On February 16, the same day they arrived in Saudi Arabia on a nighttime flight.
Though it was a country at roughly the same latitude as Japan, Riyadh's February evening was nearly as bright as broad daylight.
The temperature was far milder than in Hokkaido, and one could almost feel the dry wind blowing in from the Persian Gulf.
February, called the "Cold Moon" in the Ainu dialect—the international long-distance campaign began with the Red Sea Turf Handicap, held on the same day as this year's Diamond Stakes.
A 3,000-meter turf course on the inner track of King Abdulaziz Racetrack, a long-distance race that required a full lap and a half.
For various reasons, although its prize money was quite generous compared with most long-distance graded races, this year's Red Sea Turf Handicap had only ten runners, with just four graded horses among them.
Just as the Emperor's Prize had once been set at 3,200 meters, long-distance horses had once held an extremely lofty status in Japanese Racehorse racing.
However, in order to keep up with global trends, beginning with the shortening of the Autumn Emperor's Prize to its current 2,000 meters in Showa 58, Japanese Racehorse racing after the Heisei Era had also shifted toward emphasizing speed and pursuing races for precocious three-year-olds and even two-year-olds.
The saying, "The strongest horse wins the Kikuka Sho," had scarcely been heard since entering the Racehorse world. Traveler, who had swept the St Leger Stakes in both countries last year, was also a cut below other racehorses active over middle-distance courses in every regard, including international ratings, awards, and popularity among fans.
At this rate, truly capable long-distance Racehorses might become rarer than fossils within a few years—but that complaint could wait for now.
"How is Traveler doing?"
When the owner met