The morning after the Japan Cup.
I was relaxing in the club room, sipping coffee and reading a sports newspaper I'd bought from a convenience store near Tracen Academy. It had become my routine after a race.
The front page was dedicated to the Japan Cup... or rather, it continued to pages two and three. Rice was featured prominently for her first-place finish, but there were also articles about Mihono Bourbon's return, Seiun Sky's defeat, and Oguri Cap's solid third-place effort.
And then, there was the article about Mejiro McQueen failing to place.
(Mejiro McQueen wasn't injured, but... did her previous tenosynovitis still affect her?)
Even after a long recovery, top-tier girls like Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, and Mihono Bourbon don't just jump back into races.
They, of course, have to train before they can compete. In Mejiro McQueen's case, while her injury wasn't severe, she probably just didn't have enough time to get ready for the Japan Cup.
It felt like she'd recovered from the tenosynovitis and was fit enough to run, but not enough to win.
The closing speed of Oguri Cap and El Condor Pasa was incredible, and depending on how the race unfolded, even Rice could've lost. Oguri Cap's final spurt was especially powerful. Why does that girl have a second, even stronger acceleration phase?
This time, both Rice and Tokai Teio won by leveraging their experience and superior specs as senior-grade racers. But what about next year... or even this year's Arima Kinen? Who knows what will happen?
As I continued reading the paper, an article about the Arima Kinen was already there. With her win yesterday, Rice now had five G1 victories, tying her with Tokai Teio. The headline was something like, "The Five-Time G1 Showdown! Who Will Emerge Victorious!?"
Rice was definitely aiming for the Arima Kinen. It would be her second consecutive victory, and a win would secure her the Autumn Senior Triple Crown. It would also be her sixth G1 win, an achievement surpassed only by Symboli Rudolf at Tracen Academy. That's if she wins, of course.
"Phew..."
I took a sip of my steaming coffee and let out a sigh. There was just over a month left in the year. December would be here in a few days.
(Now then, what should I do...?)
I pondered the situation as I read the paper.
Rice's next race was confirmed to be the Arima Kinen. King was taking a break for the rest of the year to train. And then there was Urara... hmm...
(The Champions Cup, or the Tokyo Daishoten? The G3 Capella Stakes is also an option...)
After winning the JBC Sprint, Urara's prize money exceeded 70 million yen. While that might seem low compared to turf racers, it's a significant amount for a dirt racer.
This meant she had an opportunity to challenge for a G1 title.
The G3 Capella Stakes is a short-distance 1200-meter race.
The Champions Cup is a mile race at 1800 meters.
The Tokyo Daishoten is a middle-distance 2000-meter race.
There were also a few other open-class races she could enter, but there was little benefit in putting Urara in an open race now. So, it was a choice between the Capella Stakes and a G1 race.
(I never thought I'd be in a position to debate which graded race to enter Urara in this time last year...)
This time last year, I was swamped with Rice joining the team. I was doing everything I could to balance her distorted muscle structure and relieve her fatigue in preparation for the Arima Kinen. Urara had just won her first maiden race and was finally getting her career started as an Uma Musume... It's amazing how far we've come.
Even with all this deliberation, I've already decided on Urara's next race. It's the Champions Cup, and I've been training her for it.
The 2000 meters of the Tokyo Daishoten is just too tough. Urara could be competitive at that distance now, but her chances of winning against Smart Falcon are slim.
At 1800 meters in the Champions Cup, she'd have a chance. And in the 1200-meter Capella Stakes, Urara would most likely win. That's the difference in skill, or rather, the difference in aptitude, between them.
I wish Smart Falcon would challenge her in a short-distance race, but that would be an escape. I don't necessarily have to race against Smart Falcon. The problem is that if we only race in short-distance races to avoid her, the JBC Sprint would be the only G1 race available.
(What a luxury problem to have... Hmm, what if I told Smart Falcon that Urara would run in the Tokyo Daishoten, but then she actually enters the Champions Cup... Even before Smart Falcon gets mad, King would probably get angry.)
I'd probably get a slap on the cheek. A full-power slap from an Uma Musume would not be good for my neck. And Urara would probably cry, asking if I didn't believe she could win. That would be bad for my heart. It would definitely not be able to handle it.
(Just because Urara won the 1600-meter Unicorn Stakes doesn't mean she can easily handle 1800 meters... That's a naive way of thinking.)
I saw Smart Falcon run in the JBC Ladies' Classic, and she's improved even more since the Japan Dirt Derby. Of course, Urara has also improved, but the longer the distance, the tougher it gets.
The Champions Cup is on the first Sunday of December, the Capella Stakes is on the second Sunday, and the Tokyo Daishoten is on December 29th. The Tokyo Daishoten gives us the most time to prepare.
(...I'll make the final decision after I talk to Urara and hear what she wants to do.)
With Rice's Arima Kinen at the end of the year, it would be a good idea for the two of them to train together. There's enough time between the Champions Cup and the Tokyo Daishoten that she could race in both, but I'd rather avoid that due to Urara's fatigue.
(Ah, I see... What if Smart Falcon hopes to race against Urara? Then she might enter both races...)
I can't quite read her mind, but she seems to be obsessed with Urara. That's why there's a possibility she'd enter the Champions Cup, and then if Urara doesn't show up, she'll enter the Tokyo Daishoten as well.
It would be difficult to enter Urara in both races due to the accumulated fatigue, but as a trainer, I can't let her miss out on a G1 opportunity, especially since she's not injured.
We could intentionally skip these races and aim for the February Stakes next year, but my conversation with Mihono Bourbon's trainer came to mind.
(...You shouldn't let an opportunity slip away, right?)
By winning the JBC Sprint, Urara achieved her goal of being the center performer in a G1 winning live. However, she hasn't lost her motivation after achieving her goal.
She has raced against Smart Falcon three times, with a record of one win and two losses. Perhaps because of that, Urara is more dedicated to training than before. And seeing Rice and King win their races has also filled her with newfound motivation.
"Let's challenge Smart Falcon. And let's win." After discussing it with Urara, I decided that she would enter the Champions Cup.
So, I've decided that Urara will run in the Champions Cup, and it's currently December. In the general public, this is a time when people talk about winter bonuses, and Tracen Academy is no exception.
And when the topic of winter bonuses comes up, another topic also comes up.
That's right—it's time for performance reviews.
I've had to postpone my reviews twice before because of my busy schedule. So this time, I had my performance review on the date that the chairwoman and Tazuna-san set for me.
"By the way, trainer. This may be a little premature, but what are your plans for your team next year?"
We were talking about how things went this season and my performance reviews as usual, but then Tazuna-san suddenly asked me that.
"Next year? It's still four months away..."
The thought, "if you talk about next year, the devil will laugh," crossed my mind, but why do I get a bad feeling when she brings up a topic like this... The use of "next fiscal year" instead of "next year" makes me even more uneasy.
"I've been talking about wanting you to increase the number of members on your team, but you don't have to force it, okay?"
"???"
I was confused by Tazuna-san's words, and question marks filled my mind.
My bad feeling was wrong, and there wasn't a problem with what she said... was there? No, is there really no problem with this? I can't just think, "Yay, I'm so happy," and not increase the number of team members. That might be a trap that would lower my evaluation for not having ambition.
As a professional, it would be a failure, but honestly, if my performance review drops, it's not a big deal for me. However, I owe a lot to Tazuna-san and the chairwoman, who have been very accommodating. So, I don't want to slack off just because it doesn't bother me.
I don't want to, but... I don't understand her intentions. I felt like I was poking a giant balloon with a needle as I asked Tazuna-san.
"Is this a joke... no, is this another one of those Tazuna jokes I've heard about before?"
Tazuna-san can be playful sometimes, and maybe she just wanted to make a joke. It's the same as when Symboli Rudolf wants to tell a gag.
"My goodness, trainer. If I were joking, I would say something that's clearly a joke, like 'please increase your team members to 10 next year.'"
Tazuna-san smiled as she said that, but if my team suddenly became like Tojo-san's Team Rigil, I'm confident I would burn out. Also, Tazuna-san, you say that was a joke, but the chairwoman's eyes look serious...
If I were to borrow the chairwoman's usual way of speaking, her gaze seemed to say, "Expectations!" It's scary. If it were just lending my name, I'd take on 10 or 20... no, I can't. I know I would want to train each of them properly.
(Next fiscal year, huh... right, the new year is in one month...)
After Urara's Champions Cup and Rice's Arima Kinen, the new year will be here. That means Urara and King will become senior-grade... and what about Rice?
Mejiro McQueen is in her third year as a senior-grade racer, so I guess it's not a problem. Being a third-year senior in junior high school is like being a high school sophomore in the real world.
But Rice is a senior-grade racer in high school. That's when most students graduate. However, Symboli Rudolf, who has retired from racing, is still at Tracen Academy as the student council president... I guess Symboli Rudolf, Air Groove-san, and Maruzensky all graduated from the senior grade and are now racing in the Dream Trophy. Rice will probably do the same.
—I was just escaping reality.
"So, Tazuna-san, what do you mean by not having to force myself to increase the number of team members?"
There's no point in putting this off. It's better to just ask. When I asked her, Tazuna-san smiled.
"You spend an enormous amount of time on each of your Uma Musume, don't you? So, as the number of members increases, your workload will also increase, won't it?"
I couldn't say "that's not true." So I bowed my head.
"Yes... I apologize."
Spending an enormous amount of time on each Uma Musume—that's what the Tracen Academy management, or at least the chairwoman and Tazuna-san, think.
They probably think I can't handle it if I reach the team's limit of five members. But when they say that, it makes me want to prove them wrong! ...No, I won't. Urara and the others would get mad if I pushed myself too hard, so I can't.
(...Wait? If it's difficult to have more than five team members, is it a bad idea to continue this team?)
Could I go back to being a personal trainer, like when it was just Urara and me? Then I wouldn't have to worry about the number five.
I considered it, but I remembered that the team was formed after Rice's second G1 win in the Arima Kinen. I also heard that it was meant to motivate other trainers.
With Rice having five G1 wins, King having two, and Urara having one, would they let me disband the team because I couldn't add more members? No, they wouldn't.
So, Tazuna-san saying that I don't need to force myself to add members is... pure goodwill? She's being considerate so my burden doesn't increase too much? Beautiful, kind, and well-mannered... she's a perfect person. Sometimes, I suspect she's a clone because she moves so fast.
"Of course, if you meet an Uma Musume you want to train, you can scout them. You strongly consider your compatibility with them and your team members, don't you?"
"That's... yes, I do."
Even if I meet an Uma Musume who I want to train and I think she has a lot of talent, if our personalities don't match, it will be difficult to train her. And if she's not compatible with Urara and the other team members, I'd have to refuse.
In that case, I'd probably have to find someone who's not too eccentric... right? Someone bright and cooperative like Special Week, El Condor Pasa, or Taiki Shuttle. Or someone funny and considerate like Gold Ship.
Considering that, I would have to scout an Uma Musume based on their compatibility with the team members, just as Tazuna-san said. Or someone I feel like I have to train!
I hope a girl like that joins next year... but Urara and King will be seniors and fighting hard, so I might not be able to train her properly. Or maybe I should change my training methods.
"What would you think if I suddenly told you this at your end-of-year performance review?"
"I'd think, 'that's so sudden.' I'd expect you to tell me in advance..."
I'm so exhausted that I couldn't even think of that right away. I forced a bitter smile at Tazuna-san's words and left the chairwoman's office feeling a little relieved.
A few days later.
As soon as the entry list for Urara's Champions Cup race arrived, I checked its contents and nodded.
As expected, Smart Falcon's name was on the list. There were no other names I was particularly worried about, but...
"...This will be our fourth encounter."
I wanted to get back at her for the loss in the Japan Dirt Derby. That's what I thought.
--------------------------------------------
🚀 Want INSTANT Access & Bonus Content?
"Loving this story so far? You can read ALL chapters RIGHT NOW by joining my P4tr3on!
✨ Unlock instant access to the full completed novel
✨ No waiting for daily updates
✨ Support your favorite degenerate author (that's me!)
Only $5.99 for the full experience!
🔗 Check my profile for the Link!!