Winter Kaimon Gate

Beijing, around seven or eight in the morning.

Wanting to visit Atalanta, who was about to race, as well as the two-year-olds who had just entered the stable, I accompanied Mr. Sasaki after morning training and paid an early visit to Ritto Training Center and a nearby training farm.

Although some time had passed since dawn, the temperature was still low, and the scattered pedestrians in sight were mostly hurrying along.

All the way there, I listened to Mr. Sasaki boast about his auction purchases. But whenever the subject turned to horses entering stables, he immediately wore the troubled expression only a private owner could understand.

In the current Central Racing scene, unless preparations began right after the auction, even a highly popular private owner like Mr. Sasaki would have difficulty getting every horse into a stable near the top of the win-rate rankings.

—Of course, whether every racehorse under one's ownership should be sent to the stables with the best possible win rates was another matter entirely.

By the time we reached the training center, the extended winter morning training session was still underway, and plenty of running figures could be seen on the track beyond Kaimon Gate.

I temporarily parted ways with Mr. Sasaki there and headed first to the guest stable Ritto provided for traveling horses.

"G-Good morning, President Kitano!"

"Good morning, Trainer Majima."

The trainer was as energetic as ever today. At the time of my visit, he was personally stretching Atalanta's muscles after her morning workout.

As usual, she had moved into the training center near the away racetrack at an early date. Along with her mental maturity, Atalanta was currently maintaining what looked like fairly good condition.

Though according to stablehand Okisawa, loading and unloading her from the horse transport was still an incredible