Chapter 284: Go Make Friends with Almond Eye
At the current level of this world, being able to judge a runner's talent before her debut is essentially impossible.
Umamusume has a strong "group dynamic" nature.
In terms of racing, this means that during solo training, if there aren't enough sparring partners—or if there's too large a gap in ability—it's impossible to fully demonstrate one's true racing level.
Similarly, some Umamusume who seem unremarkable in training can display completely different traits once they enter the intense environment of an actual race.
For example, Symboli Rudolf has the characteristic of "always one length ahead," both in training and in races.
She habitually overtakes the leader by just one length, then relies on her overwhelming strength to maintain that gap until the finish, winning with ease.
She can do this in most races.
Because of this, her training appears less intense, and her races have been called by fans "the least suspenseful" and "the least exciting."
However, she has also lost races because of this.
A similar case is T.M. Opera O. In most of her victories, her lead isn't large—like Symboli Rudolf, once she gets ahead, she doesn't waste extra energy increasing the gap.
On the other hand, runners like Oguri Cap and Daiwa Scarlet are the complete opposite. They are the type who "don't know how to hold back."
In daily training, they're always going all out. Their sparring partners often can't handle the pressure and get left far behind.
Once in a race, they can enter an unusually excited state. Without prior conditioning and proper instructions, they'll dash forward at full speed right from the start.
Because of these temperament traits among runners, the standard and mainstream way to determine what kind of races they excel at is through several official races.
However, Almond Eye hasn't even passed the entrance exam for Tracen Academy yet, let alone participated in races.
Under such circumstances, making a definitive judgment about what kind of races she excels at would be a bit too much like predicting the future.
While Makoto hesitated, Takatoshi Imanami smiled and stepped forward, gently patting Lucky Lilac on the head.
"Lilac, being able to instantly see a runner's potential is indeed something every trainer dreams of."
With a warm smile, the old man explained:
"But how could something like that be so easy?"
"A runner's potential is like a treasure buried deep in the ocean. Even if trainers give it their all, they're still limited by many factors—often left with nothing but helpless admiration from afar."
"So instead of putting Yasui-san on the spot, Lilac, why not go get to know Almond Eye and become friends? Take your time to understand her yourself."
"Wouldn't that be better?"
Hearing this, Lucky Lilac fell into thought, while Kitasan Black looked excited.
"Exactly, exactly! Ai-chan would definitely be happy to have you as a friend!"
"She's just like me—she loves making friends."
"Once you get to know each other, you can share training tips and talk about your racing dreams together!"
Seeing Kitasan Black so enthusiastic, Lucky Lilac couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.
Imagining the moment she would meet Almond Eye, the corners of her lips lifted unconsciously.
Smiling, she nodded firmly.
"Yeah, I'm definitely going to become good friends with Almond Eye!"
After chatting for a while and taking a short break, the runner returned to training.
At Lucky Lilac's request, Kitasan Black began running alongside her.
While running together, Kitasan Black patiently explained every detail—from body lean angles to stride adjustments, leaving nothing out.
Lucky Lilac listened with complete focus, trying again and again. Despite making mistakes repeatedly, the determination in her eyes never wavered.
During this time, the Umamusume from the Gold Family watched their training and occasionally offered advice.
Orfevre stood by the track with her arms crossed, posture straight and imposing.
Her sharp, focused gaze locked onto the training ground. When Kitasan Black and Lucky Lilac came through a corner, she called out loudly:
"Kita, watch your entry angle—lower your center of gravity even more! Lilac, follow Kita's rhythm and feel where she's applying her force!"
Her voice was firm and commanding, carrying unquestionable authority.
Nakayama Festa, on the other hand, leaned casually against the railing under the eaves, a lollipop in her mouth. Both her posture and gaze seemed relaxed.
But the moment she noticed Lucky Lilac becoming slightly flustered while adjusting her steps, she immediately took the lollipop out and said half a sentence:
"Lilac, don't rush, keep your steps steady, like this…"
Then she popped the lollipop back into her mouth, walked to the edge of the track, and demonstrated a proper step rhythm.
Dream Journey and Stay Gold sat side by side on the grass, occasionally leaning toward each other as they talked.
"Kita-chan's stamina is as good as ever, but on a track with corners like this, she still needs to improve her technique," Dream Journey said, nodding as she watched Kitasan Black lead Lucky Lilac.
Stay Gold nodded as well, then shook her head slightly.
"If official races had this many sharp turns, then targeted practice would definitely be necessary."
"But if we're only talking about races in Japan, it's not really something they need to worry about too much."
"Just having them pay a bit of attention should be enough—that's what I think."
While the two spoke in low voices, Gold Ship lay sprawled on the grass with her hands behind her head, though her eyes never left the track.
When she saw Kitasan Black's explosive power fall just slightly short during a sprint, she suddenly sat up and shouted:
"Kita! In the final sprint, focus your power into your legs and go all out! Don't hold anything back!" Her bold, booming voice echoed across the training field.
On the track, Kitasan Black and Lucky Lilac listened carefully to their seniors' advice. Each piece of guidance helped them focus even more on their training.
Sweat ran down their foreheads, soaking their clothes—but their eyes only grew more determined.
Meanwhile, off to the side of the training ground, Makoto and Takatoshi Imanami observed the session while reviewing the earlier practice race.
Imanami picked up a pen and pointed at the curves on a chart.
"Yasui-san, look here—Kita's performance on the corners in this race was clearly limited by the track."
"The techniques she's used to don't work well on these kinds of corners, which caused her speed to drop."
Studying the chart intently, Makoto frowned slightly. After a moment of thought, he replied:
"That's true, senpai. But Kita's adaptability in the final phase is still commendable."
"She adjusted her strategy in time and used diagonal acceleration. Even though she didn't overtake, she managed to hold her position."
"That shows her ability to think and adapt during races is steadily improving."
"Exactly. And this track doesn't represent official races anyway, so…"
Nodding, Imanami fell into thought and said in a low voice:
"How to translate this into training—we'll need to think it through carefully…"
The two continued their in-depth discussion, going over every detail of the race—from each Umamusume's start, to their handling of corners, to their explosive power in the final sprint—carefully analyzing strengths and weaknesses while exploring directions for future training improvements.