Chapter 275: Everyone's Going Abroad?
After a full day of training, the glow of the setting sun cast a warm orange hue over the training grounds of Tracen Academy.
Since the academy hadn't opened yet, most of the campus restaurants were still closed. Makoto suggested that they go eat at Gray Cottage, the restaurant run by Oguri Cap. Kitasan Black and Almond Eye readily agreed.
The three arrived at the restaurant, and as soon as they pushed open the door, they were greeted by the familiar warm yellow lighting and the rich aroma of food in the air.
It was just around dinner time, and there weren't many customers yet. As they were about to find seats, Makoto's gaze was drawn to a table in the corner.
Satono Crown and Satono Diamond were sitting there, with delicately prepared dishes laid out before them. The two were chatting softly as they ate.
Beside them sat another elegant-looking Umamusume.
After a brief look, Makoto quickly recognized her—it was Satono Goddess, whom he had seen earlier on the mock race participant list.
Noticing Makoto's gaze, Satono Goddess looked over curiously. Satono Crown and Satono Diamond also soon noticed them.
"Kita-chan? Trainer Yasui?"
Satono Crown stood up first and greeted them warmly. "What a coincidence, you're here to eat too?"
Satono Diamond and Satono Goddess also turned and stood up, smiling politely in greeting.
Makoto quickly responded with a courteous smile. "Yeah, training ended late today, so we thought we'd grab something to eat here. Didn't expect to run into you all."
Meanwhile, upon spotting her friends, Kitasan Black had already excitedly pulled Almond Eye over to greet them.
"What a coincidence, Crow-chan, Dia-chan! You're eating here too… did you come from the academy as well? How come we didn't run into you there?"
Following behind Kitasan Black, Almond Eye greeted the three members of the Satono family a bit shyly.
"We'll head there later. We came out together today, and we're just bringing a junior from the family to have a look around the academy."
After responding, Satono Crown looked curiously at the slightly shy Almond Eye and asked softly:
"This is… a new Umamusume who just joined? She looks very energetic."
Kitasan Black quickly introduced her:
"This is Almond Eye! Crow-chan, don't you remember? You should've seen her before at the 'Little Satsuki Sho.'"
"She's just about to enroll in Tracen Academy and started her targeted training today."
After some brief pleasantries, everyone sat down. Soon, the dishes were served—colorful, fragrant, and appetizing. As they enjoyed the food, they chatted happily.
"Come to think of it, I haven't raced since last year's Autumn Tenno Sho,"" Satono Crown said confidently as she picked up a forkful of salad.
"But my condition has improved quite a lot during this time. I'm planning to participate in the Kyoto Kinen in February, hopefully I'll put on a good performance."
She slightly raised her chin, her eyes shining with confidence.
Satono Diamond took a sip of juice and added:
"I'm about the same—also racing in February."
"For Dia-chan… oh right!"
Hearing them talk about races, Kitasan Black set down her chopsticks, thought for a moment, and nodded.
"It's the Kisaragi Sho, right? Already entering a graded race so soon—just as expected of Dia-chan!"
"Didn't you also enter graded races shortly after your debut, Kita-chan?"
Satono Diamond replied with a smile, then her expression gradually became more serious.
"But in graded races, the opponents are all very strong. I've been increasing my training intensity recently—I need to prepare well."
"I want to perform properly. I can't lose to my sister or to you, Kita-chan."
As she spoke earnestly, there was a hint of tension and anticipation in her voice. Her slender fingers unconsciously tapped lightly against the table.
"Sounds great, I hope all of you achieve good results," Kitasan Black said sincerely.
"Speaking of upcoming race schedules…"
After thinking for a moment, Satono Diamond looked at Kitasan Black curiously. "Kita-chan, have you really decided to go straight for the Spring Tenno Sho?"
Kitasan Black nodded without hesitation, her tone firm. "Yeah, Trainer and I have discussed it thoroughly."
"I just finished racing in the Arima Kinen, so my body and condition need enough time to recover."
"And the Spring Tenno Sho is a major G1 race, so I need to prepare properly."
"Plus, I'll be going abroad for special training afterward. Aiming directly for the Spring Tenno Sho is the best choice since it'll let me stay in peak condition for the race."
Satono Crown nodded thoughtfully and said with a hint of emotion, "I see… so we won't get to see you in other races before the Spring Tenno Sho."
"But now that you mention it, it feels like everyone is planning to go abroad for races or training."
"Everyone?" Kitasan Black looked puzzled and asked, "Crow-chan, who do you mean by 'everyone'?"
Satono Crown raised her fingers and began counting. "For example, me—I'm planning to go to Hong Kong for races after the Kyoto Kinen."
"I've always wanted to go there, so this is a perfect chance to look around while competing.|"
"And then there's Satono Diamond and Duramente—they both have plans to go abroad too, but they're heading to Dubai."
"If you think about it, quite a few of us from the same Classic generation seem to be planning overseas trips."
Hearing this, Kitasan Black first showed a look of surprise, then quickly became excited, her eyes sparkling.
"Wow! Then maybe I'll get to see Diamond-chan and Duramente in Dubai later, that's amazing!"
While the Umamusume chatted away, Makoto had been listening quietly. Hearing this, something clicked in his mind, and he fell into thought.
It wasn't a coincidence that so many Umamusume from the same Classic year were planning to go abroad.
It was probably just as Tokai Teio and the others had mentioned before—they had spoken individually with the standout runners of Kitasan Black's generation, hoping that they and their trainers would consider overseas campaigns.
From the current situation, Satono Crown and Duramente already had concrete plans, and had even registered for races.
However, compared to the intentions of the student council—or rather the association and board—whether it was Hong Kong or Dubai, those were certainly not the final destinations of these overseas campaigns.
And that so-called final destination was, without a doubt, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
If the goal truly was the Arc, then from a trainer's perspective, choosing races in Europe would undoubtedly be the best option.
For example, the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the Prix Foy, and others.
Both the Prix Foy and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud are held in ParisLongchamp Racecourse.
The former, although run over 2100 meters rather than the Arc's 2400 meters, is the first G1 race of the French season. Many of the competitors there are likely to go on to run in the Arc, making it highly valuable for reference.
The latter shares the same 2400-meter distance as the Arc, which is why it's often called a preparatory race for it—its value is self-evident.
As for the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, although it isn't held at Longchamp, it is also run over 2400 meters, making it similarly meaningful as a preparatory race.
However, if they truly wanted to run in these races, arranging the race schedule would not be an easy task.