Chapter 55 – A Dream

Why did waiting for a photo finish feel so long?

In reality, it was probably only a few minutes.

As a trainer, this wasn’t my first time waiting for a decision.

But a photo finish in horse racing always destroyed one’s sense of time.

All the more so when the race in question was the Tokyo Yushun.

The crowd had spent its explosive energy during the stretch, and now a strange murmur filled the racecourse.

Once the race began, there was nothing a trainer could do.

You prepared the horse at the stable, brought him to peak condition, studied the draw, considered the opposition, discussed the race with the jockey, and transported him safely.

After that, all you could do was pray.

I didn’t normally like the word prayer.

But waiting for a photo-finish decision felt very much like praying.

“Good grief…”

The whisper escaped me.

Beside me, Chloe-san still held her helmet, and her breathing remained slightly uneven.

That was rare.

She lightly patted Rudolf’s neck.

“That was incredible. It’s been a long time since I rode a Derby like that.”

Naturally, she was smiling.

But I couldn’t call myself a trainer if I failed to understand just how much of herself this jockey had poured into the race.

A short distance away, Golden Beer’s connections were also waiting silently.

Then footsteps approached from behind.

“Okabe.”

I turned.

It was Sakurai-san-Rudolf’s grandfather.

A remarkably stubborn old man whose back remained straight despite his age.

We had probably known each other for decades by now.

When I was still an assistant trainer, Sakurai Ranch had held far more horses. It had been busier then, but strangely lively too.

“That was quite a race.”

At my words, Sakurai-san gave a quiet snort.

“Couldn’t tell who won at the end.”

“No.”

That was the entire conversation.

You needed fewer words when speaking with this man.

“Rudolf did well.”

“Yeah. I know.”

At Sakurai-san’s brief reply, Rudolf’s ears twitched.

Rudolf truly had done well.

After running that hard, no one could complain whichever way the result went.

But if the Satsuki Sho winner also captured the Derby…

And if that horse remained undefeated after emerging from a tiny ranch…

Then the story would no longer be merely interesting.

The entire atmosphere surrounding horse racing would change.

The moment I thought that, the quality of the noise around us shifted.

Humans were strangely easy to read in the instant before something was decided.

“…”

I looked toward the giant screen.

The photo-finish notice disappeared.

In the next instant-

First: Sakurai Rudolf.

Second: Golden Beer.

Margin: a nose.

Tokyo Racecourse reacted one beat later.

Cheers.

Applause.

A deafening roar.

The result struck me almost as slowly.

“…Haah.”

Before I knew it, I had released a long breath.

Beside me, Chloe-san whispered, “Yes.”

Her voice was restrained, but it carried more than enough joy.

And Sakurai-san…

“…Ah.”

That was all.

But the sound was heavy.

It was like a word finally released after years and years of waiting.

I saw that his hands were trembling slightly.

I noticed, but said nothing.

“Congratulations.”

Those were the first words I offered him.

Sakurai-san remained silent for a while before speaking quietly.

“…Well done.”

With that, he gently stroked Rudolf.

Rudolf gave a short “Neigh!” and swished his tail.

Dangerous.

Rudolf was beside himself with happiness.

Unlike Saku-kun, ordinary people couldn’t hear a horse’s words.

But anyone who had spent enough time around horses could understand this much.

With his entire body, Rudolf was shouting, Grandpa, praise me!

“He’s happy.”

I laughed softly.

“No matter how magnificent he becomes, he’s still a spoiled child.”

The corners of Sakurai-san’s mouth softened ever so slightly.

I couldn’t keep my own face from relaxing as well.

As a trainer, I was always a little late to celebrate.

Even after the finish, my first thoughts were whether the horse was sound, whether anything was wrong with his legs, and what came next.

But today, I thought I could allow myself a little happiness.

◇

What followed was the sort of hectic commotion known only to the connections of a winning horse.

A victory didn’t mean the day was over.

There was a ceremony and the presentation to come.

“Okabe-sensei, please come this way.”

“The winning jockey’s interview is being arranged…”

“We’ll confirm how many people will enter the winner’s circle.”

“The owner’s party should gather here.”

It was busy.

But I didn’t dislike this kind of busyness.

Sakurai-san silently listened to the staff member’s explanation.

There was no flashy reaction or obvious excitement.

I fell into step beside him.

“The Derby.”

When I said it without preamble, he gave a small snort.

“…Yeah.”

“I’m glad we won.”

This time, he paused.

“…So am I.”

That was all.

But countless emotions were probably contained in that reply.

I understood.

What had the Derby once looked like to this man?

He had likely never seriously believed that one of his own horses would reach it.

For a small ranch, the Derby was far away.

Even a graded race was distant.

Producing an open-class horse was already an extraordinary achievement.

That was the world he’d come from.

I also knew that he’d seriously considered closing the ranch.

His children hadn’t inherited it. His wife had passed away. Yet the horses still required care every single day.

Then, out of nowhere, he contacted me and said, “I’ve handed it over to my grandson.”

To be honest, I had been surprised.

And when I heard that the grandson seemed to talk with horses, I’d wondered whether everything was all right.

Looking back now, perhaps it hadn’t been a gamble so much as one last act of desperation.

Before closing the ranch, he had chosen to bet on its future one final time.

And now, that man was walking beside the winner of the Tokyo Yushun.

Life truly was unpredictable.

“It’s a shame Saku-kun couldn’t come.”

I spoke quietly.

Sakurai-san snorted.

“They’re probably causing a commotion in Hokkaido.”

“Without question.”

The thought made me laugh.

We followed the staff member’s guidance, Rudolf being led along beside us.

Winning horses were strange creatures. Although exhausted moments after the finish, they somehow began to look dignified.

They could fight with everything they had, then transform the moment they realized they’d won.

Rudolf wore exactly that expression.

He was tired.

But he also looked unbearably pleased with himself.

“He’s proud.”

The words escaped me.

“That’s the kind of horse he is,” Sakurai-san said.

“Yes.”

“Does he remind you of my grandson?”

“Who can say?”

I laughed.

“I think he’s a mixture of Stone’s blood, Custard’s blood, and Crown’s bad influence.”

At that, Sakurai-san’s shoulders shook slightly.

He was laughing.

Rare indeed.

On our way to the winner’s circle, several people called out.

“Congratulations!”

“You did it, Okabe-sensei!”

“Congratulations on producing a Derby winner!”

Each time, I bowed and thanked them.

But the truth was that the achievement wasn’t mine alone.

Chloe-san’s skill.

Rudolf’s ability.

The foundation built at Sakurai Ranch.

Saku-kun’s eye.

Sakurai-san’s experience.

All of them had combined to produce this single victory.

That was why the Derby carried such weight.

It wasn’t merely one win.

At last, the winner’s circle came into view.

No matter how many times I saw it, it was special.

Cheers poured down upon us.

Anyone could tell that this was a place created to welcome a victorious horse.

Rudolf wore the winner’s wreath around his neck and puffed out his chest.

He looked as though he’d always known this was where he belonged.

He truly was intelligent.

Everyone took their places according to the staff member’s instructions.

“Sakurai-san, please step a little farther forward.”

The staff member gently urged him on.

“…Here?”

“Yes, thank you.”

I couldn’t help smiling beside him.

It was a wonderful sight.

Rudolf’s grandfather stood before the horse who had won the Derby.

If Saku-kun saw this, he would probably cry.

Chloe-san stroked Rudolf’s neck and bent slightly toward him.

“You’re the star today.”

Rudolf gave a short snort that seemed to say, I know. What of it?

It was so amusing that I laughed again.

“All right, look this way!”

The photographer called.

We faced forward.

Rudolf did the same.

Sakurai Rudolf.

The undefeated Derby winner who had emerged from a tiny ranch.

Chloe-san raised two fingers in a victory sign.

The cheers swelled again.

At the moment the photograph was taken, I glanced sideways.

Sakurai-san had puffed out his chest just a little.

I thought it would be a wonderful photograph.