Today, I went to Meidai Gyudon and it was not crowded, so it was easy to take photos. I visit Sapporo Racecourse almost every week. To be honest, it's quite expensive. But the atmosphere and quality make it worth it. The beef bowl is delicious. It's cooked in a pot, so the flavor is rich and the onions are very soft. The unique feature is the addition of sliced burdock root (though there's not much).

【Hokkaido Bullet Tour Part 2】 We took a plane from Haneda at 6:20, then a train from the airport to Kuoen Station. From there, we hopped on a free shuttle bus and arrived at Sapporo Racecourse around 9 in the morning. There were quite a few customers already. We paid the entrance fee of 100 yen, got the racing program, and first things first, ordered a beer. I made sure to have a drink before anything else, as a seasoned gambler's rule. If you're late, you'll end up waiting in line or missing out on things, so it's better to start with food and beer. I had the motsu-ni for 650 yen and a beer for 550 yen. The ordering process for food and drinks was a bit inconvenient as you had to go to separate counters. I moved to a table and tried the motsu-ni: it was light but a bit too overcooked and dry. It had tripe, intestines, and konjac, with a strange thickening agent similar to mackerel miso. The beer was Sapporo Classic, a refreshing choice. Both the motsu-ni and beer were on the lighter side, maybe reflecting the culture of Hokkaido. After eating, I moved to the paddock to watch the second race and placed a successful exacta bet on horses 4 and 5. If only it had been a trifecta, I would've won 60,000 yen. Oh well, I guess I'm just not that lucky after all. P.S. Next, we headed to Escon Field.

After attending an event at Ainosato, I decided to get off the train at Kuwanon Station on my way back to Sapporo Station. There is a free bus from Kuwanon Station to the racecourse, and I noticed many older men carrying sports newspapers and horse racing newspapers boarding the bus. It had been 25 years since I last visited the racecourse, and that day, the horse I was rooting for, Seiun Sky, won the "Sapporo Kinen" race, which brought back memories of enjoying the race with my colleagues. The racecourse I visited after a quarter of a century was brighter and more open than before, giving the feeling of visiting a small amusement park. As it was the opening day, there were many spectators, and as I was pushed upstairs, I found a stall selling beef stew and beef rice, so I decided to line up. After a 10-minute wait, the beef stew seemed to go well with beer, and my expectations were high even before taking a bite! The actual taste was like, "Is this it...?" which was my honest impression. It wasn't bad, but perhaps my expectations were too high, so the content was a bit disappointing. (Even compared to the beef stew I made myself recently, there wasn't much of a difference. The price of 650 yen also felt slightly high considering the portion size.)

I went to the horse racing track without doing much research, so I ended up losing badly, but I decided to enjoy the horse racing meal properly. The beef tripe and konjac were simmered well, and the flavor was deep. There were also some internal organs-like parts, which can be a matter of personal preference. The miso-based flavor was mild and not overpowering. It's quite rich in flavor when eaten as is, so it goes best with alcohol or over rice. I used to think that horse racing meals were for the losers of the day (since the winners eat at expensive places), but they actually cost a normal price, so I felt that it's a tough world for the losers. Thank you for the meal!

Near the entrance gate of the Sapporo Racecourse, a drunken father who had chugged a beer almost in one go, stumbled up the stairs to the second floor after watching the horses for the next race in the paddock. There were a couple of food trucks set up along with the permanent eateries on the second floor, but I didn't bother checking them out as registering on food review sites seemed like a hassle. Despite not having eaten anything since morning, the heat or the alcohol had suppressed my appetite. However, I was drawn to the "Meidai Gyumeshi Sapporo Racecourse Store" and decided to try their "Ice Strawberry," which I rarely eat but found oddly appetizing that day. After ordering and paying, I waited for my ice strawberry to be prepared, which involved shaving ice from a traditional machine and pouring bright red syrup over it. As the main race of the day, the "STV Cup," was about to start, I received my ice strawberry and wandered around, just in time to hear the cheers and jeers of the crowd near the finish line. Although I hadn't bought any betting tickets, I didn't really care about the race results, but watching the beautiful horses race past with their hoofbeats was like a summer tradition in Sapporo. Apparently, a long shot horse around 12th place won the 8th or 9th race that day, and there were even some big payouts. The ice strawberry, reminiscent of street food I hadn't eaten in decades, had a refreshing and crunchy ice texture, which helped cool down my body. Oh, I remember the "Gyudon" from this place; it was quite tasty when I had it before, although a bit pricier now. I think it used to be around 500 yen a few years ago. By the way, doesn't gyudon seem fitting for a racecourse? Wasn't it "Yoshinoya" that started selling at racecourses first? (Who am I even talking to, haha) Well... I don't have much of an appetite, but let's eat something. Thank you for the meal.

Sapporo Racecourse. It's hot! The temperature is high, and so is the excitement of the races! However, the start seems a bit slow for a Saturday stakes race. It was surprisingly empty in the morning, but it got crowded in the afternoon. A racecourse needs that lively atmosphere! I'll have my first and last shaved ice of the year. Shaved ice for 300 yen with strawberry syrup. Just a regular shaved ice... with lots of syrup and crunchy ice. Maybe finer ice would have been better? My betting luck was a bit cold. There's only a little bit left of this year's Sapporo races! The weather is nice, so everyone, please come visit at least once! Thank you for the meal!

Sapporo horse racing has started again this year!! I was told to try the hormone stew when I come to the racetrack, so I started eating it. The hormone stew here is a perfect match for beer, a must-have! On this day, it was the first day of Sapporo horse racing, so I enjoyed horse racing with my usual drinking buddies. A local guy told me not to drink beer on an empty stomach, so I ordered the hormone stew here. It's becoming a summer tradition. During the Sapporo horse racing season, there are sweets and cafes for women, but I, a female drinker, always go for the hormone stew. Not very ladylike, haha. It doesn't have the unique smell of hormones, and the flavor is well infused, making it easy to eat and tempting for seconds. If you want something hearty, the hormone rice looks good. It's recommended to sprinkle plenty of shichimi spice on top. It goes great with beer. It's quite filling and satisfying. I might go back for another round this year. Thank you for the meal!

I had the pleasure of trying the beef rice bowl with egg at the Sapporo Classic 2022. It was incredibly delicious! ＼(^o^)／

I ordered simmered motsu and Sapporo Classic. The motsu was incredibly tender and delicious! The simmering sauce was thick and mild in flavor, absolutely delicious! If I had to say one thing, I wish there were a bit more konnyaku and burdock root in it. I would love to eat it again!

"Hormone stew for 600 yen. The taste is just as I imagined - rich and flavorful, perfect for enjoying with beer. I'm actually drinking grape juice though."

You always eat hormone rice, huh? Gout is scary, haha.

Beef bowl for 800 yen, beer for 450 yen.

"Delicious rice dish!"

I have come to the Sapporo Racecourse after visiting all the JRA racecourses. I feel a sense of accomplishment. I placed a 200 yen bet on each race from 1R to 12R. I bet while lounging on the grass with my smartphone. The results were mixed, some wins and some losses. During a break for energy replenishment, I discovered that Sapporo and Hakodate Racecourses do not have Yoshinoya, unlike the other eight racecourses. Sapporo has Meidai Gyumeshi, which I purchased. The meat was tender. It is more of a solid dish compared to Yoshinoya's beef bowl. I prefer it less soupy.