Oguri Cap hadn't forgotten the declaration her Trainer had once made to his colleagues in front of her. After stepping down from the display stage, she quietly moved to the entrance, waiting for her turn to enter the track. The weather around Tokyo Racecourse had been clear for days, and the turf felt light beneath her shoes.
"This means a late-surge strategy will be smooth to execute," Shuta An murmured, his voice just loud enough for Tokai Teio to catch.
"Oguri-senpai's going for a late-surge tactic this time?" Teio asked curiously.
Before Shuta An could respond, Berno Light answered, "Yes. From her gate position, taking the lead early would be too risky."
"The main problem," Shuta An added, "is that she could easily get boxed in. And if that happens, Oguri would have to force her way out if she wants to sprint."
Tokai Teio imagined such a scene and barely held back a nervous laugh. She could picture the chaos — and the scolding any Uma Musume would get from the URA afterward.
As the first to step onto the turf, Oguri Cap lightly pressed her foot against the grass.
"It's not too thick. My feet aren't sinking, but the rebound won't be too strong when running," she murmured to herself. The feel of the track only strengthened her confidence in victory.
Sakura Chiyono O entered next. She cast a brief glance at Oguri Cap, who was still testing the turf, then looked away.
"This is the prelude to the Satsuki Sho," Sakura thought, determination flashing in her eyes. "If I want to catch up to Star nee-san, I have to earn my ticket here!"
But she wanted more than just a ticket. "No—I don't just want to qualify. I want to stand on the Satsuki Sho stage as the winner of this prelude!"
Dicta Striker, meanwhile, had different worries. This was her first time running a 2000-meter race; all her previous starts were between 1200 and 1600 meters. Even so, her conviction burned just as brightly as the others'.
"To win! I'll prove I can handle 2000 and even 2400 meters! I won't surrender the title of strongest in our generation to anyone!"
At 3:45 PM, under the gaze of tens of thousands of spectators at Tokyo Racecourse, the eleven Uma Musumes of this year's Yayoi Sho began entering their gates.
Oguri Cap, wearing number 1, was the first to step in. As she entered, the live commentator's voice boomed across the stadium:
"Gate number one, Oguri Cap — the only Uma Musume from a local circuit in today's race. Notably, she has not yet registered with Central Tracen Academy. This means that even if her result today qualifies her for the Satsuki Sho, she won't be able to use the ticket. However, if she wins the Yayoi Sho, it's certain that the elder Uma Musume circuit will welcome an extraordinary new star!"
"I wonder what her Trainer is thinking," someone in the VIP seats muttered. "Winning this race won't change anything. Even if she finishes top three, she can't use the ticket. She'd be better off entering something like the Pegasus Stakes."
"First, she has to win," another replied. "With Dicta Striker and Sakura Chiyono O in the lineup, how could she? Even if she won a G3 in Hokkaido, everyone knows how huge the gap is between dirt and turf."
Tokai Teio glanced at Shuta An beside her, who still wore a calm smile. "Trainer is really patient," she said softly.
"Is there any reason to get angry?" he replied. "The results will do the talking."
"But I'm curious," Teio continued. "If Oguri-senpai wins today, how do you plan her next race? Will you shorten the distance and aim for Mile events, or—"
"I'll take Oguri and Berno abroad for a trip," Shuta An answered casually. In his heart, Teio already felt like part of his team, so he didn't hide it from her.
"An overseas expedition…" Teio murmured. The phrase stirred unpleasant memories — she was, after all, a devoted fan of Symboli Rudolf.
Noticing her reaction, Shuta An clarified, "But our destination is France."
"In France? The competition there must be fierce," Teio said, concern creasing her brow. "Sirius-senpai achieved nothing after two years abroad. Are you sure Oguri-senpai can handle that kind of challenge?"
"If her strength is enough, there's no problem," Berno Light replied confidently. "And Oguri's strength is real enough."
"If her strength is enough, there's no problem…" Teio repeated softly, still uneasy.
While they spoke, all eleven Uma Musumes had settled into their gates. Oguri Cap steadied her breathing, ready for the instant the race would begin.
Click!
The crisp sound of the starting gate snapped through the air — sharper than those back at local tracks. Oguri Cap, poised and focused, launched out like an arrow.
Her start was clean, smooth — yet she followed her Trainer's plan. Rather than using her quick reaction to seize an early lead, she eased back slightly, letting the horses beside her surge ahead.
Within moments, she had fallen to fourth from last. From this position, she could clearly observe the rhythm and pace of the six Uma Musumes in front of her.
Six, not seven — because Dicta Striker, currently in seventh, was running nearly parallel to her. Both needed to glance sideways to see one another.
"The gray Uma Musume from the local circuit is using the same late-surge strategy as in last year's Hokkaido Shimbun Hai (G3)," the commentator announced. "Can she reproduce that flawless final burst — the one she unleashed under the pouring rain in Mombetsu — on a bright, clear Tokyo day?"
"Her opponents this time are on another level entirely!"
"Are they really that different?"
Shuta An listened to the commentary and smiled faintly.
"The Trainer was right," Berno Light murmured, eyes locked on the front pack. "Sakura Chiyono O is going for a front-runner strategy in this race."
After entering the back straight opposite the stands, Sakura Chiyono O had widened a modest gap — less than two Uma Musume lengths — between herself and the second-place runner, Mogami Funny.
Although the gap isn't large, I need to ease up here and save some strength, she thought, adjusting her stride.
Seeing Sakura Chiyo O deliberately slow down, Mogami Funny hesitated for a heartbeat before also reducing her pace.
I don't know what's going on, but I definitely don't want to take the lead myself. It's safer to stay behind her and draft — conserve energy while I can.
Mogami Fnny's decision caused the entire leading group, who noticed Sakura Chiyono O controlling the rhythm, to hesitate. Everyone was aware of her tactic, yet none dared to step up and disrupt her plan.
Tokai Teio, watching the race unfold, frowned. "Why is everyone hesitating? If Senior Chiyono O slows down this much, everyone must have spare stamina for the final stretch."
"No Central Uma Musume in this lineup has ever used a leading strategy before," Shuta An explained calmly. "It's normal they don't know how to respond. Besides, those in the front pack also benefit from a slow pace — they've got no reason to interfere."
"In other words," Berno Light added, her tone analytical, "the pressure now shifts to Oguri and Dicta Striker."
"For Oguri," Shuta An continued, "she needs to start moving forward and close the distance to the front. If she can, she should even consider pressing Sakura Chiyo O a little — force her to accelerate sooner than planned."
"Wouldn't that basically turn into a Pace-Chaser strategy?" Tokai Teio protested. "You specifically said she should run as a late-surger!"
"It's fine," Shuta An shrugged. "Anything can happen on the track. Once the race begins, Oguri has to make her own calls — whether to stick to my plan or adapt on the fly."
Back in Hokkaido Shimbun Hai (G3), Shuta An had wanted Oguri Cap to follow his tactics to the letter. But here, on the bigger stage of the Yayoi Sho, he hoped she would show her ability to think and act for herself.
'Maybe my expectations for her are too high' Shuta An thought, realizing how demanding he might sound.
Meanwhile, on the track, Oguri Cap had just made up her mind. 'The pace is clearly slower than Trainer predicted. I can't stay this far back!'
With that thought, the gray Uma Musume began to accelerate, slipping inside near the rail to close the gap with the leaders.
Not far to her right, Dicta Striker noticed the sudden move.
Accelerating already? Does she doubt her own final burst? Dicta Striker frowned. Even if the pace is slow, my finishing kick will shatter Sakura Chiyono O's hopes.
Brimming with confidence in her own speed, Dicta Striker decided to hold her ground. I won't move forward like Oguri Cap.
Oguri Cap's shift in pace didn't just catch Dicta Striker's eye — the live commentator also picked it up from high in the stands.
"Oguri Cap is advancing! Reading the pace perfectly, she's the first to act! How will Sakura Chiyono O respond to this?"
"Does she even need to?" Sakura Chiyo O's Trainer muttered from the sidelines. "The pace is already under control. When it comes down to the final stretch and pure acceleration, Chiyono O won't lose to anyone."
As the leader crossed the 1000-meter mark, the commentator announced, "First half — 62 seconds flat!"
"That's really slow," Tokai Teio muttered. "Everyone's going to have plenty of stamina left for the finish."
"Even so," Shuta An replied confidently, "when it comes to raw explosive power, Oguri's only real rival here is Dicta Striker."
"Oguri is the strongest!" Berno Light declared, eyes shining. The race wasn't over yet, but she already felt it — the certainty of her friend's victory.
The final straight approached. Sakura Chiyono O still led, Mogami Funny held second just a length behind, and Oguri Cap clung tightly in third, barely half a length away.
Dicta Striker, though still in mid-pack, had already made the space she needed to unleash her charge.
The stage was set. The three favorites were ready for their decisive clash.
"Entering the final straight! Sakura Chiyono O still leads! Can she maintain her one-length advantage to the end?!" the commentator cried.
Sakura Chiyo O couldn't hear a word — her focus locked entirely on the finish line, 400 meters ahead.
I'll win the Yayoi Sho! I'll become the star of the Classic Series!
Oguri Cap, likewise deaf to everything but the pounding of her own heart, lowered her center of gravity.
Overtake them — just like at Kasamatsu! Keep winning, keep running, until I stand on the highest stage with Trainer!
Dicta Striker began her final acceleration, eyes blazing.
Lose? To a local circuit Uma Musume? Impossible! My final burst won't lose to anyone!
Mogami Funny, caught between them, trembled.
The pressure... It's terrifying. These girls—they're monsters.
Two hundred meters from the finish, Oguri Cap surged past Mogami Funny and drew up beside Sakura Chiyono O.
"Oguri! Show those Central elites what you're made of!" Berno Light shouted from the stands. "You're every bit as strong as they are!"
Tokai Teio glanced sideways at Berno Light's outburst and smiled wryly at the AOE damage.
Shuta An caught the look, quietly resting a hand on Teio's shoulder. On the track, Oguri Cap inched closer, stride by stride, until she drew level with Sakura Chiyono O—then began to pull ahead.
"Sorry," Oguri said softly as she passed her rival, "but I want this win more than you."
Her eyes lifted toward the stands, toward the young man who had guided her from the small local circuit to this grand stage.
"The Trainer is really calm," she murmured under her breath.