Thursday of the fourth week of September, Jian'an Racetrack.
By four thirty in the afternoon, Zhang Jun had already arrived at the racetrack.
Today was Cloudstream Flying Shadow's first local race, her first attempt at a Graded Stakes event, and Zhang Jun's first Graded Stakes race as an owner—the CN3 Jian'an Fillies' Championship.
The sunset painted the sky orange-red, while wisps of cloud were scattered by the evening breeze.
The temperature was pleasant. Though it had briefly exceeded thirty degrees at noon, it had now dropped to around twenty-four or twenty-five degrees—perfect weather for racing.
Zhang Jun passed through the racetrack gates and showed his owner credentials at the entrance.
After the staff verified them, they let him through. Rather than heading straight to the owners' seats, Zhang Jun detoured toward the stable area inside the racetrack.
Since it was a weekday, the racetrack was not particularly crowded. Only a handful of racing reporters and veteran fans had arrived early, gathering in small groups to discuss today's races. More fans chose to sneak a look at this Graded Stakes race during breaks at work.
Zhang Jun followed the familiar passage into the stable area. He had learned the location of the stall Lin Zhi rented at the racetrack during Shadow Hunter's previous race, and he found it with ease.
Before he even drew near, he heard Lin Zhi's booming voice.
"Yes, yes. Tighten the leg wraps, but not too tight. Leave room for her legs to move."
"Have you checked the horseshoes? They were changed yesterday afternoon, so there shouldn't be any problem."
"How is Cloudstream Flying Shadow feeling today?"
As Zhang Jun rounded the corner, he saw Lin Zhi standing outside Cloudstream Flying Shadow's stall, directing Zheng Shan and several assistants through their pre-race preparations.
Cloudstream Flying Shadow had already been led from her stall and stood in the middle of the passageway. She looked full of energy today. Her dark brown eyes were bright and alert, and her ears flicked nimbly as she occasionally surveyed her surroundings.
Her coat gleamed healthily beneath the lights—her reddish-brown hair was smooth as silk, while her black mane and tail had been groomed neatly. The white "sock" on her right foreleg was especially eye-catching, like a battle boot she had deliberately put on.
Lin Zhi and Zheng Shan greeted Zhang Jun when they saw him, then continued checking Cloudstream Flying Shadow's condition.
Zhang Jun approached Cloudstream Flying Shadow and stroked her neck. She lowered her head of her own accord and gently rubbed it against his palm.
"She seems to know she's racing today," Zhang Jun said with a smile.
"Racehorses are very intelligent animals." Lin Zhi nodded.
"Especially one like Cloudstream Flying Shadow, who's sensitive to changes in her environment. After she was transported to the racetrack yesterday, she was more excited than usual."
Cloudstream Flying Shadow snorted, as if responding.
A staff member stood at the entrance to the racetrack stables, calling for the horses to come out.
Zhang Jun did not disturb them further. He patted Cloudstream Flying Shadow's neck. "Good luck. Prove yourself." He then nodded to Lin Zhi and Zheng Shan before turning toward the owners' seats.
A few minutes later, Cloudstream Flying Shadow emerged from the passageway as the commentator introduced her. Due to her poor performances in her earlier central races, coupled with her sixth-place finish in her first turf race, she was not very popular. Among the fifteen horses, she ranked ninth in popularity.
After circling the parade ring for several minutes, the jockeys appeared. Shan Yao bowed, then ran to Cloudstream Flying Shadow and mounted her with Lin Zhi's help.
"After the race starts, don't rush to fight for position over the first eight hundred meters." Lin Zhi looked at Shan Yao.
"Cloudstream Flying Shadow isn't especially quick out of the gate, but she accelerates well and is suited to a closing style. However, Jian'an's home stretch is too short, which isn't favorable for late runners. So in this race, we'll stay at the back of the forward group. Your job is to get her out of the gate steadily, then find a position in the front half of the pack, around sixth to eighth."
"You know the characteristics of Jian'an Racetrack," Lin Zhi continued.
"The final turn is entirely uphill, and many horses burn a great deal of stamina there. But Cloudstream Flying Shadow has enough stamina to run two thousand meters, with plenty left for an uphill acceleration."
"After entering the third turn, gradually move up. Make sure you're in the top five by the first half of the fourth turn, and find a path to sprint through."
Shan Yao nodded continuously. Lin Zhi had already said all this at the post-race meeting after yesterday evening's race. He was repeating it now because he was afraid Shan Yao might forget after riding several races in a row.
The field circled in front of the gates, then entered them one after another a few minutes later.
Zhang Jun sat in the front row of the owners' seats. Because of the racetrack's layout, his position faced the finish line directly and offered an excellent view. Lin Zhi sat to his left, while several owners and trainers of the other competing horses sat to his right. They nodded politely to one another, the atmosphere courteous and restrained.
"Nervous?" Luo Yong asked kindly when he saw Zhang Jun repeatedly pick up and put down his water bottle. The Jian'an Club affiliated with Jianzhou Ranch also had a horse entered in this Graded Stakes race, and he had come as the club's legal representative.
"A little," Zhang Jun admitted honestly.
"Even though I have faith in Cloudstream Flying Shadow, this is still her first Graded Stakes race, and mine too."
Luo Heng smiled. "That's perfectly normal. I've watched every Graded Stakes race involving the club's horses as the club's legal representative since my freshman year of college. It's been nine years now, and I still get nervous before every race. But that's the charm of horse racing—until they cross the line, no one knows the outcome."
He shared some advice with Zhang Jun, telling him to take deep breaths or write the character for "person" on his hand and swallow it.
As number fifteen in the outermost gate entered the stalls, the commentator's voice came over the broadcast. "Ladies and gentlemen, the ninth race of the day is about to begin: the CN3 Jian'an Fillies' Championship, restricted to fillies and mares aged three and up."
"It's about to start." Lin Zhi handed Zhang Jun a pair of binoculars and took out a pair himself. Once the race entered the straight opposite the stands, it would be too far away to see clearly, so veteran fans, trainers, and owners all brought binoculars to watch.
"Turf, sixteen hundred meters, right-handed, track condition good. Number fifteen in the outermost gate, Jian'an Yellow Sand, enters the stalls. The race... begins!"
The instant the gates sprang open, the fifteen horses shot forward like arrows loosed from a bow.
"A clean break!" The commentator's voice rang throughout the racetrack. "No horses were slow from the gate—a very good start!"
Zhang Jun kept his eyes locked on number seven, Cloudstream Flying Shadow.
Just as Lin Zhi had said, Cloudstream Flying Shadow was not among the quickest starters. After leaving the gate, she was in the middle of the pack, around seventh. Shan Yao did not urge her to fight for position, instead letting her maintain her own rhythm.
"Number one Dawnlight Dancer currently leads, with number eight Island Breeze half a length behind. Number four Canary is on the outside. Fierce competition at the front of the field!"
Because the turf track at Jian'an Racetrack was only fourteen hundred meters long, the race began at the one-hundred-meter mark of the final straight. They would run the home stretch twice and pass the finish line twice.
The first two hundred and thirty meters of the race were on a straight, where the horses established their initial running order.
Under Shan Yao's control, Cloudstream Flying Shadow held steady in the rear half of the pack. Her stride was smooth and coordinated, and she looked to be running with ease.
Zhang Jun relaxed slightly. The start had gone smoothly, with no unexpected mishaps.