Chapter 78. Additional Modifications
The next morning, after waking and washing up, Shuta An did not head downstairs. Instead, he went straight to his computer desk, intent on verifying the intuition that had surfaced in the Dream World the night before.
After gathering a large volume of publicly available meteorological data, his eyes brightened.
"As expected—I really have to thank Mr. Take for this," he murmured. "If it weren't for his complaints, I might have overlooked this entirely."
Rising from his chair, he organized the printed materials into a neat stack, stapled them together, and picked them up. With documents in hand, he left the room, intending to pass them to Berno Light. There was no need to go looking for the logistics Uma Musume. All Shuta An had to do was enter the restaurant—he could spot Oguri Cap's group of three instantly.
Taking a seat opposite Oguri Cap and Berno Light, with Silence Suzuka beside him, the Young Trainer handed the freshly printed documents to Berno Light.
"Hmm?" The logistics Uma Musume blinked, clearly puzzled by being handed paperwork so early in the morning, but she obediently accepted it.
After only a brief glance, she looked up and met Shuta An's calm gaze.
"Hallandale Beach temperature data for the past ten years?" Berno Light tilted her head. "What does this mean?"
"Look closely at the numbers," Shuta An prompted. "Don't you think this year's temperature is abnormally high?"
"You're right," Berno Light admitted after a moment. "But what does this have to do with the race?"
"The Breeders' Cup races are all held during the daytime," Shuta An explained, glancing toward Oguri Cap and Silence Suzuka. "Both the Turf Mile and the Turf Classic are scheduled for the afternoon—when the temperature peaks."
He paused briefly.
"Oguri's and Suzuka's racing outfits aren't designed for cooling."
"So you're worried the heat will affect them on race day?" Berno Light grasped his intent immediately.
"Exactly. The forecast says the maximum temperature will reach thirty-two degrees Celsius. That level of heat will affect every Uma Musume in the field."
"I'm fine," Oguri Cap and Silence Suzuka said simultaneously.
Shuta An raised an eyebrow.
"I believe Suzuka will be fine—the Japanese Derby this year also hit thirty-two degrees, so she has experience racing in extreme heat. But you, Oguri, don't."
"Local races don't count," he added calmly. "At this level—"
"But I don't think I'll be affected much," Oguri Cap insisted.
"Of course. I believe that too," Shuta An replied lightly. "But if we prepare more thoroughly than our opponents, then we're one step closer to victory."
Under the table, his hand reached out, gently brushing against the gray Uma Musume's absolute territory.
"Oguri can accept that reasoning, right?"
"Mmm~" Oguri Cap flushed slightly, responding while clearly aware of her lover's not-so-innocent hand.
The heat-prevention measures themselves were simple—minor adjustments to the racing silks, with cooling patches added at key points. The work was completed jointly by Shuta An and Berno Light.
"Should we put one under the insole as well?" Berno Light suddenly suggested.
"No," Shuta An rejected the idea immediately, shaking his head as an image flashed through his mind—shoes rendered damp and squishy by cooling patches under high temperatures.
While the two worked on the racing silks, Oguri Cap and Silence Suzuka trained lightly in the gym. With the race only days away, the Sadalsuud team's policy strictly prohibited high-intensity training at this stage.
Setting aside the increased injury risk, there was one reason alone that convinced both Uma Musumes.
"The stamina lost from high-intensity training this close to the race would directly affect performance. Entering a race without peak condition is unacceptable."
…
For Silence Suzuka, deep down, she understood that her Trainer held little expectation for her in this Breeders' Cup Turf. She also knew that her current abilities were still insufficient for a G1 race of this caliber.
She had even been explicitly forbidden from using the Great Escape tactic—losing one of her favorite weapons before the race had even begun.
Yet what surprised her most was this—
Despite receiving the same request from her new Trainer as she once had from her previous one, she felt no dissatisfaction at all.
After some thought, she realized why.
She had already won a G1 here.
Back when she was with Team Rigil, she had nothing to her name.
"And after joining the Sadalsuud team, I can feel myself improving every day," Silence Suzuka murmured, jogging steadily on the treadmill. "Still—even without the Great Escape, I want to win."
Though Shuta An had carefully analyzed Gulfstream Park Racecourse and shared his conclusions, Silence Suzuka focused on a different detail.
The final straight was short.
"That means there isn't much distance for runners coming from behind to close the gap."
She had no intention of disobeying Shuta An's instructions—but that didn't mean she was out of options.
"Not using the Great Escape doesn't mean I can only lead in the usual way."
Silence Suzuka loved the scenery at the very front. And for someone like her, there was never only one way to enjoy it. Some of those methods had existed only in her imagination—but after feeling her steady growth, she believed she could now bring them into reality.
After the racing silks were fully modified, Berno Light did not attach the cooling patches immediately. There were still several days before the race, and using them now would render them ineffective when they were truly needed.
She wasn't that careless.
Shuta An inspected the finished product and nodded in satisfaction.
"From the outside, no one can tell anything's different."
"Are we really okay?" Berno Light asked cautiously, worried about another issue.
"I've already confirmed it with Miss Miesque," Shuta An replied with a grin. "Everything complies with the regulations."
"Won't she leak it?" Berno Light grew even more uneasy.
"For her, if we perform well," Shuta An said indifferently, "it increases the likelihood that more than just European overseas Uma Musume will challenge the Breeders' Cup in the future."
"And that," he concluded calmly, "counts as her achievement."
As the annual grand event of the American Twinkle Series, Gulfstream Park Racecourse naturally poured vast promotional resources into publicizing this year's Breeders' Cup Series. The focal point of that promotion was the Breeders' Cup Classic—the climactic finale of the entire series.
Among the Uma Musume entered in this year's premier American Dirt G1, the one who drew Shuta An's attention most was Eve Binti—yes, the same European Uma Musume who had once crossed blades with Oguri Cap in the Japan Cup.
"Well—running turf in Japan and dirt in America," Shuta An muttered after scanning the entry list. "Eve Binti's Trainer really does have an imaginative mind."
"It's not that unexpected," Berno Light replied calmly. "At her current level, she doesn't stand much of a chance in either the Turf Mile or the Turf Classic. Gambling on dirt adaptability might actually be the most rational choice."
"But the biggest favorite for this Breeders' Cup," Berno Light continued, "is Rhythm—a Classic-age Uma Musume who didn't even participate in the American Triple Crown."
"That's perfectly reasonable," Shuta An said, skimming through Rhythm's past performances. Understanding dawned immediately. "Even without the Triple Crown, she captured the so-called 'Fourth Crown'—the Travers Stakes. Being the favorite is only natural."
"Then Unbridled, this year's Kentucky Derby winner, isn't particularly favored," Berno Light thought aloud. "Is it because her post-Derby form has been poor? She's already run four G1 races since then and hasn't won a single one."
"Hm. Either way, it has nothing to do with us." Shuta An shook his head lightly. "The race is the day after tomorrow. Later, Berno, ask Oguri and Suzuka whether they want to watch tomorrow's races—or rest."
"They'll definitely choose to rest," Berno Light answered without hesitation. "By then, it'll just be Ann and me watching. Today, they're both still asleep in their rooms even though it's already past ten. I brought their breakfast back from the restaurant."
"No wonder I didn't see the three of you this morning," Shuta An remarked with a faint smile.
—
Contrary to Shuta An's expectations, Japan also invested heavily in promoting this year's Breeders' Cup Series.
The URA Association and major television networks openly committed significant resources, introducing Japanese audiences—many of whom had previously only heard of races like the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe or the Washington International—to what the Breeders' Cup Series actually was, why it represented America's most prestigious annual Twinkle Series event, how fierce its competitive level was, and what it meant for Oguri Cap and Silence Suzuka to be participating.
Beneath the surface, bookmakers also quietly opened odds.
And whether publicly or in those less-visible circles, Japanese opinion was overwhelmingly pessimistic regarding the Sadalsuud team.
Japan's economy had been in decline for over a year, and public confidence had all but evaporated. Oguri Cap's Arlington Million victory had come at her dominant middle distance—but this time, she was challenging a Mile race she had never run before. The distance was shorter, yet no one could say for certain whether her explosiveness would translate to the Mile.
As for Silence Suzuka, her Secretariat Stakes victory was widely viewed as an upset achieved through a Great Escape. She had nearly been caught at the finish. Most believed that if the same situation occurred again, she would not win. This race was four hundred meters longer, and the opponents were stronger. In the eyes of the public, Suzuka would already be doing well if she simply avoided finishing last.
Some even went further—finding Shuta An's race scheduling incomprehensible and posting passive-aggressive remarks on the Sadalsuud team's blog.
Shuta An ignored them entirely.
Explaining things to layman served no purpose.
—
The following day, the Breeders' Cup Series officially began.
Since Oguri Cap and Silence Suzuka needed to prepare for their races tomorrow, Shuta An went alone to Gulfstream Park Racecourse to observe the first day's events.
All of the opening-day races were restricted to debut-year Uma Musume. Brimming with youthful vitality, they competed fiercely—but in Shuta An's eyes, none displayed the latent brilliance of Sunday Silence or Easy Goer.
"I was overthinking it," he reflected. "If talents like those emerged every year, America would be terrifying."
Then another thought followed.
"No. That era did exist."
During Secretariat's time, the American Twinkle Series had produced Hall of Fame Uma Musume in succession—each one capable of dominating an era if transplanted into the present.
Unfortunately, judging by this year's debut class, none appeared to possess that caliber.
"What a pity," Shuta An sighed. "If I could uncover a suitable dirt Uma Musume, I'd dare to challenge the Triple Crown next year."
With that thought, he shifted more of his attention to the day's turf races.
"It's been sunny these past two days," he murmured. "Let's see what characteristics the renovated turf at Gulfstream Park Racecourse reveals."
—
By the time the first day's races concluded, it was already past five in the afternoon. Shuta An rose, stretched lightly, and prepared to return to the hotel. But just outside Gulfstream Park Racecourse, he ran straight into Berno Light.
"What's wrong?" Shuta An asked in surprise. "Berno—you look like you're in a hurry. Did something happen?"
As he spoke, he silently prayed that nothing had gone wrong with Oguri Cap or Silence Suzuka. With the race tomorrow, any issue now would be nearly impossible to fix.
"Secretariat-senpai arrived at the hotel!" Berno Light blurted out.
"Huh?!" Shuta An froze. "She arrived? What's going on?"
"Ann, let's go back," Berno Light said urgently, grabbing his arm. "I'll explain on the way."
And without waiting for another word, she pulled him toward the hotel at a brisk pace.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
For anyone interested, or just want to support me. Hit the membership button to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ModerateCitizens