May, Tokyo Racecourse.
"The gates are open, and the first to break out is-"
"Horse number eleven! Jockey Sasaki has been unseated!"
The race had barely begun when the commentator cried out in alarm.
He had been optimistic about the fourth favorite, but Koichi Sasaki had fallen off just as the horse left the starting gate.
The riderless horse simply charged ahead on its own.
That startled cry gave the spectators a fright as well.
After falling, Koichi rolled backward twice on the ground, then slowly got to his feet once all the horses had run past.
"Jockey Sasaki, are you all right?"
Saki Ikegami hurried over with a towel.
The fall had happened so suddenly.
Still, from the look of him, Sasaki seemed to be all right.
"I'm fine. I just need a little time."
Koichi had never expected the horse beside him to knock him off.
Fortunately, he had reacted quickly and escaped serious injury.
The skill he had acquired before was still proving useful.
But since he had fallen, his mount's result in this race would no longer count. Meanwhile, the horse was happily running along with the pack out on the course.
Without its rider's weight, it seemed to be enjoying itself much more.
The doctor at the racecourse also began examining Koichi.
Accidents could happen at the track any day, and plenty of jockeys were taken straight to the hospital.
Koichi Sasaki had gotten off relatively lightly.
"Doctor, is anything wrong?"
Saki Ikegami asked.
They still had an important race that afternoon.
If there was a problem, they would have to withdraw and have another jockey at Tokyo Racecourse take his place.
Whatever happened, Sasaki's safety had to come first.
"Hmm, Sasaki reacted quite quickly. He's fine, aside from a few minor scrapes."
The doctor