Chapter Summaries

Frostfall launched a sudden attack, forcing the leaders and the other runners into fierce battles for position as the race entered the bend. Duramente blocked Frostfall’s advance, while Kitasan Black, California Spangle, Adayar, and Futanari Shingang continued their clashes.

• Frostfall accelerated from the Outer Lane, setting off California Spangle’s charge against Kitasan Black at the front.
• Kitasan Black answered California Spangle’s burst with a powerful acceleration and held her position.
• Futanari Shingang attacked Adayar on the Inner Lane, but Adayar evaded her and cut into the bend first.
• Duramente felt Frostfall closing in, slowed briefly, then surged through the bend and cut off Frostfall’s route.
• The commentator called the battles as spectators cheered for the runners from Japan, Europe, and the United States.

Anjing Zhen watched the Dubai race intensify as Kitasan Black and California Spangle battled for the lead, with the other runners fighting for position behind them. Symboli Rudolf endured the camera flashes and warned Anjing that the race had only just begun.

• Symboli Rudolf complained about the reporters’ camera flashes, and Anjing Zhen offered to help her leave and watch from farther back.
• Symboli Rudolf refused to leave, saying she would not run away while the younger Horse Girls were still fighting.
• Kitasan Black led the race into the side straight as California Spangle pressed close behind her.
• Futanari Shingang and Adayar battled for position while Duramente blocked Frostfall’s attempts to pass.
• Anjing Zhen watched the runners’ fierce efforts in disbelief, and Symboli Rudolf told him to calm down because the real race was only beginning.

Anjing Zhen Shen followed Symboli Rudolf’s advice and focused on learning from the fiercely contested Dubai race as the Horse Girls entered the final turns. Kitasan Black reached the final straight in front, while California Spangle slowed from a stamina collapse and Kitasan began to pull away.

• Symboli Rudolf reminded Anjing Zhen Shen to stay calm and observe the race, and he resumed watching through his binoculars.
• Kitasan Black led through the Third Turn with California Spangle close behind her.
• Futanari Shingang and Adayar moved outward together on the final turn as Duramente and Frostfall targeted gaps in the pack.
• Anjing Zhen Shen recognized the final turn as a key moment and grew increasingly excited as the field approached the straight.
• The commentator announced that California Spangle had suffered a stamina collapse, and Kitasan Black widened her lead into a solo breakaway.

Kitasan Black fought off Adayar’s fierce late pursuit in the final stretch and crossed the finish line first by the narrowest margin. She collapsed after the race as the commentator declared her the winner.

• California Spangle slowed, while Frostfall, Futanari Shingang, and Duramente were hampered in the crowded final stretch.
• Adayar launched her final burst and rapidly closed the gap to Kitasan Black as the spectators and Anjing Zhen cheered.
• Adayar drew level with Kitasan Black in the last hundred meters, pressing her with an overwhelming presence.
• Kitasan Black summoned her remaining strength and sprinted toward the finish line.
• Kitasan Black crossed first by an incredibly narrow margin, then stumbled to her knees as the commentator announced her victory.

After winning a brutal finish against Adayar, Kitasan Black struggled to understand what had happened in the race. California Spangle challenged her to the Japan Cup, and Frostfall and Adayar showed interest in joining.

• Kitasan Black saw that she had beaten Adayar by half a face, then discovered she had bitten her own lip during the race.
• Adayar offered Kitasan Black a handkerchief, and Futanari Shingang and Duramente praised her final push and performance.
• Kitasan Black recalled that an unfamiliar, sharply oppressive presence had replaced the one following her near the finish, but she could not explain what happened.
• California Spangle announced that she and Frostfall would discuss entering the Japan Cup with their Trainer.
• Frostfall accepted the idea of racing Kitasan Black in the Japan Cup, and Adayar also expressed interest in the Turf G1.

Anjing Zhen arranged careful post-race examinations and reflected on how the international race could shape his training and Kitasan Black’s future. While reviewing the race, he and Symboli Rudolf considered whether Kitasan Black had touched the threshold of the Domain during her final charge.

• Anjing Zhen coordinated detailed medical examinations for Kitasan Black and the other racers while Symboli Rudolf urged him to stay calm.
• Anjing Zhen reflected on the race’s fierce physical confrontations and concluded that his training methods might need to incorporate lessons from international racing.
• Anjing Zhen began recording and comparing the racers’ performances as they waited for the examination results.
• Symboli Rudolf asked whether Kitasan Black had touched the threshold of the Domain during her final charge.
• Anjing Zhen recalled Kitasan Black’s sudden burst of power as Adayar closed in and considered that she might truly have entered a Domain.

Anjing Zhen Shen reviewed Kitasan Black’s finish and wondered whether her brief burst of perfect coordination meant she had entered the Zone. Symboli Rudolf helped him see that Kitasan’s growth was gradual, then praised him for finally acting like a rookie Trainer.

• Anjing Zhen Shen examined slow-motion footage of Kitasan Black’s finish and estimated that her possible Zone lasted less than a second.
• Anjing Zhen Shen asked Symboli Rudolf whether Kitasan Black had truly entered the Zone, and she instead asked whether Kitasan could have performed at her current level earlier in her development.
• Anjing Zhen Shen explained that Kitasan’s physical abilities had only recently approached their peak.
• Symboli Rudolf reminded Anjing Zhen Shen that the Zone depended on fundamentals Kitasan had built gradually, and he recognized that he had been judging her against an unrealistic standard of perfection.
• Symboli Rudolf told Anjing Zhen Shen he had done something right by finally starting to look like a rookie Trainer.

Symboli Rudolf praised Anjing Zhen for recognizing his mistake and urged him to rest rather than immediately revise Kitasan Black’s training plan after her possible first entry into the Zone. A day later, Anjing Zhen drove Kitasan Black and Almond Eye toward Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall to fulfill Symboli Rudolf’s shopping recommendation.

• Symboli Rudolf told Anjing Zhen that his willingness to admit mistakes would help him guide Kitasan Black and Almond Eye, and said Kitasan Black may have briefly entered the Zone during the race.
• Symboli Rudolf ordered Anjing Zhen to take several days off and suggested he help adjust the others’ condition only if he felt compelled to work.
• Symboli Rudolf warned that she could ask Symboli Rudolph and Tokai Teio to enforce her recommendation, leaving Anjing Zhen little choice but to take Kitasan Black and Almond Eye shopping.
• The next day, Anjing Zhen drove Kitasan Black and Almond Eye from the Burj Al Arab Hotel toward Dubai’s commercial district, while they excitedly asked about their destination.

Anjing Zhen took Kitasan Black and Anzu out to relax and shop in Dubai after Symboli Rudolf cautioned him not to rush Kitasan Black’s Zone training. Kitasan Black planned an enormous list of souvenirs, then discovered she had earned more than 600 million in prize money, leaving Almond Eye stunned by her wealth.

• Anjing Zhen realized Symboli Rudolf’s advice had helped him avoid pushing Kitasan Black to chase the Zone too soon.
• Anjing Zhen asked Kitasan Black and Anzu where they wanted to go first, and they chose the Burj Khalifa and a shopping mall.
• Kitasan Black listed dozens of people she wanted to buy gifts for, including friends, family, teachers, and Anjing Zhen.
• Anzu worried that the gifts might be expensive, so Kitasan Black tried to calculate how much prize money she had won.
• Anjing Zhen told Kitasan Black she had earned more than 600 million, and Almond Eye struggled to comprehend how much money that was.

Anjing Zhen, Kitasan Black, and Anzu explored Dubai Mall instead of shopping for souvenirs, then headed to the marine animal exhibit. Kitasan Black worried that a shark might bite them, and Anjing Zhen teased that she could kill one with a punch and might have to pay compensation.

• Anjing Zhen calculated that six hundred million could buy Anzu rice bowls for 273 years and decided that Anzu and Kitasan Black needed math tutoring.
• Kitasan Black offered to pay for Anzu’s gifts, while Anjing Zhen planned to help Anzu buy more and suggested they postpone shopping until they could ship everything home.
• The three agreed to explore the mall and chose to visit its rare marine animal exhibit.
• Kitasan Black and Anzu excitedly discussed the sharks and Kitasan Black promised to punch or kick one if it tried to bite them.
• Kitasan Black privately asked Anjing Zhen whether sharks would attack them, and he teased that she would be strong enough to kill one and might owe compensation.

Kitasan Black and Little Anzu played at the Dubai ice rink while Anjing Zhen watched from the sidelines. Little Anzu suggested inviting him to skate, but Kitasan Black refused, still sulking over a joke he had made more than an hour earlier.

• Kitasan Black and Little Anzu tried skating tricks, fell repeatedly, and laughed as they helped each other up.
• Kitasan Black failed to stop and slid into Little Anzu, who caught her before they were dragged together across the ice.
• Little Anzu suggested asking Anjing Zhen to join them, but Kitasan Black huffed that she did not want to ask him.
• Kitasan Black claimed Anjing Zhen might not know how to skate, while Little Anzu realized she was still angry about his earlier joke.
• Little Anzu recalled how Kitasan Black had become embarrassed after Anjing Zhen teased her and wondered why their situation seemed so complicated.

Kitasan Black reflected on why Anjing Zhen's teasing had upset her and struggled to find the courage to apologize. After Almond Eye intervened, Anjing Zhen apologized and invited Kitasan Black to skate with him.

• Kitasan Black remembered Anjing Zhen's jokes and felt hurt, then questioned whether she had been unreasonable to stay angry.
• Kitasan Black decided she should apologize but became too embarrassed to approach Anjing Zhen.
• Kitasan Black accidentally said aloud that she wanted to apologize, and Almond Eye offered to help.
• Almond Eye spoke with Anjing Zhen, who came over to apologize to Kitasan Black and invited her to share a dance.

After the Dubai World Cup, Kitasan Black excitedly recalled the ice dance Trainer Yasui had performed with her, while Duramente struggled with losing the Dubai Sheema Classic after throwing a shoe. Duramente regained her resolve and looked ahead to the Takarazuka Kinen, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and another chance to race Adayar.

• Kitasan Black enthusiastically described Trainer Yasui's skating performance to Futanari Shingang and Duramente at the Dubai Mall rink.
• Futanari Shingang and Duramente said they wanted to see Trainer Yasui skate with Kitasan Black, but he was not there.
• Duramente had finished second in the Dubai Sheema Classic after throwing a shoe during the final stretch.
• Duramente set her sights on winning the Takarazuka Kinen and possibly racing Adayar again in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Japan Cup.
• Duramente thanked Kitasan Black for helping draw Adayar toward the Japan Cup and thanked both Kitasan Black and Futanari Shingang for comforting her.

Kitasan Black and her friends went shopping for souvenirs in Dubai, where Adayar impressed them with her expertise in luxury goods. Adayar then helped Kitasan Black choose a gift for Anjing: a pocket watch connected to the legendary Eclipse.

• Futanari Shingang declined Kitasan Black and Duramente's thanks, saying Little Kita deserved the credit and that she cared most about racing strong opponents.
• Kitasan Black invited Futanari Shingang, Duramente, California Spangle, Frostfall, and Adayar to shop for souvenirs at Dubai Mall.
• Adayar demonstrated her extensive shopping knowledge, leaving Kitasan Black, Futanari Shingang, and Duramente feeling out of their depth.
• California Spangle and Frostfall told Kitasan Black that Adayar wanted to help her choose a gift for Anjing.
• Adayar explained that the John Arnold & Son shop sold pocket watches, including one made by Master Arnold that had recorded Eclipse's race results.
• Adayar recommended that Kitasan Black give Anjing the pocket watch as both a blessing and a declaration of her resolve.

Adayar questioned California Spangle and Frostfall’s guess that Kitasan Black and Anjing Zhen were romantically involved, warning that gossip could disrupt their preparations for the Japan Cup. Meanwhile, Anjing Zhen examined the pocket watch Kitasan Black had given him and asked if it was really for him.

• California Spangle and Frostfall told Adayar they had only guessed that Kitasan Black and her Trainer were dating, based on how close they seemed.
• Adayar said Japan’s rules made rumors about Trainer and Horse Girl relationships risky, especially if they affected Kitasan Black and Anjing Zhen’s partnership.
• California Spangle and Frostfall admitted they had been tempted to stir up romance gossip, but agreed that Kitasan Black’s Japan Cup preparations mattered more.
• Anjing Zhen looked over the pocket watch Kitasan Black had given him and asked whether it was for him.

Kitasan Black gave Anjing Zhen a treasured pocket watch depicting Eclipse and shared the resolve and promise behind her gift. After returning to Japan, Anjing Zhen considered how to prepare Kitasan Black for the Tenno Sho Spring and began training with her and Almond Eye.

• Kitasan Black presented Anjing Zhen with a pocket watch chosen by Adayar and explained its connection to Eclipse.
• Anjing Zhen accepted Kitasan Black's resolve, promise, and blessing, and made them his own as well.
• On the flight home, Anjing Zhen considered the Tenno Sho Spring course, Kitasan Black's running strategy, and training her grasp of the domain.
• After handling his duties and delivering souvenirs with Kitasan Black and Almond Eye, Anjing Zhen began training with them on Monday at Central Treisen Academy, carrying the pocket watch alongside his tablet.

Anjing Zhen used Kitasan Black’s pocket watch during training and analyzed why she had struggled to unleash her full stamina. He explained that the problem had only been avoided in Dubai, leaving Kitasan Black wondering whether to use the same intense strategy in the Tenno Sho Spring.

• Anjing Zhen found that Kitasan Black’s pocket watch kept precise time and that its mechanical rhythm seemed matched to her stride and breathing.
• After a 3,200-meter training test, Anjing Zhen asked Kitasan Black whether she had felt strained or unable to run faster, and she confirmed that she had.
• Anjing Zhen told Kitasan Black and Almond Eye that her difficulty unleashing her stamina had returned on turf, just as it had during the race against California Spangle.
• Anjing Zhen explained that the intense Dubai turf Practice Race had temporarily helped Kitasan Black avoid the issue rather than resolve it.
• Kitasan Black wondered whether she should use a similar strategy for the 3,200-meter Tenno Sho Spring.

Anjing Zhen explained that Kitasan Black had briefly touched the Zone during her Dubai race, but warned that they could not rely on it alone for the Tenno Sho Spring. He outlined a demanding training plan to strengthen her endurance, pacing, and ability to handle the 3,200-meter race.

• Anjing Zhen told Kitasan Black and Almond Eye that Kitasan had briefly entered the Zone in her Dubai turf training race, based on her experience and recorded data.
• Anjing Zhen explained the Zone to Almond Eye and said that its benefits depended on a Horse Girl’s fundamental abilities.
• Kitasan Black asked whether their next special training would focus on the Zone, and Anjing Zhen said they would also prepare through other methods.
• Anjing Zhen introduced Ultra-Distance Anchoring Training, which would teach Kitasan to maintain her pace for 200 meters beyond 3,000 meters.
• Anjing Zhen added lactate-threshold circuits, uphill intervals, and weighted 3,200-meter runs to Kitasan’s training regimen.

Kitasan Black adapted to Anjing Zhen's weighted training and found that running without the suit made her feel faster, reminding her of her Dubai sprint and the possibility of reaching the Zone. After several days of training, Anjing Zhen confirmed her measurable progress and explained to Almond Eye that improvement through effort was rare, especially for a fully mature Horse Girl.

• Kitasan Black struggled through weighted interval training, so Anjing Zhen stopped the weighted sets and admitted he had misjudged her adjustment after Dubai.
• Kitasan Black felt newly light and fast without the weights and connected the sensation to her Dubai race and the Zone.
• Kitasan Black trained diligently through the week, while Little Anzu recorded her workouts and noticed improvement in her arm swing.
• Anjing Zhen told Kitasan Black that her lactate threshold had risen by 0.3 mmol/L and her stride-frequency recovery after weight training had improved by around 8%.
• Almond Eye questioned whether those gains were too small, and Anjing Zhen explained that Kitasan Black was fully mature and that effort did not guarantee improvement for every Horse Girl.

Kitasan Black invited Anjing Zhen and Little Anzu to a dinner gathering meant to comfort Satono Diamond, but they declined so Kitasan Black could support her. On her way there, Kitasan Black ran into Koushou Hayate, startled her, and helped her find her fallen hat.

• Kitasan Black invited Anjing Zhen and Little Anzu to a dinner gathering for Satono Diamond, who had finished third in the Satsuki Sho.
• Anjing Zhen and Little Anzu declined the invitation, encouraging Kitasan Black to comfort Satono Diamond herself.
• Kitasan Black left for the gathering and spotted Koushou Hayate, whom she decided to invite.
• Koushou Hayate considered fishing during her break before turning around and startling herself and Kitasan Black.
• Kitasan Black helped Koushou Hayate retrieve her navy hat and joked that her hat seemed like her real body.