Chapter 52 – A Spoiled Grade I Winner

“Sakurai Rudolf! Sakurai Rudolf takes the lead! Golden Beer is closing, but he can’t catch him! Sakurai Rudolf finishes first! He conquers the Satsuki Sho!”

…

…

…Huh?

He won?

“…”

I stood there in a daze.

Rudolf.

Sakurai Rudolf.

A horse from Sakurai Ranch had won a Grade I.

For the first time.

This really was the first time.

Stonebreak winning the Turquoise Stakes had felt like a dream too.

Even when Tenzan Sakura won the Asahi Hai, I had thought, This horse was born at our ranch, without truly grasping what it meant.

I had been happy when Crown reached open class as well. He’d worked and worked and kept running until the very end.

But…

This time was different.

I’d been there with this horse. I’d named him. Yayoi-chan and I had cared for him. Grandpa had petted him, Stone had glared at him, and Crown had filled his head with unnecessary ideas.

That was how he’d grown up.

And now…

He’d won a Grade I.

I couldn’t move.

All I could do was stare ahead.

On the giant screen, Chloe-san quickly raised her right hand above Rudolf.

One finger.

“Whoa…”

She actually did it.

Scary.

That woman was terrifying.

“…Hey.”

A low voice suddenly came from beside me.

Kanemochi.

“Hm?”

“How long do you intend to stand there looking stunned?”

“No, but…”

“No ‘buts’!”

Kanemochi raised his voice with rare seriousness.

“That’s your horse, isn’t it!? Go!”

His words finally brought my body back to reality.

Ah.

Right.

Rudolf.

Rudolf had won.

This wasn’t the time to stand around.

At last, something inside me clicked into place.

“Whoa!?”

The people around us recoiled slightly.

Sorry.

“Excuse me!”

Without even knowing what I was apologizing for, I dashed out of the owners’ section.

“I’m going to the weighing area!”

“Calm down! You’ll fall!”

I thought I heard Kanemochi shouting behind me, but who cared?

Tenzan-san and the others seemed to be laughing too, but I didn’t have time to worry about that.

◇

I ran.

I burst out of the seating area and hurried down the passage reserved for racing personnel, my feet almost tangling beneath me.

I passed several people connected to the race.

Someone might have congratulated me, but I couldn’t remember whether I’d answered properly.

And then, at last, I saw them.

Okabe-san.

Chloe-san.

And beyond them…

“Rudolf!”

When I called his name, Rudolf turned toward me.

Okabe-san noticed me as well and smiled gently.

“Hello, Saku-kun.”

“Okabe-san!”

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you!”

I bowed.

It felt as though no matter how many times I lowered my head, it wouldn’t be enough.

“He was strong.”

Okabe-san’s voice was as calm as ever.

But beneath that calmness, I could sense his pride.

Chloe-san had just removed her helmet. She looked over at me while lightly fixing her hair.

“Horse-owner boy.”

“Chloe-san!”

“We did it.”

“Thank you!”

“Mm. Your horse was very interesting.”

Her smile was far better than any of the ones she showed on television or in commercials.

Rudolf, standing right beside her, spoke in a composed voice.

“Saku-san. It has been some time.”

“Is that really the greeting you should be giving me now?”

I couldn’t help retorting.

That was his first line after winning the Satsuki Sho?

But that was Rudolf for you.

I walked over to him and spoke without holding anything back.

“Congratulations, Rudolf! You were incredible!”

The words came from the bottom of my heart.

There were probably many more things I wanted to say.

But those were the first words that came out.

For just a moment, Rudolf wore a perfectly composed expression.

His usual face, the one that seemed to be looking down on the world.

But I knew him.

Inside, this guy was undoubtedly beside himself with excitement.

“…Saku.”

“Hm?”

“Is the horse who finished second anywhere nearby?”

Oh.

I could guess where this was going from the way he asked.

“Golden Beer?”

I quickly looked around.

“…I don’t see him.”

People were moving everywhere, and Golden Beer was probably surrounded by his own connections.

At any rate, he wasn’t nearby.

“Then come closer for a moment.”

“Hm?”

I did as he asked.

And then-

“He was so strong!”

Rudolf leaned toward me and began speaking at a furious pace, every trace of his dignified facade gone.

“For the first time, I thought I might lose! So this is a Grade I! That was incredible!”

You look delighted!

“Ha ha.”

I couldn’t help laughing.

Only moments ago, he’d been wearing such a calm expression.

Inside, he was apparently the protagonist of some hot-blooded boys’ manga.

“Grade I races are amazing! Everyone was fast, the crowd was loud, and it was so much fun!”

“I’m glad.”

“And Chloe is incredible too!”

Rudolf continued without slowing down.

“The way she moved the reins at the end felt like, ‘Now!’ And I went, ‘Now!’ too!”

I didn’t understand at all, but perhaps it was something only a horse could understand.

“When we drew level at the end, I thought, So this is Gold Farm’s ace! But I still managed to get my nose in front! I’m amazing!”

“Yes, you are.”

“Right!?”

His completely straightforward “Right!?” made me laugh again.

What kind of winning horse praised himself by shouting, “I’m amazing”?

But it suited him.

Far too well.

Beside us, Okabe-san and Chloe-san watched me with wry smiles.

They had probably worked out what was happening by now. I was glad.

Still unable to contain his excitement, Rudolf continued.

“Grandpa will be happy too, won’t he?”

I nodded immediately.

“Yeah.”

Grandpa wasn’t here today.

But perhaps…

“He’s probably making a secret victory pose in his room right now.”

Rudolf’s eyes lit up.

“That’s right!”

He looked happier than ever.

Grandpa truly was special to him.

And the words that came next were Rudolf through and through.

“Leave it to me! I’ll become a Triple Crown winner and make him even happier!”

There it was.

I knew he’d say it immediately after winning.

But…

If Rudolf said he would do it, I found myself believing him too.

“Yeah. I’m looking forward to it.”

Rudolf snorted with satisfaction.

“Good! I’ll also increase the power of Saku’s words, so have plenty of apples ready!”

“You’re bringing that up now too?”

“Humans are hopeless without us!”

What kind of logic was that?

And yet, his words warmed my heart.

The power of my words.

Stone and Crown had cared about it too.

If I won, more people would listen to Saku.

Work at the ranch would become a little easier.

Everyone could eat delicious food.

That way of thinking was unmistakably born at our ranch.

◇

Things remained hectic around Rudolf for quite some time afterward.

Photographs.

Greetings from racing officials.

What appeared to be an interview.

Kanemochi declaring war with, “Golden Beer and I will wipe those smiles off your faces in the Derby!”

So many people came and went that I hardly remembered who did what or how many times.

But several people told me, “Congratulations, Sakurai Ranch.”

Each time, I answered, “Thank you.”

And each time, those words alone nearly made me cry.

Sakurai Ranch.

A tiny, tiny ranch.

When I first returned, I’d wondered how long it could survive.

Then Stone won a graded race.

Tenzan Sakura won a Grade I.

Crown fought his way into open class.

And now, Rudolf had won the Satsuki Sho.

It was all connected.

Properly connected.

So this wasn’t Rudolf’s victory alone.

It was a victory for our ranch.

…Putting it so beautifully was embarrassing.

But I thought it was probably true.

Amid all the commotion, Rudolf suddenly looked at me.

“Saku.”

“Hm?”

“Apple.”

“That was fast.”

“I won, so I should get one.”

“When you come back to the ranch next time.”

“I want one now.”

“I don’t have any.”

“Cheapskate.”

“That’s fine by me.”

When I answered, Rudolf gave an oddly satisfied snort.

The strange thing about this Grade I winner was that he remained such a spoiled child.