Shuta Ann left the VIP area and headed to the dia zone while Silence Suzuka prepared for her Winning Live.
The reporters who had been waiting there imdiately noticed the brilliance of his smile. He was in an exceptionally good mood. That alone was enough to excite them—when Shuta Ann was relaxed, he occasionally revealed details he would otherwise keep guarded.
As the Trainer widely regarded as Japan's number one, yet with only two active Uma Musu in the Twinkle Series, information about Team Sadalsuud was notoriously scarce. Rumors surfaced from ti to ti, but confirmation from Shuta Ann himself was rare. This interview was an opportunity no one wanted to waste.
The first question ca from Twinkle magazine, a publication under the URA Association.
"Congratulations on your first Takarazuka Kinen victory with Silence Suzuka, Trainer Shuta. How do you feel?"
A conventional opener.
"I'm extrely happy," Shuta Ann replied without hesitation. "Silence Suzuka has proven she is the strongest active middle-distance Uma Musu in Japan's Twinkle Series. Personally, winning the Takarazuka Kinen completes my Grand Prix set. That's aningful."
The next reporter leaned forward. "Has Silence Suzuka's next race been decided? Is it what the comntator suggested earlier?"
"The Arlington Million is one option," Shuta Ann answered evenly. "But everything depends on her condition. I always design race schedules around the Uma Musu's physical state. Today's performance proves she can handle 2200 ters. If recovery goes well, I may consider another 2400-ter attempt. However, post-race examinations co first."
"Two thousand four hundred—" Several reporters imdiately thought of the Japan Cup.
"Will Silence Suzuka defend the Japan Cup this year?" one pressed.
Shuta Ann shook his head slightly. "As you know, Tokyo Racecourse's 2400-ter configuration is unfavorable for front-runners. I'm not fully convinced she's matured enough to handle that distance under those conditions. At this point, the possibility of her running this year's Japan Cup is very low. After the Tenno Sho (Autumn), we may instead consider another overseas expedition."
The topic shifted.
"Could you share jiro Dober's upcoming schedule? She debuted impressively at Tokyo."
Shuta Ann gave a brief glance before replying. "Her next race will be the Hakodate Nisai Stakes. That doesn't an we're committing to a short distance route. It's a temporary arrangent. Long term, she'll follow the traditional Triple Tiara path, aiming to beco the second Triple Tiara winner since jiro Ramonu."
"A temporary arrangent?" a reporter caught the phrasing imdiately. "Why?"
"Because my projected schedule includes overseas races," Shuta Ann said calmly. "To avoid returning empty-handed, we need a dostic graded win first. Hakodate serves that purpose."
"Can you reveal her overseas target?"
"Not yet," he replied with a light shrug. "After Hakodate, I'll decide whether to make it public."
The interview concluded soon after.
Silence Suzuka's Winning Live was about to begin. Shuta Ann positioned himself close to the stage, intent on watching every detail of her performance.
A middle-aged man approached and stood beside him. After a brief hesitation, he spoke.
"Good afternoon, Shuta-kun. I'm Stay Gold's Trainer—Kumazawa Yasuro."
Shuta Ann turned and offered a polite bow. "Good afternoon, Senior Kumazawa. It's a pleasure."
"Silence Suzuka is truly strong," Kumazawa Yasuro admitted with a wry smile. "For a mont, I thought Stay Gold might take it. But in the final fifty ters, I realized I'd been overly optimistic."
"That wasn't misjudgnt," Shuta Ann replied. "Stay Gold ran exceptionally well. She's adaptable from 2000 to 3200 ters. There will be many chances for her to claim a G1."
Kumazawa Yasuro sighed. "Opportunities are one thing. Whether she'll stay patient with until then is another."
Shuta Ann arched an eyebrow slightly. "Is there sothing you'd like to ask?"
Kumazawa laughed awkwardly, realizing he'd been read. "Nothing troubleso. I simply wanted your opinion. Given Stay Gold's profile, are there suitable overseas G1 races she could target?"
"Overseas G1s…" Shuta Ann paused briefly. "With her distance range, there are nurous options. Do you have additional criteria?"
Kumazawa scratched his head. "She seems…particularly interested in high prize money."
That narrowed the field instantly.
Several premier middle- and long-distance turf races surfaced in Shuta Ann's mind. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was dismissed almost imdiately—its current competitive level far exceeded Stay Gold's.
That left alternatives such as the Breeders' Cup Turf, as well as Australia's elite staying events.
He laid out his analysis succinctly for Kumazawa Yasuro.
"Thank you, Shuta-kun. I'll study them carefully and discuss with Stay Gold before deciding." Kumazawa bowed deeply.
Shuta Ann did not step aside. The gesture was earned. Dostic trainers still possessed limited understanding of overseas circuits; it was precisely why soone like Kumazawa sought him out.
As the music began on stage and the crowd's cheers swelled, Shuta Ann watched Silence Suzuka under the lights.
"Honestly," he murmured inwardly, "I hope she chooses Australia's pinnacle—the lbourne Cup. But the risk is imnse. She probably won't."
That evening, after a simple two-person celebration in Shinsaibashi, Shuta An and Silence Suzuka boarded the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
"Rest properly for the next month," Shuta An said after so thought. "Once Dober finishes the Hakodate Nisai Stakes in early August, we'll prepare to head to Arica again."
The idea of challenging the Arlington Million this sumr was undeniably tempting.
"I can go to Hakodate as well," Silence Suzuka replied. "It's sumr break anyway. I feel more at ease in Hokkaido than at the academy."
After a brief pause, she added, "Tokyo is just—too hot in sumr."
On that point, Shuta An fully agreed. Even Oguri had fled Tokyo's oppressive heat after the Dream Cup, taking Berno to Okinawa to recover. If not for jiro Dober's upcoming race, he might have done the sa.
"Then we'll go together," he decided. "Originally, I only planned to bring Teio."
Suzuka quietly exhaled in relief.
Good thing I ntioned it first. Otherwise, Teio would have been unbearably smug.
—
By the ti Shuta An arrived ho, the clock had already struck midnight. After a quick shower, he collapsed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
During the ride back from Osaka, Suzuka had remained close beside him, keeping him subtly tense. He had been careful—almost overly careful—not to do anything that might make her uncomfortable.
Once ho, that tension dissolved into sheer exhaustion. It followed him even into the Dream World.
Tonight's dream challenge was the Takarazuka Kinen.
Because jiro McQueen had been entrusted to Yutaka Take by the head of the jiro family, Shuta An had declined Trainer Okudaira Shinji's invitation to ride jiro Ryan. Instead, he accepted Kansai trainer Sakaguchi Masanori's offer and partnered with Tai Eagle, a horse whose résumé included only a single OP victory.
jiro Ryan's main jockey, Norihiro Yokoyama, had been deeply moved.
"Even though we're not close, Shuta-kun gave so much respect by not competing for the ride," he said emotionally. "After the race, I'll take him to the best bar in Osaka—we won't leave until we collapse!"
When this reached Shuta An's ears, he could only twitch his lips. Yokoyama had completely misunderstood—but gaining goodwill was never a bad thing.
He had thoroughly reviewed Tai Eagle's past races. A textbook front-runner. Modest finishing speed. Drawn in gate four—acceptable. Once committed to the mount, he already knew how he would ride it.
"Its ability isn't top-tier in this field," he admitted privately, "but with the right positioning, it can absolutely disrupt the favorites."
He would never say such a thing in front of the stable staff.
After the break, Tai Eagle obediently settled into fourth under his guidance. On the inside, jiro Ryan advanced steadily; on the outside, jiro McQueen moved up in parallel. Yokoyama and Yutaka Take had chosen identical early strategies.
Not ideal.
When Iide Satan in the lead signaled an intent to ease the pace, Shuta An instantly recognized the danger. Still, there was nothing he could responsibly attempt. Tai Eagle lacked the class to play gas here. He stayed patient.
Entering the backstretch, Yutaka Take allowed jiro McQueen to steady slightly, conserving energy. Yokoyama seized the inside advantage and pressed forward to pressure Iide Satan.
One advanced. One retreated.
Shuta An remained still.
"Not yet. Let Tai Eagle run comfortably."
The lessons learned alongside Tokai Teio guided him. Talent differed wildly, but sound riding principles did not.
Most of the ti, allow the horse to find its rhythm. After all, the one running knows more about running than the rider above.
Approaching the final straight, jiro Ryan took command. jiro McQueen swung wide, launching a powerful outside drive.
Shuta An, however, did not imdiately deploy the windmill whip. Starting too early would cost him a 100,000-yen fine.
Instead, he drove with his body—pressing Tai Eagle's head down forcefully, then lifting the reins in rhythm. The motion sharpened efficiency. Across the Central circuit, few could replicate it; Tahara Seiki was still learning.
At the base of the uphill, jiro McQueen closed to within a length.
Now.
He maintained the left-hand drive and finally brought the whip down with his right. Not instructional—pure stimulation.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
Even partnered with the eighth favorite, he rode as if victory were possible.
I'll at least make him work for it.
His movents intensified, but Tai Eagle's response was limited by ability.
"jiro Ryan crosses the finish line! After five failed G1 attempts, victory at last!"
"And Shuta An, who passed on the favored jiro McQueen, takes a stunning second aboard Tai Eagle! jiro McQueen finishes third by a nose!"
Shuta An dismounted smiling, high-fived Tai Eagle's groom, then turned toward Yutaka Take with a radiant grin.
"Looks like neither of us won."
Yutaka Take exhaled softly. The jiro family's entourage was still celebrating with Norihiro Yokoyama and had not noticed them.
"No," he replied quietly. "Ann-san won."
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