Chapter 279: A Simulation Race Packed with "Gold-Level" Talent
After hearing Takatoshi Imanami's arrangement, Makoto quickly agreed to the race format.
When he arrived earlier, he had already taken note of the track. Although it wasn't as large as Tracen Academy's, the condition of the turf clearly showed that it was carefully maintained on a regular basis.
Holding a simple race here posed no problem at all.
Moreover, in such a relatively familiar environment, the Umamusume might be able to perform even better, making it easier for him to observe Lucky Lilac's performance in a real-race setting.
Kitasan Black had no objections either.
Although she had trained many times with senpai like Orfevre and Gold Ship, competing together with so many members of the Gold family at once was a first for her—and a rare opportunity to challenge herself and improve.
With anticipation written all over her face, she followed Stay Gold inside to change into sportswear, then returned to the training ground full of energy.
Soon, just as Imanami had said, after drawing lots according to formal race procedures, a line of Umamusume quickly formed at the temporary starting line on the outer turf.
Kitasan Black stood among them, her posture agile, her gaze firm and confident—full of anticipation and fighting spirit for the race.
Lucky Lilac stood beside her, still maintaining her elegant composure. However, the slight tightening of her fists revealed a hint of nervousness and excitement within.
Orfevre and Gold Ship stood on either side of them. These two, who were usually constantly arguing, had now put away their playful demeanor. Their expressions were serious as they prepared to give it their all in this simulation race.
Dream Journey and Nakayama Festa stood at the edges. The two exchanged a glance, their eyes gleaming with eagerness.
Seeing that everyone was ready, Imanami smiled at Makoto. Makoto returned the gesture with a slight bow, and Imanami then took out a red handkerchief from his pocket.
Holding the handkerchief high in one hand and a stopwatch in the other, he stepped to the side of the track and shouted:
"On your marks, get set…"
At those words, not only did the Umamusume gather their momentum, ready to launch, but even Makoto couldn't help feeling a hint of tension.
This method of using a dropped handkerchief as the start signal was something Kitasan Black had never experienced before.
But Makoto knew that, despite its simplicity, it had solid reasoning behind it—somewhat similar in principle to a starting gate.
With a starting gate, a mechanical system controls when the gates open, and the Umamusume must react instantly to the signal, bursting out at the same moment. It tests their reaction speed, explosive power, and control over the start.
With the handkerchief method, although there's no mechanical gate, it still requires intense focus. The runners must fix their eyes on the handkerchief in Imanami's hand.
The moment it drops, they must react immediately, relying on their anticipation and reflexes to launch forward at once.
Both methods demand high concentration before the start and train the ability to detect and respond to starting signals.
So even though the formats differ, both test mental composure, reaction speed, and starting technique.
Although Kitasan Black had never trained with this method before, Makoto wasn't particularly worried.
After all, encountering a new starting style was a valuable opportunity to broaden her experience, offering long-term benefits.
At the same time, while gripping his stopwatch and preparing to time the race, a large part of his attention remained fixed on Lucky Lilac—constantly comparing her in his mind to Almond Eye.
Compared to how Almond Eye performed when running alongside Kitasan Black, Lucky Lilac was clearly much calmer and more composed at this moment.
From a racing perspective, Lucky Lilac's current state was obviously more advantageous, giving her a better chance to seize the initiative right from the start.
As for the reason behind this difference, the main factor at the moment seemed to be personality.
Like Kitasan Black, Almond Eye had a very bright and outgoing personality, along with an even stronger competitive drive.
In terms of sheer competitiveness, even among most of the Umamusume Makoto had encountered so far, there were probably very few who could surpass Almond Eye.
Such a temperament naturally came with both advantages and drawbacks.
The downside, as previously analyzed, was that it could cause Almond Eye to focus too much on elements related to winning and losing—such as the judges or the starting signal—thus dividing her attention.
The upside, however, was that when faced with adversity—like a significant gap in ability compared to her senpai—Almond Eye could unleash strength beyond her usual limits.
So, under the same conditions of running alongside senpai and facing pressure, how would Lucky Lilac perform?
Makoto was filled with anticipation. His eyes were fixed on the starting line, his breathing unconsciously growing lighter, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.
At that moment, the entire training ground was so quiet it felt suffocating. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the instant when the red handkerchief in Takatoshi Imanami's hand would fall.
After saying "Set," Imanami did not continue speaking. Instead, without any warning, he simply released his hand.
The bright red handkerchief drifted gently down toward the grass, like a light maple leaf spinning softly in the air.
At the very instant it left his hand, Kitasan Black shot forward like a bolt of black lightning, taking the lead.
After more than a year of rigorous daily training, her speed and presence at the start already carried the sharp edge expected of a senior runner in her prime.
That unstoppable momentum felt as though it could tear through the air ahead of her.
Close behind were Orfevre and Nakayama Festa. Their eyes were sharp as hawks, showing no hint of carelessness just because the leader was a junior.
From their unwavering, forward-focused gazes, it was clear they already regarded Kitasan Black as a strong opponent on their level, determined to compete with her head-on in this race.
Their strides were tight and powerful, their breathing steady and even, each step landing with firm rhythm as they pushed to keep pace with her.
Behind them came Dream Journey and Stay Gold. They didn't blindly try to overtake but instead skillfully positioned themselves slightly behind, calmly observing the movements of those ahead—clearly waiting for the right moment to act.
At the back—unsurprisingly—was Gold Ship.
Although she had a slower start, her demeanor was as relaxed as if she were strolling through her own backyard.
A confident smile rested on her lips, her eyes gleaming with eagerness.
Her carefree posture made it seem as though she had complete confidence in overtaking later, utterly unconcerned about her current position.
The other one at the back was Lucky Lilac, lightly biting her lower lip.
Her originally elegant face was now faintly flushed, her eyes showing a trace of tension alongside determination.
Despite her slower start, she showed no sign of panic, calmly adjusting her breathing and stride in an orderly manner.