December, a pivotal month for Uma Musume, marked the year's culmination with the Arima Kinen, crowning the strongest. For juniors, it was the last push before the Classics, with two key G1s: Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes.
"Leading is Mihono Bourbon, followed by Meiner Red, Shippu Marine, and in fourth, Matikane Tannhäuser!"
Tannhäuser tackled the Asahi Hai right after Nishino Flower's Juvenile Fillies win, with both expected to lead the Classics. As a stayer, the mile-long race challenged Tannhäuser, but—
"Here we go!" she shouted.
"At 800m, Matikane Tannhäuser surges! Canopus's rising star climbs, passing Shippu Marine!"
Mimicking Nature's long spurt, Tannhäuser accelerated early, her stamina-driven Matikan Form overwhelming rivals who couldn't match her pace. Minamisaka vouched she could rival Ikuno in stamina, pushing her rank higher.
"Just Bourbon left!" Tannhäuser gritted.
"As Master ordered," she recalled.
Mihono Bourbon, trained by the "Dragon of Tresen" Kuronuma, led with a steady, unrelenting pace, akin to Rampage's escapes but eerily consistent. Tannhäuser, who'd trained with her, felt it keenly.
"Under 400m! Bourbon leads, Tannhäuser one-and-a-half lengths back! The Asahi Hai comes down to these two!"
"It's like Ran and Ikuno fused!" Tannhäuser marveled.
Despite training with Turbo and Ikuno, Bourbon's run was unique—high-paced like Rampage's but unwavering, blending Ikuno's control. "Here I go!" Tannhäuser pushed, her final spurt kicking in on the straight, the open course fueling her.
"Bourbon holds the inside, but Tannhäuser charges! Canopus's star proves her mettle! One length—can she pass? 200m left—Bourbon surges!"
Bourbon, steady all race, accelerated, outpacing Tannhäuser's spurt and widening the gap. Exhausted from her long sprint, Tannhäuser couldn't counter.
"Bourbon pulls away, three lengths ahead, and crosses the line! Tannhäuser takes second, C.D. Mach third. Will Bourbon lead next year? Another escape artist shaping an era! Undefeated Asahi Hai win—three years straight of Triple Crown hopefuls!"
Panting, Tannhäuser eyed Bourbon, already composed, bowing to her trainer. "That speed… like Turbo's Dokkan Turbo?" she gasped.
"Not quite, but close," Rampage said from the stands.
"Agreed," Minamisaka nodded, analyzing. Bourbon's form resembled Tannhäuser's Matikan Form, blending Canopus's strengths. "She maintains a brutal pace, then explodes like Turbo's Dokkan Turbo," Rampage noted.
"Not perfectly timed, but devastating," Minamisaka added.
"A true escape-and-strike," Rampage concluded.
Sustaining such a pace was grueling, but Kuronuma's training forged Bourbon's resilience, capped by a lethal final burst. "Kuronuma's been timing her splits meticulously for this—tailored pacing per distance," Minamisaka said.
"Trouble in a different way from Ikuno," Rampage groaned.
"Worth strategizing for," Minamisaka smirked, fired up.
Tannhäuser burned too, vowing to win next time despite the mile's disadvantage. "Her real stage is next," Rampage said.
"Right. Rice's Hopeful Stakes is up, but first—your Arima Kinen," Minamisaka replied.
"Time to go all out," Rampage grinned.
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