Chapter Summaries

Anjing Zhen considered the gap between Japanese Horse Girls and overseas competition as Tokai Teio and the others explained why they had long hoped he might lead Kitasan Black on an Overseas Expedition. The group advised waiting and preparing, while Anjing Zhen asked whether the Academy Board of Directors and the Association wanted them to go overseas next year.

• Anjing Zhen recalled how Japanese Horse Girls had struggled against overseas champions in the Japan Cup and concluded that Japan had not fully caught up with the rest of the world.
• Anjing Zhen asked whether the Overseas Expedition idea came from Tokai Teio and the other Horse Girls or from the Academy Board of Directors and the Association.
• Tokai Teio said the group did not recommend that Anjing Zhen and Little Kita pursue an Overseas Expedition immediately, though they had considered the possibility long ago.
• Mejiro McQueen explained that Anjing Zhen's individualized, analytical training style resembled European and American methods, which had made the group envision him guiding Horse Girls overseas.
• Anjing Zhen asked whether they wanted him and Little Kita to wait and prepare, and whether the Board of Directors and the Association wanted them to undertake an Overseas Expedition next year.

Anjing Zhen explained to the Horse Girls how drawing unconscious knowledge into conscious awareness could help Kitasan Black understand herself, her opponents, and the race. He ended by arguing that the brain could handle this complexity, and that his guidance taught Kitasan Black to use its abilities.

• Deep Impact said Kitasan Black might not yet understand why she ran, and linked that understanding to cognitive training.
• Anjing Zhen explained metacognition and used a pen to illustrate that things could exist even when someone could not perceive them.
• Anjing Zhen compared consciousness to an iceberg and said Kitasan Black had learned to proactively recognize herself, the track, and her opponents.
• Tokai Teio related the idea to her own races, and Mejiro McQueen described how proactive awareness could help Kitasan Black grasp race situations.
• Gold Artisan questioned whether a racer could think about all those things while running, and Anjing Zhen praised the brain's processing power.

Anjing Zhen explained that he was not ready to arrange an overseas expedition, despite preparing for one and expecting to train Almond Eye as well as Little Kita. Tokai Teio proposed that Anjing, Little Kita, and Almond Eye travel abroad after the New Year to gain experience and adapt before racing, leaving Anjing to discuss the plan with them and decide later.

• Anjing Zhen explained that overseas racing required extensive preparation and that his limited experience and resources, along with his expected agreement with Almond Eye, made an immediate expedition impractical.
• Tokai Teio said the chairwoman had asked the Horse Girls for their opinion of Anjing, and they had recommended him as Almond Eye's dedicated Trainer.
• Tokai Teio explained that the Association and Board of Directors wanted Little Kita to race overseas and proposed that she and Anjing first travel abroad to observe and adapt, possibly with Almond Eye joining them.
• Anjing Zhen asked whether the Association and Academy would fund the trip, prompting Gold Artisan to tease him about treating it as a publicly funded vacation.
• Gold Artisan said Anjing, Little Kita, and Almond Eye could discuss the proposal and give their answer later.

After catching Kitasan Black and Little Anzu eavesdropping, Anjing Zhen told them about the planned overseas study trip and discussed how it could support their growth. They agreed on a two-week trip and considered going in late March to coincide with the Dubai World Cup, but Anjing Zhen asked Kitasan Black whether she would accept missing nearby races.

• Anjing Zhen opened the bedroom door and found Kitasan Black and Little Anzu eavesdropping outside.
• Anjing Zhen lightly reprimanded the two Horse Girls, then told them about the overseas study trip planned with Tokai Teio and the President.
• Kitasan Black and Little Anzu eagerly agreed to go abroad and promised to work hard through the challenges.
• Anjing Zhen, Kitasan Black, and Little Anzu discussed their schedules and settled on a two-week study trip while protecting Kitasan Black's training in Japan.
• Anjing Zhen proposed traveling in late March to observe the Dubai World Cup and asked Kitasan Black what she thought about missing races around that time.

Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black planned her next season around the Tenno Sho Spring and Takarazuka Kinen while he recovered from his injury. At the URA Association’s New Year gala, Anjing Zhen won Best New Trainer of the Year and Kitasan Black received the Classic Year Horse Girl Representative Award.

• Kitasan Black told Anjing Zhen she wanted to challenge the Tenno Sho Spring, and he agreed to plan for that race and the Takarazuka Kinen.
• Kitasan Black and Little Anzu eagerly planned to cook nutritious meals to help Anjing Zhen recover, and Kitasan Black cared for him in the days that followed.
• Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black visited Saburo Kitajima, who thanked them and urged Kitasan Black to look after Anjing Zhen as he healed.
• At the URA Association’s New Year gala, Anjing Zhen won Best New Trainer of the Year and Kitasan Black won the Classic Year Horse Girl Representative Award.

Anjing Zhen found Kitasan Black and Almond Eye gaming together before dawn and reminded them to balance games with their responsibilities. As they prepared to visit Asakusa Shrine, a Horse Girl arrived at his apartment and asked Kitasan Black if she had started living with him.

• Anjing Zhen discovered Kitasan Black and Almond Eye playing Monster Hunter early in the morning, with Almond Eye nearly caught up to Kitasan Black's level.
• Anjing Zhen warned the two Horse Girls to exercise moderation, and they stopped playing and made breakfast.
• During breakfast, Kitasan Black and Almond Eye quietly discussed the game, and Anjing Zhen let them talk since they were on winter break.
• After breakfast, Anjing Zhen received a phone call, and Kitasan Black went to answer a knock at the door.
• A tall Horse Girl looked into the apartment and asked Kitasan Black whether she had started living together with Anjing Zhen.

Anjing Zhen's mother arrived and teased Kitasan Black and Almond Eye by suggesting Kitasan Black was living with Anjing Zhen. After revealing her former racing name, Kikou Misuzu introduced herself and playfully invited them to call her Sister Misuzu.

• Kitasan Black blushed and reconsidered her close daily life with Anjing Zhen after Anjing Zhen's mother joked that they were living together.
• Almond Eye excitedly agreed that Kitasan Black seemed to be living with Anjing Zhen, but Anjing Zhen corrected them and explained that Kitasan Black was only caring for him.
• Kikou Misuzu entered the room, reassured Kitasan Black that she was grateful for her help, and accepted her offer of slippers.
• Almond Eye remarked that Kikou Misuzu looked young, and Kikou Misuzu introduced herself by her debut name and said she would be happy to be called Sister Misuzu.

Anjing Zhen, Kikou Misuzu, Kitasan Black, and Little Anzu visited Senso-ji Temple for New Year's, where Kitasan Black encouraged Anzu to introduce herself to fans and declare her ambitions. Misuzu praised Anjing Zhen for guiding the Horse Girls, then confronted him about hiding his injured arm from the family.

• Kitasan Black guided the group through Senso-ji Temple, where everyone made offerings and drew fortunes.
• Kitasan Black received Great Blessing, Little Anzu and Misuzu received Medium Blessing, and Anjing Zhen received Small Blessing.
• Fans recognized Kitasan Black, and she signed autographs and took photos before introducing Little Anzu to them.
• Little Anzu declared that she would attend Central Treisen Academy and become a Horse Girl stronger than Kitasan Black and other seniors.
• Misuzu praised Anjing Zhen's teaching, then questioned his fitness as a Trainer and confronted him for concealing his injured arm.

Anjing Zhen visited his hometown with Misuzu while recovering from his injury and realized that his feelings for Kitasan Black had grown beyond ordinary Trainer-Horse Girl affection. After Kitasan Black asked him to return for Almond Eye’s entrance exam, he promised he would be back on time.

• Misuzu teased Anjing Zhen about bringing Kitasan Black home, and he insisted they had an ordinary relationship even as he smiled and waved at her.
• Two days after Misuzu returned to their hometown, Anjing Zhen went with her and promised his father he would be more careful and keep the Horse Girls safe.
• While away, Anjing Zhen spoke with Kitasan Black often and reflected on their training, races, and her attentive care during his recovery.
• After Misuzu teased him about how happy he seemed during a call with Kitasan Black, Anjing Zhen wondered whether he liked her.
• Kitasan Black messaged Anjing Zhen that Almond Eye’s entrance exam was in a few days and said she would be waiting for him too.
• Anjing Zhen replied that he would definitely be back on time and told Kitasan Black to wait for him.

After returning to Tokyo, Anjing Zhen began preparing Almond Eye for Central Treisen Academy’s entrance examination, focusing on the challenging Simulation Race. The chapter ended as he set up a Turf 1800m practice run for Almond Eye to chase Kitasan Black.

• Anjing Zhen set aside his earlier thoughts and focused on helping Almond Eye pass the entrance examination and returning to training with Kitasan Black.
• Anjing Zhen reviewed the exam’s physical tests and identified the Simulation Race as the key challenge because Almond Eye lacked tactical experience and the race conditions would be drawn at random.
• Anjing Zhen considered formidable prospective rivals, including Wang Ziding, Gaojie Baihe, Satomi Megami, Sayaka, Miqi Moli, and Qingrou Ruge.
• Kitasan Black and Almond Eye finished warming up at the academy training grounds.
• Anjing Zhen arranged a Turf 1800m practice run, telling Kitasan Black to use her usual Slow Escape and Almond Eye to try to catch her.

Anjing Zhen had Kitasan Black and Almond Eye race, and Almond Eye’s poor start left her trailing as she tried to catch up. He decided to discuss the mistake with both Horse Girls after the run before choosing how to train her.

• Kitasan Black and Almond Eye eagerly agreed to race and took their starting positions.
• Kitasan Black launched immediately, while Almond Eye’s slow, hesitant start put her more than half a meter behind.
• Almond Eye fought to catch up, and Anjing Zhen considered how distraction and unfamiliarity with the start might have affected her.
• Anjing Zhen chose to hear Almond Eye’s and Kitasan Black’s thoughts after the run before deciding on a training approach.
• Almond Eye fell farther behind but steadily increased her speed as her competitive spirit drove her forward.

Little Anzu chased Kitasan Black through a training run, determined to surpass her, but her reckless acceleration left her visibly exhausted. Anjing Zhen tracked the run’s speed data and noticed something unexpected about Little Anzu’s Final Burst.

• Kitasan Black admired Little Anzu’s tenacity and resolved to keep up her own fighting spirit as she led the run.
• Little Anzu became frustrated by the gap, vowed to beat Kitasan Black, and accelerated when Kitasan Black adjusted her pace.
• Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black realized Little Anzu was spending too much stamina by continuing to accelerate.
• Before the Final Turn ended, Little Anzu’s stride, breathing, and arm rhythm showed clear signs of exhaustion, and Kitasan Black began widening the gap again.
• Anjing Zhen checked the speedometer data repeatedly, then reacted with surprise and wondered whether children with a Final Burst were always so willful.

After Little Anzu struggled in a parallel run against Kitasan Black, Anjing Zhen praised her potential while identifying flaws in her start, pacing, and stamina distribution. He set adjusting her start and pace as the focus of her training before the Simulation Race.

• Anjing Zhen reviewed Little Anzu’s run, noting her strong mental resilience and promising final burst despite her poor start and wasted stamina.
• Little Anzu asked to run again, and Kitasan Black encouraged her by comparing her determination to her own younger self.
• Anjing Zhen explained Little Anzu’s mistakes and advised Kitasan Black on how to create pressure and vary the pace when acting as a training partner.
• Anjing Zhen assigned Little Anzu training focused on her start and pacing, beginning with more parallel runs before simulating an official race with a Starting Gate.

After training, Trainer Yasui, Kitasan Black, and Little Anzu met Satono Crown, Satono Diamond, and Satomi Megami at Gray Impression and discussed their upcoming races and overseas plans. As the group talked about foreign competitions, Anjing Zhen considered how those plans might lead toward preparing for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

• Trainer Yasui, Kitasan Black, and Little Anzu went to Gray Impression and ran into Satono Crown, Satono Diamond, and Satomi Megami.
• Kitasan Black introduced Little Anzu, who was preparing to enroll at Central Treisen Academy, to the Satono sisters.
• Satono Crown said she planned to enter the Kyoto Kinen in February, while Satono Diamond said she would race in the Kisaragi Sho.
• Kitasan Black explained that she planned to target the Tenno Sho Spring after recovering from the Arima Kinen, then go abroad for special training.
• Satono Crown said she planned to race in Hong Kong, while Sounds of Earth and Real Steel planned to go to Dubai.
• Anjing Zhen considered how the Horse Girls' overseas plans could support a future campaign for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Anjing Zhen planned Kitasan Black’s overseas races and weighed the sacrifices required to pursue the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. When Kitasan Black returned, she took over his work and said she wanted to judge the race seriously after seeing world-class Horse Girls abroad.

• Anjing Zhen drafted a schedule for Dubai next month and considered European races later in the year, depending on how well the team adapted overseas.
• Anjing Zhen concluded that preparing to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe might require nearly a year and force Kitasan Black to miss many Japanese G1 races.
• Kitasan Black returned to the apartment, saw Anjing Zhen working despite his injury, and insisted on organizing his plans for him.
• Kitasan Black told Anjing Zhen that she had researched the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe but wanted to see world-class Horse Girls abroad before deciding what she thought of it.

Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black decided to postpone planning for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe until they had experienced an overseas race in Dubai, then visited the Gold Ship Family residence to study Little Anzu's entrance-exam opponents. They arrived at the training grounds and found the family arguing over Wang Ziding's training.

• Kitasan Black and Anjing Zhen agreed to wait until after their Dubai trip before making plans for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
• Kitasan Black suggested they observe Little Anzu's opponents training, and Anjing Zhen agreed to go with her the next day.
• After Little Anzu's training, Kitasan Black led Anjing Zhen to the Gold Ship Family residence and explained Wang Ziding's family connection.
• Kitasan Black and Anjing Zhen greeted Imanami Takatoshi and Stay Gold, who welcomed them and showed them the residence's training grounds.
• Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black heard Gold Artisan and others arguing about how to train Wang Ziding, while Imanami Takatoshi and Stay Gold reacted with exasperation.

Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black visited the Gold Ship Family’s training grounds and met Wang Ziding, whose composed manner impressed them. They agreed to join a 2,000-meter simulation race so Kitasan could challenge herself and they could assess Wang Ziding’s racing ability.

• Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black arrived to find Gold Artisan and Gold Ship arguing while Dream Journey and Nakayama Celebration watched.
• Imanami Takatoshi stopped the argument and introduced the Gold Ship Family to Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black.
• Gold Ship suggested a practice run so Wang Ziding could race alongside Kitasan Black.
• Wang Ziding politely welcomed the chance to run with Kitasan, and Anjing agreed to help analyze the race afterward.
• Imanami arranged a 2,000-meter grass simulation race and urged Wang Ziding to learn from Kitasan Black.

Anjing Zhen watched Kitasan Black, Wang Ziding, and the Gold Ship Family compete in a simulated race using a handkerchief-drop start. Kitasan Black surged into the lead, while Wang Ziding settled into the race after a slower start.

• Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black agreed to take part in Imanami Takatoshi's simulated race.
• Imanami Takatoshi lined up the Horse Girls and started the race by dropping a red handkerchief.
• Kitasan Black reacted first and charged into the lead.
• Gold Artisan and Nakayama Celebration chased Kitasan Black, while Dream Journey and Stay Gold took late-run positions.
• Gold Ship started last but remained relaxed, and Wang Ziding calmly adjusted her breathing and stride after falling behind.

Anjing Zhen Shen and Imanami Takatoshi discussed Kitasan Black’s explosive start and Wang Ziding’s calm response as the simulation race unfolded on an unfamiliar ten-turn course. Kitasan Black held the lead while the others pursued, and she admired Wang Ziding’s steady pace as she accelerated from the rear.

• Imanami Takatoshi praised Kitasan Black’s start, and Anjing Zhen Shen and he discussed Wang Ziding’s composed reaction despite falling behind.
• Anjing Zhen Shen argued that Wang Ziding’s calmness could help her handle the middle and later stages, and Imanami Takatoshi agreed that she had great potential.
• Kitasan Black kept the lead as Gold Artisan and Nakayama Celebration pursued closely, while Dream Journey and Stay Gold waited behind and Gold Ship and Wang Ziding accelerated.
• Kitasan Black assessed the challenges of the unfamiliar 2,000-meter, ten-turn course and felt both uneasy and excited about testing herself.
• Kitasan Black noticed Wang Ziding maintaining a steady stride from the rear and thought that Little Anzu would need to work harder against such an opponent.

Wang Ziding struggled to keep up as Kitasan Black drove an intense Simulation Race, while the Gold Ship Family waited to unleash their Final Bursts. As the race neared its end, Gold Artisan, Nakayama Celebration, Dream Journey, Stay Gold, and Gold Ship all surged toward the leaders, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Wang Ziding struggled through the high-pressure race and lost ground after misjudging a turn, but she pushed on, inspired by Kitasan Black.
• Gold Artisan closed in on Kitasan Black as Nakayama Celebration searched for an opening and Dream Journey, Stay Gold, and Gold Ship conserved their strength.
• Imanami Takatoshi and Anjing Zhen discussed the runners' Final Bursts and agreed that Wang Ziding needed more race experience and guidance.
• As Kitasan Black maintained the lead despite fatigue, Gold Artisan, Nakayama Celebration, Dream Journey, and Stay Gold accelerated in the closing stretch.
• Gold Ship surged forward with Dream Journey and Stay Gold as the race approached its finish.