The Sprinters Stakes is a G1 race held at the Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture, a right-handed turf course spanning 1200 meters.
With a maximum field of 16 participants from both the Classic and Senior classes, it's a race that determines the top sprinter.
While there's another short-distance G1 race, the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, only senior-class Uma Musume can participate in that one. So, to determine the true champion of sprinters, I believe the Sprinters Stakes is the one to watch, as it allows Classic-class Uma Musume who can beat their senior counterparts to compete.
That said, while there are more turf sprinters than dirt-based Uma Musume, there are fewer of them compared to Uma Musume who specialize in other turf distances. This makes the short-distance turf circuit surprisingly sparse when it comes to "pure" sprinters.
For example, Taiki Shuttle is an expert not just at short distances but also at a mile. Happy Meek can run any distance, including short ones.
In this way, there are many Uma Musume who aren't just talented sprinters, but who are also talented sprinters.
My King is different; her talent as a sprinter is overwhelming, and she has a very clear aptitude that diminishes as the distance increases.
However, she's not like Urara in her early days, who could "somehow" run short distances. King is talented at other distances, but she is most exceptional at short ones.
The thought of what she could achieve if she were to specialize as a sprinter sometimes crosses my mind, a testament to her immense talent. Still, her determination to run long distances is very much in character.
(This is her first G1 race since I became her trainer...)
King has competed in the Satsuki Sho and the Japan Derby before, but this is her first G1 since I took over. The CBC Sho was a G3... well, just competing in a G3 is amazing for a Uma Musume, and she won that with relative ease.
The Sprinters Stakes is the 11th race at Nakayama, and the start time is a bit late at 3:40 PM, but that's typical for the main race.
The travel time is less than an hour, so we'll have a light training session at Tracen Academy in the morning to check King's condition, let her have her usual lunch, and then head out.
King is in great form. In fact, she's highly motivated for her first G1 challenge. Her friends Special Week and El Condor Pasa have won the Japan Derby and the NHK Mile Cup, respectively, so she probably wants to make her mark as a G1 Uma Musume as well.
However, the one Uma Musume I'm most wary of in today's race is Taiki Shuttle, who won the G1 Yasuda Kinen, a race for senior-class runners. While the Yasuda Kinen is a 1600-meter mile race, it's clear she has the skill to win against seniors.
King also has the skill to win against senior-class opponents, and she beat Taiki Shuttle in the mock race at the summer camp. Of course, I can't let my guard down, but I believe we have a good chance of winning.
However, there was something else on my mind today. It wasn't about King's condition or the presence of strong Uma Musume. Well, in a way, it was related to a strong Uma Musume's participation.
(So, it's finally happening...)
I murmured to myself, recalling the entry list.
A full field of 16 Uma Musume will be competing in today's Sprinters Stakes, and one of them is being trained by a peer of mine.
Her name is Spring Happy, and she's a Uma Musume who also participated in the mock race with Rice last year.
She specializes in short-distance races and has an "escape" running style. She hasn't won a graded race, but she has four wins in nine starts, including her debut race and three open-class races. She has also entered three G3 races and finished in the top five.
This will be my first time going up against a fellow trainer, other than Kiryuuin-san, in a real race. I wondered what to say to him when we met.
I knew this day would come when I took on King's training. My relationship with my colleagues is important, but King is more important to me.
Unless it's a dead heat, there can only be one winner in a race. We're opponents who will compete and try to outdo each other. However, I hoped that it would just be for the duration of the race and that we could still be friends afterward.
In other words, it all depends on my opponent.
"Hey."
"Yo."
After seeing King off to the waiting room, we met at the paddock. We gave each other a small wave and stood side-by-side, watching the paddock.
Urara and Rice were with me, but they seemed to sense the atmosphere and held hands, moving to a slightly distant spot.
My male peer and I stood in silence for a few seconds before we started talking with a surprising lack of tension for a pre-race setting.
"So, we're finally going head-to-head... I didn't expect King Halo to be my opponent, though. I thought you'd be crazy enough to send Haru Urara into a turf short-distance race."
"What do you mean by that?"
Huh? Do I look like the type of person who would do something so outlandish? Sending Urara to a turf short-distance race... Well, I did think about it.
"How's your girl doing? By the way, my King is in peak condition."
"The fact that you can say 'peak condition' so confidently... Well, I'd say we're doing pretty well."
He laughed as he said that, but his expression looked a bit fake. Ah, he's got her in perfect condition. Spring Happy is an escape runner, so I need to be careful. In a short 1200-meter race, an escape runner can run at top speed from start to finish.
As we were talking, the paddock show began.
"Number 2, King Halo!"
King appeared to the sound of her name. She was wearing her G1 racing outfit, and she looked so confident, puffing out her chest, that the crowd in the paddock cheered.
"Whoa... she really does look like she's in great shape. This is going to be tough..."
My peer muttered, seemingly caught off guard. But the content of his words showed that he believed he still had a chance to win, even against King.
"Number 7, Taiki Shuttle!"
Taiki Shuttle, the Uma Musume I'm most wary of, appeared in the paddock. I had seen her at the summer training camp's mock race, and she looked to be in great shape. She seemed to be in perfect condition.
Her racing outfit was mainly green, but...
"Don't you think the Uma Musume's racing outfits are a bit too revealing?" I asked my peer.
I wondered what Taiki Shuttle's outfit was called. She wore a green mini-skirt, purple knee-high socks, and cowboy-like shoes. A holster with a revolver was attached to her belt. Just like Rice's dagger, I wondered if those things were okay. Would they get arrested for violating the firearms control law?
But the real issue wasn't the revolver. It was her top, which was just a bikini-style piece of clothing that covered her chest. She also had a red scarf around her neck and a cowboy hat on the back of her head, so her outfit could be described as that of a gunslinger from a Western movie.
But when I see an outfit that reveals the midriff, I can only think of one thing.
"I know. I never know where to look."
"Is it okay for a young woman to expose so much skin—huh?"
"Huh?"
We looked at each other and blinked in surprise.
"It's still hot now, so it's fine, but in the winter, wouldn't her stomach get cold?"
"Y-yeah, you're right..."
Why did he look away? When I see that kind of outfit, I can't help but wonder if they'll be okay and if they'll be cold in the winter. I wouldn't say anything if this were at a beach in the summer, but this is a race. But I guess that's the racing outfit that helps Taiki Shuttle perform at her best, so I shouldn't complain.
Well, Taiki Shuttle has a great body and carries herself with confidence, so I guess it's not a problem. The crowd in the paddock was also murmuring things like, "What a beautiful rear..." and "Her upper body muscles are amazing."
"Number 12, Spring Happy!"
As I was observing the other Uma Musume, my peer's Uma Musume appeared in the paddock.
She wore a long pair of white pants with a belt, and her boots were mostly light blue. Her top was a sleeveless, off-the-shoulder shirt that was light blue around her chest and white everywhere else, and as usual, it exposed her midriff. No, the outfit was cut diagonally from her left side to her right hip, so maybe it wasn't a midriff-baring outfit. She also wore gloves with prominent light blue and white stripes.
She was a Uma Musume with a ponytail of soft, wavy chestnut-colored hair. When I looked at her body, I gasped.
(She's in great shape... She's even more toned than the last time I saw her... I can't let my guard down.)
The balance of her muscles, which were sculpted for short-distance running, and the determination in her eyes that said she would beat anyone who came at her. When I saw that, the corners of my mouth curled up in a smile.
(He's raising a good Uma Musume... She's not intimidated by her first G1 race; in fact, she's motivated... I was so focused on Taiki Shuttle, but this is a Uma Musume with a strong body and mind.)
I now had another formidable opponent. But that made me more fired up. This was a Uma Musume raised by my peer, a colleague but also a rival. She and my King were going to compete. The awkwardness I felt a moment ago was gone. It had flown away.
When I laughed, my peer also smiled.
"You said you'd buy me a meal if I won a graded race... It's okay if I accomplish that at a G1, right?"
"Of course. But only if you can beat my King."
We laughed at each other. If I were to put this feeling into words, it would be, "I want to beat you."
I parted ways with my peer with a smile. From now until the end of the race, we were opponents.
"Trainer."
King called out to me from beyond the paddock fence. I hardened my expression when I saw her dignified face.
"Senior-class Uma Musume are also in this race... but I believe you can win. Urara and Rice do too, of course."
"Yeah! You can do it, King-chan!"
"King-chan can win. Rice is cheering you on too."
When we said that, King's eyes widened for a moment. But she quickly relaxed her expression.
"Yes—watch me run."
With those words, King gave a soft smile, radiating an aura of fiery determination.
"The summer heat still lingers at Nakayama Racecourse for the 11th race of the day. Today's main race is the G1 Sprinters Stakes on a 1200-meter turf course. The track is in good condition."
"It's no exaggeration to say that this race will determine the top sprinter. With speed specialists from both the Classic and Senior classes gathered here, what kind of outcome will we see... I'm really looking forward to it."
The sound of a fanfare echoed through the Nakayama Racecourse, and the male commentator and analyst began to speak.
The stands were, of course, packed with people eagerly awaiting the start of the race. I took Urara and Rice to the front row and looked out into the distance.
Nakayama Racecourse has an inner course and an outer course. The inner course is a rounded rectangle, which is common in many racecourses. But the outer course is shaped like a triangular onigiri, and the Sprinters Stakes starts from the far side of the track.
The far side isn't a straight line; it's a gentle curve and a downhill slope. From there, they enter the inner course's third turn, pass through the fourth turn, and run through the final straight.
The last 200 meters of the final straight has a steep uphill slope, which is a famous feature of Nakayama Racecourse and will be a huge obstacle even in the short Sprinters Stakes.
The winning time for the Sprinters Stakes is usually around 1 minute and 7 to 10 seconds. The track is in good condition today, so what kind of result will we see?
"Hey, trainer. I hear a lot of snapping sounds all around."
While I was lost in my thoughts, Urara pulled on my sleeve and said that.
"Both Urara and Rice are famous Uma Musume. It's only natural that people would want to take a picture of them."
Since Nakayama Racecourse is close to Tracen Academy, the two of them were wearing their school uniforms. If we were at a distant place like Hanshin Racecourse, I wouldn't ask them to wear their uniforms the entire time, so they often travel in their casual clothes. But since the travel time was less than an hour, I had them come in their uniforms today.
The Uma Musume who run in races are usually in their racing outfits or gym clothes, so it's a bit of a rare sight to see them in their Tracen Academy uniforms. You see them often around the academy, but not at racecourses.
I thought that's why people were taking pictures of Urara and Rice, but...
(Rice is famous for conquering the long-distance G1, but Urara is also becoming quite well-known... I guess it's because her racing outfit was so cute.)
She finished third in the Japan Dirt Derby, but her racing outfit was cute even without my biased opinion.
But I feel like the phone lenses are not just pointed at Urara and Rice but also at me...
"Number 7, Taiki Shuttle. The first favorite."
As I was tilting my head in confusion, the introduction of each Uma Musume began. Since Taiki Shuttle had an odd number, she was called before King.
"It's probably because she won the Yasuda Kinen. She's a Classic-class Uma Musume, but she's the confident first favorite. It looks like her body has gotten even bigger after her summer training."
I couldn't see her expression from where I was. But when Taiki Shuttle raised her fist to the crowd, the cheers grew louder.
"Number 2, King Halo. The fourth favorite."
King was the fourth favorite. But considering that most of the participants were senior-class Uma Musume, you could say that she was highly regarded despite not having won a G1 yet, unlike Taiki Shuttle.
King picked up the hem of her skirt and gracefully bowed to the audience. When the crowd noticed, they cheered loudly.
"Number 12, Spring Happy. The 15th favorite."
My peer's Uma Musume's name was called, and I squinted my eyes to see her in the distance. She was the 15th favorite, but the cheers were still loud, as expected in a G1 race.
When the introductions of each Uma Musume ended, the crowd became quiet as if a wave had receded. In response, the Uma Musume also became serious and got into their starting poses.
"All Uma Musume are in the gate—and they've started!"
The sound of the gates opening was heard, and the Uma Musume all jumped out at once. No one was slow to start. Since getting a bad start in a short-distance race is a huge disadvantage, they all seemed to have been focusing.
"All Uma Musume had a clean start. They are competing for the lead as they run through the gentle curve on the far side. Number 1, Jewel Tourmaline, is in the lead. Numbers 3, Silver Chouchou, 6, Maiden Charm, 12, Spring Happy, and 15, Chattering Cheek, are also competing for the lead. Following the escape runners are Number 7, Taiki Shuttle, Number 9, Narcissus, Number 5, Septagon Summoner, Number 8, Chrismald, and Number 11, Jewel Calcite, who are in the front pack."
"The 1200-meter race is short. The Uma Musume are all accelerating."
"Right behind them are Number 2, King Halo, Number 10, Virtue Mind, Number 13, Agile Talent, and Number 14, Dropping Link. At the back of the pack are Number 4, Ribbon Lullaby, and Number 16, Hashu Hashu. There isn't much of a difference between the Uma Musume. There are about three to four horse-lengths from the front to the back."
Even though the distance is short compared to other races, they don't just run at full speed from the start to the finish line. A short race has its own tactics, and each Uma Musume tries to win with their specialty.
However, since the distance is short, they have to make their move earlier. But if they make their move too early or too late, they will lose, so they have to determine the right timing to make their move based on the race situation.
"The gentle curve, the third turn, continues. Number 1, Jewel Tourmaline, is still in the lead. But the other escape runners are all looking to take the lead. Numbers 3, Silver Chouchou, and 6 are almost tied... Oh, Number 12, Spring Happy, has shot up through the gaps. The challenger from the Classic class is moving up as if to say, 'What are you senior-class runners going to do about it?'"
"She might be getting carried away by her first G1 race... No, she's running with a purpose. She seems to be making her move early."
The course from the outer part to the inner third turn is quite long, at around 400 meters. The curve is gentle, but after the third turn, there are only a little over 500 meters left.
If this were Rice, she would already be in a long sprint, using her stamina to her advantage. But the one running is King. King still hasn't made her move. I wondered when she would.
"Number 12, Spring Happy, is in the lead. She's accelerating to pull away from the pack. They've passed the 600-meter mark, and they'll soon see the fourth turn. Where will the others make their move?"
"From the fourth turn or from the final straight... their judgment will determine the outcome."
"All Uma Musume, including those at the back, are entering the fourth turn. Spring Happy in the lead is slowly approaching the 400-meter mark. Who will make their move?! She's moving! Number 2, King Halo, has made her move! Following Spring Happy, the Classic-class Uma Musume is accelerating towards the lead!"
King made her move at the 400-meter mark. But as if inspired by King, the other Uma Musume also started to gradually accelerate.
"Following King Halo, all the Uma Musume are accelerating! Spring Happy is still in the lead! The Uma Musume are rounding the fourth turn and charging towards the home stretch!"
I leaned forward and watched the race intently, as if to burn King's figure into my eyes. The Uma Musume rounded the fourth turn and were slowly, slowly, getting closer.
The 1200-meter short-distance race feels so short. The outcome is decided in just over a minute, so it's only natural that the Uma Musume would be running at top speed.
"Here they come! They're coming! The Uma Musume are charging into the final straight! The Nakayama straight is short! Can the Uma Musume at the back make it in time?"
The final straight at Nakayama Racecourse is 310 meters long. Since it's a right-hand course, I'll be watching the Uma Musume run from my right to my left.
"Spring Happy is desperately holding onto the lead! But! Just one horse-length behind! No, King Halo is already side-by-side with her! And here comes the winner of the Yasuda Kinen! The mile champion is charging forward to take the sprinter's crown!"
In this situation, Taiki Shuttle, who was in the front pack, is chasing King, who chose a "sashi" style. Was King's move to make a move earlier than Taiki Shuttle a clever tactic, or did she decide that was the path to victory?
"King Halo has completely passed Spring Happy! But Taiki Shuttle is also moving up! The difference between them is less than one horse-length! There's no more hill! Only a short distance left in the straight! Just a few tens of meters to go!"
King is in the lead, with Taiki Shuttle trying to pass her from behind. King must have realized that Taiki Shuttle was closing in on her.
But King never looks back. She just looks straight ahead, and despite having run up the hill at full speed, she doesn't lower her face or even take a breath as she continues to run with all her might.
Even though it's late September, it's still hot. King's forehead is covered in large beads of sweat, and her face is turning red because she isn't taking a breath.
Even so, King doesn't let up or slow down as she continues to run. Her expression is desperate, as if she's trying to prove her talent.
"Taiki Shuttle is closing the gap with King Halo... but the gap isn't closing! King Halo is maintaining a one-horse-length lead and not letting Taiki Shuttle get any closer! And now, King Halo crosses the finish line in first place!"
"Yeeessss!"
I clenched my right fist and raised it high.
King was able to escape because she made her move first and had the stamina and fighting spirit to maintain her speed.
King and Taiki Shuttle's top speeds are almost the same. That's why King, who made her move first, had the advantage. If Taiki Shuttle had made her move even a fraction of a second earlier, the result would have been different.
And King is the one who never gave up, even after being chased and dragged around by Rice, who has a top-class speed, stamina, and fighting spirit among senior-class Uma Musume.
She never let her guard down until the moment she crossed the finish line, and now, as a reality, she ran through the finish line without giving up until the very end.
"The order of finish has been determined. First place, Number 2, King Halo. Second place, Number 7, Taiki Shuttle, one horse-length behind. Third place, Number 4, Ribbon Lullaby, by a neck. Fourth place, Number 12, Spring Happy, one horse-length behind. Fifth place, Number 13, Agile Talent, by a nose."
King was breathing heavily from having run at full speed, but she looked at the result board and her eyes widened in surprise.
I let out a sigh of relief when I saw the result board. I was so focused on the fight between King and Taiki Shuttle that I didn't notice, but Ribbon Lullaby, who was supposed to be at the back of the pack, had gotten very close.
Ribbon Lullaby was a come-from-behind runner, but her pursuit was so fast that it was as if she had teleported like Gold Ship-chan.
(As I thought, I can't let my guard down around the senior-class Uma Musume...)
I made a mental note that I needed to do more research on the senior-class Uma Musume who could potentially go up against King in the future.
"King! King!"
Some of the fans started chanting King's name. King seemed to have heard them, and she put a hand on her chest, her eyes welling up, and bowed to the audience.
When the audience saw that, they cheered loudly, clapped, and continued to chant her name. After she finished bowing, King puffed out her chest with pride.
As I watched King, I let out a sigh of relief.
(First, we won the short-distance G1...)
Since this was a race at the distance King was most suited for, I had a good chance of winning. But seeing King actually win still felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
However, King's next goal is the Kikuka Sho. I wondered if the 3000-meter long-distance race would go as well as this one. The participants will only be Classic-class Uma Musume, but everyone will be running like crazy to get the last Classic Triple Crown. The thought of that made me feel a little uneasy.
But for now,
"When we get back, we're going to celebrate. And I'm going to praise you a lot."
"Yeah!"
"That's right, Onii-sama. Rice is also going to praise King-chan and pat her on the head."
As I watched King proudly wave to the crowd, I smiled with Urara and Rice.
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