"The first stop on the Classic Grade circuit: the Osaka Cup, a race teeming with formidable rivals. Kousei has chosen not to surge forward aggressively, instead settling into the mid-pack, observing the movements of the other horses."
"Despite possessing the freedom to run any style, Kousei's preferred tactic remains the Chaser style—a method that perfectly suits her powerful build. Her robust physique gives her a significant advantage in jockeying for position, and with her final leg acceleration noticeably improved, conserving energy until the Final Straight seems a wise strategy."
"Indeed, but in past races, Kousei always had a clear target in mind. In this Osaka Cup, the absence of a designated rival might affect her performance."
"Another noteworthy development is the sudden appearance of Gold City. More famous as a model than as an Umamusume, she too has positioned herself in the mid-pack—the most chaotic and pressure-filled part of the race. While Kousei's reasons for being there are clear, Gold City's intentions remain unclear and warrant close attention."
As the commentators noted, Kousei's first Classic Grade race had led her to adopt a cautious approach. She also kept a close eye on Gold City's movements, the two mares running closely together, with Gold City right behind Kousei.
"Staying in this position? Don't judge a book by its cover. Could City also excel in power-based running?"
No one would have expected a model to employ such a strategy based on first impressions.
However, the chaos of the Chaser's position can't be overcome by power alone. Even an unawakened McQueen would choose to lead from the front—partly because of her exceptional stamina and leg strength, but also because she struggles in chaotic situations.
For McQueen, true elegance lies in achieving overwhelming victory.
"It's not just the Chaser's position; this gaze is directed at me," Kousei Heart realized with clarity.
She never imagined she would become a target herself one day.
"If they're going to make a move, it'll have to be there."
Kousei's gaze shifted forward as the pack surged toward the first turn.
"City, show me the true strength of a G1 contender!"
Preparing for the Turn
The Umamusume grew restless, jostling for position to conserve energy and gain a faster exit from the turn. Kousei could feel the surrounding space closing in, the pressure mounting.
"The Umamusume are starting to bunch up. I'll stick to the inner lane for now, but the path ahead looks rough. I'll give up the first turn and observe Gold City's movements before deciding on my next move."
With this thought, Kousei decisively withdrew from the scramble for position.
"Oh~ How rare! Kousei is actually giving up the chance to fight for the lead. In previous races, she's always dominated the turns—her specialty. Why would she pass up an opportunity to showcase her strength? What's she planning?"
"Could she be keeping an eye on Gold City's movements?"
Kousei failed to secure a good position, getting squeezed into the inner lane and barely making the turn. Her initial strategy of observing Gold City's movements turned into a pointless miscalculation as Gold City remained inactive.
"City isn't moving. Why?"
By the time Kousei exited the first turn, she had fallen to the back of the mid-pack. Ahead, the Front-Runner was accelerating the pace, and if she maintained her current pace, she'd quickly be left far behind.
"I'll just follow along for now."
Kousei settled for second best, veering toward the relatively safer outer lane.
Just then, Gold City began to move.
"Hmm?"
Right behind Kousei, Gold City also veered into the outer lane. Sacrificing some ground to stay with the lead pack, Kousei slowed down, and Gold City immediately matched her pace.
"Wait, could it be?"
A bold idea flashed through Kousei's mind. There were two types of marking:
1. The coercive, pressuring stare Kousei used to unsettle her opponents.
2. The synchronized stare, used to track a target in tandem.
From the very beginning, Gold City had intended to abandon the others.
"To think that among all these valiant Umamusume, she would focus her attention on me! I'm truly honored, City!"
"What's happening?! Kousei is accelerating!" the commentator exclaimed.
Barely two breaths after stopping, Kousei surged forward again.
"Could it be a timing difference?"
"What do you mean?"
"The Front-Runners who broke out of the turn first naturally gained an advantageous position. But as Kousei charges from behind, they'll inevitably glance back to check her position. Even though she's still a rookie in the Classic Grade, her past performances can't be ignored."
Even in the recent Seishun Cup, she had decisively defeated Narita Brian head-on.
The moment they saw her stop, the other runners naturally relaxed their guard.
She's probably giving up for now, they thought. These few seconds of complacency provided Kousei with the perfect opportunity to vanish from their sight in a dazzling flash.
The other commentator swallowed hard, clearly unable to believe Kousei could pull off such a feat.
"Such an abrupt shift—can Kousei really do it?"
"Indeed, can she?" The veteran commentator narrowed her eyes.
The Umamusume running ahead of Kousei suddenly sensed something amiss. The flow of the wind had changed.
Only Kousei should be behind me... why is the wind shifting?
Having already dismissed the possibility of Kousei accelerating, the sudden unease quickly morphed into alarm. Finally, she glanced back.
Huh?
A fierce gust of wind struck her face, followed by two streaks of gold and silver whistling past her shoulder. Turning forward again, she expected to see what had been chasing her.
Yet all they could see was a receding figure.
"An illusion?"
No! It wasn't an illusion!
An unsettling sense of incongruity filled the air ahead, causing the Umamusume to falter as they desperately searched for its source.
A flash of silver glinted at the front, and before they knew it, Kousei had surged ahead.
"How is she already there?!"
Next came a blinding flash of gold, the gilded chestnut and white manes reflecting each other in dazzling brilliance.
"Beautiful..."
They raced ahead like walking sunsets, captivating all who beheld them.
"Unbelievable," said one of the few who remained clear-headed, immune to the mesmerizing spectacle.
"I initially thought her 'free stride' was just the icing on the cake, but I never imagined it could be used like this."
Rudolf, hooded and cloaked, blended seamlessly into the crowd. Unless one looked closely, few would recognize her as the renowned Emperor.
"Mastering rhythm shifts is an incredibly difficult technique. Kousei's 'free stride' allows her to adapt to various rhythms with ease, making these transitions seamless. Even so, it still requires extensive practice.
After shifting her rhythm, she analyzes the field to identify each Umamusume's blind spots and slips into them unnoticed. Her mastery of timing and vision-based tactics shows her sensory acuity is growing increasingly refined.
Those ears of hers have truly given her a tremendous advantage.
Am I right, T.?"
Standing beside the Emperor was none other than Kousei's Trainer, yet his face showed no joy at her exceptional performance.