Hokkaido Horse Racing Story

Thinking of this, he bent down.

It feels sticky and no different from mud.

When he stood up again, there was worry in his eyes.

On the equine side, Mejiro Sakuya's pure American bloodline, broad hooves and strong forelimbs are enough to help it cope with the challenges of the harsh track at Churchill Park.

But, turning to the rider's side—

I had no idea how to ride on this kind of track.

Although I studied a lot of videos of previous Kentucky Derby races, what I learned was very limited.

Running style, foot quality, mileage... all these things were thrown out of the mind. The moment the horse left the gate, the man and the horse began a close combat like a hand-to-hand fight.

The opening game unfolded like a Western cowboy showdown.

Do not--

In the Kentucky Derby, with twenty horses running, it should be a "Western Cowboy Melee."

As if playing, Wada raised one foot and kicked backwards.

Lumps of mud were carried behind him as he moved.

"That's terrible."

If you start the race from the back, you will be significantly disturbed.

There's more to worry about than just "Kick Back."

Although we don't have much idea about the track itself, there are still many similarities between mud track races.

The last thing any conscious dirt rider wants is to have their course blocked just as their horse starts to pick up speed.

Once the acceleration momentum is forcibly interrupted, restarting on mud is much more difficult than on grass.

It is foreseeable that Mejiro Sakuya, who started from the back of the pack, is likely to experience a lot of collisions on the day of the Kentucky Derby.

It will also be more difficult for riders to find a suitable route when their vision is severely obstructed.

Considering the number of opponents, it is not easy to stand out from the layers of horses.

The idea of ​​relying on the last kick to win in the final straight line was ruled out first.

Although the straight line is not too short, the field conditions at Churchill Park are not conducive to fully displaying the last kick.

I'm afraid even the Secretariat can't achieve a one-on-nine advantage here just by relying on the last kick in a straight line.

So what about trying to escape?

Hotan quickly dismissed this unrealistic idea.

Even without considering the issue of foot quality, Mejiro Sakuya's slow start to the race basically eliminated the possibility of competing for the pace dominance.

What about the roll?

Not at all.

When you are stronger than the rest of the class, there is really no problem in starting to exert force from the fourth turn or even earlier, the third turn, and catching up to the front in one breath.

Even though he had confidence in Mejiro Sakuya, he also thought that there might be a chance of winning the Kentucky Derby.

However, this running method places extremely high demands on both the rider and the horse, and is not suitable for the world-class competition at hand.

"Isn't it still just a maze?"

After completing the exploration of the horse farm, I didn't feel any more relaxed.

Instead, he fell into an even more distressed situation because of the information he discovered.

However, retreat is impossible.

He had experienced this feeling of standing on the edge of a cliff in fear many years ago.

There's no need to change anything deliberately or overthink it.

There's no need to go to the extreme of living in the stables to develop a relationship with your partner, but you shouldn't slack off on the task at hand either.

Work at a normal pace and then greet that day in the best condition.

If he learned anything during that dreamy year, it was perhaps the ability to take the game in stride.

Be prepared, and then meet unexpectedly one day.

That’s probably how it feels.

In the rhythmic sound of rain, my mood gradually became peaceful.

drop--

Suddenly, a short message alert sound came from my ear.

"Oh no, water won't get in!"

As if struck by an electric current, Hetian hurriedly pulled out his cell phone from his pocket.

After seeing the message intact on the screen, I felt a little relieved.

Katuna has arrived at the stables. If it's convenient, could Wada-kun come over and take a look?

This is the message from Master Huangshan.

Thinking that I would have to make this trip sooner or later, I turned my steps towards the exit and headed towards the stables.

Just like in professional golf, changes in wind direction, where the ball is hit, and other factors make it difficult to have another match under the same conditions.

The same is true for horse racing. Even if you cannot successfully match your partner before the race, you should at least have a rough idea of ​​your partner's situation.

[Coming Soon]

After several accidental touches, I finally managed to send the reply successfully.

Before arriving at the stables, he switched to his "inner personality" for work.

This has little to do with whether one's personality is lively or cold.

Do the right thing in the right atmosphere——

For him, it was a matter of course.

Thanks to Destiny Lingfeng for the 500 starting coins, and thanks to Xichuan Juebi for the 500 starting coins.

Thank you for your support

Ciallo～(∠ω<)⌒★

Chapter 117 The Chestnut-haired Villain

"This is truly an incredible horse."

Looking at the smooth and shiny chestnut hair, Hetian could hardly believe that the person standing in front of him was a seven-year-old racehorse.

Although Katuna is not very big, his majestic eyes are still full of power.

Why did the previous owner sell this horse so easily, which seemed to still have some potential?

The answer to this question was soon revealed.

Just as Hotan approached, the chestnut-haired horse lowered its ears tightly and its eyes became fierce.

Then, he snorted and raised his front hooves angrily.

The wood chips flew through the fence and hit the two men in the face.

Standing further away from the stable, Huang Shan shook his head and said, "He's definitely the type that's difficult to deal with."

Even after being castrated, the bad temperament still seems to be stubbornly preserved.

According to the accompanying personnel, it caused quite a bit of noise during transportation.

"Maybe I'm just a little sensitive."

At that time, the barren mountain still had a glimmer of hope.

When undergoing long-distance transportation, many racehorses will show some neurotic behavior due to the uneasy environment.

However, after completing the handover, he immediately witnessed the chestnut horse's bad temper.

There was no time to admire the horse's well-maintained physique. As soon as he picked up the leash, the trainer was spat on in the face.

"Is the bit too tight?"

With this thought in mind, he wiped his saliva and moved closer to Katuna's mouth to observe.

Then, the chestnut horse raised its front hooves without warning and threw him to the ground.

If it weren't for the timely assistance of two passing stable assistants, it would probably have been a Churchill Park escape drama.

After that, it took another half a day to finally place Katuna in the stable.

Although he was quiet for a few minutes while eating, he soon started a new round of noise.

"That doesn't seem like the energy a seven-year-old should have."

After wiping the somewhat moist sawdust on his face, Hetian pursed his lips slightly.

Even though he had seen many racehorses with strange temperaments, he couldn't help but feel a headache when he encountered such a troublesome type.

Of course, it’s not too difficult to understand.

I have some grasp of the temperament aspect.

However, if you don’t ride on it, you won’t be able to get the most intuitive feedback on the feeling on your back.

Although it is just a warm-up race to familiarize oneself with the venue, it is necessary for people and horses to adapt to each other.

If the horse and the track are completely unfamiliar, running a few more races will not yield much.

"Can you let me ride it for a bit tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?"

Casting a tit-for-tat look into the stable, Wada asked.

"That's it-"

Huangshan seemed a little hesitant.

With a racehorse like this, it's hard to imagine any trouble happening during training.

If something happens to a rider during training, it would be more trouble than it's worth.

The chestnut horse's profile was pressed against the fence, with the whites of its eyes showing as if they were about to be stretched open.

"What are you looking at, brat!"

Katuna's vicious gaze pierced the rider.

"Don't worry, I can handle any situation except the high-kick situation inside the gate."

They continued to look at each other, with a confident expression on Hetian's face.

After a few minutes, Katuna was the first to look away.

As if eager to hide something, the chestnut horse dived into the trough.

"Humph! If I wasn't just hungry, there's no way I could lose to you."

Katuna, who had just lost the battle between man and horse, snorted loudly, as if making such a statement.

"Then let's adjust Sakuya's training."

At this time, Huangshan slowly nodded his head.

"in addition--"

After a brief pause, the trainer continued, "Please take care."

As the Kentucky Derby approaches, trainers become increasingly taciturn.

Apart from this, I feel more relaxed than usual.

An adjusted training plan was arranged before the end of the quarantine, and I was no longer surprised by the changes in Mejiro Sakuya's appetite.

Apart from the sad expression of "it's all over" on his face during interviews, he looked like a star trainer with many years of Derby experience.

Of course, no one else knows what actually happened.