand and find out whether there's anything worth learning from."
"Of course. No problem."
The young man paused for a moment.
"Though you'll probably have to cover your own expenses."
"That's hardly an issue."
Yoshida Katsumi waved the concern away. Money was the least of his worries. Shuta An's summer campaign was expected to include multiple top-level G1 races, and accompanying him would provide valuable opportunities to broaden the Shadai Group's connections overseas.
At least, that was the explanation he intended to give his family.
The truth was that he was already making preparations for his own future.
"Father's health is getting worse by the year. Unless something unexpected happens, the family will eventually split into separate branches. I need to start thinking about what comes next for me."
After Shuta An departed, the smile faded from Yoshida Katsumi's face, replaced by a more serious expression.
"As for my older brother's eye for horses—"
—
When Shuta An woke up the next morning, he was disappointed to discover that the Attribute Viewer had failed to provide any particularly useful new skills.
"Jet Lag Expert — Reduces the time required to adjust to jet lag during overseas travel."
"What am I supposed to do with this?"
The corner of his mouth twitched.
"I already adapt to jet lag quickly enough. Even if the Uma Musume on Team Sadalsuud take longer, I'd still give them plenty of time to adjust. I have no real need for this."
Still, the mention of overseas travel reminded him of Mejiro Dober's upcoming plans. Winning the Yasuda Kinen did not necessarily mean that the mile distance was her ideal specialty.
For that reason, Shuta An had no intention of focusing exclusively on mile races during her overseas campaign. Taiki Shuttle had demonstrated extraordinary dominance over the distance in Europe, but Mejiro Dober's suitability for mile racing was clearly not at the same level.
"As expected, races between 1800 and 2400 meters remain the best fit."
The thought crossed his mind as he finished washing up.
"Most Australian racing during the Northern Hemisphere summer takes place away from the major metropolitan circuits, so there's little reason to start there. The first leg of the campaign should be in either Europe or the United States."
Considering Mejiro Dober's accomplishments, races in Italy and Germany could also be ruled out for the time being. Their prestige simply wasn't high enough, and the racecourses themselves might not suit her.
A victory there would do little to elevate her reputation, while a defeat would only invite criticism.
No matter how he looked at it, the risk outweighed the reward.
One thing he was grateful for was Tokai Teio's decision not to travel overseas this year. Had Teio also been campaigning abroad, her lack of international experience would have greatly restricted his planning options.
"After work, I'll take a closer look at Dober's schedule and ask for her opinion as well."
—
After clocking in at the academy office, Shuta An did not immediately return to Team Sadalsuud's activity room. Instead, he remained behind, chatting with Kitahara about summer plans.
"Where are you taking them this year, Ann-san?" Kitahara asked. "Okinawa? Overseas?"
"Hokkaido," Shuta An answered without hesitation. "Honestly, everywhere else feels less appealing by comparison."
"I see. Rice Shower is preparing for her debut race, isn't she?"
Kitahara immediately understood.
"In that case, Hokkaido really is the only practical choice."
"Exactly."
Shuta An shrugged.
"There aren't many alternatives. That said, I'm planning an overseas campaign with Mejiro Dober this summer as well, so I'll have to carefully stagger Rice Shower's debut schedule around Dober's travel plans. This is my first time managing three Uma Musume simultaneously while coordinating separate race campaigns. It's more challenging than I expected."
"That's the kind of problem most Trainers here can only dream of having."
Kitahara rolled his eyes.
"You can say that sort of thing to close friends. If you said it publicly, people would probably be green with envy."
"That's why I only say it to friends."
Shuta An retrieved a bottle of barley tea from the office refrigerator.
"I'm heading back to the activity room. If you have time this afternoon, feel free to stop by. Just not this morning—I'm buried in work."
"I'll be busy all day," Kitahara shot back. "I train far more Uma Musume than you do."
"But you personally recruited every one of them."
Turning around with a grin, Shuta An teased him.
"That means you're responsible for seeing it through to the end, doesn't it?"
"If we're talking about responsibility, shouldn't you be the one setting the example?"
Kitahara muttered the complaint under his breath. Unfortunately, Shuta An had already left the office and never heard it.
Returning to Team Sadalsuud's activity room, Shuta An took his seat at his desk and opened his computer.
"Let's start with England."
He began reviewing the racing calendar while organizing Mejiro Dober's plans for the second half of the year.
"At most, Dober will run four races. Excluding that cursed Arima Kinen, her final target should be the Hong Kong International Races in mid-December. Working backward by about a month, the most suitable option would be the Breeders' Cup series. This year it returns to Santa Anita Park, which is probably the American track best suited to Dober's strengths."
His gaze remained fixed on the screen.
"That means her first race of the second half should ideally be in August. If it's in July, she'll have less than a month of rest in Hokkaido. I'd rather let her enjoy a longer break."
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, a familiar race surfaced in his memory.
The Juddmonte International Stakes.
"It's a race Suzuka and I challenged before, but it remains one of Europe's premier middle-distance races. It's definitely worth considering."
—
However, when Mejiro Dober arrived at the activity room and Shuta An brought up the idea of targeting the International Stakes, she immediately responded,
"Suzuka-senpai won that race, didn't she?"
"That's right."
Shuta An nodded.
"But Dober won the Yorkshire Oaks on the same day, didn't she?"
"Then let me challenge the Yorkshire Oaks again."
After taking a sip of iced black tea, Mejiro Dober calmly stated her preference.
"The Yorkshire Oaks again?"
Shuta An blinked in surprise.
"Dober, are you sure? The International Stakes carries more prize money and greater prestige."
"I know." Mejiro Dober met his eyes directly. "But I've already decided."
Her voice remained steady.
"I don't want to follow Suzuka-senpai's path. I want to walk my own."
Shuta An raised an eyebrow.
"In that case, are there any other races you want to run? Tell me everything you're thinking."
"After that, I want to challenge the Prix Vermeille."
Mejiro Dober answered without hesitation.
"I remember Oguri-senpai gave up on the final leg of the French Classic Triple Crown route, the Grand Prix de Paris. I can't run that race, but the Prix Vermeille is the final leg of the Triple Tiara route, and senior-year Uma Musume are allowed to challenge it."
Her fingers tightened slightly around her glass.
"I want to try."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"If I win, wouldn't that make Ann a French Triple Tiara winner in a different sense?"
"As for everything after that, I'll follow your judgment. But for the first two races of the second half of the year, these are the races I want."
There was no wavering in her voice.
Hearing her speak with such conviction, Shuta An already knew there was no point arguing. He rubbed his forehead and let out a helpless sigh.
"Dober, when you get this determined, it's impossible to refuse you."
Then he looked directly into her eyes.
"Alright. I promise. I'll register you for both the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Vermeille."
"After that, our targets will be the Breeders' Cup series in America and the Hong Kong International Races. Originally, I was considering the Hong Kong Cup, but judging from what you've said, the Hong Kong Vase probably suits your goals better."
After a brief pause, his expression became more serious.
"This is your decision, and I won't oppose it. But Longchamp's 2400 meters isn't an easy assignment. I'm not entirely convinced your stamina reserves will be sufficient."
"During the holiday, I'll have you do more endurance and cardiovascular training with Teio. That means less time for leisure."
"No problem."
Mejiro Dober stood and walked around the desk to his side.
"That's a sacrifice worth making."
Then, after a brief hesitation, she added quietly,
"As long as I'm with Ann, it feels like a holiday anyway."
Shuta An silently looked away.
I really don't have that kind of effect, he thought.
Under Mejiro Dober's watchful gaze, he completed the overseas registration paperwork for the United Kingdom and France and submitted everything to the URA Association.
Afterward, he opened Twitter and drafted a brief announcement.
The post confirmed Mejiro Dober's first target of the second half of the season—the Yorkshire Oaks—and her attempt to defend the title.
Once it was posted, he reached out and lightly poked her waist.
"Remember to repost it."
—
The medical examinations brought good news.
As expected, Mejiro Dober had suffered no injuries in the Yasuda Kinen. Given the overall intensity of the race, the result was hardly surprising.
Rice Shower's report was equally encouraging.
Her full development phase had officially begun, meaning she was now eligible to debut in the Twinkle Series.
However, an unexpected issue emerged in Shuta An's work over the following two days.
"Don't you think Mejiro Dober's Yasuda Kinen rating was too low?"
The question came from Tojo Hana.
"Ann-san, are you worried people will accuse you of favoritism, so you deliberately rated her lower?"
"How could that be?" Shuta An shook his head. "The race simply didn't warrant a higher rating."
Tojo Hana tilted her head.
"Could you explain your reasoning? Based on Dober's performances earlier this year, I think a rating of 118 would be perfectly reasonable."
Shuta An had no intention of keeping his methodology secret.
"To understand the rating, we need to start with the fourth-place finisher, Shinko Lovely."
He folded his arms.
"Before this race, her strongest performance at the mile distance was second place in last year's Mile Championship. However, our current rating system didn't exist at that time, and it doesn't allow direct comparisons across different rating eras."
"So if we only consider this year, her best result was the Keio Hai Spring Cup. And she didn't even win that race."
The implication was obvious.
"Her base rating couldn't be particularly high. That alone limits the ceiling of the entire field."
He continued calmly.
"The third-place finisher, Ikuno Dictus, is a veteran runner, but her best result this year was only fifth place in a G2. How am I supposed to justify a high rating there?"
"Yamanin Zephyr finished second, but this was her first G1 appearance. Her previous performances, while solid, weren't exceptional enough to support an inflated figure."
"Then there's Dober herself."
He spread his hands.
"Yes, she won decisively. And creating a margin over a mile is more difficult than over middle distances. But this was also her first mile race of the season."
"When the runners finishing second, third, and fourth all carry relatively modest figures, it becomes impossible to justify an exceptionally high rating for the winner."
He concluded firmly,
"It's not that I'm unwilling to give Dober a higher score. It's that my professional standards won't allow it. This rating accurately reflects her performance in the Yasuda Kinen."
Tojo Hana remained unconvinced.
"I still feel an undefeated Triple Tiara winner deserves a little special treatment."
Shuta An merely shrugged.
"As the person responsible for rating domestic races, I have to be stricter with the Uma Musume under my own management than anyone else."
This time, Tojo Hana had nothing further to say.
Shuta An merely shrugged.
"As the person responsible for evaluating domestic races in Japan, I have to be even stricter when assessing the Uma Musume under my own supervision. Only by remaining impartial myself can I ask everyone else to do the same."
Tojo Hana had no further objections.
—
After informing the two Uma Musume of their medical examination results, Shuta An also asked them to pass along the departure schedule for the summer training camp to Tokai Teio and Kurofune.
The young man had no intention of bringing anyone else along this time. Even from a training perspective, four Uma Musume were already more than enough to serve as sparring partners for one another.
Besides, bringing too many outsiders would only make things troublesome.
"If there are too many people around, Dober will have to be careful all the time," Shuta An thought. "If she wanted to come find me, she'd have to keep avoiding Agnes Digital and the others."
As for the budget, that was never a concern.
After seeing Dober and Rice Shower out of the Sadalsuud Team activity room, Shuta An returned to his seat and checked the time.
"There's still an hour before work ends. I might as well read the news for a bit."
With that thought, he opened his browser and began browsing recent developments within the Twinkle Series.
"Yamanin Zephyr's Trainer states that her performance in the Yasuda Kinen was no fluke and that she will prove herself again in the Mile Championship this autumn."
"It certainly wasn't a fluke," Shuta An commented. "She absolutely has that level of ability."
The next headline immediately caught his attention.
"Miss Mejiro Dober to challenge for a second consecutive Yorkshire Oaks victory! Can the undefeated Triple Tiara winner become the first Uma Musume in Yorkshire Oaks history to achieve back-to-back triumphs?!"
"There's an achievement like that?"
Shuta An stared at the article in surprise.
"The Yorkshire Oaks has existed for nearly one hundred and fifty years. Has nobody ever managed consecutive victories?"
Curiosity piqued, he immediately began searching through the race's history.
Before long, he found the answer.
"So that's why."
Until six years ago, the Yorkshire Oaks had only been open to Triple Tiara-route Uma Musume during their Classic season.
Under those conditions, achieving consecutive victories had been impossible from the very beginning.
After learning the truth, Shuta An's assessment of the achievement's significance immediately dropped several notches.
"Still, an achievement is an achievement."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"And Dober would definitely be happy if she could accomplish it."
That much, he was certain of.
After work, Shuta An drove back to his home in Shinjuku.
Just as he took a drink of water and prepared to head upstairs for a relaxing bath, his phone suddenly rang.
Picking it up, he glanced at the caller ID.
It was the editorial department of Twinkle Magazine.
"Are they looking to commission an article?"
He frowned slightly.
"But there aren't any major G1 races coming up right now. Why would they need me to write something?"
Unable to figure it out, he answered the call.
"Shuta Trainer, do you have a moment? We'd like to conduct a brief interview regarding Miss Mejiro Dober."
"Regarding Dober?" Shuta An frowned. "Wouldn't it be easier to interview her directly?"
"It concerns Miss Mejiro Dober's race plans after the Yorkshire Oaks," the reporter explained. "She told us that for this question, we should speak with Shuta Trainer instead."
"I see."
After a brief pause, Shuta An answered honestly.
"The current plan is the Prix Vermeille. However, whether we actually participate will depend on the track conditions at Longchamp. If the conditions are poor, we'll withdraw."
"Then if you decide to withdraw, do you already have an alternative target race prepared?"
"Not at the moment."
This answer came without hesitation.
"As for the races after that, those plans are not ready to be disclosed publicly."
The reporter immediately understood there was nothing more to ask. After expressing thanks, the call ended.
"Why are they asking about future race plans at a time like this?"
Shuta An looked at his phone in confusion.
"Even if they publish the article now, everyone's attention should still be on the Takarazuka Kinen at the end of the month, shouldn't it?"
Before Takarazuka Kinen week arrived, Shuta An led the members of Team Sadalsuud onto a flight bound for Hokkaido.
"This summer training camp will last until the academy reopens in mid-September," Shuta An said from his seat beside Miss Mejiro Dober, leaning slightly into the aisle to address the Uma Musume seated behind them.
"We get an entire summer vacation!" Kurofune stretched lazily. "I probably won't have to be a sparring partner this time, right?"
"I still need Kurofune-chan's help," Rice Shower said as she gently tugged on Kurofune's sleeve. "Training with Teio-senpai and Dober-senpai would be too much pressure for me."
"So it ends up being me..." Kurofune's expression stiffened.
Yet when she saw Rice Shower's pleading look, she could not bring herself to refuse. In the end, she simply waved a hand.
"Alright, alright. If Rice Shower-chan needs me, I'll help with the training."
—
The flight from Tokyo to New Chitose Airport took about an hour. After that, another hour and a half by car brought them to Hoshino Tomamu Resort.
By the time the group stepped out of the vehicle and stood before the resort hotel, it was exactly ten-thirty in the morning.
"You're free until the day of the Takarazuka Kinen," Shuta An said, turning around with his suitcase to face the four Uma Musume.
"You can explore the resort, visit Sapporo, Hakodate, or anywhere else nearby. If you need spending money, just tell me. Teio and Dober should have enough prize money already, but Kurofune and Rice Shower mostly rely on URA subsidies. If you ever run short, let me know."
"I've saved quite a bit already, Trainer," Kurofune replied with a shake of her head. "There really aren't many opportunities to spend money at the academy."
"Me too," Rice Shower agreed with a nod.
Tokai Teio planned to take a shower before heading out to explore Obihiro.
Rice Shower and Mejiro Dober intended to visit the Sea of Clouds Observatory to sketch.
Kurofune wanted to spend her day watching local Uma Musume races at Mombetsu Racecourse.
As for Shuta An, he had a much simpler plan.
A bath. Then sleep.
Unlike the energetic Uma Musume, he had been buried beneath a mountain of work despite not having any immediate races to prepare for. The pressure had hardly lessened compared to the racing season.
Fortunately, Oguri Cap and Silence Suzuka were preparing for next week's Dream Trophy Series and had not joined the training camp.
Otherwise, Shuta An suspected he would not have been able to rest at all.
—
When he woke up, the first thing he felt was hunger.
After changing into comfortable clothes, he left his room and headed downstairs to the restaurant.
The moment he entered, however, he froze.
In a corner of the dining hall sat a very familiar gray-haired Uma Musume, enthusiastically taking photographs of the desserts laid out before her.
"Why is Curren-chan here?"
The alarm bells in Shuta An's mind instantly began ringing.
"Is elementary school already on summer vacation?"
Since Trainers rarely interacted with elementary-school-aged Uma Musume, he had no idea what their academic schedule looked like.
As a result, he could not determine whether Curren Chan had arrived early for vacation, had come for work, or had been invited by Hoshino Tomamu Resort for promotional purposes.
"According to Kurofune, Curren-chan's Instagram account already has nearly 4.2 million followers. She's practically among the most influential public figures in the country. If the resort invited her here for promotional work, that would make perfect sense."
Since the restaurant operated as a buffet, Shuta An casually selected several dishes before carrying his plate toward a seat farther away.
It was not because he deliberately wanted to avoid Curren Chan.
Rather, he simply felt an inexplicable sense of danger.
Unfortunately, he failed to notice that Curren Chan had already looked up and quietly watched him from across the room.
After finishing his meal peacefully, Shuta An stood and prepared to leave.
"I hope Curren-chan didn't notice me."
The thought had only just crossed his mind when he stepped outside the restaurant.
A smiling figure immediately blocked his path.
"Big Brother, what a coincidence~"
A coincidence?
Had she said that while still inside the restaurant, he might have believed it.
Waiting outside specifically for him? Not a chance.
The hairs on the back of his neck practically stood up.
"What a coincidence~"
Even though he did not believe her in the slightest, Shuta An played along.
"I never expected to run into Curren-chan here. Are you here on vacation too?"
"Yep! I also have a commercial shoot, so it's half vacation and half work."
Her smile remained perfectly unchanged.
"How long will Big Brother be staying?"
"Probably until the end of July," Shuta An answered honestly. "After that, I'll be leaving for a while."
"To take Dober-san on an overseas expedition?"
Curren Chan clasped her hands behind her back.
"That sounds wonderful~ Curren wants to go on an expedition someday too. Brother, do you think I'll get the chance?"
"There definitely will be one."
After a moment's thought, Shuta An nodded.
A short-distance specialist like Curren Chan could not remain confined to domestic competition forever. Eventually, overseas races would become a necessity.
"Hehe~"
Curren Chan swayed slightly.
"I'm staying in the Cloud Suite on the fifth floor of RISONARE TOMAMU. Since Brother is here, Kurofune-san and the others must be here too, right? Once I finish work, I'll go play with everyone. Big Brother won't stop me, will he?"
If Curren Chan focused her attention on Kurofune instead, that was perfectly fine by him.
Naturally, he shook his head.
"Why would I stop you from spending time with them?"
"That's wonderful~"
With that, Curren Chan happily turned around and disappeared from sight. Only after she was gone did Shuta An finally let out a breath.
"Every time I see Curren Chan, I feel an incredible amount of pressure."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Is this what it feels like to stand in front of a top-tier internet celebrity Uma Musume?"
Of course, he had absolutely no idea how much pressure he himself exerted on racing media reporters.
—
Late that night, Dober quietly slipped into his room.
As the two sat together, Shuta An told her about his unexpected encounter with Curren Chan earlier that evening.
Dober immediately sensed that the meeting had been anything but coincidental.
Following that line of reasoning, her thoughts naturally drifted toward Kurofune.
Still, she said nothing.
Instead, she quietly listened as Shuta An continued talking about the overwhelming presence Curren Chan seemed to possess.
"Actually, I can do that too."
Only after he finished speaking did Miss Mejiro Dober finally pout and respond.
"I know you can."
Shuta An answered without hesitation.
"After all, Dober has won so many races. You've accumulated plenty of presence yourself."
"It completely disappears whenever I'm around Ann."
Dober leaned against him, rubbing gently against his shoulder.
"I always feel like I'm the one being suppressed."
"Isn't that because Dober likes being restrained the most?"
The moment those words left his mouth, he was rewarded with a headbutt.
—
Because he had slept through most of the day, Shuta An did not fall asleep again until well past midnight.
That fact was definitely unrelated to Dober.
When he finally entered the Dream World, he found himself once again in the jockey waiting room at Kyoto Racecourse.
Unlike previous years, the top Kansai jockeys had not fled to Hokkaido to avoid competing against him.
Everyone already knew that André Fabre had invited Shuta An to campaign in Europe throughout the summer.
Since he would be absent from the Kansai circuit for an extended period, nobody felt the need to escape anymore.
"Today is my last day here," Shuta An said openly to Yutaka Take. "Tomorrow I'll be heading to Europe. Starting next Wednesday, I have several European G1 races to participate in."
"Then I'll be rather lonely if Ann-san isn't riding in tomorrow's Kinshachi Stakes."
Yutaka Take deliberately put on an indifferent expression.
"That's enough."
Shuta An shot him a look.
"If I decided to stay in Kyoto tomorrow, I could take over Wish Dream with a single phone call."
Yutaka Take immediately laughed awkwardly.
He knew Ann was not exaggerating.
After all, Wish Dream belonged to Japan Diners Club.
Despite the name, everyone knew it was essentially a joint project managed by the Shadai Group and Diners Club under Yoshida Katsumi's supervision.