Beyond the Curtain of Rain

And yet—

His unease came true in the worst possible way.

Soon after the start, Noah and Pegasus appeared to have each secured favorable positions in the middle of the pack.

The torrential rain, the splashing mud... these harsh conditions of extreme weather constantly wore away at the fighting spirit of the two horses carrying the white crown name.

Moreover, Pegasus, who had failed to seize the rhythm of the race immediately after the gates opened, spent nearly the entire first half of the backstretch refusing to cooperate, much to the anxiety of Takeshi, who had replaced the original rider.

The two horses who should have made use of their fine handling and followed the flow of the race had instead, because of their respective mistakes or misfortunes, found themselves in the unfamiliar position of starting from the middle of the pack today.

In the United States, races were immediately suspended when severe weather such as rain or snow arose, or domed stadiums were built to prevent such situations.

In Europe, on the other hand, horses more often fought under natural conditions of rain and snow, with superiority decided afterward.

But in Japan, this was not a question of superiority or inferiority. It was a fundamental difference in philosophy.

Was it unreasonable for the outcome to be drastically altered by accidents or unforeseen incidents caused by racing through torrential rain, or was that simply to be accepted as natural?

It was a matter of sensibility that could not be judged uniformly.

In fact, "being able to overcome adverse conditions and win" had always been one of the indispensable qualities of a great racehorse.

Still—

Considering that the two riders aboard were from the Yokoyama family, even this terrible situation offered at least a little consolation.

They probably would not expend