Tanuki Lurking in Winter

The last day of January.

After finishing the morning stable inspection earlier than usual, he headed to Shadai Farm, more than two hours away by car.

On the day of the award ceremony, he unexpectedly heard a purchase proposal from Teruya Yoshida.

Just as he was wondering how to find an excuse to refuse, he heard a rather unexpected name from the other party.

Starlit World.

Her sire was the late famous stallion Big Roar, while the female line inherited through her dam, Southern Star, could be traced all the way back to the renowned prewar German mare Golden Black Steed—bloodlines of this caliber should not have been easily let go even by Shadai Farm.

If there was nothing wrong with her pedigree, then the concern must have been with her offspring.

Though he had formed that hypothesis, given the situation at the time, he could only go along with the other party's momentum and say, "Then I'll be in your care, Mr. Yoshida."

Her first foal, sired by Divine Revelation, had debuted successfully last year and cleared maiden status after only two races.

Then came more than half a year of rest due to a hoof injury.

Her next foal, a filly, had apparently gone straight into breeding for some reason.

Setting aside his fleeting thought of so that's how it was, after discussing it with the staff, even Ravide, unusually enough, clearly took the side in favor.

For a newly established ranch, acquiring an excellent female line usually meant spending a fortune at auction on yearlings or foals, then raising them from scratch and building up the maternal line.

Even if the likely issue with her offspring was some concern over health, an opportunity like this was still worth trying no matter what.

That was how today's trip