The young knight known as Margaret Nearl was growing quite intrigued by the legendary [American Triple Crown].
Because, well, it seemed like a proper challenge.
The American Triple Crown!
From the first leg, the Kentucky Derby, to the second, the Preakness Stakes, and finally that daunting last battle—the Belmont Stakes!
Three incredibly grueling Grade 1 races, all packed into just five weeks, barely two months!
In terms of sheer intensity and the number of battles fought, it stands unmatched by any other Triple Crown series in the world. It's the most famous, the premier Triple Crown, bar none.
Now, the British Epsom Derby might just have an edge over the Kentucky Derby, thanks to its prestige, history, and immense legacy. Historically, it's the origin, the progenitor of all Derbies—be it the Japanese Derby, the French Derby, the Kentucky Derby, you name it.
That's why it's a super event that draws top-tier turf Uma Musume from all over Europe and indeed the world. It was only after the Pegasus Platinum won that British Derby, securing an Irregular Triple Crown, that she shook the world and made her name across Europe.
But… just because the Epsom Derby has more value and historical weight than the Kentucky Derby doesn't mean the British Triple Crown surpasses the American one!
That'd be like having three solo lanes in a MOBA game. Maybe one lane is slightly stronger, but if the other two get completely stomped, the game falls apart.
Which side ends up winning? Well, that goes without saying.
So when it comes to debating not just a single Derby, but the [World's Number One Triple Crown], fans of Uma Musume racing worldwide would all give the same answer.
And that is—the [American Triple Crown]!
No doubt about it. Absolutely unquestionable!
After all, for the American Triple Crown, you only need to look back… to just last year, to mention the current world's strongest dirt-course Uma Musume, the legendary monster: Secretariat.
As for the British Triple Crown? The French? The Irish?
Sorry, no such luck.
In recent years, it's actually… the Japanese Triple Crown that produced a super monster named Platinum.
The [Irregular Quadruple Crown] that Platinum achieved consists of the Japanese Derby, the Oaks, the British Epsom Derby, and the Kikuka Shō.
Even if you don't count the Epsom Derby, she still pulled off the incredible feat of an Irregular Triple Crown, then went overseas and made a name for herself worldwide.
But even so, no one would seriously think that Japan's Classic Triple Crown or Classic Triple Tiara is greater than the British or French versions. And it certainly doesn't come close to the American one.
—It's not that the Japanese Uma Musume scene is strong; it's that the Pegasus Platinum is strong!
That's the conclusion everyone around the world has unanimously reached.
And this conclusion was further validated by the results of two top Japanese Uma Musume in the recently concluded [Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe].
Yep, it was them again: Agnes Tachyon finishing ninth, and Manhattan Cafe placing outside the top ten.
Even though Agnes Tachyon and Manhattan Cafe aren't even fit to be background extras or stepping stones for the Pegasus Platinum anymore.
This "long journey to the Arc, a small gift but a big heart" effort from Tachyon and Cafe just made overseas Pegasus fans more certain than ever of Platinum's strength and excellence! It has nothing to do with Japan!
With the other self, Platinum having achieved such high praise and status…
And with the world's number one, most challenging Triple Crown—the American one—right before her eyes, even Margaret Nearl felt her competitive spirit stir.
'The American Triple Crown, ranked number one in the world, huh…'
'Very well. Then let my journey begin here.'
After a decisive victory in a major stakes race, Miss Nearl decided to head back and start today's training!
--+--
Meanwhile, in Japan.
Currently, many of the Uma Musume who had been watching the races had returned to Tracen Academy.
Even though the world-renowned Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe had already concluded.
For the past several days, the entire Japanese social media landscape, along with offline discussions, had been dominated by one topic above all: [Platinum's Arc].
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe! The world's number one race that Japan had longed for for half a century!
And now, the Pegasus Platinum had actually won it. How could countless Japanese fans, viewers, and Uma Musume not be utterly shocked, and even nostalgic?
On one of the training grounds at Tracen Academy.
A girl with crimson long hair and a curvaceous figure was deep into her training session.
She didn't know how long she had been running. Only when she started to feel a little tired did she slow her pace and head toward a nearby bench to rest.
Not far from her, the Golden Tyrant, Ovfevre, who had finished training earlier, was also taking a break.
Daiwa Scarlet, the current Japanese super rookie, queen of the Filly Double Crown.
In truth, within the Japanese Uma Musume world, double crown winners in the classics aren't exactly rare. In comparison, the filly classic races, often considered a tier below, shouldn't generate extremely high popularity or discussion even for a double crown winner.
With both Ovfevre and Daiwa Scarlet being double crown winners, and Ovfevre having a flashy, powerful running style that wows crowds, it would normally be no surprise if she overshadowed Daiwa Scarlet in popularity.
However, the level of discussion and popularity Daiwa Scarlet currently enjoys is in no way inferior to Ovfevre's!
The reason for all this is simply because…
This crimson queen, Daiwa Scarlet, sat on the bench and pulled out her phone.
The moment she turned it on, she was greeted by several news headlines.
[Pegasus Platinum Wins Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Decimates Europe's Light, Sea the Stars!]
[The Strongest Japanese Uma Musume in History Captures the Arc!]
[The Uma Musume Closest to the Pegasus Isn't Harbinger, Nor Sea the Stars, But Actually…]
[Sources: Japan URA Reports Progress on Plans for "Pegasus Kinen" and "Platinum Cup," Expected to Officially Launch Next Year, Inviting Platinum to Return to Japan for Competition.]
[The First Pegasus: Platinum. The Second Pegasus: Margaret Nearl. Platinum Has Topped the Turf. Can Nearl Emulate Platinum's Greatness and Seize the Title of Dirt Supreme from the Big Red Monster Secretariat?]
Just opening her phone during her break, Daiwa Scarlet was met with multiple news articles.
Every single one of them featured Platinum's name.
"Days later, and it's still all about Platinum news."
"As expected of the Pegasus. Her popularity… in Japan, it's beyond any description."
Daiwa Scarlet couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Previously, the highest popularity in Japanese history belonged to… Oguri Cap.
The inspiring, powerful, and beloved gray Uma Musume Oguri Cap was once hailed as Japan's super superstar, the Japanese version of Seabiscuit.
But even Oguri Cap was only famous within Japan, nowhere near internationally known.
Now, Platinum has surpassed Oguri Cap in every aspect—peak influence and popularity in Japan, and international fame—and not by just a little.
The gap is at least double, if not more!
—The highest mountain, the longest river!
When Daiwa Scarlet clicked on one of the articles at random.
The number of comments she saw reached tens of thousands, all praising Platinum's strength.
[I never thought I'd live to see the day a Japanese Uma Musume wins the Arc!]
[Platinum is great, no need for elaborate words!]
[I suspect such an outstanding Platinum might be a case like that Polish Margaret Nearl. Because she debuted in another country, she's counted as that country's Uma Musume, so Japan and America just got lucky.]
[After all, the best place for nurturing Uma Musume in Japan is Tracen Academy, but it's nothing compared to overseas. Platinum is so excellent yet didn't enter any Japanese races; she might indeed be from overseas.]
[I don't care! Uma Musume isn't about nationality; it's about registration! Miss Platinum debuted in Japan, so she's a Japanese Uma Musume! I'll love her forever!]
[Can we see Platinum vs. Daiwa Scarlet again? Can the Pegasus race forever? I'd do anything!]
[You, you're only thinking about yourself, aren't you?]
[Will we see Platinum again in the Arima Kinen? Or… will we have to wait for a memorial race for her to return to Japan?]
The discussions and the level of praise for Platinum were incredibly fervent.
And Daiwa Scarlet herself had benefited from Platinum. It was precisely because of that debut race showdown, that five-length loss…
That a tiny fraction of Platinum's fans became interested in Daiwa Scarlet, wanting to see her true strength and what kind of interesting scene might unfold if she were to face the Pegasus Platinum again in the future.
And that small fraction of fans was enough to support Daiwa Scarlet's massive popularity, making it no less than the likable and powerful Golden Tyrant, Orfevre.
When Daiwa Scarlet saw her name and Platinum's appear together in another article, she habitually bared her canine teeth, a hint of frustration showing.
"Ugh, they all want to see my five-length loss turn into fifteen, or twenty-five lengths, don't they?"
Even though Daiwa Scarlet's strength was improving rapidly, she had zero confidence that she could replicate that five-length margin in a rematch with Platinum.
After all, on the heavy going of the recent Arc, even someone as powerful as Sea the Stars lost by a whopping fourteen lengths.
And Harbinger, who showed terrifying form in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, still lost by over ten lengths.
Those two monsters are easily capable of sweeping all Japanese Uma Musume in history except Platinum, including legendary triple crown winners like Symboli Rudolf, Narita Brian, and Mr. C.B..
But even they couldn't keep the margin to just a few lengths against the Pegasus Platinum.
Harbinger and Sea the Stars couldn't even share the podium with Platinum, never even qualifying to be her dancers on the winner's stage!
Heck, just losing by fifteen lengths to the Pegasus next time might be a challenge in itself.
So how was she supposed to face Platinum, who was getting better and better, already at her peak?
Daiwa Scarlet was at a complete loss.
And what bothered Daiwa Scarlet even more was…
The memorial races for Platinum!
Usually, this kind of thing is considered for Uma Musume who have achieved extraordinary results, many years after retirement, after being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
And the URA is notoriously slow.
Could it be… that they drag their feet so long that Platinum retires, and the races only materialize years later?
"If only the [Pegasus Kinen] and [Platinum Cup] could be established within the next couple of years."
"Then maybe I could aim for the championship!"
Daiwa Scarlet clenched her pink fists, her expression filled with fighting spirit.
She couldn't beat the Pegasus, but couldn't she win the Pegasus Kinen or the Platinum Cup?
Wouldn't becoming the first-ever winner of the Pegasus Kinen be hugely valuable? It's a major Japanese G1 race officially recognized by the URA!
This time, her muttered words reached the ears of the orange-grey haired girl resting not far away, Orfevre.
The orange-grey-haired girl, Orfevre, who had just finished training, turned her gaze toward Daiwa Scarlet.
Then, in a cool, detached voice, Orfevre spoke.
"There's a fifty percent chance Platinum-senpai will return for it."
Instantly, Daiwa Scarlet's interest was piqued.
"And the other fifty percent?"
"The other fifty percent… one of us wins, and then…"
Orfevre first made it clear that she was also very interested in the G1 memorial race for Platinum and had no intention of avoiding or backing down from it.
But she left her sentence hanging, piquing Daiwa Scarlet's curiosity, before adding the crucial second half.
"And then the winner… will probably have the award presented by Platinum-senpai."
Pegasus Kinen!
Platinum Cup!
Since it's a memorial race for Platinum, and the first one at that, even if Platinum doesn't compete, wouldn't it make sense for her to come and present the trophy to the winning fledgling…
Sounds pretty reasonable, right?
When Daiwa Scarlet heard this, the expectant look on her delicate face froze solid.
Huh?
HUH?!
When it finally clicked for Daiwa Scarlet, it was like a revelation. She realized this possibility was actually very likely.
Yeah, that's exactly what would happen.
'I remember, the memorial race for the second triple crown winner, Shinzan-senpai, was… [G3 Shinzan Kinen].'
'Even though it was only the lowest grade stakes race, Shinzan-senpai herself was there in person to present the award to the winner.'
'And in the American G2 Man o' War Stakes, that legendary Man o' War did the same, showing up every few years to award the champion.'
'The common point is, they were all true seniors, long retired and distant from the racing world, there to bestow awards upon the younger generation.'
'But Platinum, she…'
That girl is way too young!!
The memory of Platinum crushing her by five lengths in their debut race flashed through her mind again.
While on paper, Platinum completed her classic races last year, that was the result of "skipping grades."
Since they debuted together, they should be the same age. Platinum couldn't possibly be some retired senior; she might even be younger.
Daiwa Scarlet could vividly imagine the scene—
After exerting every ounce of her strength, Daiwa Scarlet would have to watch as Platinum smiled, picked up the trophy, and walked toward her.
Then, that silver-white girl, Platinum, pretending to be mature, would seriously pat her on the shoulder and utter words of praise.
"The future is yours."
But they literally ran in the same debut race! Their ages are practically identical!
Daiwa Scarlet felt like crying.
Suddenly, Orfevre on the other side seemed to think of something else.
Her soft voice added another point.
"The URA significantly increased the prize money for the Kikuka Shō and the Takarazuka Kinen to get Platinum-senpai to come."
'There's no reason they wouldn't try everything to get Platinum-senpai to return for the Pegasus Kinen. The chance of her coming back is probably quite high.'
'And if she wins the memorial race named after herself…'
'Would she present the trophy to herself?'
Usually, the celebrated senior gives a commemorative speech before the race and awards the trophy to the young winner afterward—that's the standard practice.
So, before the opening, as the "legendary senior," she'd give a speech in front of countless fans, express her hope for an exciting race and for the young Uma Musume to keep improving and deliver a brilliant performance.
Then, after the race, during the ceremony, she'd award the trophy to the winning Uma Musume. That's the typical, documented procedure.
Following that logic, wouldn't Platinum have to handle the entire process herself?!
Hearing this, Daiwa Scarlet was stunned again.
That scenario did sound rather absurd.
But if, just if…
She actually won the Pegasus Kinen under Platinum's watchful gaze from the stands, or achieved an outstanding result racing against Platinum…
Would she suddenly become a world-renowned super Uma Musume?!
Although the difficulty was immense, as the saying goes, "anything can happen in a race"!
"It seems you're also quite interested in that final trophy, Daiwa. Even if Platinum-senpai participates, you won't back down?"
The orange-haired girl, Orfevre, revealed a delighted, nearly crazed smile.
"After all, think about it—if Platinum-senpai loses, wouldn't it be fascinating to have the defeated legendary Uma Musume turn around and award the trophy to the one who beat her…?"
"Whether Platinum-senpai runs or not, I'm claiming that trophy! Bring it on, Daiwa Scarlet!"
This was… a complete madwoman, a fearless tyrant, daring to challenge the Pegasus's radiance!
The Pegasus Kinen had now thoroughly ignited the fighting spirit of these two future triple crown contenders!
--+--
The next day.
United States.
Lin Anran was back, sitting in his familiar clinic.
The young doctor, who had been looking down at a newspaper, suddenly noticed his phone light up with a message.
It was from…
[Sea the Stars: Dr. Lin, who did you go to the Arc with the other day?]
Sea-chan, what did you find out?!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
There should be... around 70+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.