Chapter 125: The Senpai Shared Experience
Makoto noticed the subtle mood shifts among the girls of the Stego Clan.
However, seeing that Kitasan Black and the others were too absorbed in the excitement of race day to notice anything unusual, he thought for a moment but decided not to bring it up.
Leaving the rest area, he went to the front-row seats that had been reserved in the spectator stands. After watching the few races leading up to the Spring Tenno Sho, the moment Gold Ship appeared in the paddock, the group of Umamusume broke out in cheers.
"Golshi! Over here! Look this way!"
"She looks to be in good condition—come on, Golshi, you got this!"
While Tokai Teio and Vodka bounced with excitement, Daiwa Scarlet and Silence Suzuka spoke in a more thoughtful tone.
"Only the second favorite, huh… That's odd. Golshi clearly won the Hanshin Daishoten last time. Why's her popularity lower this time?" Daiwa Scarlet said, puzzled.
"The top favorite… that's High Friendship, right?"
Resting her chin on her hand, Silence Suzuka murmured softly, "If I remember correctly… she was the winner of the Derby two years ago, right?"
"The race guides and commentators mentioned she has excellent long-distance adaptability. In last year's Spring Tenno Sho, she crossed the finish line about three lengths ahead of Golshi."
"In that case, it's not too surprising that Golshi's popularity isn't as high as hers."
What the two of them said was basic knowledge for anyone with experience, and most of the other Umamusume nodded in agreement.
Almond Eye then looked over curiously and asked:
"The Japanese Derby… is it true that you have to win that race to become the strongest Umamusume?"
"Well… not exactly."
Daiwa Scarlet rubbed Almond Eye's head affectionately and said,
"The Japanese Derby is really special. Actually, any race that carries the name 'Derby' is special—it symbolizes being the pinnacle of your generation. So winning it is definitely a huge deal."
"But that doesn't mean there aren't other races that are just as meaningful."
"For example, today's Spring Tenno Sho or the Arima Kinen at the end of the year—those races gather the strongest Umamusume of the generation too."
"If you ask me, winning the Arima Kinen might even be the more impressive achievement."
Almond Eye nodded vaguely, still trying to take it all in, while Vodka gave an exasperated but amused laugh.
"Hey, Scarlet, when you say stuff like that, it makes me—someone who did win the Derby but never won the Arima Kinen—feel kinda awkward, you know?"
Perhaps because a younger kouhai was present, Daiwa Scarlet didn't bicker with Vodka like usual. Instead, she said almost comfortingly,
"Come on, come on, both of those times you couldn't join because of your condition, right? That's just how it is sometimes."
Vodka had only meant it as a light self-joke, so she didn't mind at all. She gave a breezy grin, turned her eyes back toward the paddock, and then to the exit leading to the course.
The parade segment was nearing its end. The first two to appear on the course—High Friendship and Gold Ship—were already heading toward the starting gates under the staff's guidance.
"Gate number one, huh…"
Rubbing her chin as she watched Gold Ship's figure, Vodka frowned slightly and looked at Special Week beside her.
"Hey, Spe, is the inside gate in the Spring Tenno Sho easy to run from?"
"The inside gate at the Tenno Sho? I think it's okay… wait, are you worried about Golshi?" Special Week asked, following Vodka's gaze toward Gold Ship."
"Yeah, I didn't think much of it at first, but now that I look…"
Her eyes swept across the stretch behind the gates as Vodka pondered aloud.
"The straight after the start in the Tenno Sho is pretty long compared to most races, right? Wouldn't that make the inside gate a little less advantageous?"
With a thoughtful expression, Special Week recalled, "Yeah, I remember feeling the straight was really long when I ran it too. Let's see… the straight after the start should be… about 417 meters, I think."
"At that distance, the inside lanes… really aren't that advantageous."
"But for Golshi… I don't think it'll be a big problem."
"The inside isn't advantageous…?"
Hearing their exchange, Almond Eye tilted her head curiously. "Why's that? Wouldn't running along the inner lane save a lot of distance?"
Although they didn't speak up, Kitasan Black and Duramente also looked over curiously, their eyes full of evident confusion.
In the minds of these Umamusume, both their teachers and trainers had often emphasized that "the inner lane is advantageous."
In many of their training sessions and races, they were told to seize the inside track whenever possible.
So hearing their senpai say the exact opposite now felt completely contradictory.
"Well, about that…"
Vodka glanced at Special Week. "I'll let you explain, Spe. I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to long-distance races."
Without much hesitation, Special Week smiled, patted Almond Eye's head, and turned to the group of kouhai.
"When it comes to whether the inner or outer lane has the advantage… it really depends on the specific race."
"For most races, yes—aiming for the inner lane right after the start is the correct move. But in the Spring Tenno Sho, the opening straight is quite long, and since it's right after the start, the pace isn't very fast yet."
"If you manage your sideways movement rhythm well and pick the right angle to cut in before the first turn, then the stamina loss from running in the outer lane isn't as bad as people think."
"That's when the situation flips."
"On the inside, your tactical options are much more limited—you can easily get boxed in by the outer runners. So if the outer lane doesn't suffer in terms of distance or stamina, the inner lane's disadvantage becomes quite obvious."
"And there's one more important factor."
"If the turf on the inside is in poor condition, the Umamusume running there have to find a way to break outward—otherwise, they can't pick up speed and end up wasting stamina."
"In that case, it's actually the inner lane that consumes more distance and energy."
"So remember—don't be too rigid about these things in your future races, okay?"
After Special Week's cheerful explanation, Almond Eye's eyes sparkled with admiration as she clenched her fists and said earnestly, "Week-senpai… you're amazing!"
"All of you senpais are amazing—Suzuka-senpai, Daiwa-senpai, you too, Teio-senpai—"
"And of course, Vodka-senpai too!"
Hearing the kouhai's round of praises, everyone burst into laughter. Like Daiwa Scarlet earlier, Vodka reached over and playfully ruffled Almond Eye's hair.
"Alright, alright, no need to force me into the list. Anyway, for the Spring Tenno Sho, the one you should really watch is your Special Week-senpai here. Oh, and if you get the chance, you should also ask McQueen-senpai for advice."
"Mm! I know!"
Trying not to look flustered but clearly eager, Almond Eye replied in a firm tone,
"Special Week-senpai was the first Umamusume since Tamamo Cross-senpai to achieve a Spring–Autumn Tenno Sho double. And McQueen-senpai was the first ever to win back-to-back Spring Tenno Sho titles!"
"I'll learn from all of my senpais—and work hard to become just as amazing— no, even more amazing!"
"Oh? More amazing, huh?"
Raising her brows in surprise, Vodka smiled and turned toward Kitasan Black, who was also smiling brightly.
"Looks like you've got some competition, Kita-chan. Our little Almond Eye here isn't just aiming to match her senpais—she's planning to surpass them."
"Ai-chan's always been ambitious!"
Kitasan Black nodded repeatedly, her eyes firm with determination. "But senpai's right—I've got to set that kind of goal for myself too!"
Amid the cheerful atmosphere, Makoto, who had been quietly smiling the whole time, gave a small, approving nod at the heartwarming scene before him.
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Note:
1, Stego Clan: Following with the real-life racehorse fandom terminology, Stay Gold and the Umamusume who are the descendants of her real-life counterpart are often referred to as the Stego Clan as a group by fans. This nickname has been unofficially adopted by the voice actors as of September 12th, 2025 on SokoPaka Live TV Vol.48 and has been used in the thumbnail of said video.
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