Chapter Summaries

Koichi visited Gold Ship at the ranch, where the horse had been resting after the Satsuki Sho and settling into his new surroundings. Gold Ship missed Mirai and stayed wary of Koichi, who urged him to eat more and prepare for the training ahead of the Derby.

• Koichi took a train and taxi to the ranch, where a staff member welcomed him and asked for an autograph.
• The staff member showed Koichi where Gold Ship was grazing and explained that the horse had quickly become dominant among the other horses.
• Gold Ship spotted Koichi and looked for Mirai, but Koichi told him she would visit in a few days.
• Koichi gave Gold Ship a carrot and brushed dirt from him after noticing a hole he had dug in the grass.
• Koichi warned Gold Ship that he needed to gain weight for the intense training ahead of the Derby.

Koichi visited Gold Ship at the ranch, sent Mirai an update, and used the Lucky Draw, earning two Track Cards and plenty of fruit. He tricked Gold Ship into tasting a sour orange, and Gold Ship ran off to avoid him.

• Gold Ship ignored Koichi after eating his carrot and nudged him aside while grazing across the pasture.
• Koichi photographed Gold Ship and sent the pictures and a video to Mirai, who replied with clips of Divine Might and Black North.
• Koichi considered Epiphaneia's training and riding plans, which Megumi Mitsumori and Kenichi Ikezoe had discussed, then performed the Lucky Draw.
• Koichi received two Track Cards along with oranges and other fruit, and decided to save the cards for future races.
• Koichi gave Gold Ship half an orange, and Gold Ship recoiled from its sour taste before running away from him.

Mirai spent her days at Hokkai Ranch visiting Black North and Epiphaneia while Megumi Mitsumori managed her growing training stable. With Gold Ship away recovering and several familiar horses absent, Mirai wished time would pass faster so she could return to caring for him.

• Megumi Mitsumori continued training horses at Hokkai Ranch and managed her expanding staff, while Mirai and Yamana Takuto discussed her growing authority.
• Mirai visited Sweetie and Black North, bringing a carrot that persuaded Sweetie to let her approach the foal.
• Mirai watched Black North play and filmed him, then received a message from Koichi about Gold Ship's recovery at another ranch.
• Mirai wondered whether Golden Masterpiece could win the upcoming Spring Tenno Sho and why nobody was discussing the race.
• Epiphaneia grazed alone and missed his absent companions and Koichi, then Mirai visited him during her daily circuit of the ranch.
• Mirai returned to helping at the Horse Stable and hoped she could soon go back to looking after Gold Ship.

Koichi Sasaki rode Bright Sword in a dirt race at Tokyo Racecourse, securing his first win of the day after holding off a late charge. The chapter ended with Mirai, Megumi Mitsumori, and the others celebrating his victory as they looked ahead to Gold Ship’s upcoming races.

• Mirai and Megumi Mitsumori watched Koichi’s race while Ayumu Kusakawa, Haruki Kuchiki, and Yamana Takuto discussed his form and the challenges of dirt racing.
• Koichi got Bright Sword away cleanly, claimed an early lead, and settled near the rail behind the favorite, Bailey Happy.
• On the final straight, Bailey Happy faded, and Koichi took the lead as Rave and Philos charged from behind.
• Koichi used Mighty Arm to hold off Rave by half a head and win the race.

After a successful day at Tokyo Racecourse, Koichi talked with Yuichi Fukunaga and returned to the hotel to rest before the next day's races. Saki Ikegami told him one of his mounts had been withdrawn, then stayed to work while Koichi arranged dinner for her; Golden Masterpiece remained a concern for the coming week.

• Koichi congratulated Yuichi Fukunaga on his strong performance, and they discussed the next day's races and their upcoming TV appearance.
• Koichi left the racecourse, bought food on the way, and returned to his hotel for dinner and an evening of rest.
• Saki Ikegami told Koichi that his horse in the fourth race the next day had been withdrawn because it was unwell.
• Koichi offered to order Saki Ikegami dinner while she worked at the hotel, and she accepted.
• After eating, Saki Ikegami considered the week ahead and the time Koichi would need to spend preparing Golden Masterpiece.

Koichi appeared on his first live show with Yuichi Fukunaga, discussing the Satsuki Sho and their upcoming races. After filming, Koichi and Saki Ikegami traveled to Kyoto so he could prepare to meet Golden Masterpiece, who had begun refusing to cooperate with training.

• Koichi received backstage guidance from the director and Yuichi Fukunaga before his first live appearance.
• Koichi and Yuichi discussed the Satsuki Sho on the show, including their contrasting approaches and the upcoming Derby and Tenno Sho.
• Koichi declined Yuichi's invitation to dinner because he and Saki needed to travel to Kyoto early.
• Saki arranged their Shinkansen trip and prepared supplies so Koichi could rest on the way.
• Koichi headed to Kyoto to meet Golden Masterpiece, while Saki worked during the journey.

Golden Masterpiece resisted training after his schedule was disrupted, leaving his team worried about his condition before the Tenno Sho. With Koichi Sasaki riding him in a workout gallop, he began to recover some of his old form, giving the team hope as the race approached.

• Hitachi Yosuke asked Koichi Sasaki whether he could get Golden Masterpiece to cooperate, and Koichi admitted he could not.
• Koichi refused to put a restraint hood on Golden Masterpiece and promised him a long rest after the race.
• Golden Masterpiece agreed to train with Koichi, though he expected a substantial rest afterward.
• Ayano Aoe and Saki Ikegami watched Golden Masterpiece's workout gallop and noticed his rhythm and presence improving under Koichi.
• The team gained hope that Golden Masterpiece could regain more of his form before the Tenno Sho.

Koichi cared for Golden Masterpiece after training, then reviewed the problems facing them in the Spring Tenno Sho and simulated the race’s opening positions. He concluded that he would need to act decisively from the start, despite Golden Masterpiece’s poor draw and uncertain form.

• Koichi gave Golden Masterpiece a bath and an apple before returning him to the stable.
• Koichi learned Golden Masterpiece had drawn stall eighteen for the Spring Tenno Sho, making the race especially difficult.
• Ayano Aoe, Keigo Kudo, the assistant, and Koichi discussed Golden Masterpiece’s condition and decided not to use a restraining hood.
• Koichi simulated the jockeys’ positions after the start, focusing on the threats from Japan Jordan and Triumph Ballet.
• Saki Ikegami urged Koichi to rest, and he finished his simulation determined to make decisive choices once the race began.

Koichi received Mirai’s good-luck video, then visited Golden Masterpiece and Japan Jordan before leaving to meet Saki Ikegami and a trainer. Japan Jordan appeared in improved form ahead of the Tenno Sho, while Koichi prepared to meet the demands of the coming races.

• Koichi watched Mirai’s good-luck video and planned to walk Golden Masterpiece before checking on his weekend mount.
• Golden Masterpiece stayed asleep, so Koichi visited Japan Jordan and learned from Tetsuya Futawatari that the horse was in decent form but still had leg problems.
• Koichi encountered Yasuo Iwata, who had come to check on Triumph Ballet, and then returned to Golden Masterpiece.
• Koichi took Golden Masterpiece for a stroll and noticed that the horse’s mood had improved.
• Koichi met Saki Ikegami, who introduced him to a trainer.

Koichi prepared at Kyoto Racecourse for the Spring Tenno Sho and checked on Golden Masterpiece, whose mood and condition had improved before their race. He left the stable aiming for a top-five finish and continued simulating races as he prepared for the next day.

• Koichi reviewed expectations for Golden Masterpiece and familiarized himself with Kyoto Racecourse before the Spring Tenno Sho.
• Koichi visited Golden Masterpiece, and Hitachi Yosuke said Asho had improved and the veterinarian had found no physical problems.
• Koichi and Hitachi Yosuke discussed the strong form of Japan Jordan and Triumph Ballet and set a top-five finish as a successful result.
• Golden Masterpiece snorted at Hitachi Yosuke's offer of a snack and remained unenthusiastic when Koichi urged it to put in effort the next day.
• Koichi returned to the hotel, simulated races to study Kyoto's rhythm, and told Saki Ikegami he thought a top-five finish was likely.

Koichi Sasaki prepared for the Tenno Sho, where Golden Masterpiece faced a field of familiar rivals and high expectations despite questions about its condition and starting stall. As the jockeys emerged before the packed Kyoto Racecourse crowd, attention centered on the coming showdown.

• Koichi skipped a weak dirt mount and spent the day focusing on turf races while talking with senior jockeys about the Tenno Sho.
• Yutaka Take said he was ready to give everything for victory aboard Triumph Ballet, while Yasuo Iwata planned to target Golden Masterpiece with Japan Jordan.
• Koichi heard that Golden Masterpiece had performed well that morning and was in better spirits than before.
• Ayano Aoe met important figures at the crowded Kyoto Racecourse as spectators gathered to watch Golden Masterpiece's first Grade 1 race in its older horse year.
• Golden Masterpiece entered last to a surge of cheers, while commentators discussed its rivalries with Triumph Ballet and Japan Jordan and noted its outermost stall and first race beyond three thousand meters.
• Yasuo Iwata, Yutaka Take, and Koichi Sasaki walked out together as reporters photographed them before the race.

Golden Masterpiece prepared for the Tenno Sho with Koichi Sasaki, but his stiffness returned when they reached the track, leaving Koichi uncertain whether he could recover his form. The field lined up to enter the starting stalls, with Golden Masterpiece waiting last in stall eighteen.

• Hitachi Yosuke reassured Koichi that the team would not blame him regardless of the Tenno Sho's result, and Koichi said he could accept whatever happened.
• Koichi and Golden Masterpiece joined the field, where the crowd focused on the horse and commentators discussed his condition, wide draw, and the race's front-runners.
• Koichi noticed Golden Masterpiece moving stiffly during warm-ups and hoped he would regain his strength once the race began.
• The race's signature music sounded, and the horses stopped warming up as they prepared to enter the stalls.
• Koichi patted Golden Masterpiece's neck as the horse waited to enter last in stall eighteen.

Golden Masterpiece and jockey Koichi started from the far outside in the 145th Tenno Sho and held back as the front-runners opened a large lead. As the field approached the fourth turn, Koichi finally sent Golden Masterpiece accelerating forward to close the gap.

• Golden Masterpiece broke smoothly from the gate, but Koichi slowed the horse to avoid spending too much stamina while trapped outside.
• Yasuo Iwata urged Japan Jordan forward, while Yutaka Take maintained Triumph Ballet's pace in the middle of the pack.
• Thunderbolt Steed, Golden Deer, and Namura Shingetsu took the lead, and the front-runners gradually stretched the field apart.
• As the horses moved from the third turn toward the fourth, Koichi accelerated Golden Masterpiece from the rear to chase the leaders.

Thunderbolt Steed won the Spring Tenno Sho in a runaway victory, while Golden Masterpiece finished fifth after struggling to find its form. Koichi Sasaki accepted the defeat and turned his attention to the upcoming Takarazuka Kinen.

• Yutaka Take and Koichi Sasaki moved Golden Masterpiece and Triumph Ballet forward as the field entered the later turns.
• Triumph Ballet and Japan Jordan accelerated past Golden Masterpiece, which struggled to match their pace.
• Thunderbolt Steed held its huge lead and won by four lengths, with Japan Jordan second, Triumph Ballet third, and Golden Masterpiece fifth.
• Koichi Sasaki patted Golden Masterpiece after the finish and tried to recover from the loss.
• Ayano Aoe decided to meet Sasaki later and focus on preparing for the Takarazuka Kinen.

After Golden Masterpiece finished fifth in the Spring Tenno Sho, Ayano Aoe confronted Koichi Sasaki over his decision during the race as public criticism mounted. She reassured him that the ranch would protect him, but his place on Golden Masterpiece in the Takarazuka Kinen depended on recovering his form.

• Ayano Aoe summoned Koichi Sasaki and angrily challenged him for abandoning their plan during the Spring Tenno Sho.
• Saki Ikegami defended Koichi, while Koichi admitted he had wanted to try a different approach despite knowing it had failed.
• Ayano warned that the ranch would issue a statement and that Koichi might lose the Takarazuka Kinen ride if he did not recover his form.
• In the elevator, Ayano encouraged Koichi to ignore the criticism and win back public confidence at the Takarazuka Kinen.
• Ayano promised that Koichi's agent and the ranch would handle the controversy as doubts grew about Golden Masterpiece's recent performances.

After the Tenno Sho fallout, Koichi faced jockey-change notices and uncertainty over his ride on Gentildonna, but refused to regret choosing Golden Masterpiece. He focused on recovering his form and awaited Gold Ship’s return to training, leaving his future rides unsettled.

• Koichi returned to Tokyo, where Saki Ikegami told him that owners and trainers were changing jockeys and Sunday Club was considering Yasuo Iwata for Gentildonna.
• Koichi said he would not regret choosing Golden Masterpiece, while Saki planned to try to secure his ride with Gentildonna again.
• Saki urged Koichi to rest before he resumed training, and he resolved to regain his form before Friday despite the hostile press and online criticism.
• Megumi Mitsumori offered Koichi a drink and reassurance, then told him Gold Ship was recovering well and could return to the Training Center within days.
• Koichi planned to stay at Tokyo Racecourse through the Derby and said he needed another race to assess his form.

Koichi Sasaki used two Track Cards and returned to Tokyo Racecourse in furious form, winning with several unfancied horses. After his races ended, he prepared to leave and return for the next day’s events.

• Koichi Sasaki arrived at Tokyo Racecourse looking angry as other jockeys discussed the criticism he had faced.
• Koichi used two Track Cards and resolved to perform at his best in preparation for the upcoming Grade 1 races.
• Koichi rode several long-shot horses to victory, including a major upset, and drew praise for his powerful finishes.
• Koichi gave brief post-race interviews while reports and online reactions spread about his winning day.
• Saki Ikegami told Koichi that his races were over and mentioned that a private owner had switched jockeys; Koichi left to prepare for tomorrow’s races.

Koichi Sasaki dominated another weekend at Tokyo Racecourse, and Sunday Club decided to keep him as Gentildonna’s jockey. After arranging to rest and visit the ranch, he offered Kenichi Ikezoe the ride in Divine Might’s first Newcomer Race.

• Koichi Sasaki continued winning at Tokyo Racecourse, prompting jockeys and media to react to his dominance.
• Ryuji Wada invited Koichi to dinner, and Koichi agreed after the races.
• Saki Ikegami told Koichi that Sunday Club would keep him on Gentildonna for her next race.
• Koichi asked Saki to screen upcoming Tokyo Racecourse bookings for capable horses and planned to visit the ranch during his break.
• Koichi messaged Megumi Mitsumori to arrange for Kenichi Ikezoe to ride Divine Might in its first Newcomer Race.

Koichi discussed his Spring Tenno Sho loss with senior jockeys, who encouraged him to focus on upcoming races and the Takarazuka Kinen. After returning to Hokkaido, he spoke with Haruki Kuchiki, who asked whether he had considered going to Europe, leaving Koichi puzzled.

• Koichi listened as Ryuji Wada, Kenichi Ikezoe, and Yuichi Fukunaga discussed the Spring Tenno Sho and Golden Masterpiece's condition.
• Koichi said he needed to ride well in the Oaks and the Derby to strengthen his case for returning to race with Golden Masterpiece.
• Koichi flew back to Hokkaido the next evening, where Haruki Kuchiki greeted him at the ranch.
• Koichi told Haruki Kuchiki he might take some time off during the summer after consulting his agent.
• Haruki Kuchiki asked Koichi whether he had considered going to Europe, but Koichi said they should discuss it another time.

Koichi returned to the ranch, caught up with Megumi Mitsumori, and visited the increasingly unruly Epiphaneia. He planned to train Epiphaneia that afternoon and visit Black North’s paddock before leaving again.

• Koichi woke late at home and went to the office, where Megumi Mitsumori said he seemed recovered and praised his recent form.
• Megumi Mitsumori told Koichi that she had been in touch with Ikezoe, and Koichi congratulated her on her Grade 1 win.
• Koichi ate the breakfast Megumi Mitsumori had saved and said he would stay at the ranch for about two days to give his agent a break.
• Epiphaneia eagerly greeted Koichi, rubbed against him, and accepted a carrot as a homecoming gift.
• Koichi offered to take Epiphaneia through afternoon training and said he would visit Black North’s paddock afterward.