The discussion hadn't been going on for long before it turned into a noisy clamor—something that would have been impossible in the Eisei team of the past.
Under Kitahara's leadership, whether it was a formal meeting or a casual discussion, the atmosphere usually mirrored his personality: serious and solemn. However, after chatting with the Horse Girls about things outside of racing over the past two days, he had noticed many small details he had previously overlooked. He was increasingly trying to let the team's daily routine be more relaxed; he felt this would allow him to understand the girls' inner thoughts more deeply.
For formal race meetings—like the upcoming Sankei Sho or Keisei Cup in a month—he would certainly enforce discipline. Even if someone had an idea, it would be better to discuss it one by one rather than the current ruckus.
This is more of an entertainment-style relay race, Kitahara thought. Better to let them speak their minds.
Observing the room, he realized that amidst the noise, there was actually a lot of meaningful content. What Tamamo Cross had said before bickering with Inari One was exactly what he was thinking.
The decision to use a lottery for the teams was specifically for fairness. The reason was the varying degrees of familiarity between the girls. For instance, the three Mejiro sisters frequently trained together and shared insights within their family. If those three were on one team, their chemistry would be unmatched. Perhaps Symboli Rudolf and Tokai Teio had a unique compatibility that would lead to excellent coordination, but a third member—whether it be Oguri Cap, Super Creek, Tamamo Cross, or Inari One—couldn't be considered a perfectly "synced" teammate.
Kitahara felt that his ability to make such precise judgments was largely due to the "Junior Guidance Training" they had been conducting recently. However, this relaxed atmosphere where everyone could speak freely certainly had its own positive impact.
Keenly sensing this shift in his style, the girls' arguments and exchanges lasted a long time. They went on so long that the desserts on the coffee table were replaced two or three times before they finally grew tired and quieted down. One by one, their attention refocused on Kitahara.
"Ah... sorry, Uncle! I was so busy being grumpy that I didn't notice you. My bad, hehehe..."
Tilting her head and rubbing the back of her neck, Tokai Teio became belatedly embarrassed. Kitahara smiled, not minding at all. Teio had a childlike personality; when her emotions flared up, she tended to disregard everything else. But once she realized she was being rude or had made a mistake, she was quick to admit it.
Moreover, it was obvious to everyone that Teio deeply admired her senpai, Symboli Rudolf. To the Horse Girls in the know, this admiration bordered on fanaticism. Ever since Rudolf was active, Teio had followed in her footsteps, never missing a single race—except for the expedition to the United States. In her school dormitory, she had written down Rudolf's dazzling achievements, like the "Undefeated Classic Triple Crown" and "Seven G1 Crowns," on paper and hung them on her wall as her career goals. After coming to the training camp, she had written them out again and posted them in her room.
Driven by this fanatical longing, she was more motivated than ever upon hearing she could race with her idol, waking up before dawn to do light exercises while waiting for training to officially begin. For the same reason, when she heard the teams would be decided by lottery, she acted impulsively out of fear that she wouldn't be paired with Rudolf.
While dealing with the rowdy, child-like Teio, Symboli Rudolf—though slightly embarrassed herself—patiently explained things to her. Now, after apologizing, Teio voiced her stance sensibly.
"If we have to draw lots, then... let's draw them." Her lip pouted slightly, but her tone was firm as she faced the possibility of not getting her wish. "If I'm lucky enough to be on the President's team, that would be the best, hehehe! But if I'm unlucky, I'll just treat this race as a chance to test my strength."
She thumped her chest, her voice growing even more determined. "I'm aiming for the President's 'Undefeated Triple Crown,' and I'm definitely going to achieve it! But I still have a long way to go, so I need to know how big the gap is between me and the President. This is the best opportunity. I'll accept whatever team I end up on!"
Though Mejiro McQueen had her own thoughts on the lottery, Teio had been the loudest voice. Now that even Teio had agreed—and McQueen, calmed by Mejiro Ramonu, felt similarly—the decision to use a lottery was finalized.
Watching the process unfold, Kitahara found it quite interesting. He felt the relaxed discussion atmosphere was indeed working. Teio's change of heart was an unexpected gain. While her childish nature was often charming, she sometimes focused so much on herself that she ignored others' feelings. In the original history, she often forgot the shared experiences of racing with others, causing trouble for her fellow Horse Girls. Here, her ability to quickly realize her oversight and accept others' suggestions was largely due to Rudolf's persuasion, but it also required this kind of lighthearted, immediate communication.
In the past, where Kitahara and the other trainers would simply lecture and hand down training and racing schedules, the efficiency might have been higher, but they would have ignored the girls' own thoughts, depriving them of opportunities to grow and change. Seeing these results, Kitahara wanted to create more opportunities like this, but for now, he had to finish organizing the relay race.
The Drawing of Lots
First, they had to determine the lottery results. Originally, Kitahara planned to use a simple program to randomly generate the teams. However, he decided it would be better to use a method that gave the girls more of a sense of participation.
For the formal draw, they used the traditional "paper slip" method. They prepared 15 slips of paper, grouped into five sets of three, with numbers 1 through 5 written on them. The slips were folded and placed in a box for the girls to draw. Those who drew the same number would form a team. Once everyone agreed to this method, the results would be final.
The draw didn't take long. The results were quickly tallied, and Kitahara put together a table to display on the projector screen:
Team 1: Symboli Rudolf, Mejiro Ardan, Mejiro McQueen
Team 2: Mr. C.B., Inari One, Narita Brian
Team 3: Katsuragi Ace, Super Creek, Mihono Bourbon
Team 4: Mejiro Ramonu, Tamamo Cross, Tokai Teio
Team 5: Maruzensky, Oguri Cap, Rice Shower
The results were met with a mix of joy, disappointment, and nerves. The entire process—watching them draw the slips with expressions ranging from anxiety to calm—had been an entertaining experience.
"So, these are the teams for the relay race," Kitahara said, waiting for the chatter to die down. "Each team will have a senpai as the captain. Once the schedule is set, the captains will lead their teams to get to know each other. In a relay, passing the baton is a crucial step. If teammates aren't in sync, accidents or even fouls can happen. I will hand the specific rules for fouls to the captains later, and they will lead the familiarization process. Is that all clear?"
After the girls exchanged glances with their new teammates and nodded in agreement, Kitahara continued.
The Three Tracks
"After the teams comes the format. I'll give the detailed route maps and rules to the captains later, but let's do a brief overview now."
Kitahara switched the PowerPoint to the next slide, showing a top-down map of the nearby coast. The map showed a third of light blue sea, a third of pale yellow beach, and the rest consisted of black roads, grey buildings, and green grass. Within this complex terrain was a wide white band divided by thin black lines into five lanes. This was the track.
Unlike the regular URA circuits, this relay track was irregular and filled with numerous curves.
"This is the terrain near our current coastal location, which will serve as the racecourse. I'll explain the track conditions in three stages." Using a laser pointer, Kitahara highlighted the black road section.
"First is the First Leg, for President Rudolf's group. This stage is 4,000 meters long and takes place on the highway. You likely haven't experienced this distance or these track conditions before. However, considering this is the most suitable area—and that you senpais have superior strength and adaptability compared to Oguri and the others—I believe you can adapt with some intensive training. Any issues?"
Almost before he finished, a high-spirited voice rang out.
"No problem! I'm okay with any track condition as long as I can race against my old rivals again!" Katsuragi Ace stood up, slamming her fist into her palm. "It's not like we haven't run on roads before; it's just a matter of adapting our racing habits. Besides, a 'Road' is meant for us Horse Girls to run on! Surely no Horse Girl is afraid of the road?"
Her final question was a playful provocation. She tilted her chin toward her friends at her table and then toward Mejiro Ramonu at the next table. She was met only with amused headshakes and deadpan stares.
Undeterred, Ace laughed, leaned forward with one hand on her hip, and rubbed her chin. "Anyway, I think we're fine. But what about the little ones in the next leg? Are they okay?" She gestured toward the track on the map. "Looking at this route, after our leg, it hits the beach, right? I practiced on the beach back when I was racing. It's... exhausting. Not only does it require high stamina, but it's a huge test for balance and energy distribution. The girls here for the camp have only been here for about half a month, right? Is it really okay for the second leg to be on the sand?"
Kitahara had to admit, as expected of a veteran, Ace had quickly spotted the difficulty without him even explaining.
"You're right. The Second Leg is almost entirely on the beach." He pointed the laser at the yellow section. "This leg is for Oguri Cap's group. The distance is 3,000 meters on sand. It is indeed a massive test for the contestants. However, that is exactly why we are here for this training camp."
His gaze swept across the active Horse Girls on the team, his expression turning serious.
"Currently, with the exception of Super Creek, the stamina levels of Oguri and the others need improvement. Similarly, those other than Oguri and Inari One need to strengthen their power and learn to control their limits. Given the differences in talent, I don't expect you all to be at the same level. However, energy distribution, pacing, and maximizing instantaneous acceleration can all be brought to a similar level through training. These are matters of technique and adaptation."
His tone became more authoritative. "So, having your race on the sand is a perfect opportunity for live-combat training to test the results of your recent special beach training. It's a way to level up."
Since this was directly related to their growth, Oguri and the others were very obedient and quickly agreed.
"As for the Final Leg..." He pointed to the green section. "I mentioned this area was the most suitable because the beach connects to a coastal forest. We don't need to race inside the forest; there is enough grassland on the outskirts. So, the final leg is 2,000 meters on turf."
Looking at Teio and the other juniors, he smiled. "For those of you who haven't completed your 'original' growth yet, turf is the track with the least physical burden. The distance might be a bit long, since your debut races are usually between 1200 and 2000 meters, and your school training focuses on that. However, you all have much loftier dreams. Treat this final leg as a challenge before your official debut. Work hard for it in the coming days. How does that sound?"