As soon as he stepped onto the land of Honshu, a wave of heat wrapped around him.
The disappointing Yushun Fillies, and the Derby he had missed out on this year—before he knew it, half a month had already passed.
He turned his head to look at the adjacent Tracen grandstand.
Directly beneath the azure sky, the building standing upon the white sand cast a huge shadow in the direction of the racetrack opposite his position.
Urged on by the intense sunlight, his pace quickened as he walked toward the grandstand.
June fifteenth.
For Japanese racing fans, if there was any marker to divide the first and second halves of the year, it was probably tomorrow's Spring Grand Prix, the Takarazuka Kinen.
Today, however, was the day Dawn would take on the slope course for the first time since leaving the breeding farm and entering the training center.
Thus, what lay before his eyes was not the main grandstand of Ritto Tracen, which was closer to Hanshin Racecourse, but the South Grandstand of Miho in the opposite direction.
He had originally intended to stay in Tokyo only briefly before heading to the Kansai region that very day.
However, after receiving a message from Trainer Uchida saying, "I'd like to let Dawn try the slope today," he temporarily changed his plans and visited the Tracen here in Miho with the thought that he might as well go take a look since he had plenty of time.
"Good morning, everyone. How is training going today?"
He climbed the stairs of the grandstand, greeting the trainers gathered by the window like they were sunbathing before he even registered the strong air conditioning blowing in his face.
"Ah... Good morning, President Kitano."
Compared to Trainers Naoki Hori and Shizuhachi Kato, who looked startled, Trainer