And so, on the first Sunday of December, the Champions Cup was held at the Chukyo Racecourse in Aichi Prefecture. I made the journey from the Tracen Academy in a car I'd borrowed.
The Champions Cup was the 11th race of the day, with a post time of 3:30 PM. It was, of course, the main event, with a full field of 16 participants.
After a four-hour drive, we arrived at the venue with plenty of time to spare, and I made sure Urara had a late lunch. Before we left, I had her do some light warm-ups on the academy's practice course for about an hour to stretch her legs. Today, Urara was in excellent spirits. According to her, she felt "Urara-ly good."
This was Urara's first time running at the Chukyo Racecourse since the Sho-Ryu Stakes. It was the same place where she first faced and was defeated by Smart Falcon. In that sense, you could say it was an unlucky course, but it was also that defeat that taught Urara about frustration and drove her to become stronger.
What was different from the Sho-Ryu Stakes was that while Smart Falcon was here, Taiki Shuttle was not. Also, as the year-end approached, the Classic-era girls were closing the gap in skill with the Senior-era girls. This meant that not only Smart Falcon, but also other girls were catching up to Urara in ability.
"Post 1, #2, Smart Falcon!"
After seeing Urara off to the waiting room, I headed for the paddock to check on the condition of the girls. But when Smart Falcon appeared, I couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
"Hi, everyone! It's Falco! Please cheer for me again today!"
As she said this, Smart Falcon struck an adorable pose, lifting one leg and making a fist in front of her chest. I held my breath.
(No way…)
Her body was in even better shape than when I saw her at the Japan Dirt Derby. While her pose was cute, her core was perfectly stable, not swaying in the slightest even while standing on one leg. It was clear that she had been building on her already strong foundation, honing her physique and balance even further.
More than anything, what struck me was the overwhelming presence she exuded, despite her smiling face. Every movement was polished and refined, giving her a presence that could rival the top-class Senior-era turf girls like Rice, Tokai Teio, or Mejiro McQueen.
Was this the result of her trainer's expertise, or Smart Falcon's own talent and hard work? Or perhaps it was a combination of both?
The race fans also seemed to sense Smart Falcon's incredible condition. Younger fans were simply happy to see her performance, but the older, more discerning fans were murmuring with a mix of confusion, surprise, and bewilderment.
"She's in amazing shape…"
"Look at the muscles in her legs. The year isn't even over yet, is she really still a Classic-era girl?"
"The muscle development is perfectly balanced… This is incredible."
I nodded in agreement with the fans' comments. The Smart Falcon standing in the paddock right now might be comparable to Rice, whom I had spent a long time training to perfect her muscular balance. If Smart Falcon had been in the Classic-era turf races, even King might have had trouble beating her. I felt she could even challenge King in mile and middle-distance races, let alone sprints. Her body was simply in that kind of peak condition.
However, what interested me even more than her physique was her intensity. I couldn't understand what had happened to her, but a burning fighting spirit radiated from her. While her voice and poses were those of an idol, her eyes, though her face was smiling, didn't seem to be.
"Brother… That girl… she's gotten so much stronger."
"…If I were a dirt specialist, I'd want to challenge her. No, I wish she'd come to the turf races."
Rice spoke to me with a look of caution, while King wore a competitive smile, as if she wanted to race her. As for me, the unexpected condition of Smart Falcon left me speechless.
(I thought she was beatable in a mile Champions Cup… but this is going to be tough, isn't it?)
I felt that even Urara might have a hard time against the current Smart Falcon in a dirt sprint. She was radiating that level of perfection and intensity.
"Post 2, #4, Heart Caesar!"
The other girls in the race must have felt it, too. When Heart Caesar—a girl who often raced against Urara—appeared in the paddock, she flinched the moment she saw Smart Falcon, who had already finished her introduction. Heart Caesar was a talented逃げ (Nige) runner, but her expression tightened the moment she saw Smart Falcon. Smart Falcon tilted her head, giving her a sweet smile and pose.
(Heart Caesar is smiling too… but her ears are twitching, and her tail is tucked in…)
It was a reaction filled with both wariness and fear. Of course, she wasn't afraid of Smart Falcon physically attacking her. It was the kind of fear and caution that comes from sensing a huge difference in ability. That's how outstanding Smart Falcon was right now.
"Post 3, #6, Haru Urara!"
Urara appeared in the paddock. Dressed in her cute custom racing uniform, she waved cheerfully to the crowd as usual. In fact, she was so excited that she was hopping up and down.
"Hey! Don't hop so much in that short skirt! It's unladylike!" The young fans, both male and female, cheered loudly, and the older fans watched Urara with a warm smile.
Urara seemed excited as she gave up her spot in the paddock to the next girl. But as she walked to where the other girls were waiting, she tilted her head in confusion. She noticed Heart Caesar and ran over to her with a smile. Heart Caesar's face relaxed a little when she saw Urara, but her horse ears and tail remained in the same tense position.
Urara tilted her head, wondering about Heart Caesar's reaction—and then her eyes met with Smart Falcon's.
"!?"
Even Urara was surprised and stared at Smart Falcon in confusion. Unlike the other girls, she wasn't intimidated, but her horse ears and tail stood straight up.
Even though Urara had grown since the Japan Dirt Derby, she could sense something from Smart Falcon. I knew that by winning two G1 dirt races—the Japan Dirt Derby and the JBC Ladies' Classic—Smart Falcon had crossed a certain threshold, but I never expected her to transform to this extent.
The race hadn't even started, so it was not a guarantee that Smart Falcon would win. But at the same time, I couldn't imagine her losing easily.
"Trainer."
After a moment of staring at Smart Falcon, Urara came over to me and called out. Her body was trembling slightly. It wasn't a tremor of fear, but of excitement, a shiver I hadn't seen in a long time.
Seeing Urara's horse ears and tail stand straight up and her body tremble, I hesitated, unsure of what to say. But Urara was waiting for my words, with no hesitation in her eyes.
So I knelt down, putting my eyes at the same level as hers. I reached out over the paddock fence, and Urara leaned forward slightly, offering her head.
"Smart Falcon looks strong today."
"Yeah… I think so, too. Falco-chan looks super strong today."
I gently patted her head, then stroked it. Urara's trembling gradually subsided, and her eyes began to fill with fighting spirit.
"Today… no, once again, you're the challenger. What do you want to do, Urara?"
"I'm going to have fun running and not get hurt! And I want to beat Falco-chan!"
Urara's face brightened. Yes, that smile was Urara's greatest strength. I ruffled her head, gave her a final pat on the back, and sent her off.
"Alright! Go get 'em, Urara!"
"Okay! I'm going!"
"Do your best, Urara-chan!"
"Go get 'em, Urara-san!"
"Thanks, Rice-chan! And King-chan!"
After seeing Urara run off with a big smile, we made our way to the spectator stands.
"Despite the overcast sky, the weather is holding up at the Chukyo Racecourse. The 11th race is about to begin, the 1800-meter G1 Champions Cup. The track condition is good."
"This race is arguably the ultimate test for the top dirt-running girls. The Chukyo Racecourse is completely packed today, with nearly 150,000 people gathered here, including those outside the course."
The capacity of the Chukyo Racecourse was supposed to be around 75,000. Including the crowd outside, nearly 150,000 people showed up. Compared to the nearly 600,000 who came to the Japan Cup, it was a stark reminder that dirt racing had fewer competitors and was less popular than turf racing.
However, it seemed that the number of fans had increased significantly, perhaps because of popular girls like Urara and Smart Falcon, or because they had broken so many records and attracted so much attention.
"Post 1, #2, Smart Falcon! She's the top favorite!"
"Smart Falcon, who has won two G1 titles on dirt, is the top favorite. Well… She looks more determined and has a greater presence than usual today… Her aura has been impressive ever since we saw her in the paddock."
The male commentator's voice was filled with a sense of bewilderment. Even for a commentator who had seen countless girls, Smart Falcon stood out.
The 1800-meter course at Chukyo starts near the fourth turn of the home stretch, on a slope. The race starts with an immediate climb, but Smart Falcon didn't seem nervous at all, striking a cute pose for the crowd. As the fans cheered, she entered the gate with a look of satisfaction.
"Post 3, #6, Haru Urara! She's the second favorite!"
"And here she is, Haru Urara… A top sprinter of the dirt world who won the JBC Sprint, and a record breaker who has broken the record four times. What kind of run will she show us in this 1800-meter race? The crowd is cheering loudly… and some fans are already standing up and shouting!"
When Urara was introduced, the cheers of fans standing in the stands echoed across the area. "Wait, aren't those people from the shopping district?" I wondered. "It's Sunday, what about their shops?" They held a banner to cheer for Urara. It was nice of them, but I couldn't help but wonder if their shops would be alright.
"Urara-chaaan! Go for it!"
"HARU URARAAAAAA! YOU'RE NUMBER ONE!"
"I finally got the courage to come see you, Haru Urara! Good luck!"
Fans of all ages cheered for Urara. She seemed to hear them, and she started waving both hands with a bursting smile. The crowd loved it. However, I couldn't help but notice Smart Falcon, who had already entered the gate, looking at Urara with a faint smile.
(I can't quite figure out her feelings towards Urara… It feels like a rivalry, but also not…)
I was suspicious, but I knew I'd never know for sure unless I asked Smart Falcon herself. And even if she told me, only she would know if it was the truth.
As the introductions continued, the girls all entered their gates. The crowd fell silent, as if on cue.
"All girls are in the gate… and they're off!"
With the sound of the gates opening, the girls burst out all at once… but,
"It's Smart Falcon, #2, who shot out first! What a perfect start! And she's fast, so fast! She's leaving even the other Nige runners behind!"
"Is she getting too eager? No, I guess this is just normal for Smart Falcon."
"Smart Falcon is running all by herself in the lead on the home stretch. Heart Caesar, #4, Sword Dramatic, #12, and Dragoon Spear, #15, are following, but the gap is widening. The front-runners are Gold Chouchou, #3, Kumbhakarna, #7, Unison Flag, #8, Shorty Shot, #14, and Pristine Song, #11, in that order."
Since she was in an inner gate, Smart Falcon had an incredible start and was now leading the pack. I gritted my teeth at the sight of her running away at a speed that made the other Nige runners' eyes pop out.
(She's fast… like a Twin Turbo escape…)
I couldn't help but think that, but the problem was that Smart Falcon had enough stamina to maintain that Twin Turbo-like pace in a mile race. She looked like she could keep that speed up even in a middle-distance race.
"Next, in the middle of the pack, we have Haru Urara, #6… and she's starting to move up. Marine Seagull, #1, and Mini Lotus, #10, who were in the middle, are also starting to move up. In the back are Luminous Escudo, #5, Mushamusha, #9, and Slayne, #13."
"Haru Urara, who was going to stay in the middle, is now moving up… She's now in the middle of the lead pack."
"The leader, Smart Falcon, #2, has already entered the first turn. The second-place runner, Heart Caesar, #4, is chasing her, but the gap is already three… no, almost four lengths."
It seemed Urara intended to make her move early. It was not just early, but too early. However, she must have decided that she would lose if she didn't close the gap with Smart Falcon's blistering speed.
Her stamina had improved compared to before, but could she maintain this pace for the entire 1800 meters?
(It's going to be really difficult… but I have to trust Urara's judgment.)
I knew she would slow down at some point to save energy, but with Smart Falcon running like this, it was important to close the gap as much as possible.
"Smart Falcon is running solo in the lead, exiting the second turn and heading into the backstretch. The gap to the second-place runner is five to six lengths. The distance to the last-place runner is… hard to tell right now."
"After the second turn, there's a 600-meter downhill slope with a three-meter drop. How will Smart Falcon handle this section… She's going to extend her lead even further here."
"The girls are exiting the second turn one after another. But Smart Falcon is running further and further ahead. Smart Falcon will soon pass the 1000-meter mark."
Urara was… moving up, but she was still in second place among the front-runners. Including Smart Falcon, there were four Nige runners, and Mini Daisy was also in front of her.
The straight at Chukyo Racecourse is about 400 meters long. Urara had improved her cornering, but she wanted to close the gap in the straight as much as possible.
"The race has become very strung out. Smart Falcon, #2, is still in the lead. What a phenomenal run she's having. She's leaving even the other Nige runners behind… She just passed the 1000-meter mark."
"The 1000-meter time is 58.1 seconds… Huh? 58.1 seconds?! She's running at a sprinter's pace! This isn't a turf race!"
This was an incredible time for a good dirt track and a long mile distance of 1800 meters. It was close to the course record for a 1000-meter sprint.
(She's running at such a fast pace, so she must slow down in the second half… I hope…)
Smart Falcon, who was leading, was sweating profusely, but she still seemed to have plenty left in her tank. But after she passed the fourth turn, the final straight was all uphill. The question was whether Urara could catch her there.
"Smart Falcon is now exiting the backstretch and entering the third turn. The second-place runner, Heart Caesar, #4, is about seven lengths behind. Following are Sword Dramatic, #12, and Dragoon Spear, #15, and now Haru Urara, #6, has caught up! Haru Urara is passing Dragoon Spear from the outside!"
"The rest of the pack isn't running slow either… Smart Falcon's pace is just overwhelming."
As the commentator and analyst spoke, Smart Falcon, in the lead, was getting closer and closer to the home stretch. The crowd's excitement grew as they watched her run solo through the third and fourth turns.
"Smart Falcon, who just passed the 600-meter mark, is running towards the home stretch. The girls behind her are chasing her desperately. But there's already a gap of nearly 20 lengths between the leader and the last-place runner. Can the chasers catch up?"
"I think Smart Falcon will slow down in the final stage. The question is how much distance the others can close."
"Smart Falcon has exited the fourth turn and is now on the home stretch! The last 400 meters to the finish line is all uphill! Smart Falcon will slow down—she's not! Smart Falcon is gritting her teeth and running up the hill!"
I leaned so far forward that I almost fell over the fence. She wasn't slowing down as much as the commentator said, but it was clear she was tired. She had been flying from start to finish. Even Smart Falcon had to be slowing down.
But she was still unbelievably fast.
"What about the girls behind her?! Can they catch up?! Smart Falcon is too far away! But wait! Haru Urara has made a long spurt! There she is, Haru Urara! But Heart Caesar is also accelerating! And Slayne is coming from the back!"
"It's not just Haru Urara who made a long spurt. Slayne is coming from the back, too!"
"Slayne, who was in the last place! What an incredible kick! She's passing six runners and moving up! But Smart Falcon is running away! The 'Sand Falcon' is flying away! Haru Urara is trying desperately to catch up, but can she?! Can the 'First Gale of Spring' reach her?!"
Urara was making a long spurt, chasing Smart Falcon's back. Rice, King, and now Urara—all of them could do a long spurt, but Smart Falcon was just as fast.
"They've passed the 200-meter mark! Smart Falcon is still in the lead! She's slowing down, but she's still fast! Haru Urara has moved into second place! Can she catch her?! The gap is still five lengths! Heart Caesar is also moving up! And Slayne is coming from behind!"
"GOOOOOOOOOOO! GOOOOOOOOOOOO, URARAAAAAAA!"
"Just a little more, Urara-chan!"
"Do your best, Urara-san!"
I shouted, leaning forward. Rice and King were shouting, too. Urara heard their voices and accelerated even more.
"And now! She's accelerating even more! Haru Urara! The gap with Smart Falcon is… the gap is… not shrinking?! Smart Falcon is accelerating again! But even so, Haru Urara is closing the gap!?"
Urara was closing the gap on Smart Falcon, who had just unleashed a second-stage acceleration like Oguri Cap. It was a tiny, step-by-step reduction in the distance.
But,
"Smart Falcon! She has escaped! And now she's crossing the finish line! And Slayne is coming in about two lengths behind! Second place is Slayne! Third place is Haru Urara!"
The finish line came before Urara could catch up. And just before Urara crossed the finish line, Slayne, who had come from the back, passed her and finished second.
A short time later, the results board lit up.
"The results are confirmed. First place, #2, Smart Falcon! Her winning time is 1 minute, 48.9 seconds. Second place, two lengths behind, is #13, Slayne. Third place, by a nose, is #6, Haru Urara. Fourth place, by one length, is #4, Heart Caesar. Fifth place, by a neck, is #10, Mini Lotus."
"She didn't break the record, but she was very close. If the track had been heavy, she might have broken it. Well, what an incredible run."
Urara… was huffing and puffing, her hands on her knees, likely from pushing so hard from the beginning. I wanted to say "she was so close," but when I saw Smart Falcon's reaction, I frowned.
Smart Falcon puffed out her chest, raised her right hand, and held up three fingers with a smile. It was a victory pose that Rice and Tokai Teio often did, and King had done it before as well.
The crowd cheered loudly for Smart Falcon. She seemed to take in all the cheers before finally showing what looked like a genuine smile of relief.
—And so, Smart Falcon became the only Classic-era girl to win three G1 titles.
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