The American Triple Crown!
Across the entire world, it is truly the foremost and undisputedly strongest Triple Crown series.
On the training ground, the dark and somewhat slender girl, Sunday Silence, dressed in her training gear, was pushing through her run.
"Huff…"
Even though the race was still days away, Sunday Silence was already deep into her training regimen.
It's worth noting that the track she was using was an open-air facility.
Dark clouds hung overhead at that very moment.
Rain was steadily falling, drenching numerous training grounds, turning the dirt and turf courses sodden under the unusual weather.
Most tracks were open-air—cheap, quick to build, and cost-effective. But the downside was obvious: whenever it rained, those tracks turned into unfavorable, heavy going.
For horse girls who excelled on heavy ground, it simply meant an adjustment in training.
But for those who struggled on wet tracks, with little to no adaptability, it meant lost training time—or a scramble to find an indoor, non-open-air alternative.
And Sunday Silence happened to be one who thrived on heavy ground…
No, to be more accurate, Sunday Silence's expertise went beyond ordinary heavy conditions.
Even in extreme, harsh environments like last year's Arc de Triomphe—the harsh turf where [Pegasus Platinum] reached the summit of the world!
This dark monster was qualified not only to handle adverse tracks and heavy ground, but to master and dominate even the most extreme, ultra-heavy conditions.
"It looks like this Kentucky Derby is something to look forward to."
"Before the race, I must adapt to the worst conditions as much as possible."
In Sunday Silence's view…
Training in the rain was absolutely necessary.
Over the past week or two, it had rained almost every day.
And even—[snow]—had fallen unpredictably!
That's right—it wasn't just rain; occasionally, snow made an appearance too.
This kind of unbelievable weather had never been seen in the Japanese or Dubai races that Pegasus Platinum had challenged in the past—it was utterly unheard of.
But in the US, where environmental shifts and temperature extremes were common, such a possibility existed.
Heavy ground might not just mean rain—it could mean snow!
Although the chances were slim, almost unheard of anywhere else, in America, this bizarre, unbelievable phenomenon could actually occur.
And so… this icy-faced, inwardly restless dark girl was in an exceptionally good mood.
"Dirt tracks don't dry out nearly as fast as overseas turf courses."
"The rain's been frequent lately. Even if it's clear all the way up to race day, the track will at least stay at [unfavorable]."
"Most likely, it'll be heavy ground. There's even a chance it could be… an historic, ultra-heavy track, on par with last year's Arc de Triomphe!"
Starting at unfavorable, likely heavy, possibly even ultra-heavy!
Sunday Silence was thrilled with the conditions and the situation.
The American Triple Crown, especially the first leg—the Kentucky Derby—mattered deeply to her.
Because this dark girl knew full well: this was the event that all dirt racing fans valued most. And in this year's Triple Crown, the niece of that doctor she was so interested in… was running!
In other words, as both an [Uma Musume Doctor] and an [Uncle], Lin Anran would definitely come to watch, right?
So, Sunday Silence couldn't accept defeat—she had to win.
Even if her opponent was a The Radiant Knight praised by the Silver Pegasus Platinum!
Anyone who stood in the way of her Triple Crown, any horse girl who drew Dr. Lin's attention away—Sunday Silence wouldn't hesitate to become a monster that devoured everything, crushing and consuming them all!
"I can't lose in front of Dr. Lin!"
--+--
At the same time.
An elegant girl with crimson hair frowned slightly, lifting her head discontentedly toward the sky.
The falling rain and snow had successfully irritated this [Third Big Red· Easy Goer], putting her on edge.
Ordinarily, she was the calmer one.
It was Sunday Silence, who seemed silent and collected, who was actually more volatile in temperament.
This wretched weather, persisting for over a week with no sign of letting up, was giving Easy Goer a growing sense of foreboding.
And so… their roles of agitation and calmness began to reverse once again.
In the public's eyes, Easy Goer was a top contender, her ability matching her popularity.
She and the Radiant Knight, Nearl, were practically tied for first, both considered overwhelming favorites to win.
By comparison, Sunday Silence was a noticeable step behind them—though still well ahead of the fourth-ranked Uma Musume.
So, Sunday Silence was seen as a secondary favorite, but still one of the three contenders in this [Triple Threat].
And now, Easy Goer was staring up at the rain, growing wary of that dark monster, the third-ranked Sunday Silence!
"The Radiant Knight, Nearl… her ability on good ground is exceptional. Among the three of us, she's strong enough to secure second and challenge for first."
"But her adaptability to heavy ground, or even ultra-heavy conditions… that's unknown."
Truth be told, Easy Goer wasn't bad on heavy ground herself—far from it.
Even on unfavorable or moderately heavy tracks, she was confident she could defeat Sunday Silence and Margaret Nearl fair and square.
What worried her was the possibility of an ultra-heavy going—under those extreme conditions, even someone as talented as her would feel significant pressure.
The principle of adaptability was actually quite simple.
Take an Uma Musume who normally scores 90 points. On ultra-heavy ground, one with poor adaptability might lose 15 points; one with decent adaptability, 10 points; and a true devil of heavy going, only 5.
If she lost 10 points from her 90, she might not be stronger than an 88-point Sunday Silence who only lost 5—that was the danger!
Most major upsets on bad tracks happened under circumstances like these.
So, even though Easy Goer considered herself the top contender among the three, the thought of an ultra-heavy track—one even she might struggle with—made her deeply apprehensive.
And so… she began to see her primary threat not as [Margaret Nearl], but as [The Dark Monster · Sunday Silence].
"On good ground, Nearl is probably stronger."
"But at least for the Kentucky Derby, on this potentially extreme track, the Radiant Knight's threat level will likely fall below Sunday Silence's."
Gazing at the curtain of rain, recalling the occasional snow over recent days, Easy Goer felt a growing unease.
She hoped nothing would go wrong, hoped the going would be only unfavorable or heavy!
That way, she could confidently face Nearl or Sunday Silence!
Whether it was the shining Golden Pegasus or the dark monster, this third Big Red would never admit defeat.
Before her, the first Big Red Monster, Man o' War, was the GOAT of dirt racing, undefeated and peerless in her time.
The second great chestnut monster, Secretariat, had already cemented herself as the strongest dirt racer of the era. After winning the year-end Breeders' Cup, she was arguably a solid second, if not contending for first, in dirt racing history.
Right after the Arc de Triomphe, Platinum had briefly overtaken her in the world rankings, but Secretariat quickly reclaimed her position with the Breeders' Cup.
But that was only reclaiming—not surpassing.
And it was only because Platinum hadn't raced elsewhere. If a certain Platinum had worked a bit overtime and won more G1s, she might have held the world's top spot alone.
Even so, the difference was minor—Pegasus Platinum was still world number one, albeit now sharing it with Secretariat.
Thus, in the century-long history of dirt racing, the two strongest Uma Musume of all time were both chestnut monsters!
One was the first generation, the other the second!
It was like the First and Second Hokage from Naruto—except this Second was almost as strong as the First.
And as the third Big Red Monster, Easy Goer didn't want to disgrace that name.
For now, setting aside distant hopes of matching Secretariat and Man o' War…
At the very least, she had to win the Triple Crown, to strive for legendary status!
'Bearing the name of a Big Red, I must not lose!'
--+--
Japan.
Inside the URA headquarters.
A meeting was underway, gathering almost all of the organization's upper echelons.
Most of the executives looked solemn or regretful.
"Ah… Platinum didn't return for the Arima Kinen."
"Yeah, the highly anticipated [Triple Crown vs. Irregular Quadruple Crown]!"
"Or, [Daiwa Scarlet vs. Pegasus]!"
"But it didn't happen. In the end, the prestigious Arima Kinen only turned out decently—nowhere near the level of any race Platinum had run before!"
"Orfevre, the Golden Tyrant—her running style and strength are among the best in Japanese history, a super tyrant with real potential to surpass Symboli Rudolf! But in the public's eyes, she wasn't even fit to be Platinum's [substitute]?"
Many URA executives sighed in disappointment.
To them, both internally and externally, the most watched, discussed, and popular races had always been the Japanese Derby and the Arima Kinen.
One was the most beloved classic race, the Derby; the other was Japan's biggest race, gathering nearly all the top horse girls in the country.
The Japanese Derby had always been high in popularity and attention, even if its competitive quality wasn't top-tier.
As for the Arima Kinen, it was a true "all-rounder." In the past, many annual champion horse girls had won barely more G1s than others of their generation.
But because they won the Arima Kinen, they were elevated—its prestige in the public eye giving them that slight edge to be crowned Japan's strongest.
And Orfevre, the Golden Tyrant—she'd won the Classic Triple Crown plus the Arima Kinen, sweeping both of Japan's most high-profile super races!
Forget the Triple Crown—most of the time, a Double Crown plus the Arima Kinen was enough to secure year-end honors and top popularity.
Under such circumstances, the exceptional triple crown tyrant Orfevre—wasn't even in the running for [Horse of the Year]!
In the voting, Orfevre received less than a third of the votes Platinum did!
Keep in mind, last year Platinum had run only a single race in Japan—the Takarazuka Kinen—and nothing else.
That level of insane influence and popularity left the URA stunned.
Unheard of! Unprecedented!
"After all… Platinum now is the Arc de Triomphe champion—the world's strongest!"
"Right, she achieved what all of Japan had been praying for for decades—winning the Arc, and she did it decisively, beating the strongest descendant of a past Arc champion."
"If winning the triple crown was enough to substitute for Platinum… that'd be too easy. The audience wouldn't accept it."
Some executives, sounding like die-hard Platinum fans, emphasized the [Arc de Triomphe].
Even within the URA, many staff couldn't help but nearly hum with excitement when recalling Platinum's dominant Arc victory—it thrilled them to the core!
It's worth noting: the Arc came first, then World's Strongest.
If a miler achieved great results overseas, becoming world champion, it might not earn recognition from the URA or Japanese Uma Musume racing.
After all, the URA was notoriously dismissive of distances other than middle and long—mile races were clearly less valued.
But Platinum was different—she'd won the world's top turf race, the Arc de Triomphe, which Japan longed for most, defeating the strongest rivals to claim the world crown!
That level of prestige meant Platinum wouldn't honor the Japanese Hall of Fame by entering—instead, the Hall would be honored to have her.
"Since the Arima Kinen is over, there's no use discussing it further."
"Then… it's time to move on to that topic."
"[Pegasus Kinen] and [Platinum Cup]!"
An executive spoke gravely, raising a major subject.
Instantly, the room fell silent.
Originally, given the URA's tendency to drag its feet, it wouldn't be surprising if they delayed this memorial G1 plan until after Platinum retired.
Some executives had even thought there was no hurry—it could wait a few years.
But Platinum's Arc victory, followed by her refusal to return for the Arima Kinen… had made the URA nervous.
In their initial expectations, if Platinum returned for one or two races a year, that would be acceptable.
But if this trend continued, and Platinum didn't return even once before retiring—what then?
So, the [Pegasus Kinen] and [Platinum Cup] had to be fast-tracked—no more delays!
"Agreed. It must launch this year."
"If we delay until Platinum retires without her returning for even one race in Japan… we'll be remembered infamously!"
"Right, future documentaries and films about the Pegasus will probably conspiracy-theorize about whether we sidelined or suppressed her."
"The world's number one Uma Musume, never returning home after racing abroad—we can't let that happen."
"[Pegasus Kinen] and [Platinum Cup] must be held!"
"Rather than having Platinum as a post-race presenter or pre-race speaker years from now… it's far better to have her compete. We can't wait!"
After some thought, many executives looked serious. The vote passed overwhelmingly to launch the race this year.
All that remained was to decide the schedule, timing, and prize money.
The distance was a given—a middle-distance race with extremely high prize money.
The next topic was how to make Platinum happy.
After all, whether Platinum chose to simply award the trophy and speak at the [Pegasus Kinen], or to compete… the choice was entirely hers.
At this moment, even the URA—a behemoth in Japan and Asia—was treading carefully, afraid of displeasing Platinum.
"Then, how about we pass an additional exclusive benefit?"
"We already have the [Platinum Clause] tailored almost specifically for her. One more custom rule won't hurt."
"On the contrary, it'll show the URA's respect and admiration for the Pegasus!"
"How about this: when the commemorated Uma Musume officially competes, her prize money is doubled?"
"No, that's not good…"
"Huh? I thought you were a Pegasus fan. You don't even want to double it? Trying to cut costs again, like with the Osaka Cup incident that angered Ms. Platinum?"
"No, what I mean is… is doubling really enough?"
And so, a new round of discussions began inside the meeting—on how to make a certain Pegasus [happy] with benefit clauses.
You could say—the URA, experts at dissolution! Gods of the dissolution game!
But why dissolve? Don't ask!
Once they're on the back foot, they become hyper-aware. Now, they were without hesitation going all-in on Platinum, trying to please the Pegasus!
[Pegasus Kinen], [Platinum Cup]—soon to be established.
The first ever G1 race commemorating a horse girl while she was still active… was about to happen!
And the commemorated horse girl would actually take to the track!
Awarding the trophy… to herself?
That legendary scene was now more likely than ever!
--+--
Time flowed on.
The day before the Kentucky Derby.
A radiant Golden Maiden was calmly going through her daily training on a practice track.
The Radiant Knight, Margaret Nearl!
"The rain… still hasn't stopped?"
"Good. A new challenge."
In truth, the Radiant Knight wasn't the least bit flustered by the recent spell of rainy, bad weather.
On the contrary, Nearl saw it as a fresh, interesting challenge.
"As for the racing outfit—that instant-change function can finally be tested."
A flicker of interest and curiosity crossed the tall, golden-haired girl's nearly stern and sacred features.
That set of dazzling, brilliant knight's armor!
Back at the statue of the Three Goddesses, Nearl had received not one, but two racing outfits.
One was a white coat, the other a suit of knight's armor.
At first, Nearl had wondered why two…
But after winning a race not long ago, a new special effect was unlocked, completely eliminating her pre-race outfit indecision.
--+--
[Don Armor: The white coat racing outfit instantly changes into the knight armor in the public's view.]
[Remove Armor: The knight armor racing outfit instantly changes into the white coat in the public's view.]
--+--
Don armor, remove armor!
The first leg of the American Triple Crown—the Kentucky Derby!
"At last—"
"It's time to use it, and to face excellent opponents in earnest!"
--+--
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.