Eight Min's Best Horse Awards ②

The awards continued. Clear Spring Golden Scale from Clear Spring Farm won Best Two-Year-Old Turf Horse with sixty-four votes.

Next came the selection for Best Three-Year-Old Racehorse, starting with Best Three-Year-Old Turf Colt.

Hong Yun clasped his hands together and kept praying before him. "Heavens, bless me, heavens, bless me. Please, don't let it be Best Three-Year-Old Turf Colt. Heavens, bless me..."

Zhang Jun was curious why Hong Yun did not want the Three-Year-Old Turf Colt award.

"Brother Hong Yun, why are you praying for Minxi Pegasus not to win Best Three-Year-Old Turf Colt? Is that honor no good?"

Luo Heng also looked at Hong Yun. Hong Yun turned around and explained it to Zhang Jun and Luo Heng.

"It's not that it isn't good. It's just that the circumstances are different. If Minxi Pegasus were only competing for this award, I would definitely pray for it to win.

But last year, the dirt horses were weak, and Mindu Miracle, which was competing with Minxi Pegasus for Eight Min Horse of the Year, was also a three-year-old turf horse.

It faced Minxi Pegasus in four CN1 races—the Turf Derby in May, the Turf Sprint Championship in June, the Breeders' Mile in October, and the Turf Sprint Cup in December—and each won two races.

You could say that Best Three-Year-Old Turf Colt and Horse of the Year had been split between Minxi Pegasus and Mindu Miracle, one award apiece. Compared to Horse of the Year, the Three-Year-Old Colt award was practically a consolation prize.

If Minxi Pegasus received this award, that meant Horse of the Year would go to Mindu Miracle. That's why I'm praying it won't be Minxi Pegasus."

After explaining, Hong Yun clasped his hands again and continued praying.

Zhang Jun and Luo Heng suddenly understood. They exchanged a glance, then clasped their hands as well. One said, "It has to be Mindu Miracle, it has to be Mindu Miracle."

The other said, "It definitely can't be Minxi Pegasus, definitely can't be Minxi Pegasus."

"The winner of Best Three-Year-Old Turf Colt is..."

Mu Fei paused and glanced toward Hong Yun's group and Mindu Miracle's camp.

Hong Yun pressed his clasped fists to his chest, his eyes tightly shut, not daring to look at the big screen.

The people in Mindu Miracle's camp also closed their eyes, not daring to look at the screen.

The big screen remained on the vote rankings. Zhang Jun took a glance and poked Hong Yun in the back σ`∀´)σ.

"Brother Hong Yun, stop praying. Mindu Miracle is in first place, not Minxi Pegasus."

Hong Yun opened his eyes to a narrow slit and squinted at the screen. Minxi Pegasus was ranked second. The breath he had been holding escaped, and he slumped back in his chair, gasping for air before shouting, "Nice!"

Hearing Hong Yun's cheer, the three people in Mindu Miracle's camp turned ashen and opened their eyes in despair, then pushed the owner onto the stage to accept the award.

The awards continued one after another, starting with Three-Year-Old Dirt Fillies, followed by Turf Colts and Fillies aged four and above. After that came Dirt Fillies and Colts aged four and above. Among them, Jian'an Club's Jian'an Stalwart won Best Turf Colt Aged Four and Above.

"Next, we present the award for Best Three-Year-Old Turf Filly."

Zhang Jun grew nervous again. Unlike Shadow Hunter's Best Two-Year-Old Dirt Racehorse award, the uncertainty surrounding Cloudstream Flying Shadow's two awards was far too great.

He prayed to the heavens. "Lord Haotian, bless me, Lord Haotian, bless me..."

Hong Yun and Luo Heng returned the favor, praying for Cloudstream Flying Shadow as well.

On the big screen, footage of the nominated horses flashed by in sequence.

First was Longxi County Lady. Footage of her brilliant victory in a central-circuit G3 race restricted to three-year-old fillies drew a chorus of admiration from the surrounding crowd.

Then came Cloudstream Flying Shadow—the gray mare surged powerfully from the outside on the final stretch of the Eight Min Mile, unleashing an astonishing late burst to cross the line first.

Finally came Mindong Oriole, who burst out of the pack in the Oaks, led for three hundred meters down the final stretch, and won by a length.

"The winner of Best Three-Year-Old Turf Filly is..."

Zhang Jun closed his eyes, not daring to look.

Luo Heng poked Zhang Jun σ`∀´)σ. "Brother Jun, Brother Jun, it's Cloudstream Flying Shadow! It's Cloudstream Flying Shadow!"

Zhang Jun opened his eyes. Mu Fei looked at him. "Cloudstream Flying Shadow! Congratulations, Owner Zhang Jun."

Zhang Jun patted his chest, his legs feeling a little weak. He looked at the vote rankings on the screen: Cloudstream Flying Shadow had fifty-six votes, while Mindong Oriole had fifty-two. It had been a narrow victory.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Jun walked onto the stage.

"Congratulations, Owner Zhang," Mu Fei said, handing him the second trophy. "Cloudstream Flying Shadow's performance has truly been impressive. She found new life after moving from the central circuit to the local circuit. That is one of the most moving stories in horse racing."

"Thank you, Chairman Mu." Zhang Jun accepted the trophy and turned toward the audience. "I'd also like to thank the judges for recognizing Cloudstream Flying Shadow.

I bought Cloudstream Flying Shadow from another owner. At the time, many people did not think highly of her, but I always believed she was a racehorse with great potential. She simply had not found a racing style that suited her.

The facts proved that on the right track and over the right distance, she could show her true strength."

He paused before continuing. "At the same time, I would like to thank Trainer Lin Zhi for his careful training and Jockey Shan Yao for her outstanding ride. I also want to thank Cloudstream Flying Shadow herself—it was her ability that proved her worth."

Applause rang out again, even more enthusiastic than before.

After that, the awards for Best Dirt Middle-Distance Racehorse, Best Turf Middle-Distance Racehorse, Best Dirt Sprint Racehorse, Best Turf Sprint Racehorse, and Best Dirt Mile Racehorse were presented in succession.

Zhang Jun took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to pray.

"Next comes the second-to-last championship award—Best Turf Mile Horse.

Following the judges' vote, the 2022 Min Province Best Turf Mile Horse is—Cloudstream Flying Shadow! Congratulations to Owner Zhang Jun, whose racehorse has won three trophies in a row."

Zhang Jun went onstage, so excited that he was nearly incoherent. He had originally thought that once Cloudstream Flying Shadow had won Best Three-Year-Old Filly, the Best Turf Mile Horse honor would have little to do with her. After all, the gap between her achievements and those of the other two contenders was not large.

Zhang Jun believed the remaining awards had nothing to do with him, but Zheng Xing unexpectedly won Best New Trainer by Winning Percentage with a 10.5 percent win rate, thanks to the victories of Flying Cloud Colt, River Moon, Forest Hero, and Mountain Patrol Leopard.

Even at one race a month, Zheng Xing would only have around a hundred races. The wins from four horses were enough to drive his win rate up.

Because his horses had won multiple races and he had helped five overlooked racehorses shine again, Zhang Jun also received the awards for Best New Owner and the Eight Min Local Racing Association Special Prize.

As he stood up, the surrounding owners, trainers, and jockeys all came over to congratulate Zhang Jun. He thanked them one by one, and nearly an hour passed before he finally left the hall.

Once outside the hall, Zhang Jun felt dazed. He had obtained so many awards that countless owners dreamed of, and there were five of them in total.

He stretched out a finger and pinched the soft flesh of his arm. Pain shot through him. It was not a dream.