Month's End and Horse Blankets

The last day of October.

Although it was Halloween Eve, for someone who was both an owner and breeder, while also plunging headfirst into club affairs, it was more grueling than the early autumn auction season.

A tidal wave of work came crashing down.

Fortunately, this year's two-year-old matters had been much easier than expected. Yesterday, Sawin, whose breaking-in had concluded, was successfully transferred to a training center near Ritto.

As a breeding farm, the two-year-old generation had the rare ratio of one colt to one filly—though in truth, this year's new-horse lineup consisted of only Poetic Banquet and Sawin.

Sawin, who held the advantage in both temperament and development, would enter the stable in mid-November after further adjustment. Even if he caught a maiden race, he likely would not debut until February.

Poetic Banquet, on the other hand, had become a racehorse sooner—though that result was hardly surprising.

Whether it was the rest and adjustment after returning home, the subsequent hoof-shape correction, or finding a Ritto farrier for long-term cooperation, the effort invested in Sawin had not been any less than that for Poetic Banquet.

However, as a Sea City Star offspring who often displayed late-maturing tendencies, Sawin had easily approached the farm record set by Baozuo during his very first hill workout. Even Miura, who had been riding him, had briefly wondered whether the stopwatch was wrong.

His appetite had fluctuated when he first arrived at the farm, but during the subsequent breaking-in and training, Sawin had weathered the period of reduced appetite well. His gradually sturdier body had reached 453 kilograms, even slightly higher than before.

With the solid foundation he had already built at the breeding farm, he should be able to accomplish quite a lot after entering a racing stable.

Even with such an optimistic