The Arima Kinen interview was safely... safely? Over, and finally, the day of the Arima Kinen arrived.
At the interview, many of the horse girls declared they would beat Rice Shower and Tokai Teio, Kiryuin-san froze when a reporter spoke to her, and Otonashi-san, who had once been asked to leave, came back and was asked to leave again... well, the interview ended safely. It ended safely.
The travel time to Nakayama Racecourse, where the Arima Kinen is held, is only a little over an hour. So, in the morning, I had Rice do a light jog to loosen her body and check her condition, then let her have a leisurely, early lunch before heading to the venue.
But today's Rice, how should I put it... her aura is different compared to her previous races.
Is it because the Senior autumn triple crown is on the line? Is it because she's aiming for her second consecutive Arima Kinen victory? Or is it because all the participating horse girls are formidable opponents?
After the interview the other day, as the Arima Kinen drew closer, she became quieter, and it seemed like she was sharpening her senses. A fighting spirit, quietly yet deeply and strongly, seemed to be accumulating within the horse girl named Rice Shower, building up for the race.
Is her desire for the Arima Kinen that strong, or is her instinct telling her that she CAN'T WIN UNLESS she goes to T-H-I-S-L-E-N-G-T-H-S?
She's not getting carried away, nor is she overly tense. She's just quietly burning with fighting spirit. King narrowed her eyes as if learning from this stance, and Urara seemed to have her own thoughts as she held Rice's hand the entire time we were traveling to Nakayama Racecourse.
By the way, we traveled by car. Today, King was in the passenger seat, and Urara and Rice were in the back.
Just like last year, the Arima Kinen is the 11th race at Nakayama Racecourse. The start time is 3:25 PM. Still, we arrived early, anticipating the venue would be crowded... but.
"Whoa... this is really something..."
I couldn't help but let out a stunned voice. The train would have been packed, so we borrowed a car from Tracen Academy, but the area around Nakayama Racecourse was incredible. In fact, even the nearby station was swarming with people.
We parked in the designated parking lot for trainers of horse girls running in the Arima Kinen, but as soon as we got out of the car, the crowds of fans all turned to face us. And it wasn't just their gazes; they pointed their phones at us, and the sound of cameras clicking began to echo.
In fact, not just fans but magazine reporters and TV camera crews were sprinting toward us. They probably wanted to get a shot right before the Arima Kinen starts, but the staff carrying huge TV cameras were out of breath.
"Rice Shower-san! Please tell us your aspirations before the race—"
However, the interviewer who rushed over froze the moment he pointed his microphone at Rice. He was so overwhelmed by Rice's concentration and her sheer presence that he lost his words.
Rice wasn't wearing her usual innocent expression; she had a somewhat mature, utterly serious face of someone about to face a major challenge. She looked at the interviewer and then at the cameraman. The cameraman trembled for a different reason than having run with a TV camera, and the TV camera shook greatly.
"Ah, umm... if... if you could, just one word..."
Still, perhaps driven by his professional duty, the interviewer managed to come to his senses and pointed the microphone at Rice. Normally, I'd want to tell her not to do something that would disrupt her focus before a race, but today, I didn't think it was a problem.
Because today's Rice's concentration wasn't the kind that could be disrupted by S-O-M-E-T-H-I-N-G L-I-K-E T-H-A-T.
Rice, still in her Tracen Academy uniform and not yet changed into her racing gear, smiled faintly and opened her mouth to the TV camera.
"I'll do my best to aim for first place."
—Because Rice is the strongest stayer.
Rice gave a very ordinary comment and then, in a voice so faint the microphone might not have picked it up, she mumbled. However, the interviewer must have understood what she said from the slight sound and her lip movements. He wore a strained smile.
"D-Do your best! We're rooting for you!"
"Yes... Thank you."
After hearing Rice's comment, the interviewer, as if forgetting his duty, cheered for her. Rice quietly smiled at the interviewer, then looked at us before she started walking.
The fans who had been watching us from a distance were initially cheering excitedly and taking pictures with their phones as Rice walked. But as she got closer, the cheering subsided, and they started to open a path for her, as if intimidated.
"Rice Shower! Do your b... do your best!"
"Wow... what a presence..."
"Whoa, move back a bit."
One person who tried to cheer loudly lowered their voice, another was surprised, and someone who was in Rice's path frantically tried to get out of the way.
It wasn't that Rice had asked them to move. She hadn't even made eye contact. Yet, even regular race fans who weren't trainers sensed Rice's aura and naturally lowered their voices and yielded the way.
(If she were getting carried away, I'd calm her down... but the current Rice is just concentrating. You could say she's more focused than in any of her previous races...)
Her condition is perfect, and her preparation is flawless. And Rice herself has sharpened her senses.
If I had to compare it to something, it would be Smart Falcon during the Champions Cup. The difference is that the current Rice is easily surpassing even that Smart Falcon.
King, at least, looked a little frustrated and gave a wry smile at the sight of Rice. She probably felt that even if she had run in this year's Arima Kinen, she couldn't have possibly beaten Rice. And at the same time, was she disappointed that she couldn't compete with the current Rice?
"King, your challenge is next year. Win the Arima Kinen next year."
I patted King's back and whispered to her. King's eyes widened slightly, and then she scoffed.
"Hmph... I know. The star of today's race is undoubtedly Rice-senpai. So, I'll just cheer as hard as I can."
"Yeah, that's right... That's all you need to do."
I stroked King's head with the hand I had patted her back with, and King wagged her tail and slapped my thigh. It was King's way of expressing her resolve or perhaps hiding her embarrassment... Her horse ears were twitching happily, so she wasn't angry.
After walking toward Nakayama Racecourse for a while, we arrived. With it being the Arima Kinen, the area around Nakayama Racecourse was more festive than usual... or rather, there are so many people. The Japan Cup was crowded, but today there are clearly more people.
Everywhere you look, to the right, to the left, near, and far, there are people. I have no idea how many hundreds of thousands of people have gathered. It was definitely the right decision to come by car instead of the train.
Nakayama Racecourse has a capacity of about 180,000 people. People far exceeding that capacity had gathered, and even knowing they couldn't get into the racecourse, they were trying to feel the excitement of the race live, even if just a little.
We made our way through the crowds... well, the crowds parted on their own, but we walked through the space between the people and stepped into Nakayama Racecourse.
Fans nearby cheered for Rice, and Rice walked on, returning their smiles. By the time we moved to the area near the waiting rooms at Nakayama Racecourse, it was a good time until the race began.
"Okay, brother, Urara-chan, King-chan. Rice is going now."
When I handed her the bag with her racing uniform, Rice smiled sincerely, a smile different from before. Urara nodded back with a similar smile, and King nodded with a serious expression.
"Yeah! Have a great race, Rice-chan! I'll cheer as hard as I can!"
"There's nothing more for me to say to Rice-senpai. As the wall that I, King, must overcome, I'll be watching closely."
"Okay. Thank you, both of you."
Rice laughed softly at Urara's and King's words, then her gaze shifted to me. I racked my brain for what to say to Rice, who was staring at me... but there was no need to say anything fancy.
"Rice."
"Brother."
When I called her name, Rice hugged me from the front for some reason. Since we were in the special passage for participating horse girls and their trainers, we weren't particularly noticed. I held Rice and gently patted her back two or three times.
"Go and win. I'll be watching you run."
"Okay... I'm only here because of you, brother. So, as your horse girl, and as the strongest stayer you said I am, I'll go and run."
After exchanging words, Rice let go of me and started walking toward the waiting room. As we watched Rice's back, we moved toward the paddock.
And so, we arrived at the paddock. I was thinking to myself that it was as lively as ever, when a small figure slipped through the crowd...
"Uncle!"
"Guh... Whoa... Hey, it's been a while, Dia-chan. Also, please don't suddenly run into me like that."
I felt an impact on my abs, and it turned out to be Dia-chan. Also, Dia-chan, people are looking at you, you know? You don't care? Oh, okay...
"Hehe... It's been a while, uncle..."
Dia-chan said, rubbing her face against my abdomen. I saw her tail wagging vigorously from side to side. When she's so attached to me like this, I can't reject her, and there's something cute about it. It's like Urara or Rice.
"You didn't come to see the Japan Cup?"
"I actually did. I saw you, uncle, but I saw you talking to another trainer, and I thought I shouldn't bother you, so I held back."
Aren't I good? Praise me, praise me, Dia-chan seemed to be saying as she looked up at me with sparkling eyes. The trainer she was talking about at the Japan Cup was... Mihono Bourbon's trainer, huh? She didn't have to be so reserved, but if she wants to be praised, praising her is my style.
"Oh... yeah, that's very good of you. Dia-chan is such a thoughtful girl."
There, there, I patted her head and gently pinched her horse ears with my fingertips. Dia-chan's body twitched, but she didn't show any signs of dislike and just smiled.
"Dia-chan, where are you?! Dia-chan!"
"Oh, Kita-chan! Over here!"
As I was petting Dia-chan, I heard a familiar voice. And then Kita-chan appeared. But when Kita-chan saw my face, she made a difficult-to-describe expression.
"So you were here, uncle..."
"Huh? What's with that reaction? Was it bad that I was here?"
Did Kita-chan somehow come to dislike me without me knowing? She has a very bright and cheerful personality, so being rejected by her makes me feel like I must have done something terrible.
"No, I wanted to see you too, so it's okay! But, just like at the Japan Cup, Dia-chan went to your..."
"Kita-chan."
Dia-chan covered Kita-chan's mouth with a bright smile. My... what? Uncle, I'm curious.
"Are you two with your parents?"
I asked, trying to change the subject, and Dia-chan turned back to me, still covering Kita-chan's mouth.
"Yes! We lined up since the first train today, so we're with Kita-chan's dad!"
As Dia-chan said that, Kita-chan nodded to affirm it. Dia-chan? Shouldn't you let her go now?
"Phew... I asked my dad because Teio-san was running! He said it was dangerous for two girls to be on the first train and came with us!"
"It really is dangerous, you know? Make sure you always stay with an adult."
In my previous life and this one, it was rare to be out and about since the time the first train started moving when I was in elementary school. Maybe it happened when I stayed up all night to play during a school trip, but that's about it? In this world, it's not uncommon for people to line up at the racecourse for a horse girl race from the time the first train runs.
I looked for Kita-chan's dad, and King tugged at my clothes. She gestured with her chin to show me the direction, and when I looked, I made eye contact with Kita-chan's dad.
Ah, hello... it's been a while. After exchanging that non-verbal greeting, I knelt down to be at the same eye level as Dia-chan and Kita-chan.
"Well, I have to go to work now, uncle. You two be careful and watch the race without straying from Kita-chan's dad. Okay?"
"Yeah!"
"Yes, uncle!"
Kita-chan answered with a cheerful smile, and Dia-chan answered with a happy smile. After watching them run toward Kita-chan's dad, I let out a big sigh.
(Whew... that unexpectedly relieved my tension. Alright, how are my rivals doing today...)
The tension I hadn't even noticed in my shoulders was gone, and I was grateful to Dia-chan and Kita-chan.
And so, we moved to the front row of the paddock as usual to check the condition of the horse girls running in the Arima Kinen. But, with the racecourse being so full of people both inside and out, the paddock was also full.
Many times more horse girl fans than usual had gathered, and their eyes were sparkling as they checked not only the race but also the paddock.
"Gate 1, Stall 1, Mejiro McQueen."
And then, the paddock unveiling began. The first to appear was Mejiro McQueen, and the fans who saw her let out a great cheer.
Her condition is... well, she seems good. However, in terms of her physical condition or her fighting spirit, it's perhaps inevitable to feel a slight decline compared to the Mejiro McQueen of the past.
In the case of human athletes, depending on the sport, their mid-to-late teens are still a period of growth. Looking at baseball, for example, it's obvious. Middle school and high school students are still immature compared to professional baseball players. Some high school baseball players are as good as pros, but they usually continue to grow from there.
However, in the case of a horse girl, the period during which she can perform at her best is short. Even with a recovery period due to injury, it's impressive that she's still running at the forefront in her third year of the Senior grade.
Mejiro McQueen herself has a different aura than in her previous races, as if she has something to prove.
"Gate 2, Stall 2, Grass Wonder."
Next to appear was Grass Wonder. She was wearing a racing uniform that resembled a sailor suit, and while she was smiling gracefully, she had a sharp aura about her. Her racing uniform was primarily blue for the top and white for the skirt, and it suited Grass Wonder, who had a quiet demeanor.
"..."
And then, I suddenly made eye contact with Grass Wonder. She deepened her smile as if challenging me, and I couldn't help but smile wryly in return.
(If Rice wasn't running today, I'd be a little scared.)
When running the same distance, who is better, her or King? The fact that I'm even thinking about it means that today's Rice is superior.
"Gate 3, Stall 3, Mihono Bourbon."
This is our first race against each other since the Japan Cup. Honestly, I thought she might retire after the Japan Cup, but Mihono Bourbon appeared with her usual poker face.
(She's in better condition than she was for the Japan Cup...)
It seemed Mihono Bourbon had prepared her body even more than for the last Japan Cup, as if she were determined to win if she was going to run. As for her condition... it's hard to read because she has a poker face. I don't know what happened, but she's easier to read than before, but still difficult...
"Gate 3, Stall 4, Tokai Teio."
(Oh my... this is a different kind of...)
I couldn't help but let out a gasp of admiration at the sight of Tokai Teio, who appeared next.
Her body was as perfectly conditioned as Rice's. Her expression was sharp, and her feelings about the upcoming race were apparent.
(Today's Tokai Teio is scary...)
Her eyes held a burning intensity, so much so that in a previous race, I would have decided to have Rice mark her at this point.
"Gate 4, Stall 5, Twin Turbo."
And then, the horse girl who, for me, is the most difficult to read by a landslide appeared. It's Twin Turbo, who always seems to be in perfect condition, only for her engine to suddenly fail during a race.
Today, as usual, she's laughing with her mouth wide open and declaring that she'll beat Rice and Tokai Teio. If she had never won, I wouldn't be so wary, but she did manage to escape from Tokai Teio in the All Comers...
However, it would probably be impossible for her to run away for the entire 2500 meters at her usual pace. So, I could probably take her off the list of rivals to be wary of, but... there's still something scary about her that makes me think she might pull something off.
"Gate 4, Stall 6, Rice Shower."
The moment her name was called, the fans in the paddock cheered. Tock, tock, Rice appeared, her footsteps making a sound—and the cheering instantly stopped.
This is what it means to hold one's breath. The cheers disappeared like a receding tide, from the front row of the paddock to the back.
Her fighting spirit must have intensified after she changed into her racing uniform. Rice was smiling as usual, but Twin Turbo, who had just yielded her spot to Rice, stopped moving with her mouth and eyes wide open.
"T-Turbo, I'm gonna beat Rice Shower! I'm gonna escape and win!"
And then, as if she had come to her senses, she declared victory to Rice. This was an act that would interrupt the paddock unveiling, but even the announcer seemed to be overwhelmed by Rice's aura and didn't even say a word of caution.
When Rice heard Twin Turbo's declaration, she slowly curled the corners of her mouth upward and deepened her smile.
"Rice won't lose, either."
"O-Okay..."
Twin Turbo, who had been declaring so proudly, became as docile as a borrowed cat. And as soon as she left, she ran to Tokai Teio and hid behind her back. What is that girl doing...?
"Gate 5, Stall 7, Happy Meeke."
The next to appear, Meeke, is... in good condition. Her mood also doesn't seem bad. However, is she aware that she's running on the big stage of the Arima Kinen? She seems stiff from tension.
I was worried, but Kiryuin-san, who was a little distance away, started calling out to Meeke.
"M-Meeke, it's... it's okay! It's okay even if you're n-nervous! I'm here! Right!"
Kiryuin-san, with a bright red face, desperately called out to her. Meeke blinked a few times when she saw Kiryuin-san, and then she smiled and relaxed her shoulders. She then relaxed and yielded her place to the next horse girl.
"Gate 5, Stall 8, Machikane Tannhauser."
Today's Machikane Tannhauser seems to be in good condition and prepared. To get pumped up, she's holding her fists in front of her chest and mumbling "Munn!"
(Is it to relieve tension?)
I taught this to Urara a long time ago, but is it a routine to suppress body trembling by tensing up the whole body and then relaxing? As I watched Machikane Tannhauser tense up with "Eii, eii, munn," I thought about that.
"Gate 6, Stall 9, Winning Ticket."
As usual, I should say. Winning Ticket, who was waving to the audience with a bright and cheerful smile, seemed to be in good condition and prepared. In terms of personality, she might be quite similar to Urara.
She's filled with sportsmanship, or rather, she's like an Urara with more intense emotions. The fans were also waving and cheering in response to Winning Ticket.
"Gate 6, Stall 10, Oguri Cap."
Now, Oguri Cap is a horse girl in the Classic grade that we need to be wary of. She came in third in the Japan Cup, but how will she do this time?
Her physical condition... seems good. Her mood... hmm? She's had a determined look in her face lately, but this is the first time it has been so easy to read, compared to her previous dazed look. Is she a little too excited?
"Gate 7, Stall 11, Seiun Sky."
Seiun Sky appeared with her usual nonchalant aura. She set a world record in the Kikuka Sho, but this time... how is she? Her preparation seems okay, but her condition... is it a little iffy?
She doesn't have the same aura of someone about to do something crazy as she did in the Kikuka Sho. Still, she's a horse girl we can't let our guard down against.
"Gate 7, Stall 12, Nice Nature."
Nice Nature came out to the paddock with a wry smile.
Her condition is neither good nor bad. However, looking at her body, her preparation itself seems good.
"Gate 8, Stall 13, Biwa Hayahide."
Next to appear was Biwa Hayahide. I muttered, "Hmm," at the sight of her.
(She seems to have gotten bigger... Her preparation is good, too. No, is she just looking better because her body is bigger? She also has a lot of fighting spirit, so I can't let my guard down.)
Just like Gold Ship, horse girls with well-built bodies like Biwa Hayahide seem like a threat just by their appearance. Especially since Urara and Rice are small and delicate, I feel that even more.
"Gate 8, Stall 14, Mejiro Palmer."
The last to appear was Mejiro Palmer. She and Rice competed in last year's Arima Kinen, but... she doesn't seem to be in as good of a condition as she was last year. Still, she has a proven record that we can't underestimate.
After checking all the horse girls who came out to the paddock, I turned my gaze to Rice. Rice was also looking at me.
"Brother."
"Yeah. It's the same as the Japan Cup this time."
If I were to have her mark someone, it would be Tokai Teio or Biwa Hayahide. But even with those thoughts, Rice's eyes were saying that she would beat everyone.
The Arima Kinen is a long-distance 2500-meter race. A longer distance would be better, but for Rice, a long-distance is the perfect distance.
For Rice, the strongest stayer currently running, it's the perfect distance.
That's why there was no need to say many words. Urara and King also cheered with fewer words than usual.
"Do your best, Rice-chan."
"I'll be watching you win, Rice-senpai."
"Okay."
Rice answered with few words. I also said something simple to Rice, but with a heart full of emotion.
"Go, Rice."
"I'm going, brother."
That was enough. All that was left was for Rice to show what she had accumulated so far.
Rice turned and walked away. We watched as she walked, her mind occupied with nothing but the Arima Kinen that was about to begin, and we also headed to the spectator stands on the course.
"The time has come again for the year-end festival of horse girl races, the Arima Kinen. Nakayama Racecourse, 11th race, turf 2500 meters, G1. The track condition has been announced as good."
"It's finally here... The Takarazuka Kinen in the first half of the year, and now the Arima Kinen in the second half. Since this is a race where only the top stars from both the Classic and Senior grades have gathered, I haven't been able to sleep from excitement since last night."
The sound of the fanfare echoed, and the race commentator and analyst each spoke.
I was in the front row of the stands with Urara and King, and I looked at the gate that was set up in the middle of the third outer corner.
The distance was too far to see their expressions clearly, but Rice and the others were gathered there, about to run. I could see Rice exchanging words with Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, Mihono Bourbon, and Nice Nature, and they lightly bumped fists as if wishing each other good luck.
"Many people have gathered today to watch the race live, and the area around Nakayama Racecourse is extremely crowded. According to the URA's announcement, it has surpassed the 600,000 people from the Japan Cup, and countless people have gathered."
"I hear there was a long line in front of the racecourse at the time the first train started moving. It was full before the first race began... This shows how much attention this Arima Kinen is getting."
"Now, let's move on to the introduction of each horse girl. Gate 1, Stall 1, Mejiro McQueen—"
Each horse girl was introduced and entered the gate. As I watched the scene, I suddenly remembered when I first met Rice.
When we first met, she was a self-punishing girl due to the mental wounds she had received from the Kikuka Sho. Her body was so distorted that it was sure to break down if left alone, and I had to study things I hadn't even learned in trainer school to slowly and painstakingly fix Rice's body.
If Urara was the horse girl who built my foundation as a trainer, Rice was the horse girl who showed me how to grow from that foundation.
Given Rice's age, this might be her last time running in the Senior grade. Perhaps Rice also feels this, as her determination for today's race is greater than it was for last year's Arima Kinen.
If I hadn't met Rice, I would probably still be just a regular trainer. I'm sure I would have been living as Urara's trainer without leading a team. In that case, would Urara have grown as much as she has now?
It was also Rice who first took me to the big stage of a G1. With five G1 wins, a long-distance G1 victory, and victories in both the Spring and Autumn Tenno Sho, she's a filial horse girl who's too good for me, a rookie trainer.
And now, she's about to face the race, with the autumn senior triple crown and her second consecutive Arima Kinen victory on the line.
Thump, thump, my heart pounded. I was excited about the race that was about to begin, something I shouldn't be doing at my age. If I didn't tightly grip the fence, I felt like I would scream at this very moment.
"The dream race is about to begin. All horse girls are in the gate—and they're off!"
—The curtain rose on the Arima Kinen.
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