If Not Too Far Ahead

"How about the Aoba Sho?"

After the race, Trainer Wada made a suggestion.

Compared to regional graded races and races in Kansai, where the final stretch was generally shorter, perhaps Tokyo's long straight suited Chongli better. "Wouldn't that be a little too soon?"

While there was certainly confidence in Chongli's closing speed, making his very first turf race a Derby trial still felt somewhat worrying.

And besides—

Based on Chongli's current earnings, his chances of successfully entering the Aoba Sho were only slightly higher than Traveler's.

That said, if they were targeting a graded race, then aside from the Haneda Cup, which had originally been one of the stable's options, the Aoba Sho was the only remaining choice in April.

In the case of the Haneda Cup, neither the suitability, the distance range, nor even the track conditions truly suited Chongli.

As his owner, he understood that even more clearly than the stable did.

"By the way, Chongli's Classic registration..."

The trainer looked somewhat hesitant as he said that.

"He's already been registered."

The answer came without hesitation.

Last year, when the farm's finances had been strained and it had faced pressure from the Central Owners' Association review, all the racehorses that had debuted in the Central circuit apart from Zhibao had been registered for the Classics.

Though some staff members, led by Ravide, had felt there had been no need to do so.

Even setting aside Traveler, who specialized in long distances, Chongli had already been confirmed as a late bloomer, and his distance range had been identified. Even from an owner's standpoint, there had not been much need to register him for the Classics.

But—

One experience with supplementary Breeders' Cup registration had been enough.

That reason had barely managed to convince the staff.

Even so, the not-insignificant