The Summer of Horse Racing

Saturday, July 29.

Before anyone knew it, summer had arrived in Hokkaido.

There was a term for the changing of seasons, but the difference before and after was never quite so distinct.

Recently, the cherry blossoms near the south dormitory of the main ranch had fallen away until only leaves remained.

Talk of auctions had noticeably increased among horse owners and breeders, and Chongli's kiwi-like fluffy winter coat had finally begun to shed.

Perhaps some people noticed the seasons with keen sensitivity, but there were probably more who only realized it after opening a calendar—the change spread gradually.

By the time everyone noticed, the scenery around them already belonged to summer, though Hokkaido's rainy season had yet to officially end.

The morning sunlight poured through the clouds, and the altocumulus overhead soon vanished as well.

Only a clear blue sky remained.

A week had passed since they officially became central racing owners.

Setting up the pasture fermentation system, building fences, and reclaiming grazing land that remained difficult even with high-end agricultural machinery and help from neighboring farms—while they were rushed off their feet, the seasons quietly completed their transition.

And it was not just the season.

As expected, Baozuo had smoothly passed his gate trial.

Even at the level Yoshida had called "just a casual run," he displayed exceptional forward drive from the very start, clearly pulling away from the other two-year-olds taking part in the trial.

"A very well-behaved honor student, though sometimes he might be a little too serious."

Devon Coe continued the assessment he had made during their first training session, describing Baozuo as "a motocross bike disguised as a racehorse."

It sounded like an exaggerated comparison, but after footage of the gate trial was released, Baozuo unsurprisingly became the odds-on favorite for today's race.

On the