**Chapter 6: Mejiro. Pegasus**
"That's the full list of two-year-olds."
"Thanks for your hard work," Junji Tanaka said, offering a polite nod.
The Jockey Club staff waved it off with a grin. "It's just part of the job. You're the one with the real load, Master Tanaka, juggling all those racehorses."
Tanaka chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, someone's gotta do it."
He took the thin sheet of paper from the staff member and skimmed the list of two-year-olds slated for stabling. His eyes moved quickly, picking out familiar names and bloodlines.
"Another one from the Satomi family, huh?" he muttered.
"Debuting straight in the local circuit?" the staff asked, leaning in slightly.
"Looks like it. And a few more Jazz Blues foals, too."
Tanaka's voice was low, almost talking to himself as he scanned the page. In the local racing scene, manpower was always tight. Trainers like him were stretched thin, overseeing dozens—sometimes hundreds—of horses. Even the central circuits struggled, but out here in the countryside, the shortage of trainers and riders was a constant headache.
Aside from the obligatory "favor horses" picked each year, Tanaka's choices for stablemates were often a roll of the dice. With so many capable horses under his care, he could afford to be a little haphazard. He flipped to the last few entries on the list.
"Hm…" His brow furrowed as one name caught his eye.
"Mejiro. Pegasus."
He raised an eyebrow. "Who names a horse like that?"
Local horse owners were notorious for their quirky naming habits. To drum up attention for regional races, the local racing association often let questionable names slide during the initial review, only for them to be sent to the JRA for approval. But anything too outlandish could spark trouble—legal or otherwise.
Then he noticed the owner's name: "Mr. Kitano". Tanaka's shoulders relaxed. He'd heard about this new owner just last month—a fresh face in the game. That explained it.
"Well, alright then," he said to himself, circling Mejiro Pegasus on the list.
The horse's pedigree wasn't much to write home about. A sire named Creator II and a dam called Casino Shuttle didn't exactly scream champion material. But that hardly mattered. Tanaka marked a few more horses, folded the list, and tucked it into his jacket pocket. Another year's stablemate selection was done.
Before the horses were officially stabled, he'd need to check their condition in person. It'd also give him a chance to size up this "Mr. Kitano" character.
"Nishiken Ranch, huh? Only been around a couple of years," he mused, recalling what he'd heard about the small operation. With a rookie owner and a fledgling breeder, the horses were unlikely to be anything special. No need to drag Hattori along for this one.
Tanaka pulled out his phone and dialed Genta Ochiai, the stable's other main rider—though "main rider" was a generous term. Genta was more like his apprentice, eager but still green.
"Genta, the stablemate list is set. We're heading out in a few days to check on them."
"Got it, Master Tanaka," came the quick reply, Genta's voice brimming with enthusiasm.
***
[TL: Pegasus is English name,
Medaima is a Japanese name. For those who are confused]
The next day at Nishiken Ranch, the early summer air in Hokkaido was starting to warm. Ogawa Masaru hit the dirt with a thud, losing yet another round in his tug-of-war with a stubborn colt.
"Ugh, sorry, Mr. Kitano!" he groaned, wiping sweat from his brow.
Masaru's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, masking his frustration. In three days, Flax2023—now officially named Medaima—would head to the stables. As per the agreement between Nishiken Ranch and the horse's owner, Kitano Yuki, the ranch was handling pre-stable training.
So far, things have gone smoothly. Medaima took to desensitization exercises, gate training, and flat and slope runs like a natural. He wasn't a standout, but he learned fast, picking up routines without needing the repetitive drills other young colts demanded.
This horse was sharp. That was Masaru's take, at least.
At just nineteen, Masaru had been learning the ropes from his father, Ogawa Jou, since he was a kid. He wasn't boasting, but he figured no one at the ranch—except maybe his dad—knew Flax2023 better than he did. Not even his sister, Kana, who helped out around the stables, could claim that.
When Kitano asked to observe the training, Masaru jumped at the chance to take the lead. Medaima didn't let him down, breezing through the exercises with ease.
To push the training further, Masaru and his father decided to add a simulated racewalk. The ranch's track was just a 100-meter straightaway, but it was enough for practice. Kana rode another two-year-old for the parallel run.
The first 80 meters were flawless. Medaima adapted to the pace like he was born for it—maybe too well. Just shy of the finish line, the colt veered sharply toward the other horse. With a quick tilt of his head, he delivered a solid headbutt.
The parallel horse stumbled back, and Kana, caught off guard, tumbled from the saddle. Medaima, unbothered, trotted across the finish line like nothing had happened.
Ogawa Jou reacted on instinct, snapping his whip toward Medaima—not hard, barely grazing the colt's ear. But the horse froze, ears pinned back, refusing to budge no matter how Masaru tugged at the lead.
Ogawa Jou raised the whip again, then let it drop, his shoulders slumping. Masaru knew his dad was closest to Flax2023, handling most of the daily training and care—everything from mucking stalls to feeding and washing. But now, with Kitano watching from the sidelines, Ogawa Jou hesitated.
"You're not gonna keep swinging?" Kitano asked, his tone calm but pointed as he watched the standoff.
"Huh?" Masaru blinked, caught off guard.
"He needs to learn that kind of behavior's not okay," Kitano said, a hint of exasperation creeping into his voice as he glanced at Masaru, still sprawled in the dirt.
It was a dangerous move. Kana, thankfully, was fine—just a few scrapes, her helmet doing its job. But in a real race, with more horses and higher stakes, who knew what could happen? Kitano wanted his horse to win, but not at the cost of reckless antics.
"Sorry for the trouble," Kitano said, offering a slight bow as Jou and Kana approached, the latter brushing off her scrapes.
"It's just a scratch," Kana said with a small smile, though her face twitched as she touched the graze on her arm.
"We made a mess of things," Ogawa Jou added, his voice heavy as he took the whip from Masaru. "But don't worry, Mr. Kitano. We'll have him straightened out before he's stabled."
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