Kyoto Racecourse.
As this was the final leg of the Classic Triple Crown, the crowd was especially large today.
After watching the Shuka Sho last week, it was time for the Kikuka Sho this week.
For the spectators attending today, the rain in the morning had stopped by the afternoon, though the sky remained overcast.
The poor weather hardly mattered to the racing fans.
If it rained, they could use umbrellas and wear raincoats.
Today, they would witness a new legend here.
Many had been moved by Epiphaneia's performance in the Derby.
They had come today to watch Epiphaneia and Koichi Sasaki race.
Another draw today was Yutaka Take, whose mount was the second favorite. Beyond this race, he also had a highly favored mount lined up for the Autumn Emperor's Cup.
Since the Derby, Yutaka Take had been getting better rides.
That was exactly what the spectators wanted to see.
Lately, Yutaka Take had shown clear signs of a comeback, and they all hoped to see these two jockeys battle it out aboard their mounts.
The two men at the center of all that attention were sitting next to each other, waiting for the race to begin.
After returning from France, Yutaka Take seemed even stronger, and he had brought plenty of gifts for his juniors.
Kenichi Ikezoe sat beside the two of them.
"With things looking like this today, the going will probably be heavy."
"I rode a few turf races earlier, and it really didn't seem to make much difference. There shouldn't be any major problems."
"But we'll still need to stay clear of the inside rail as much as possible, especially toward the end."
"Since it's three thousand meters on the outer course, adjusting after entering the turn shouldn't be a problem."
The three chatted briefly.