Chapter Summaries

Summary of “Oi and Monbetsu”

Key plot points and events

• On a rainy, overcast Wednesday in June, Kitano travels by monorail to Oi Racecourse for the Teio Sho.
• At the racecourse, a security guard tells him that applications for entry have exceeded 60,000, highlighting the enormous public interest in the day’s racing.
• Fans recognize and praise Kitano for his recent successes, particularly his victories since the previous year and his connection to the horse Sakuya.
• Kitano meets Dr. Kobayashi at the “STAR LIGHT” restaurant. They discuss the Teio Sho, which the media portrays as an easy comeback victory for Mejiro Sakuya because the field lacks major challengers aside from Mikki Fight.
• Kitano emphasizes that Sakuya’s race is not as effortless as outsiders assume. The horse is returning from a long layoff, and both the trainer and replacement jockey Takeshi have been under considerable pressure preparing for it.
• Kitano thanks Dr. Kobayashi for helping Takeshi obtain the opportunity to ride in the Teio Sho. Kobayashi had arranged for Takeshi to compete in the Tokyo Derby by offering one of his own horses when Kitano’s stable lacked a suitable entry.
• The two discuss a recently auctioned horse. Kitano gives the horse a modest assessment, saying it may not win a race, though it has the potential to compete in local or interregional graded events. Kobayashi jokes that Kitano should only praise horses capable of winning a Derby, while Kitano argues that a Kyushu-bred horse winning the Summer Champions Series would be more meaningful.
• Kitano learns that his employees have gone to Monbetsu rather than attending the Oi races, linking the day’s events to his broader racing and ranch operations.
• After eating and resting in the owners’ lounge, Kitano receives word that a rush-ordered hay baler has arrived and instructs the ranch staff to accept it.
• Before the Tokyo Derby, Kitano and Dr. Kobayashi go to the paddock. Rain finally begins to fall as they arrive.

Character developments

• Kitano is shown as a respected and successful racing figure, warmly recognized by fans. Despite his public reputation, he remains modest, cautious in judging horses, and attentive to practical responsibilities such as ranch equipment and staff coordination.
• He also demonstrates gratitude and loyalty by repeatedly acknowledging Dr. Kobayashi’s crucial assistance with Takeshi’s career.
• Dr. Kobayashi appears relaxed, humorous, and generous. He downplays his own contribution while teasing Kitano and expressing hope that Takeshi can finally achieve a major victory.
• Takeshi is presented indirectly as a talented but inconsistent young jockey who has repeatedly fallen just short of success. The Teio Sho represents an important opportunity for him.
• Mejiro Sakuya’s team is portrayed as more pressured and prepared than the public realizes. Their race is not merely an easy workout, despite media expectations.

Significant themes

• Public perception versus reality: The media and fans treat Sakuya’s race as an inevitable victory, while Kitano recognizes the genuine risks of a comeback after a long layoff.
• Support and opportunity: Takeshi’s chance to ride in the Teio Sho depends on cooperation among Kitano, Dr. Kobayashi, the trainer, and TCK.
• Humility and measured judgment: Kitano avoids exaggerating the potential of horses and resists the tendency to label every promising animal a future champion.
• Racing as a community: Fans, trainers, jockeys, owners, and ranch workers are interconnected, with success depending on relationships as much as individual talent.
• Contrasting worlds: The bustling prestige of Oi Racecourse is set against the practical, behind-the-scenes work of Monbetsu and the ranch.

Character interactions

• Kitano exchanges appreciative greetings with racing fans, who admire his success and support Sakuya.
• He and Dr. Kobayashi share a friendly meal and extended conversation, mixing serious racing analysis with teasing and jokes.
• Kitano formally thanks Kobayashi for helping Takeshi, while Kobayashi dismisses the praise and emphasizes his hope for the young jockey’s breakthrough.
• Their discussion of the auction horse reveals their differing styles: Kobayashi enjoys enthusiastic promotion, while Kitano remains realistic and restrained.
• Kitano continues balancing his public role at Oi with his private responsibilities to his employees and ranch in Monbetsu.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens at Oi Racecourse during a rainy night of dirt racing, challenging the young horses with darkness, wet conditions, and a deteriorating track.
• Kitano and Dr. Kobayashi discuss Kobayashi’s filly, who tends to perform poorly in hot weather but may improve in the rain. Her previous defeat is attributed partly to the heat.
• The Tokyo Derby is run in increasingly heavy rain, turning the race into a chaotic, tightly packed finish. Kobayashi’s long-shot horse finishes fourth, a disappointing result in one sense but still an excellent outcome given its low popularity.
• Attention then shifts to Kitano’s horse, Mejiro Sakuya, preparing for the Teio Sho.
• Mejiro Sakuya is portrayed playfully as she catches raindrops in her mouth, reassuring Kitano that her familiar personality remains unchanged despite the tense race atmosphere.
• The trainer and jockey, Takeshi Yokoyama, finalize their strategy: Sakuya should move as close to the front as possible.
• The strategy is based on the heavy, rain-softened dirt at Oi, where front-runners gain a significant advantage. Although Sakuya has drawn the outermost gate, the position may help her avoid trouble at the start and secure a clear path.
• The chapter ends with Kitano encouraging Takeshi before the race, while their formal, old-fashioned interaction highlights the owner’s character.

Character Developments

• Kitano remains observant and supportive, balancing practical racing analysis with affection for Mejiro Sakuya. His concern and encouragement toward Takeshi reveal his earnest, traditional personality.
• Dr. Kobayashi shows realistic emotional flexibility. He is briefly disappointed by his filly’s fourth-place finish but quickly recognizes it as a strong result for a major long shot.
• Takeshi Yokoyama appears respectful and somewhat awkward, particularly when receiving Kitano’s formal encouragement. He accepts the aggressive front-running strategy with confidence.
• Mejiro Sakuya is characterized as calm, curious, and slightly mischievous. Her playful reaction to the rain contrasts with the seriousness surrounding the race.
• The trainer and Arayama demonstrate tactical professionalism by adapting their race plan to the weather, track condition, and outside starting gate.

Significant Themes

• Adversity and adaptation: Rain, darkness, and a heavy track test both horses and humans, making preparation and flexibility essential.
• The unpredictability of racing: The Tokyo Derby’s nearly indistinguishable finish emphasizes how weather and track conditions can overturn expectations.
• Experience versus youth: The races feature young horses still learning to cope with difficult circumstances, reinforcing the excitement of watching them develop.
• The importance of temperament: A horse’s performance depends not only on ability but also on its response to heat, rain, pressure, and unfamiliar conditions.
• Tradition and changing times: The opening contrasts old racing sayings with modern promotional language, while Kitano’s formal manners evoke an older racing culture.

Character Interactions

• Kitano and Dr. Kobayashi share an easy, friendly conversation about weather, horse temperament, and racing performance.
• Takeshi formally bows to Kitano before heading to his horse, establishing a respectful but slightly stiff relationship.
• Kobayashi encourages Kitano after his own horse’s race, passing the emotional focus to the upcoming Teio Sho.
• Kitano, the trainer, and Takeshi discuss Sakuya’s tactics, reaching a firm decision to prioritize an early forward position.
• Kitano’s final exchange with Takeshi combines encouragement, respect, and gentle awkwardness, reinforcing the owner’s old-fashioned character.

Summary: “More Powerful Than Strength”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Takeshi mounts Mejiro Sakuya before the fiftieth Teio Sho, a Grade One 2,000-meter dirt race at Oi Racecourse.
• Despite heavy rain, a muddy track, and overwhelming pressure from roughly sixty thousand spectators, Sakuya remains calm and focused.
• Takeshi and stablehand Ogawa Masaru briefly discuss Sakuya’s excellent gait and condition. Masaru entrusts the race to Takeshi.
• At the starting gate, Takeshi plans to move toward the front and settle several paths from the inside, but Sakuya’s merely average break leads him to revise his strategy.
• To avoid being trapped in the crowded pack, Takeshi moves Sakuya around the outside before gradually cutting inward through the first turn.
• Mejiro Tosho advances from inside, creating the possibility of a close tactical battle, but Takeshi recognizes that Sakuya’s raw ability is overwhelming.
• Rather than risk a dangerous late sprint in the rain, Takeshi allows Sakuya to race according to her greatest strength: sustained, relentless power.
• Sakuya surges decisively through the turn, leaves the pursuing horses behind, and wins by three lengths in a commanding performance.
• Takeshi celebrates only after repeatedly checking behind him, while Kitano and Dr. Kobayashi cheer from the stands. Immediately afterward, his phone begins vibrating, hinting at an important interruption or development.

Character Developments

• Takeshi: He begins nervous under the weight of public expectation but quickly regains control once the race starts. His ability to adapt his tactics, avoid unnecessary risks, and trust Sakuya’s natural strength reflects his growing maturity as a jockey. His past two and a half years of victories and regrets have taught him to prioritize a smooth, reliable race over personal displays of technique.
• Mejiro Sakuya: She is portrayed as calm, powerful, and exceptionally dependable. Although her workouts have sometimes seemed unimpressive, her true strength emerges in competition. Her ability to maintain speed and power in difficult conditions confirms the growing belief that she is far better in races than in training.
• Ogawa Masaru: The young stablehand appears confident in Sakuya’s condition and gait. His calm words help reinforce Takeshi’s trust before the race.
• Meiki Tosho and Tosaki: They represent the strongest challenge in the field, relying on grit and a chaotic, attritional race. Their hopes of competing evenly with Sakuya are crushed by her superior ability.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus strategy: Takeshi wins not through flashy tactics but by recognizing when Sakuya’s overwhelming power should be allowed to decide the race.
• Trust and partnership: The victory depends on the mutual trust between Takeshi and Sakuya, as well as the confidence placed in them by the stable staff.
• Maturity through experience: Takeshi’s past successes and regrets have taught him to value safety, efficiency, and the horse’s strengths above personal glory.
• Pressure and composure: The immense crowd, rain, and expectations create intense pressure, but both horse and jockey remain focused.
• The limits of competition: The race initially suggests a tactical contest, but Sakuya’s dominance demonstrates that sheer ability can make strategy irrelevant.

Character Interactions

• Takeshi exchanges a brief but meaningful conversation with Ogawa Masaru, who praises Sakuya’s gait and then entrusts her to the jockey.
• Takeshi internally considers the likely tactics of Tosaki and Meiki Tosho, comparing their strategy of dragging the race into a struggle with Sakuya’s superior endurance and power.
• The spectators’ roaring support intensifies the emotional pressure on Takeshi while also emphasizing Sakuya’s status as the race’s central attraction.
• Kitano and Dr. Kobayashi celebrate Sakuya’s victory from the stands, but the chapter ends with Takeshi receiving a vibrating phone call, suggesting that the victory may be followed by significant news.

Chapter Summary: “Sakura, Unseen for Three Days”

Key Plot Points and Events

• News arrives from the north that Pegasus has won, creating excitement across the racing world.
• The Red Brick Memorial, a 2,000-meter race, becomes a direct showdown between the favorites Mejiro Tenma/Pegasus and Beier Jiajun.
• Analysts expect Mejiro Tenma to struggle because she lacks the fighting spirit and finishing speed needed for a prolonged duel. Fans also assume she will use her usual front-running “gray escape artist” strategy.
• Instead, Mejiro Tenma breaks from her established pattern and settles toward the middle of the pack. This tactical decision shocks the spectators, who believe she must lead to defeat Beier Jiajun.
• Ochiai and Teacher Tanaka had deliberately chosen this strategy to conserve Mejiro Tenma’s mental and physical energy over the longer distance.
• Ochiai makes his move before Beier Jiajun at the third turn. Mejiro Tenma seizes the lead coming out of the fourth turn, while Beier Jiajun responds too slowly to catch her.
• Mejiro Tenma wins the race decisively. The victory is celebrated loudly by Zepp, Mejiro Farm employees, and the drenched supporters gathered at the winner’s enclosure.
• Ochiai proudly declares, “We won,” while Mejiro Tenma remains characteristically unimpressed, shaking off his hand before acknowledging the victory with a terse mental reaction: “[Not bad.]”
• The chapter closes with simultaneous celebrations at Monbetsu in Hokkaido and Oi in Tokyo, symbolized by both winners’ lead ropes being raised.

Character Development

• Ochiai demonstrates growing confidence in Mejiro Tenma. Rather than relying on her familiar strengths, he trusts his own judgment and adopts an unconventional race plan.
• Mejiro Tenma/Pegasus proves that she is more adaptable and capable than her reputation suggests. She overcomes doubts about her fighting spirit and late-race ability by winning from a restrained position.
• Teacher Tanaka and Ochiai show effective cooperation, recognizing that conserving Mejiro Tenma’s competitive energy is more important than forcing her into her usual running style.
• Zepp and the Mejiro Farm supporters reveal their deep emotional investment in the horse, celebrating her victory with uninhibited enthusiasm.
• Kitano, Arayama, Ogawa Masaru, and Takeshi contribute to the post-race atmosphere of relief, camaraderie, and shared pride.

Significant Themes

• Trust and self-belief: Mejiro Tenma and Ochiai succeed by trusting their abilities rather than resorting to desperate tactics.
• Breaking expectations: The race overturns the assumption that Mejiro Tenma must lead from the start or cannot endure a sustained contest.
• Adaptability and strategy: Victory comes from changing tactics to suit the longer distance and the opponent’s strengths.
• The bond between horse and rider: Ochiai’s faith in Mejiro Tenma is central to the victory, even though she responds with restrained, almost aloof approval.
• Shared celebration: The race brings together jockeys, trainers, farm workers, owners’ representatives, and fans in a collective moment of triumph.

Important Character Interactions

• Racing commentators and spectators debate Mejiro Tenma’s weaknesses and criticize her unfamiliar mid-pack position.
• Ochiai and Teacher Tanaka’s pre-race agreement guides the decisive tactical change.
• Ochiai urges Mejiro Tenma forward during the final stages, while Beier Jiajun struggles to mount an effective chase.
• Zepp and the Mejiro Farm employees loudly encourage Pegasus from the stands.
• After the race, Ochiai celebrates with Mejiro Tenma, who rejects his unwanted touch but nevertheless recognizes the performance as satisfactory.
• The soaked supporters—Ogawa Masaru, Arayama, Kitano, and Takeshi—share a relaxed, affectionate post-race exchange while caring for the victorious horses.

Chapter Summary: “The Second Gathering on Omotesando”

Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens the morning after a severe thunderstorm, with bright summer weather signaling the approaching auction season in Hokkaido.
• Mejiro Farm employees gather after morning work to discuss potential purchases for the upcoming Select Sale and Summer Sale.
• Mejiro Farm plans to focus on purchasing high-quality fillies with both racing ability and future breeding value, while Kitano will also bid personally using his usual bargain-hunting strategy.
• The farm’s staff debate several promising horses, considering pedigree, conformation, expected prices, and budget limitations. Rachel Ho enthusiastically predicts that one horse will become an exceptional closer, though the others caution her against making absolute claims.
• Kitano attends a delayed celebration party in the morning, followed by a social gathering organized by the Tokyo Owners’ Association.
• Because of the intense summer heat and traffic around Omotesando, he takes a taxi partway to the second venue but still arrives sweating after walking the final distance.
• At the gathering, Kitano is immediately surrounded by owners eager to question him about bloodlines, purchasing strategies, training facilities, trainers, jockeys, breeding, and overseas auctions.
• When asked how he identifies a good auction horse, Kitano jokingly—or perhaps sincerely—answers that he knows nothing about judging horses, amusing the other owners.
• Before leaving, he exchanges business cards and receives repeated compliments predicting that he will purchase another major winner or world champion at the summer auctions.

Character Developments

• Kitano continues to expand his role within the racing industry. He is no longer merely an owner or farm operator but is becoming a respected and closely watched figure among other owners.
• His reputation for discovering successful horses has grown enough that experienced owners actively seek his opinions and advice.
• Kitano remains modest and habitually denies praise, though he is pleased by the recognition.
• He also demonstrates growing professional awareness, understanding that strong relationships with owners are important for Mejiro Farm’s future, especially for selling or promoting homebred horses.
• Rachel Ho is shown as passionate, confident, and emotionally invested in pedigree analysis, though her certainty is tempered by the more practical members of the group.
• The Mejiro Farm staff display increasing sophistication, balancing enthusiasm for bloodlines with concerns about auction prices and financial limits.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and ambition: The farm is preparing for a major turning point as it enters the auction market more seriously.
• Knowledge versus uncertainty: Even experts cannot guarantee a horse’s future success. Pedigree and physical appearance may suggest potential, but racing outcomes remain unpredictable.
• Reputation and networking: Kitano’s growing prestige opens doors, while social connections become essential to the farm’s business and breeding prospects.
• Commercial realities of horse racing: Budget constraints, inflated prices, fashionable bloodlines, and auction competition shape every purchasing decision.
• Community within the racing industry: Despite divisions between breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys, and other specialists, gatherings create opportunities to exchange information and build mutual understanding.

Character Interactions

• Mejiro Farm employees debate possible auction targets, with Rachel Ho’s bold predictions drawing playful criticism from her colleagues.
• Kitano interacts with numerous owners at the Tokyo Owners’ Association gathering, mostly answering their questions about racing and breeding.
• The owners’ curiosity and admiration reveal how much his previous successes have enhanced his status.
• Kitano responds to praise with his familiar modest denial, while privately appreciating the respect he receives.
• His conversations also provide valuable intelligence about popular bloodlines, recent market trends, and the prices owners are willing to pay—information that will influence Mejiro Farm’s upcoming auction strategy.

Chapter Summary: “Comparison Showcase”

Key Plot Points and Events

• July arrives, and preparations intensify for the upcoming horse auctions.
• Kitano arrives early at the Hokkaido Market for the first day of the Select Sale, carrying two catalogs:
  • His own list of preferred horses.
  • Recommendations compiled by his ranch employees.
• He reviews the recommendations against the ranch’s approximate budget of fifty million yen. Most suggestions are far too expensive, though some of Ravide’s choices and one horse recommended by Rachel Ho seem comparatively reasonable.
• Kitano evaluates potential purchases using his growing understanding of horse values, considering pedigree, breeding costs, physical condition, and other expenses. He concludes that pedigree—especially the combined quality of the sire and dam lines—remains the most influential factor.
• After organizing his targets, Kitano visits the comparison showcase, where the auction horses can be examined before bidding.
• Because his [Detector] allows him to assess horses more effectively than ordinary buyers, Kitano avoids lingering over horses and instead uses the visit partly to maintain relationships and conceal his true targets.
• He meets Wada, a retired jockey who is studying for his trainer’s license. Kitano previously invited Wada to accompany him to the auction, despite Wada’s lack of confidence in evaluating horses.
• As they inspect the showcase, Wada observes that Kitano appears to be casually scanning horses while greeting ranch representatives and collecting business cards. Kitano secretly uses his [Detector] to assess the horses, finding many with misleading physical appearances but only average racing and breeding potential.
• Kitano records the numbers of absent horses and crosses off those he has already examined. He and Wada eventually enter the auction venue as the announcements about online bidding precautions conclude.
• The chapter closes with the sounds of cicadas emphasizing the arrival of summer.

Character Development

• Kitano: Demonstrates increasing sophistication as an owner and breeder. Although he still downplays his ability to judge horses, he now understands market value, pedigree importance, budgeting, and auction strategy much better. He also becomes more careful about his public reputation and deliberately avoids revealing his best targets.
• Wada: Shows insecurity about his limited experience in horse evaluation and concern that failing his trainer’s examination could damage Kitano’s reputation. Nevertheless, he accepts Kitano’s invitation and begins gaining firsthand experience at a major auction.
• Ravide and Rachel Ho: Their recommendations reveal differing levels of practicality. Ravide offers relatively sensible options, while Rachel’s recommendation is driven largely by instinctive confidence in a horse’s potential.

Significant Themes

• Expertise versus appearances: Physical appearance alone can be deceptive, while true racing and breeding value requires deeper evaluation.
• The importance of pedigree and economics: The chapter emphasizes how bloodlines, production costs, and budgets shape purchasing decisions.
• Reputation and strategy: Kitano must balance his desire to buy promising horses with the need to prevent rivals from identifying his targets.
• Mentorship and professional growth: Wada’s participation marks the beginning of his exposure to the owner-trainer side of the racing industry.
• Summer and seasonal transition: The cicadas and July setting reinforce the atmosphere of a new auction season and the intensifying activity of the racing world.

Character Interactions

• Kitano and the ranch employees are indirectly contrasted through their auction recommendations, highlighting the difference between extravagant enthusiasm and practical judgment.
• Kitano and Wada share a cautious but increasingly cooperative relationship. Kitano invites Wada into the auction process, while Wada follows him, observes carefully, and tries to understand his methods.
• Kitano exchanges greetings and business cards with owners and ranch representatives, using the showcase not only for horse inspection but also for networking and managing his reputation.

Chapter Summary: The Neighbor’s Horse

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens with Kitano Yuk being honored at the Hokkaido Horse Sale after Mejiro Atalanta, purchased by him in 2025, wins the 88th Yushun Fillies (the Oaks) at Tokyo Racecourse.
• Kitano, trainer Majima Daisuke, and breeding-farm representative Murata receive a commemorative trophy from Market Director Furukawa and pose for photographs.
• Despite the celebration, the auction atmosphere is unusually intense. Mejiro Atalanta’s victory has increased attention on Kitano, while market enthusiasm drives prices far above normal levels.
• Kitano attends the auction in person and uses anonymous online bidding because his mysterious [Detector] ability only functions once he sees a horse on-site. This allows him to evaluate horses privately without revealing his intentions.
• The first horse, a Lotto Heart colt, receives a poor health rating of G+ from the Detector. Kitano immediately loses interest, though the colt still sells for 32 million yen.
• Lots two through ten also sell at inflated prices. Kitano remains mostly inactive, frustrating and puzzling the people around him.
• He explains that he has placed bids on several horses recommended by Ravide, but other buyers outbid him. However, none of those horses seemed valuable enough to pursue at any cost.
• Kitano reflects on the importance of remaining calm and rational during an auction.
• The next horse is a Victory Within Reach foal recommended by Rachel Ho. Kitano notices that it comes from Meiji Farm, owned by Sugiyama, a neighboring farm to Mejiro Farm. The chapter ends as he realizes the horse belongs to someone close to him geographically and professionally.

2. Character Developments

• Kitano Yuk: Gains public recognition and prestige after Atalanta’s major victory, but he remains discreet about the Detector and carefully avoids revealing how he selects horses. His restraint and willingness to abandon overpriced targets show growing auction experience and self-control.
• Majima Daisuke: Continues acting as Kitano’s trainer and adviser. He notices the abnormal auction atmosphere and questions Kitano about his lack of visible bidding.
• Wada: Shares Majima’s concern and curiosity, observing Kitano’s unusual online-bidding strategy.
• Murata: Represents the breeding farm during the ceremony but appears somewhat stiff and less comfortable with the public attention.
• Rachel Ho and Ravide: Their recommendations influence Kitano’s potential purchases, though none of their suggested horses has yet justified a major investment.
• Sugiyama: Though not directly present, he is introduced as the owner of nearby Meiji Farm, creating a connection between Kitano and the next horse under consideration.

3. Significant Themes

• Success brings scrutiny: Atalanta’s victory elevates Kitano’s reputation, causing other buyers to watch his behavior and potentially follow his choices.
• Discipline versus herd mentality: While many buyers are swept up in the excitement and bid aggressively, Kitano tries to remain rational and avoid paying excessive premiums.
• Hidden knowledge and secrecy: Kitano’s Detector gives him an advantage, but he must conceal it, forcing him to use anonymous online bidding and maintain an apparently mysterious public image.
• Value versus price: The chapter contrasts a horse’s actual potential with inflated auction prices, emphasizing that popularity and market excitement do not necessarily equal quality.
• Neighborly and professional connections: The introduction of Sugiyama’s farm suggests that future events may involve rivalry, cooperation, or personal ties among neighboring breeders.

4. Character Interactions

• Furukawa formally congratulates Kitano and Majima during the award ceremony and asks for their continued support of the Hokkaido Market.
• Majima privately warns Kitano about the overheated auction market, while Wada raises the same concern after they return to their seats.
• Majima and Wada question Kitano’s apparent inactivity. Kitano explains that he has secretly placed multiple online bids but lost them to more aggressive buyers.
• Kitano reassures them that he did not consider any of those horses worth pursuing at inflated prices, demonstrating his measured approach.
• Kitano’s discovery that the next horse belongs to Sugiyama, owner of the neighboring Meiji Farm, establishes the chapter’s central new point of interest.

Chapter Summary: “Intuition and Reality”

Plot Points and Events

• Although Kitano and neighboring farmer Mr. Sugiyama barely know each other, Kitano evaluates Sugiyama’s horse objectively at the Hokkaido Horse Sale rather than relying on personal relationships.
• The horse presented is Witch Queen 2026, a bay colt sired by Victory Within Reach and out of Witch Queen, a two-time Nagoya winner.
• The colt has an unusual, heavily developed chest, a compact body, and a round, shaggy belly. Majima thinks its build is unsuitable for a racehorse, while Wada instinctively believes it may be a power-oriented sprinter.
• Kitano observes that the horse remains relatively calm despite the auction noise, suggesting a manageable temperament.
• Using his special ability, [Detector], Kitano discovers that the colt is:
  • Late-maturing
  • Suited to long distances of roughly 2,100–2,700 meters
  • Equipped with

B+ explosiveness

• Otherwise difficult to assess because many attributes remain unknown
• Kitano decides the colt is worth a gamble and sets a maximum bid of 25 million yen. Although other buyers drive the price upward, Kitano ultimately wins with a 24-million-yen hammer price, or 26.4 million yen including tax.
• After the morning session, Kitano reflects that the sale’s horse quality seems weaker than in previous years, yet prices are rising. He decides to focus more on the upcoming Summer Sale rather than increase his investment in this auction.
• He surprises Majima and Wada by revealing that he plans to inspect the newly purchased Victory Within Reach colt—not the Gold Ship foal they assumed he had bought.

Character Developments

• Kitano demonstrates growing confidence and discipline as an investor. He uses both observation and [Detector], while still respecting financial limits and refusing to overpay.
• He also shows increasing trust in instinct and indirect evidence, recognizing that the colt’s late maturity and unusual appearance may conceal future potential.
• Majima remains skeptical, judging the colt primarily by its physical structure and questioning whether it looks like a proper racehorse.
• Wada, drawing on his experience as the colt’s former rider, offers a more intuitive assessment and believes it could excel as a powerful sprinter.
• Kitano’s unexpected purchase suggests he may be developing a sharper eye than the people around him, or at least a willingness to act on information they cannot access.

Significant Themes

• Intuition versus conventional judgment: The colt’s strange appearance leads others to doubt it, while Kitano’s ability identifies hidden potential.
• Appearance versus ability: Its body does not fit the typical racehorse image, yet it possesses strong explosiveness and possible long-distance talent.
• Risk and investment: Kitano must balance uncertain bloodlines, late development, and rising prices against the possibility of uncovering a valuable future racehorse.
• Long-term potential: The colt may not mature early, but its growth type and pedigree suggest that patience could eventually be rewarded.
• Market pressure and strategy: The auction shows how reputation, bloodlines, and competition inflate prices, forcing Kitano to consider whether another sale may offer better opportunities.

Character Interactions

• Kitano, Majima, and Wada jointly evaluate the colt, with each offering a different perspective: physical criticism, racing instinct, and analytical observation.
• Kitano’s hesitation while listening to their comments suggests he knows information they do not, especially regarding the colt’s hidden abilities.
• The bidding places Kitano against financially powerful JRA and South Kanto owners, including an owner who had previously sought Kitano’s auction advice.
• At lunch, Majima and Wada assume Kitano bought a Gold Ship foal. His correction—that he bought the Victory Within Reach colt—shocks both men and sets up their likely closer inspection of the horse.

Chapter Summary: Part-Time Breeder

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kitano, trainer Majima, and former jockey Wada leave the resting area and head to the horse handover area after discussing their auction strategy.
• Because horse prices at the Hokkaido Horse Sale have risen sharply, Kitano plans to focus less on colts and more on potential broodmares at the upcoming Summer Sale.
• They discuss Lotto Heart’s first foal, agreeing that although the horse looks promising, he may lack physical sturdiness. They consider using sturdier bloodlines to compensate for weaknesses in his sire line.
• At the handover area, Kitano meets Sugiyama, the industrialist and owner of Meiji Farm, who is surprised to learn that Kitano was the anonymous buyer of Witch Queen 2026.
• Sugiyama expresses gratitude and explains the colt’s breeding: his dam contributed strong hooves, while his sire, Victory Within Reach, contributed supple limbs. Sugiyama believes the colt inherited the best qualities of both.
• The farm staff and Sugiyama describe the colt as healthy, energetic, independent, and unusually fast-moving. Sugiyama confidently predicts that he will become notable as a sprint racer.
• Kitano officially accepts the colt’s lead rope, completing the sale and transfer. He gently pats the horse and tells him, “You’ve really worked hard.”

Character Developments

• Kitano demonstrates a cautious, value-oriented approach to horse buying. Though initially tense, he relaxes when discussing bloodlines and conformation with Majima and Wada. His interest in the colt grows as he hears detailed information about its upbringing and potential.
• Majima continues to provide practical expertise on horse conformation and breeding strategy, helping Kitano evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of potential purchases.
• Wada begins forming an early impression of Witch Queen 2026 and is implicitly treated as the colt’s future trainer despite not yet possessing a trainer’s license. He recognizes the colt as physically suited to power-oriented mile races but remains aware of his own limited ability to judge horses.
• Sugiyama is shown to be deeply knowledgeable and emotionally invested in his farm’s horses. Despite his disability and demanding business career, he attends the auction personally and proudly defends the colt’s potential.
• Witch Queen 2026 is characterized as a healthy, energetic chestnut colt with strong legs, a lively temperament, and apparent sprinting ability.

Significant Themes

• Value versus rising prices: Kitano’s strategy reflects the difficulty of finding worthwhile horses in an overheated auction market.
• Breeding and inherited traits: The chapter emphasizes how breeders attempt to balance weaknesses and strengths through bloodlines, while acknowledging that results are never guaranteed.
• Appearance versus potential: Wada notes the colt’s slightly unbalanced conformation, but the narrative suggests that visible imperfections may conceal room for growth and future ability.
• The limits of prediction: Even experienced breeders cannot know exactly how a young horse will develop. The farm’s observations provide clues, but the colt’s true personality and racing ability will only emerge with training.
• Quiet emotional bonds: Kitano’s final words to the colt suggest empathy and recognition of the effort already made by the horse, hinting at a developing relationship between owner and racehorse.

Character Interactions

• Kitano, Majima, and Wada discuss auction tactics, bloodlines, conformation, and the strengths of Lotto Heart’s foal.
• Kitano and Sugiyama exchange formal thanks and mutual respect during the handover.
• Sugiyama explains the colt’s breeding and behavior, while the stableman adds humorous firsthand stories about the colt’s energetic nature.
• Wada meets Witch Queen 2026 for the first time, judging his build and imagining his racing style.
• Kitano’s gentle farewell-like statement to the colt closes the chapter on an understated but meaningful emotional note.

Chapter Summary: “Kelp and Curry”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The first day of the Hokkaido Horse Sale concludes after Kitano and his companions spend most of the auction using [Detectors] to search for promising yearlings, though they acquire only one: a bay colt by Victory Within Reach out of a mare by Saint King’s Halo.
• On the drive home, Kitano reflects on the auction’s market trends:
  • Offspring of highly popular stallions such as Kitasan Black and Equinox command high prices.
  • Dirt-racing potential is especially valued, even by owners active in both central and regional racing.
  • Foals by less fashionable stallions, particularly third-season sires or those with uncertain dirt aptitude, are more likely to be bought back or sold at the reserve price.
  • Buyers have become more knowledgeable, making it harder for breeders to profit merely from a horse’s size, appearance, or famous farm affiliation.
• Kitano believes the newly purchased colt has significant potential, despite disagreeing with the production farm about the colt’s recommended racing path. He intends to pursue his own judgment rather than follow their advice.
• After returning to the farm, the group discusses the colt over dinner. They note his unusual appearance and short tail but praise his hooves, fetlocks, bone structure, forechest, and calm temperament.
• Rachel Ho receives credit for identifying the colt as a candidate. Kitano publicly thanks and praises her, embarrassing her.
• Later, the group discusses Pavlova’s future. Kitano suggests she remain in Hokkaido rather than move to a trainer’s stable in Kyushu, believing she may be better protected and more manageable there, even if the regional purses are lower.
• The chapter closes with Kitano privately acknowledging that managing racehorses is complicated and unpredictable.

Character Developments

• Kitano demonstrates increasingly sophisticated knowledge of the auction market, recognizing how stallion popularity, racing aptitude, pricing thresholds, and buyer expertise shape outcomes. He trusts his own evaluation of the new colt and quietly rejects the production farm’s preferred plan.
• Rachel Ho gains confidence and recognition after her instinctive recommendation leads the farm to purchase the colt. Her pride quickly turns to embarrassment when everyone celebrates her contribution.
• The farm staff become more unified and invested in the new horse, openly analyzing his physical traits and temperament. Their discussion shows growing familiarity with evaluating potential racehorses.
• Kitano’s view of Pavlova is pragmatic rather than sentimental. He doubts her ability to succeed at a higher level and favors keeping her somewhere she can be supported and protected, though he cannot openly explain this without discouraging the others.

Significant Themes

• Market judgment versus appearance: The auction rewards pedigree and conformation, but experienced buyers increasingly look beyond superficial traits.
• Knowledge in the Information Age: As information becomes widely available, exaggerated reputations and easily exploited trends lose influence.
• Risk and uncertainty: Even expensive, highly praised horses may fail, while less fashionable horses can become valuable discoveries.
• Expertise and instinct: Rachel’s intuition complements Kitano’s analysis, suggesting that successful horse selection depends on both experience and sudden insight.
• Pragmatism in horse racing: Financial realities, racing circuits, subsidies, training locations, and a horse’s actual ability all affect decisions.
• Community and belonging: The farm’s shared meal and discussion turn the new colt into a collective project, while Rachel’s recognition strengthens her place within the group.

Character Interactions

• Kitano listens to and evaluates the auction observations made by those around him while forming his own conclusions.
• At dinner, the farm members debate the colt’s strengths and weaknesses, balancing criticism of his appearance with optimism about his athletic potential.
• Kitano thanks Rachel by filling her glass, prompting teasing celebration from the others and making her visibly flustered.
• The group debates Pavlova’s future in Hokkaido versus Kyushu. Kitano’s understated answer causes some misunderstanding, revealing that he is withholding his pessimistic assessment of her ability.
• The relaxed dinner and tea-table conversations emphasize the farm’s growing camaraderie and shared investment in its horses.

Late July Roundup — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a hot late-July morning in Hokkaido, Rachel Ho and Kikuchi leave the air-conditioned break room to begin the farm’s daily pasture roundup.
• Asayama uses GPS to monitor the grazing routes and calls the herd back. Dober, the thirty-three-year-old leader, returns first, with the newly arrived Pavlova 2026 following closely beside her.
• Aru follows at a slower pace, while Mejiro Sakuya, recovering from the Teio Sho, arrives last after repeatedly stopping to eat grass.
• The farm has successfully completed harvesting and baling the Summer Cut. Although the regrown grass is less nutritious, Sakuya has been eating enough of it to require reduced feed and more exercise.
• Dober returns covered in mud despite her energetic condition. Asayama asks the staff group to bathe her, and Ravide takes charge of washing her, easily avoiding her playful attempts to bite.
• At the one-year-old boys’ pasture, Kikuchi struggles to wake Witch Queen 2026, who is sleeping in the heat. He only gets up when she offers him a mint candy, immediately demonstrating his strong appetite.
• Back at the stable, Kitano and Ogawa Kanna discuss Witch Queen 2026’s training schedule. Kanna suggests beginning round-pen work the following week, but Kitano worries that this may be premature.
• Kanna concludes that although the foal has a promising build, he still needs to develop better body control. However, because he accepts saddling and the bit calmly and appears even-tempered, his training plan may be accelerated or specially adjusted.

Character Developments

• Dober continues to display remarkable vitality despite her advanced age, behaving energetically enough to seem younger than she is. Her habit of getting muddy leads others to bathe her frequently, creating the impression that she is especially healthy and radiant.
• Mejiro Sakuya is shown as a relaxed, indulgent eater during her recovery. Her slow pace and constant grazing amuse the staff but also prompt practical concerns about exercise and diet.
• Witch Queen 2026 appears lazy and difficult to wake, yet his instant response to mint and continued grazing reveal his powerful food motivation. His calm behavior during early handling suggests good potential for training.
• Pavlova 2026 is portrayed as dependent on Dober, following closely beside the older mare like a foal seeking guidance.
• Aru is energetic enough to rush directly to the water trough after returning from the pasture.
• Ravide demonstrates experience and confidence while bathing Dober, treating her attempts to bite as manageable compared with more difficult horses.
• Ogawa Kanna shows careful observational skill and adaptability as she evaluates Witch Queen 2026’s physical development, temperament, and readiness for training.

Significant Themes

• Aging and vitality: Dober’s energy challenges assumptions about age and shows that an old horse can remain vigorous and spirited.
• Care and recovery: The staff carefully monitor the horses’ diets, exercise, cleanliness, and health, especially Sakuya during her post-race recuperation.
• Individualized training: Witch Queen 2026’s program is being designed around his specific strengths and weaknesses rather than following a fixed schedule.
• The contrast between appearance and reality: Dober looks exceptionally youthful because she is frequently bathed after getting muddy, while Sakuya’s innocent appearance hides how much grass she has eaten.
• Animal personality and routine: The horses’ habits—Dober’s mud rolling, Sakuya’s grazing, and Witch Queen’s love of mint—give the farm an everyday, familial atmosphere.

Character Interactions

• Rachel and Kikuchi share a brief moment of exhaustion over the intense summer heat.
• Asayama manages the roundup, joking with and gently admonishing the horses while coordinating care through the farm group chat.
• Asayama apologizes to Ravide for handing over Dober, but Ravide confidently reassures him that she is easier to handle than Pegasus.
• Kikuchi uses her knowledge of Witch Queen 2026’s appetite to wake him with mint candy, highlighting their familiar relationship.
• Kitano and Ogawa Kanna engage in a professional discussion about the foal’s readiness, balancing caution with recognition of his unusual potential.

Chapter Summary: Summer’s Second Act

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kitano rises at 4:30 a.m. to begin preparations for the Summer Sale at Hokkaido Market, accompanied by Zepp.
• After purchasing only Witch Queen 2026 at the previous Hokkaido Horse Sale, Kitano and his staff intensify their preparation for the much larger Summer Sale, which offers over 1,300 horses.
• The farm narrows the field to roughly thirty potential purchases by reviewing pedigrees, photographs, leg and throat conditions, and other physical details before attending the auction.
• At the crowded, sweltering venue, Kitano and Zepp prepare to inspect six rounds of yearling displays and verify horses against the catalog and absentee lists.
• A red heatstroke alert is issued, but the displays continue despite the oppressive conditions.
• Kitano uses the mysterious [Detector] ability on a difficult-tempered bay colt, discovering that it possesses a breeding trait for explosive acceleration. However, the colt also has a serious temperament issue and nearly kicks Zepp.
• As Kitano inspects more horses, he finds that the Summer Sale contains many animals with useful breeding traits, but also an unusually high number of negative traits, including [Early Decline], [Small Frame], [Fragile], and [Prone to Weight Gain].
• Overwhelmed by the heat and concerned about Zepp’s condition, Kitano abandons the remaining displays and heads toward the auction venue to secure seats.
• Just as they are leaving, Kitano uses the [Detector] again and finally finds something that excites him, causing his heartbeat to quicken. The chapter ends before revealing what he has discovered.

Character Developments

• Kitano demonstrates increasing expertise as an owner and breeder. He has become more selective, evaluating horses not simply for visible quality but for breeding value, market price, pedigree compatibility, and hidden traits.
• His ability to remain unaffected by the heat and fatigue gives him an advantage over other buyers, though the scale and physical demands of the sale still test his endurance.
• Kitano also shows greater responsibility toward his staff, deciding to leave the displays early when Zepp appears close to collapse.
• Zepp remains loyal and energetic but is visibly worn down by the heat. After nearly being kicked by the difficult colt, he becomes noticeably more cautious during inspections.
• The farm staff as a whole have grown more capable, reflecting their experience from previous auctions and their improved ability to shortlist promising horses.

Significant Themes

• The difficulty of selecting breeding stock: A horse’s value depends on more than appearance or racing potential; pedigree, temperament, physical soundness, inherited traits, and future breeding compatibility all matter.
• Hidden potential versus hidden flaws: The [Detector] reveals qualities that ordinary buyers cannot see, but desirable traits are often accompanied by serious disadvantages.
• The physical and economic pressure of the auction world: The extreme heat, crowded venue, long hours, and intense competition emphasize how demanding the horse-trading business is, particularly for smaller owners.
• Experience and disciplined preparation: Kitano’s careful filtering process shows how professional judgment and preparation help manage an overwhelming number of choices.
• Anticipation and discovery: The closing moment builds suspense around Kitano’s newest find and suggests that the next horse may be especially important.

Character Interactions

• Kitano and Zepp work closely as a team, with Kitano directing the inspection process and Zepp checking physical details such as hooves.
• Kitano warns Zepp about the bay colt’s dangerous temperament, but Zepp initially remains casual until the colt suddenly raises a hoof and frightens him.
• Their exchange highlights Kitano’s caution and Zepp’s willingness to follow his employer’s judgment.
• Kitano also interacts with grooms from smaller farms, who eagerly introduce their horses to him, apparently recognizing him as a serious or promising buyer.
• The chapter ends with Kitano leading Zepp away from the displays, prioritizing his companion’s health while privately discovering a potentially valuable horse.

Chapter Summary: “Descendant of an Idol”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kitano attends the Hokkaido Summer Sale with his farrier, Zepp, intending to purchase promising horses.
• He notices that financially troubled Sato Farm is auctioning horses, suggesting the farm may be under serious pressure.
• While reviewing the catalog, Kitano identifies Idol of the Masses 2026, a gray filly by Imperial Pegasus and out of a mare descended from the legendary Oguri Cap.
• Although the filly’s immediate pedigree and family racing records are unimpressive, her bloodline contains valuable traits: Gray, Speed, and Explosiveness. Kitano also suspects she may possess two additional undiscovered traits.
• Kitano marks several other horses for consideration, demonstrating that he is still pursuing his original purchasing plans rather than waiting solely for the filly.
• The auction begins, and Kitano spends much of the day reviewing pedigrees and bidding possibilities. The long event leaves many attendees, including Kitano, exhausted.
• When Lot 193 finally appears late in the evening, the filly attracts several bidders despite her low starting price of two million yen.
• The bidding becomes competitive between Kitano, a goateed on-site owner, and another buyer bidding remotely. Kitano continues raising his offer until the bidding ends around the mid-five-million-yen range.
• The chapter closes with Kitano relieved that the filly was sold during the relatively cheaper Summer Sale, implying that he successfully secured her at a favorable price.

Character Developments

• Kitano is shown as an increasingly knowledgeable and strategic horse buyer. He values not only visible racing records but also hidden genetic potential and future breeding value.
• His decision to pursue the filly despite her weak immediate family record reveals his willingness to take calculated risks based on pedigree and special traits.
• Kitano also demonstrates composure and persistence during a long, tiring auction, remaining focused until his chosen target appears.
• Zepp continues to serve as Kitano’s imposing but loyal assistant. His exaggerated reactions and occasional language difficulties provide comic relief, while his admiration for the filly’s pedigree emphasizes how exceptional Kitano’s choice appears to others.
• Kitano’s confidence contrasts with Zepp’s disbelief, highlighting Kitano’s unusual insight into the horse’s potential.

Significant Themes

• Hidden potential versus conventional reputation: The filly’s poor racing family and modest starting price contrast sharply with the value Kitano sees in her bloodline and traits.
• The importance of pedigree: The chapter presents bloodlines as a central source of hope, prestige, and future breeding value in horse racing.
• Calculated risk and investment: Kitano is willing to pay above the filly’s apparent market value because he believes her genetic traits will make her valuable later.
• Economic hardship: Rumors about Sato Farm’s financial troubles and its decision to auction valuable horses reveal the precarious financial realities of the horse-breeding industry.
• Endurance and patience: The lengthy auction tests the buyers’ concentration, emphasizing that success requires waiting, observation, and timing.
• Past legends shaping the future: Oguri Cap’s legacy gives the filly symbolic and potentially practical value, connecting her to racing history while suggesting the possibility of producing a new champion.

Character Interactions

• Kitano and Zepp discuss the filly’s pedigree, with Zepp reacting strongly to Kitano’s apparently unconventional target.
• Zepp’s public outburst attracts attention from nearby owners, forcing him to apologize and reinforcing his role as both a formidable presence and an occasionally awkward companion.
• During the auction, Kitano enters a tense bidding contest with the goateed owner and an online bidder. The competition appears to become personal for the other bidders, while Kitano remains focused and determined.
• Kitano’s relief after the final bid shows how much pressure he felt while competing for the filly and suggests that he believes he has obtained an unusually valuable horse at a reasonable price.

Chapter Summary: A Bloodline That Had to Be Passed Down No Matter What

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Summer Sale auction continues after the purchase of another horse for 5.2 million yen.
• Mejiro Farm, represented online by Mr. Kitano, targets Lot 213: Journey of Miracles 2026, a chestnut filly by the unproven stallion Jinjiki and out of a Stay Gold mare.
• The filly attracts attention because of her striking appearance and spirited, difficult behavior, including prancing and tugging against her handler.
• Although her catalog description is unremarkable and her sire’s offspring lack consistent physical traits, Kitano discovers that she possesses a rare breeding trait represented by two special icons. This indicates that the trait is exceptionally likely to be passed down through her descendants.
• Kitano begins bidding online at 5.2 million yen. Other buyers join because of the mare line, Stay Gold blood, and Jinjiki’s reputation as an Osaka Cup winner.
• The price rises steadily past 7 million and eventually reaches 10 million yen. Most bidders withdraw because the filly is temperamental, her full sibling has achieved only modest results, and Jinjiki remains an uncertain sire.
• Kitano continues bidding without hesitation and ultimately purchases her for 11 million yen, believing she is an extraordinarily valuable future broodmare.
• Yoshitaka messages Kitano afterward, saying he would have bid harder if he had known Mejiro Farm was competing. Kitano responds that he will continue supporting their efforts as well.
• Kitano stays until the auction concludes. One horse is bought back, while two others are purchased by the JRA as lottery horses.
• After sunset, Kitano and Zepp leave the venue exhausted but excited, heading to see the horse they have acquired.

Character Developments

• Mr. Kitano demonstrates confidence, decisiveness, and a willingness to invest heavily when he recognizes genuine long-term value. Unlike the other buyers, he focuses less on immediate racing performance and more on breeding potential.
• His knowledge of the special hereditary trait reveals that he is thinking strategically about bloodlines and the future of Mejiro Farm.
• Zepp remains a loyal companion and business partner. Though disappointed about money spent earlier, he shares Kitano’s excitement and exhaustion after successfully securing the filly.
• Yoshitaka shows respect for Kitano’s judgment and some regret that he did not participate more aggressively in the bidding.
• The other owners and trainers are portrayed as cautious and influenced by conventional concerns such as temperament, sire reputation, and racing results.

Significant Themes

• The value of bloodlines over immediate results: Kitano sees the filly’s hereditary potential as more important than her current lack of notable achievements.
• Risk and long-term investment: Buying an expensive, temperamental horse by an unproven stallion reflects the uncertainty inherent in horse racing and breeding.
• Instinct versus conventional judgment: Most buyers hesitate because the filly does not fit established expectations, while Kitano trusts the rare trait he has identified.
• The transmission of legacy: The chapter emphasizes the idea that certain qualities must be preserved and passed down, making the filly important not merely as a racehorse but as the foundation of a future bloodline.
• Auction psychology: The rising bids show how competition, atmosphere, and fear of missing out can push buyers beyond their original limits.

Character Interactions

• Kitano and Zepp work together throughout the auction, sharing observations and reacting to the bidding.
• Kitano’s online bid unexpectedly drives the sale into a competitive bidding war, while other owners debate the filly’s potential.
• Yoshitaka contacts Kitano after the purchase, expressing admiration and regret at not bidding further.
• The chapter ends with Kitano and Zepp walking together toward the handover area, eager to meet their newly purchased horse.

Chapter Summary: “Moonlight”

Key Plot Points and Events

• President Kitano encounters Koshiro Take and Takataka Matsumoto while heading to the horse handover area after the auction.
• They discuss their purchases at the Summer Sale. Matsumoto’s group has continued its long-standing practice of supporting Hidaka-bred horses, and Yoshitaka reveals that his father wants to establish a support club for Hidaka horses with Kitano.
• Kitano reflects on the importance of breeding and training farms. Buying a racehorse is only the first step; the horse must be properly raised, trained, transferred to a stable, and prepared for its debut.
• He acknowledges that many Hidaka and Niikappu farms have weaker training systems, which makes their horses cheaper but also creates risks for owners.
• Kitano takes possession of a lively chestnut filly from Kyowa Farm, the breeder of Miracle Journey’s 2026 foal. Her temperament and Stay Gold bloodline make her difficult but potentially valuable as a broodmare.
• Zepp examines the filly and believes she may perform on both turf and dirt. Kitano disagrees, revealing that his detection ability shows poor aptitude for both surfaces.
• Despite the filly’s limited racing potential, Kitano believes she could become an excellent broodmare and sends her away for transport.
• Back at the temporary stables, breeder representative Sato thanks Kitano for purchasing the filly. A gray filly awakens and yawns in the moonlight, providing the chapter’s closing image.

Character Developments

• Kitano demonstrates increasing knowledge and responsibility as a horse owner. He understands that success depends not only on selecting horses but also on managing their training, care, and future development.
• His practical judgment is emphasized when he rejects Zepp’s optimistic assessment of the chestnut filly’s racing ability. Rather than forcing unrealistic expectations, Kitano evaluates her honestly and identifies her value as a broodmare.
• Yoshitaka Matsumoto continues to represent his family’s commitment to Hidaka-bred horses and hints at a closer partnership between the Matsumotos and Kitano.
• Zepp remains observant and technically knowledgeable, carefully inspecting the filly’s hooves and conformation, though his racing evaluation differs from Kitano’s.
• Sato and the Kyowa Farm grooms are shown as sincere and appreciative, reinforcing the personal relationships developing between Kitano and the breeders.

Significant Themes

• The hidden labor behind racing success: A horse’s performance is the result of daily training, breeding, care, and stable management, not merely auction selection.
• Balancing potential with reality: Kitano recognizes that not every horse will become a successful racer and values the chestnut filly for her breeding potential instead.
• Tradition versus modernization: Many Hidaka farms still rely on older methods, while newer training approaches are beginning to emerge in nearby regions.
• Luck and responsibility: Kitano attributes his large number of Hidaka horses partly to coincidence, but the chapter shows that maintaining them successfully requires deliberate effort.
• Cooperation within the racing industry: Auctions serve not only as marketplaces but also as opportunities to form lasting relationships among owners, breeders, trainers, and stable staff.

Character Interactions

• Kitano and the Matsumotos exchange polite congratulations and discuss their shared involvement with Hidaka-bred horses.
• Kitano speaks respectfully with the Kyowa Farm grooms, who apologize for the filly’s difficult temperament.
• Kitano and Zepp disagree over the filly’s racing aptitude, highlighting their different interpretations of her physical traits and potential.
• Sato expresses gratitude to Kitano, while Kitano credits Sato’s efforts, reinforcing their mutual respect.
• The final interaction is quiet and symbolic: the gray filly wakes and yawns beneath the moonlight, suggesting an as-yet-unknown future.

Chapter Summary: The Filly Who Carried Dreams

Key Plot Points and Events

• A German farrier, Zepp, examines the newly arrived gray filly, Idol of the Masses 2026, focusing on her legs, hooves, and overall conformation.
• Zepp concludes that her upright pasterns, round hooves, and bloodline suggest she is naturally suited to dirt racing, though her hindquarters need development through training.
• Kitano privately checks the filly’s game-like status information, which contradicts the farrier’s assessment: despite her dirt-oriented pedigree, her track aptitude is listed as turf ◎ and dirt △. Her only clearly notable statistics are Speed E and Mental Strength S-, leaving almost everything else unknown.
• The transport returns to Mitsuishi, where the farm employees welcome the filly under the moonlight. Her arrival evokes comparisons to Oguri Cap, emphasizing the importance of her bloodline.
• A chestnut filly is introduced alongside her. The chestnut reacts defensively when Rachel Ho tries to touch her, revealing a more difficult temperament, while the gray filly appears curious and calm.
• After settling the horses, the exhausted staff share a late dinner of reheated prepared meals. Their casual conversation turns to the gray filly’s potential and the farm’s financial future.
• Rachel suggests that the farm might eventually meet the requirements to enter the central racing circuit by increasing its recorded revenue through the sale of a future foal from M-chan. Kikuchi warns that artificially inflating prices could be treated as an illegal disguised capital contribution.
• The group concludes that their best hope is for M-chan to produce an exceptional foal next year—at least one impressive enough to attract attention and financial support.
• The chapter ends with Sato Farm publicly thanking Mejiro Farm for financially supporting the purchase of Idol of the Masses 2026.

Character Developments

• Kitano continues to balance practical racing knowledge with the inexplicable information provided by the game-like system. He recognizes that the filly may defy conventional expectations, reinforcing his growing belief in racing’s unpredictability.
• Zepp is established as observant and technically knowledgeable, offering a realistic evaluation of the filly’s physical strengths and weaknesses. His appetite and desire for extra curry also provide comic relief.
• Rachel Ho demonstrates her strong intuition and optimistic “inspiration-type” instincts. She immediately senses that the gray filly may suit turf despite her pedigree and confidently predicts that M-chan’s future foal will be remarkable.
• Kikuchi acts as the practical and legally informed counterbalance to Rachel’s enthusiasm, warning the group about the dangers of manipulating prices or accounts.
• Ravide raises the issue of the farm’s possible move toward the central circuit, highlighting the organization’s financial limitations.
• The gray filly is characterized as curious, composed, and mysterious, while the chestnut filly appears wary and temperamental.

Significant Themes

• The unpredictability of horse racing: The filly’s apparent dirt pedigree conflicts with her system-indicated turf aptitude, suggesting that statistics, bloodlines, and expert judgment cannot fully predict a horse’s future.
• Dreams versus financial reality: The farm’s ambitions are limited by expenses, owner-screening requirements, and the cost of acquiring Dazzling Move. Their dreams depend on future success in breeding and racing.
• Bloodline and inheritance: References to Oguri Cap and M-chan’s potential foal emphasize how the farm’s hopes are tied to lineage and the possibility of producing a future star.
• Legitimate success versus manipulation: The discussion of inflated sales and disguised capital contributions underscores the ethical and legal boundaries surrounding farm finances.
• Hope and collective belief: Despite uncertainty, the employees unite around the hope that the filly—and eventually her descendants—will become exceptional.

Character Interactions

• Zepp discusses the filly’s conformation with Kitano, giving a professional but incomplete assessment that Kitano’s hidden system information challenges.
• The employees warmly welcome the gray filly, while Rachel’s attempted interaction with the chestnut exposes the latter’s defensive nature.
• Rachel and Kitano debate the filly’s racing potential, with Rachel’s intuition contrasting with Kitano’s skepticism.
• Ravide questions Kitano about entering the central circuit, prompting a discussion of the farm’s financial and structural obstacles.
• Rachel proposes a creative financial solution involving M-chan’s future foal, while Kikuchi immediately explains why such a strategy could be legally dangerous.
• The entire group ends the evening sharing hopes for a successful foal and a brighter future for the farm.

Chapter Summary: “Run Fast”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kitano wakes at 4:25 a.m. after a restless night, already exhausted but determined to endure the remaining four days of the auction.
• He spends the morning handling complicated work and post-auction matters before beginning another demanding day of evaluating horses.
• On the drive to Hokkaido Market, Kitano falls asleep from fatigue. Zepp wakes him when they arrive.
• Zepp observes that many of the horses appear suited to dirt racing, prompting discussion of the ongoing “turf versus dirt” issue in Japanese horse breeding:
  • Major farms dominate turf racing, making competition difficult for smaller breeders.
  • Rising local-racing prize money has increased demand for dirt horses.
  • Many breeders therefore favor dirt-oriented breeding for financial stability, while turf-suited foals often receive less attention at the Summer Sale.
• Kitano meets Mr. Kimura of New Life Ranch, who proudly presents a bay colt from Opera Lady and New Year’s Celebration.
• Kimura explains that he deliberately bred the colt for strong turf aptitude and a range from sprint to middle-distance races. He remains committed to producing turf horses despite New Life Ranch’s reputation for dirt-racing success.
• Kitano recognizes that the colt has promising distance ability but lacks sufficient speed and fighting spirit.
• Kimura insists that breeding horses with “absolute speed” is essential, arguing that only fast horses can win races. Kitano reflects on similar advice from jockey Yutaka Take, whose repeated emphasis on making horses “run fast” deeply influenced him.
• Kitano leaves the encounter humbled, realizing he still has much to learn compared with elite breeders.
• He approaches the second auction day more seriously than the first, but the day ends unsuccessfully: he finds no horses he considers capable of true speed.

Character Developments

• Kitano demonstrates discipline and perseverance despite severe fatigue. His confidence from the previous day’s successes fades as he confronts the difficulty of finding exceptional horses.
• His standards continue to rise: he is no longer satisfied with horses possessing merely suitable pedigrees or distance aptitude and is specifically searching for genuine speed and competitive drive.
• Kitano gains a deeper appreciation of the complexity of breeding fast horses, understanding that speed depends on conformation, stride, cardiovascular capacity, bone strength, and muscle elasticity.
• Mr. Kimura is portrayed as a committed, principled breeder who refuses to abandon his long-term focus on turf speed, even though his ranch is famous for dirt racing.
• Zepp continues acting as Kitano’s practical companion, making observations about the market and assisting him during the exhausting auction schedule.

Significant Themes

• Speed as the foundation of racing success: The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that distance aptitude and pedigree are insufficient without the ability and will to run fast.
• Turf versus dirt breeding: Breeders must balance artistic or sporting ambitions with market demand and financial survival.
• Individual breeding philosophy: Kimura’s dedication to turf horses contrasts with the broader dirt-racing trend, showing that successful breeding requires conviction as well as commercial awareness.
• Humility and continual improvement: Kitano’s disappointment forces him to reassess his abilities and recognize the gap between his developing expertise and that of experienced breeders.
• The difficulty of producing excellence: True racing quality is shown as the result of multiple physical and mental traits working together, not a single desirable pedigree or appearance.

Character Interactions

• Kitano and Zepp share a brief, practical exchange before traveling, with Kitano relying on Zepp to wake him upon arrival.
• Kitano and Mr. Kimura engage in a substantive discussion about the colt’s breeding, its distance potential, and the differing goals of turf and dirt programs.
• Kimura’s confident salesmanship contrasts with Kitano’s analytical skepticism: Kimura highlights the colt’s strengths, while Kitano notices its lack of speed and fighting spirit.
• Kitano’s thoughts also connect Kimura’s philosophy with Yutaka Take’s earlier advice, reinforcing the chapter’s central belief that a horse’s essential quality is its capacity to run fast.

Summary

Over the first three days of the auction, Kitano fails to win a single horse, leading him to question whether continuing is worth the time away from his farm. Nevertheless, he remains committed to the Summer Sale on the final day and broadens his targets beyond his original choices. He considers inexpensive, unpopular horses—especially smaller or later-born youngsters priced under five million yen—rather than focusing only on horses likely to qualify for subsidies.
The chapter explains how regional auction subsidies shape buyer behavior. Subsidies generally cover forty to fifty percent of horses purchased above five million yen, with higher thresholds in places such as Oi and Hyogo. Because applications must go through trainers, owners and trainers often attend auctions as prearranged pairs. Trainers tend to favor more expensive or promising horses, while owners worry about exceeding their budgets. As buyers repeatedly lose bids, they gradually become willing to consider fillies, less fashionable bloodlines, or smaller horses. However, many buyers make the same adjustments, creating intense competition around the subsidy threshold. Kitano, who has failed to win a subsidy slot in three years, recognizes that he no longer needs to pursue such horses, though he privately resents never having benefited from the system.
Kitano and Zepp arrive at Hokkaido Market in oppressive heat and inspect the temporary stables. Their conversation is casual and occasionally teasing: they discuss whether horses appear better suited to turf or dirt and examine weaknesses in their legs and hooves. Zepp mocks Kitano’s frustration over subsidies, while Kitano admits that the failure still bothers him. Despite evaluating many inexpensive youngsters, they identify no definite purchases. Because Mejiro Farm has limited space—and because the expensive Keeneland November Sale remains ahead—this was supposed to be a year when the farm restrained its buying.
Kitano’s thoughts shift toward the larger purpose of his business. He reflects that the racing industry is both difficult to enter and broad enough for breeders to survive without producing champions. Yet merely earning a living would make his efforts meaningless. He wants to balance enjoyment with sound business decisions and recognizes that building a farm’s reputation will take at least ten years, even though time will pass quickly. Unlike Kimura, whose ambition is “faster than the fastest,” Kitano has no precise dream, but he hopes to create his own identity through the idea of “horse racing of possibilities.”
The chapter ends with Kitano and Zepp continuing their inspection together. When Zepp asks what Kitano was thinking, Kitano denies it and instead focuses on the practical task at hand, asking to examine every horse in the stable group carefully.

Key Developments and Themes

• Kitano: Becomes more pragmatic, accepting that he may need to search for overlooked horses rather than chase subsidy-friendly prospects. His frustration also reveals a deeper determination to establish Mejiro Farm’s identity.
• Zepp: Acts as Kitano’s blunt, teasing companion and practical partner during inspections.
• Themes: The tension between idealism and business, the unpredictable economics of auctions, the effects of subsidy systems, patience in building a farm, and the value of discovering overlooked potential.
• Character interaction: Kitano and Zepp share an easy but sharp relationship, combining technical discussion, humor, criticism, and mutual cooperation.

Kitano discovered a dark bay colt named Holiday Hymn 2026 whose face resembled Equinox, and the Detector showed an unusually high speed rating despite the colt’s history of illness. Kitano bought him at the Summer Sale for 5.1 million yen and examined him with Zepp after the auction.

• Kitano and Zepp noticed that the dark bay colt looked almost exactly like Equinox and checked his pedigree and medical history.
• Kitano used the Detector on Holiday Hymn 2026 and found his speed rating was B-, the highest they had directly detected so far.
• Kitano bid on lot 1197 and bought the colt for 5.1 million yen.
• After the auction, Kitano and Zepp examined the colt, discussed his likely sprint-miler range, and Kitano soothed him when the farrier startled him.

Chapter Summary: “The Second Naming Meeting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The club receives a new dark bay foal, Holiday Hymn 2026, after the president apparently “kidnapped” it. The members are immediately charmed by its unusual, uncoordinated gait and friendly, curious personality.
• The foal is introduced to the stable and given special attention because of possible digestive issues. The club agrees to follow the breeding farm’s feed formula temporarily, emphasizing highly digestible food, reduced concentrates, defatted soybean meal, flaxseed oil, and smaller, more frequent meals. Manure and digestion will be monitored closely.
• The members hold a long naming session based on the year’s theme, “Radiance.” Several names are rejected because they have already been used or seem unsuitable.
• Names are provisionally or finally chosen for several 2026 foals:

Pavlova 2026 → Kigetsu

Idol of the Masses 2026 → Kisei

Victory Within Reach’s foal → Kikimaru

Jinjiki’s foal → Huibin

Brimming Glory’s foal → Kikyo

• After the naming meeting, the exhausted club members retire, but Kitano stays behind to consider the farm’s future racing and breeding plans.
• Although Detector has helped identify promising future racing and breeding horses, Kitano worries about competing on the highly competitive central turf circuit. He checks the Advisory Team’s support function but finds it only offers breaking advice, not broader guidance on raising young horses.
• Accepting that the club must manage the foals’ development themselves, Kitano contacts Mr. Ogawa and asks him to care for Brimming Glory’s foal, Kikyo.

Character Developments

• Holiday Hymn 2026 is established as a quirky, good-natured foal with distinctive movement and a potentially sensitive digestive system.
• Kitano demonstrates practical responsibility and long-term concern for the farm. He helps determine Holiday Hymn’s feed plan, struggles with the naming process, and begins planning the foals’ future development.
• Kikuchi remains playful and enthusiastic, proposing humorous names such as Kikimaru and appreciating the wordplay behind them.
• Rachel Ho and Zepp show strong excitement over amusing or clever names, particularly Kikimaru, though their enthusiasm is not fully explained.
• Miracle Journey, represented through Jinjiki’s foal, is described as difficult-tempered and troublesome. The foal has quickly become attached to Dober, and the pair return from turnout equally filthy, suggesting a mischievous relationship.
• Ravide contributes practical suggestions, especially regarding feed and possible names.
• Mr. Ogawa is entrusted with part of the farm’s future development, specifically the care of Kikyo.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility and preparation: The club must make careful decisions about nutrition, training, and future racing rather than relying entirely on outside systems.
• The challenges of raising young horses: Each foal has individual needs, from digestive sensitivity to temperament, requiring customized care.
• Collaboration and community: The members contribute different forms of expertise while working together on feeding, naming, and planning.
• Hope and uncertainty: The foals represent future racing potential, but their success—especially on the central circuit—is far from guaranteed.
• Humor and camaraderie: The naming debate, playful puns, and quirky horse personalities lighten the practical concerns surrounding the farm.

Character Interactions

• The club members warmly welcome and pet Holiday Hymn, treating the foal as part of the farm immediately.
• Kitano, Ravide, Rachel Ho, and the others work together to design a safe feeding program, balancing nutritional needs against digestive risks.
• The group debates names enthusiastically, with Kikuchi, Rachel Ho, Zepp, and Ravide contributing ideas and reactions.
• Kikuchi’s pun-based proposal of Kikimaru energizes Rachel Ho and Zepp, while her humorous commentary helps sustain the otherwise tiring naming meeting.
• Kitano’s final message to Ogawa shows him coordinating with people outside the immediate group to ensure the foals receive proper care.