With only a week left before the Osaka Cup, the pre-race commentary and predictions finally arrived. Perhaps because the Osaka Cup had only just been elevated to G1 status, everyone involved in the program had evidently weighed their words with extra care.
Even so, once the preview broadcast began playing in the plaza, the crowd gathering below made it obvious just how much anticipation there was for this race.
On the screen, the host sat flanked by several commentators and trainers. It was a long-standing feature of the program to invite trainers who had no entrants in the race as guests, so there was nothing unusual about that.
Teraizumi Shinji was watching the pre-race show as well, though not because he cared especially about the program itself. Ideally, he wanted to squeeze out whatever extra information he could on the other entrants.
The materials scattered beside him and running through his mind were all recent notes on rival horses. Rubbing his temples, he felt the beginning of a headache.
The nonstop races were finally catching up with him. The day after returning from Dubai, he had already plunged straight back into gathering information. It took far more time and energy than most people would imagine, and it stirred an odd impulse in him.
In the future, this part of the job should be handed off to someone else on the team. One of his horse girls, perhaps. Or maybe a dedicated analyst.
"We're very glad to hear your thoughts and well-wishes for this year's Osaka Cup, sensei. And now, Kitajima-trainer, what are your predictions for the race?"
The show followed its usual rhythm, moving neatly into the next segment. Videos submitted by the entrants and their trainers—final fast-work clips—began to play.
Saint King Halo's clip appeared among them, of course. Shinji had not pushed her particularly hard when filming it; Narita Brian had served as her work partner, and the footage looked more like a simulated training exercise than a truly demanding workout.
She maintained an excellent rhythm, gliding through the bend and the following straight at a solid pace.
"If you ask me, I still have to favor Seiun Sky."
As Kitajima spoke, his fingers tapped against the desk in a steady, crisp rhythm.
"Seiun Sky may not have looked especially dazzling in her final prep, but she's always been the type to win with tactics. Just looking at her brilliant performance in last year's Kikuka Sho, it's obvious she has the best tactical sense among her generation."
The trainer seated beside him nodded in clear agreement, as if Kitajima's judgment needed no further justification.
The host, of course, could not openly comment on that, so she pressed on.
"There are several other strong contenders in this field as well. How do you all see them matching up against Seiun Sky?"
"To be honest, just looking at the field, this Osaka Cup isn't especially strong. The number of G1 winners alone tells you there probably won't be all that much suspense."
Another trainer picked up the thread, and his opening alone made it obvious he agreed with Kitajima's position.
"Erimo Dandy has shown very good form since the start of the year and even won another graded stakes race. But no matter how you look at it, she didn't show overwhelming strength in last year's latter Triple Crown races, much less dominance. Personally, I don't think her level is enough to challenge the standout horses from the Classic generation."
"But she did defeat Saint King Halo in a mock race, didn't she?"
The host's question immediately brought faintly mocking smiles to the trainers' faces. The one who had just spoken even let out a small laugh.
The host's professional smile stiffened.
"Saint King Halo has always performed poorly in mock races…" The trainer hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I just don't think her temperament is suited to racing, especially at higher levels. Her willfulness makes her produce some truly baffling performances."
The host had not expected him to be so blunt, and her expression froze for a beat.
She turned toward Kitajima with a look that was practically pleading for rescue. As the most senior trainer present, surely he would throw her a line.
Instead, to her clear surprise, Kitajima merely curled his lips in a faint smile and said nothing.
That studied noncommittal silence was its own form of agreement. After pausing with the microphone near her lips, the host forced herself onward.
"Well, after all, she is one of the standout horses of her generation, so…"
"So yes, Erimo Dandy certainly has a chance. After all, in racing, nothing is absolute."
Kitajima cut in at last, and the host felt her patience slipping. This lofty, senior-master pose of his was becoming ridiculous. Did he really think his years in the sport gave him license to say anything he pleased on air?
"But compared to Erimo Dandy, I think Matikane Fukukitaru has a much better chance. She's a horse well worth keeping an eye on."
Shinji's brow twitched.
One trainer disliking Saint King Halo was nothing strange. But this old man clearly had a problem that went beyond mere dislike.
Matikane Fukukitaru had not been doing any particularly meaningful prep lately. As far as Shinji could tell, there was only one reason Kitajima would say something like that.
He hadn't done any real homework before the show. He was speaking almost entirely out of vague impressions.
The host and even the commentators showed flickers of confusion. After all, Matikane Fukukitaru had won the Kikuka Sho two years ago, yes—but her performances over the past year should have made it obvious that she had a great deal left to sort out.
Unwilling to let him continue unchecked, the host decisively took back control.
"Looking at the betting popularity, Seiun Sky—the filly who captured two crowns in last year's Classic campaign—remains the clear favorite. Gold City and Saint King Halo follow in second and third. As for Saint King Halo, in that mock race in late February, despite being in a poor tactical position, she stayed composed and defeated Seiun Sky, the brightest star of last year's Classic season. That alone adds another layer of uncertainty to the Osaka Cup."
The trainers' faces showed poorly concealed contempt, but the host deliberately ignored it and turned toward one of the commentators.
"That mock race really did reveal quite a lot. You could clearly see that Saint King Halo's training has been effective—especially in the area that's always drawn the most criticism, her race-day temperament. There's been a major improvement there."
"Perhaps Saint King Halo, now painstakingly polishing that temperament of hers, has finally begun to regret those races from before?"
This came from a trainer who had barely spoken all program. His tone sounded reflective, but something about it was off.
The commentator paused. After a moment's thought, he still could not find a satisfying answer, so he only gave a wry smile and shook his head. He had heard about the incidents between Saint King Halo and those trainers back when she first entered middle division and around her debut.
Strictly speaking, most of them had not been openly rejected. Rather, the immature girl had said things that sounded dismissive of them, and after her post-debut losses, those feelings on both sides had only deepened and twisted further.
It should never have developed this way, he thought. From a neutral outsider's perspective, it all felt blown out of proportion.
Still, her Classic season performances were there for everyone to see, and they had undeniably given people something to talk about.
He sighed inwardly and quietly set down his microphone.
Shinji switched pages, and with that, the ongoing program fell silent in his ears.
He scratched his head, thinking he had been naive to expect the show to provide anything truly useful.
Then again, looking back on how hard he had worked over the past few days to gather these materials, he should have known better. There was no way those guest trainers—people invited to sit on a panel for an hour—would ever put in the same effort he had. How could they possibly offer anything of real value?
He tidied up the somewhat scattered documents, then stretched broadly. The moment he thought of the inevitable questions tomorrow's interviewers would ask about today's race preview, he felt another wave of irritation.
Better to just go back and get some proper sleep.
Looking out at the sky, already darkening toward evening, Teraizumi Shinji stood and told himself exactly that.
Join here to read ahead.
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