Saturday's races went smoothly, and soon it was Sunday afternoon.
Koichi's results had settled into a steady pattern.
He could still pick up around two wins a day.
He had also successfully guided Aoe Ranch's horse out of the maiden ranks.
It had only been a nose margin, but a win was a win.
With a maiden win in March and the prize money already accumulated, they could start planning its next races.
Still, the horse was visibly tired after racing so frequently. After this race, it would most likely need a break before they planned its next outings.
Since Nakayama was holding a graded stakes race for three-year-olds today, most of the jockeys had gone to Nakayama Racecourse.
Last year's Asahi Hai champion, Flagship, was also racing today.
Kenichi Ikezoe and Ryuji Wada had gone there too, to ride their horses in this important race.
The Fuji TV race offered more than fifty million in prize money for first place.
A good finish would surely earn enough prize money to secure a place in the upcoming Satsuki Sho.
First came the Hanshin Daishoten at Hanshin, followed by the Fuji TV race at Nakayama Racecourse.
Naturally, the two graded stakes races had to be scheduled at different times.
"Who do you fancy, Sasaki?"
Yuichi Fukunaga made small talk as he sat in the waiting room.
He had competed in the Baisen Daishoten last year too, only to lose to Golden Masterpiece. This year, he felt he was about to experience that same helplessness all over again.
Last year, no one had thought Golden Masterpiece would lose. Today was no different.
"If you mean the graded stakes race at Nakayama, I'd still pick Flagship."
Koichi answered without hesitation.
Ayano Aoe was also very confident in Flagship, which was why she had