Seiun Sky Wins Satsuki Sho, Canopus Scores Double Opening Victories!
Such news spread like wildfire. A full day had passed since the Satsuki Sho, and discussions online were rapidly heating up.
A double opening victory for a single team—such a feat hadn't even occurred in Rigil, Japan's strongest team.
Yet now, it had happened with a new team like Canopus.
And the most astonishing part wasn't just the double victory.
Many online had already picked up on subtle clues, boldly proposing a grand hypothesis for this year: Canopus was aiming for a "Double Triple Crown."
This hypothesis didn't strike other Uma Musume racing fans as far-fetched at all; instead, they began to rally around the idea.
A double triple crown within one team wasn't unheard of—Rigil had Symboli Rudolf and Narita Brian, after all—but that was an achievement built over time.
If Canopus pulled it off, it would mean two triple crowns won in the same year.
Dominating both the Classic and the filly divisions, the two premier domestic racing series, would send Canopus's popularity soaring sky-high.
Especially since Rigil's official announcement that El Condor Pasa would withdraw from the Triple Tiara to focus on overseas events after her recovery, targeting the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
With that, who in the Triple Tiara could possibly stop Barbatos?
Or rather, among the current active Uma Musume, who could even be considered a match for Barbatos?
Then there were the Classic races. Everyone had witnessed the fierce three-way showdown in the Satsuki Sho—King Halo's relentless pressure, Special Week's formidable strength.
Yet, Seiun Sky had still claimed victory in both the Satsuki Sho and the Yayoi Sho. While the competition remained within the same tier, the public was brimming with confidence in Seiun Sky.
Moreover, attentive fans had pointed out that Seiun Sky's aptitude for long-distance races seemed even stronger than for middle-distance. The extended length of the Kikuka Sho might just be her ideal stage.
Two Triple Crowns from the same stable in a single year!
It would be an unprecedented, perhaps never-to-be-repeated achievement!
The only real concern was the long-rumored issue of Barbatos's physical condition—whether she could hold up until the end of the Triple Tiara.
--+--
Tracen Academy, Cafeteria.
The long-absent lunch group of five was eating together.
"A double triple crown for one team... sounds pretty good," Barbatos, one of the central figures, remarked, a slight smile playing on her lips as she scrolled through the constantly updating messages on her phone.
For her, the external belief that she was destined to become a triple crown Uma Musume brought no pressure—it was simply a given.
That was the confidence born of sheer ability.
Rather than worrying about the remaining two races in the filly series, the outcome of the upcoming Spring Tenno Sho was probably more worthy of discussion.
"Well, that's only because Rigil isn't participating in this year's Classic series. Rigil is still the strongest," El Condor Pasa stated without hesitation.
Even after just half a year with Rigil, the sense of belonging to Japan's top team was strong.
As for the Classic series, Grass Wonder would have normally competed, but unfortunately, her leg injury hadn't fully healed yet.
A full recovery likely wouldn't come until after the Japanese Derby.
The final leg, the Kikuka Sho, also didn't quite fall within Grass Wonder's optimal distance range.
El Condor Pasa herself had considered entering the Japanese Derby to face off against Spe-chan, Sei-chan, and King-chan. But she needed to get to France soon to adapt to the turf and prepare for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Even for someone as confident as her, facing the Arc and facing Montjeu required thorough preparation.
Being confident of victory didn't mean looking down on your opponent!
"Our Team Spica is plenty strong too!" Special Week declared valiantly after swallowing a mouthful of food.
Even though among her four friends present, two were from Rigil and two from Canopus, leaving her as the sole representative of Spica—a lopsided 1 vs. 2 vs. 2 situation.
But as a member of Spica, she wouldn't back down in spirit.
In central races, the Uma Musume were all students of Tracen Academy; even the legends were no exception.
So, the sense of belonging usually expressed wasn't so much for the school itself, but more for their respective teams—the rivalry between stables!
Of course, when competing abroad, they represented Tracen Academy and all Japanese Uma Musume.
"Sei-chan! I won't lose to you again in the Japanese Derby!" Special Week issued her pre-race declaration to Seiun Sky across the table.
"Huh?" Seiun Sky's shoulders slumped, her demeanor seeming rather listless. "I just feel like sleeping already."
"Sei-chan says that, but you were amazing in both the Satsuki Sho and the Yayoi Sho!"
"Was that really the case?"
"So please train hard! I won't lose this time!"
"Mom already told me she'll come cheer for me at the Derby again. When the gates open, I absolutely won't have a slow start this time!"
After the Satsuki Sho, Special Week had been down for a long time.
Losing in front of her mother, who had come to watch, she had poured her heart out for ages by the campus confession tree.
But with support from Suzuka-chan, her trainer, and her mother, she bounced back quickly.
For the Derby, Mom will be there cheering me on again!
So I absolutely will not lose!
"Hmm?" Seiun Sky rested a finger on her chin, seeming thoughtful, then smiled. "That's hard to say."
"True enough," El Condor Pasa agreed, grinning. "Spe-chan, don't be fooled by how Sei-chan talks. She'll definitely train seriously before the race."
"I'll definitely go watch the Japanese Derby in person too."
For a normal person, El Condor Pasa felt Seiun Sky's grind-culture nature would be obvious. But this was Special Week. As everyone knew, Special Week didn't deceive people.
As for the grind culture, because of Barbatos, almost all her friends had fallen into a frenzy of intense self-improvement, El Condor Pasa included.
Under the pressure from peers, where the slightest slip could mean falling behind, everyone pushed themselves to the limit.
"Speaking of which, B-chan, your pre-race press conference is this afternoon, right?"
With the Satsuki Sho over, the Spring Tenno Sho would follow soon after.
"Mhm. So I'm thinking about how to answer the reporters' questions."
"Eh? Answering reporters' questions?" Special Week was taken aback.
Having been through multiple pre-race interviews as a top-three favorite, she knew the drill—questions about confidence, opinions on opponents, that sort of thing.
"She's preparing her trash talk," El Condor Pasa cut straight to the point.
Barbatos's pre-race trash talk was well-known, not just among friends but to netizens too. It was the kind of talk that could cause Uma Musume with less mental fortitude to have slow starts.
"Is that how you see me, El-chan? I'm always so humble in my pre-race interviews," Barbatos said, putting on a pained expression.
"I just want to say it's my first time in a long-distance race, I don't have big goals. I'll just do my best to secure a spot on the Winner's Stage... and strive to be the only one on it."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.