Kentucky Derby, race day.
A young black-haired doctor stood holding an umbrella in front of his clinic, gently closing the door.
It's worth mentioning, he wasn't wearing his usual white coat, but rather... a thick cotton jacket draped over his shoulders.
Not only that, he was also carrying a small blackboard, which he hung on the door.
[Closed today - Watching the Kentucky Derby]
The Japan Derby ranks among Japan's top events in terms of viewership, popularity and hype.
Similarly, the Kentucky Derby, highly prestigious in American dirt racing, holds just as much influence in the U.S. as the Japan Derby does in Japan, inevitably capturing the fervent attention of the entire nation.
So...
As a doctor for Uma Musume, whose work is intimately tied to them, isn't it perfectly reasonable for him to disappear on the day of an important race?
It's as justifiable as Daigo vanishing when a monster appears and Ultraman Tiga shows up! Flawless logic!
Currently, Lin Anran's reputation within the American Uma Musume community is gradually spreading, and the frequency of American fillies seeking him out is increasing.
Thus, it's absolutely necessary to hang this sign, clearly stating that he's taking the day off.
His growing recognition and acceptance by the wider world are all thanks to Sham.
Some time ago, Sham's legs had fully recovered, thanks to the perfect treatment from a certain unscrupulous young doctor.
After returning to the track, she tested the waters with an easy G2 victory before securing a win in a standard G1 race.
After all, the U.S. is never short of high-stakes races, similar to the situation in Europe.
But the G1 races that stand at the pinnacle... well, there are only a handful, such as the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes, the Breeders' Cup Classic, and a few others.
Unable to claim one of those top-tier G1s yet, Sham opted to first win a conventional G1 where Secretariat wasn't competing.
Even if it wasn't one of the most widely recognized top G1 events in the U.S., a G1 victory is still a G1 victory, especially since Sham, in the public's eye, had almost become synonymous with terms like "severely injured," "fracture," and "retirement."
For injured Uma Musume, it's all too common to see them obstinately return to racing out of obsession, only to meet with crushing defeat, lose several races in a row, and finally have to accept that they can no longer win, retiring in tragedy.
Given that, one can imagine the uproar Sham caused when she won from G2 straight up to G1 after her comeback!
And during post-victory interviews, Sham never missed a chance to mention "Dr. Lin," making it clear that her recovery wasn't due to her own physical resilience but entirely owed to a certain doctor's treatment.
With such a living endorsement promoting him, Lin Anran's clinic has grown increasingly famous lately, attracting more and more fillies eager to see him.
To put it in one sentence: the number of American fillies in his contacts has multiplied several times over and is still increasing at an astonishing rate.
In short... business is booming!
Sham, truly a worthy goldmine he had his eye on.
Bold and decisive, and oh so helpful to him!
This made the unscrupulous young doctor very happy.
As for that previous [night visit] incident... if it could bring in a whole bunch of fillies, Lin Anran would say, bring it on a few more times—his body can take it!
But unfortunately, he couldn't keep working today.
Because an even more important race was right in front of him.
Namely—the Kentucky Derby!
What struck Lin Anran as rather peculiar was this unpredictably awful weather, something even he hadn't anticipated.
From the umbrella held by this unscrupulous young doctor, what trickled down wasn't just rain.
It even... carried bitterly cold snow!
It was clearly a mix of rain and snow, that so-called [sleet]—bizarre, wretched weather!
Weather beyond most people's imagination was actually happening on race day, inevitably drawing the attention of countless spectators and fans.
Under the influence of such terrifying weather, only the Uma Musume who could overcome everything, truly the strongest in every sense, would emerge victorious!
And this was exactly what The Radiant Knight, Nearl, desired!
"Alright... sign's up, time to head home and start the transformation."
After hanging the small blackboard on the door of his closed clinic, Lin Anran turned around.
He set off for home, steady and determined, heading to a safe place to begin his transformation.
This Kentucky Derby...
He was determined to win!
--+--
Elsewhere.
Seabiscuit was stepping out of her car, with her secretary holding an umbrella beside her.
"To think, just last year you commentated on a race featuring Secretariat, and this year you've accepted another invitation to commentate."
"Who do you fancy more?"
The female secretary beside Seabiscuit looked up at her curiously as she asked.
It's worth noting that Seabiscuit is one of the few legendary Uma Musume in American dirt racing history.
These days, that list pretty much only includes Man o' War, Secretariat, and Seabiscuit herself.
Man o' War is elusive, rarely seen, and hasn't accepted invitations from U.S. race officials, choosing not to join as part of the executive leadership.
As for Secretariat, ever the warrior, after winning the U.S. Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup Classic and temporarily running out of rivals, she didn't retire.
Instead... she switched to turf racing out of boredom and has already won a turf G1 in the U.S.
In other words, the first great red star had no interest in watching ordinary races, caring only about the future Dream Cup.
The second Big Red Monster, still aiming to surpass the first, was changing tracks to expand her influence further, striving to overtake Man o' War as the GOAT and fulfill her [promise] with a certain someone!
Thus, Seabiscuit became the only legendary Uma Musume likely to accept an invitation to serve as a "guest" or "temporary commentator."
But Seabiscuit, as a high-ranking member of the vast U.S. racing officialdom, couldn't always spare much time.
Therefore, Seabiscuit accepting a commentary invitation was a significant event in itself.
Usually, only the emergence of a super talent she was interested in would make Seabiscuit specifically free up her time, without minding the overtime that would follow.
In the secretary's view, aside from the previous Secretariat and the mysterious silver-white Pegasus Platinum, could there really be another Uma Musume worthy of such attention?
Those two are outright legends! Each dominating turf and dirt respectively!
Could it be that this year's Classic Triple Crown might actually give rise to a new era legend?
"The third Big Red Monster?"
"Easy Goer?"
The secretary first guessed that Seabiscuit was here for Easy Goer.
After all, Easy Goer's noble-like elegance, visibly impressive strength, and top-tier pedigree, combined with that Big Red Monster image reminiscent of Man o' War and Secretariat, perfectly matched the tastes of the audience.
Although that Radiant Knight Nearl also displayed unfathomable strength, her background... wasn't just non-pedigree; she even came from a declining family in Poland, a country rarely mentioned internationally.
Even if praised by the legendary Pegasus Platinum, being the first genius Uma Musume Platinum ever came to watch.
But the third Big Red Monster, her two predecessors, weren't they legends too? And they're among the top two legends in dirt racing history.
From a non-professional outside perspective, pedigree > declining family, two legends > one legend.
Based on background alone, Easy Goer is undeniably excellent and strong; even becoming a legend in the future probably wouldn't surprise fans much.
So, it should be for...
"No, I'm here for Nearl."
Seabiscuit openly stated the reason for her presence, willing to work overtime just to watch and commentate live.
"Margaret Nearl, her performance is bound to exceed most people's expectations."
"That little filly can't be judged by ordinary standards. When I see her... my heart races."
Heart racing!
Was it liking? A fondness for the emergence of a talented junior?
Perhaps, yes.
Perhaps, not.
Previously, Seabiscuit couldn't quite decide.
After all, as a senior and a high-ranking official in racing, it was normal to feel satisfied when seeing a promising, talented junior.
But everything changed after Seabiscuit received the news that the [Dream Cup] would descend!
Perhaps the excitement wasn't from seeing a talented junior appear, but rather... witnessing the birth of a worthy opponent!
Her mind recalled last year, when the still young, rookie-year Radiant Knight, challenged the Travers Stakes—a race typically for classic-year Uma Musume—and achieved a glorious victory!
In the past, Seabiscuit would have thought her racing heart was due to joy at seeing a talented junior emerge, but now... she no longer thought so.
'I see... it's fighting spirit that's been stirred.'
Seabiscuit gently placed a hand on her ample chest, feeling the accelerated heartbeat.
From Secretariat to Nearl, these two years have produced so many monstrous talents in dirt racing!
This is exactly what makes the Dream Cup she anticipates so valuable!
'Nearl, don't let me down.'
'If you only manage a U.S. Double Crown, that's far from enough! Dirt racing history has seen too many two-crown geniuses and excellent Uma Musume with multiple G1s.'
The seemingly elegant, junior-friendly Seabiscuit was actually...
Extending courtesy before a future clash, and showing respect for that future opponent!
Of course, this was predicated on Nearl being able to reach the "TOP20" of entire dirt racing history in this short year!
Usually, for an Uma Musume, youth is an advantage! Even losing one or two races due to youth isn't a big deal; eventually, that age advantage allows for more races and more victories.
Currently, Margaret Nearl's advantage is her youth, and her disadvantage is being too young.
Because—the Dream Cup is a one-time event, with no room for error!
The uniqueness of the Dream Cup would grant the twenty Uma Musume qualified to enter that divine arena a return to the peak condition of their careers.
Therefore, it completely favored retired legends, namely Man o' War, Seabiscuit, and others.
But Nearl is simply too young; the Dream Cup is descending this year, and she can only have run for a little over a year.
In such a short time, she must compete with tens of thousands of geniuses from throughout dirt racing history for one of only twenty spots.
Many historical-level Uma Musume raced from their rookie year through their classic year and into their aged year.
Besides, many former two-crown genius seniors had raced for two to three years.
To surpass what those seniors achieved in two to three years, in just one year—that's nightmare-level difficulty!
'Only by achieving the Triple Crown can you seize a precious [Dream Cup] ticket from the countless watchful seniors!'
Seabiscuit slightly clenched her fist, feeling both excitement and anticipation for a showdown with Nearl.
Her heartbeat, her instinct as a strong competitor, as if carved into her very being, all indicated her wariness of that incredibly young, shining Pegasus!
'If you have what it takes, come and take it!'
If it's Nearl, she might just pull it off!
'We'll meet at the Dream Cup!'
Until then, let her watch from the high platform and enjoy Nearl's first classic-year race.
--+--
Location: in front of the racecourse.
A huge crowd of spectators had gathered.
Even though the weather was so awful that wearing a cotton jacket wasn't enough—raincoats or umbrellas were necessary—it completely failed to dampen the enthusiasm of these tens of thousands of fans.
"The Kentucky Derby! The most important dirt Derby race, only once a year, is finally here."
"Pegasus! Pegasus! This is your moment to prove you're the strongest."
"Go, third Big Red Monster! Don't tarnish the Big Red Monster's name; you must replicate the great achievements of Secretariat and Man o' War."
"I like Easy Goer the most, but I heard Sunday Silence and Nearl are even more amazing on heavy tracks, being more adaptable... No, Easy Goer, don't lose!"
"Could there be an upset? I'm leaning more towards Sunday Silence, the least supported of the top three."
"Radiant Knight, I believe in her long lance, her gallop—maybe even enough to pierce through the Derby's rain and snow!"
Spectators willing to queue early in such terrible weather naturally held deep love and support for the race or a particular Uma Musume.
Discussions were endless.
Among the queueing crowds, there were also quite a few girls with equine features.
Including one named [Sham].
Sham was also among the sea of people in line.
'Hmm...'
But while those around her were heatedly discussing, Sham, back at her peak and now a G1 champion, seemed somewhat downcast.
Wearing a raincoat, head hung low, letting the rain flow down, Sham felt a bit puzzled inside.
Where was Dr. Lin?
Why... why did he refuse her invitation?
In Sham's pocket were two tickets to the Kentucky Derby.
Undoubtedly, the extra one was meant for a certain unscrupulous young doctor.
But to Sham's surprise, her invitation had utterly failed.
When she'd called earlier, the handsome young black-haired doctor had refused without hesitation.
Keep in mind, the second favorite in this race, one of the top three contenders, Margaret Nearl, was Dr. Lin's niece!
What kind of uncle wouldn't go watch his niece's race?!
Sham found it hard to believe.
'Dr. Lin... even though I succeeded in that night visit last time, he couldn't still be mad about it, could he?'
'He didn't block me afterwards and even completed the final cycle of my treatment, helping me make a perfect comeback.'
'And I've been vigorously promoting Dr. Lin's skills, attracting many young ladies from famous families. However you look at it, Dr. Lin shouldn't hate my [night visit], right?'
Even though the weather was freezing cold, rare sleet making it bitterly chilly.
After pondering back and forth, this delicate-faced girl actually broke out in a sweat on her forehead amidst the ice and snow.
Not only that, her back was sweating too, her expression tense, like a bowstring pulled taut.
'Dr. Lin couldn't possibly be going to the race himself, could he?'
'There's no reason for Dr. Lin not to come watch. Only one possibility remains.'
As an uncle and a doctor for Uma Musume, it was impossible for him not to attend!
'That is—some sneaky, despicable, thieving cat got to him first and invited Dr. Lin away!'
In other words, she'd been... cuckolded!
Dammit, there's a homewrecker!!
Sham gritted her silver teeth, filled with astonishment and disbelief.
But after analyzing, she was certain this was the most likely scenario.
After all, Dr. Lin had specifically flown to Europe, spending all that time just to watch the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, which had little to do with him.
The Kentucky Derby was definitely more connected to Dr. Lin, much closer, and she could even provide tickets...
If he still wasn't coming, it was more likely that Dr. Lin had already accepted tickets from some other [sneaky flirt]!
In Sham's eyes!
Her making the first move, with the night visit or whatever, was justified.
But other Uma Musume inviting Dr. Lin to watch together before she did? That was sneaky flirt behavior.
Still queueing in the cold weather, Sham already felt warm all over.
Not from warmth, but... from overheating with anger.
Finally, she gritted her silver teeth and made a decision.
'It seems I need to maintain my previous aggressiveness.'
'Can't let other sneaky flirts succeed! I must protect Dr. Lin!'
As for how to protect, or where to protect him... don't ask those questions for now!
--+--
Inside the racecourse, the Uma Musume preparation area.
Currently, twelve Uma Musume were gathered.
The next moment, these excellent Uma Musume, all wearing their race outfits and full of presence, had their hair flutter slightly.
Because the door opened from outside, the howling cold wind carrying sleet rushed in alongside a golden figure.
Margaret Nearl, wearing her white coat race outfit, carrying her signature lance-blade on her back, stepped inside.
Instantly, the preparation area fell silent, all eyes turning towards Nearl at the door.
The young Nearl's expression was calm, her orange eyes sweeping over all the Uma Musume around her.
She glanced past most of the competitors.
Only the seemingly frail, petite black figure lurking in the shadows of the corner, and the red-haired young lady sitting proudly in the center with crossed legs and arms caught Nearl's attention for a moment longer.
It's worth mentioning that Easy Goer's race outfit was an elegant, noble dress, but at her waist was a small yet eye-catching accessory.
That was... a pistol!
In America, as a "weapon," the most common that people would think of... would probably be the "American quick-draw"!
As one of the contemporary representatives of American Uma Musume, Easy Goer actually had a weapon as part of her race outfit.
Only, the size of that weapon was worlds apart from the lance-blade Nearl carried on her back.
Nearl then withdrew her gaze, interestedly focusing on the other two contenders in the so-called [Top Three Rivalry].
The dark monster, Sunday Silence, who tore through everything like a fierce beast!
The noble and excellent super talent Easy Goer, heir to the Big Red Monster legacy!
In this first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown, Nearl and Easy Goer formally met and began their [stare-down].
This dignified young lady Easy Goer looked at her with a focused, serious, and wary gaze—the opponent she cared about most in this race... no, accurately, in the entire [U.S. Triple Crown]!
The proud, chest-out red-haired young lady was slightly surprised inwardly; her keen eyes locked onto the human-height sharp lance-blade on Nearl's back.
'Her footsteps... are steady, so steady it's as if she's strolling on the track carrying nothing.'
'Before stepping onto the track, the characteristic of race outfits and weapons not affecting the race or performance doesn't apply on the way to the track.'
For medium-to-large weapons that might affect an Uma Musume's stamina, the best approach is to have race officials hold onto it, then bring it to the preparation area by staff when needed.
Or, have family members accompany them to help transport it.
Of course, with the excellent physical fitness of Uma Musume, carrying a large weapon shouldn't be strenuous, and stamina consumption would be minimal.
But many highly competitive Uma Musume, fearing even a thousandth of a difference affecting their victory, would choose other methods to save the effort of carrying it.
Nearl neither entrusted it to race officials nor came from an American pedigree family.
In several consecutive races, many spectators had witnessed Nearl walking quite some distance with the lance-blade on her back, like a knight heading to the arena!
Keep in mind, this lance-blade wasn't just a large weapon; it was an unprecedentedly oversized weapon.
'So, the Radiant Knight carried this obviously very heavy lance-blade through sleety weather all the way here, and didn't even break a sweat?'
What made Easy Goer even more wary was that upon entering the preparation area and reaching the participant zone, the heavy weapon should have instantly become weightless, and usually the Uma Musume would show some reaction to suddenly feeling lighter.
It's like carrying a couple of not-too-heavy books on the way to class. Upon arriving, you put the books on the desk.
The weight is negligible, the impact minimal, but there should still be some subconscious reaction to feeling relieved.
But... Nearl showed none!
As if she was already accustomed to handling this oversized lance-blade at all times, able to overcome physical reactions without showing a moment's vulnerability.
'Monster...'
Is this really an Uma Musume, or some kind of warrior knight?!
Uncovering more details, Easy Goer's expression grew more serious, her breathing slightly quicker.
Instantly, Easy Goer completely dismissed her earlier thought that Sunday Silence might have better adaptability to heavy tracks, shattering that mistaken judgment.
Just from these subtle pre-race details and past gathered intelligence, Easy Goer's keen insight directly overturned her erroneous theory, fully realizing that the calm Radiant Knight before her was much more powerful beyond one's imagination!
An Uma Musume with that level of control, strength, and endurance, who also had heavy track victory records—how could she possibly struggle with an extremely heavy track?
Even so, Easy Goer didn't think she was weaker than Sunday Silence or the Radiant Knight before her.
The dark girl in the corner felt the same; her cold, sharp focus also rested on Nearl's lance-blade, its intensity undiminished.
Finally, it was the proud pedigree red-haired young lady, stirred by an even stronger fighting spirit, who raised her head confidently to look at Nearl and spoke her first words.
"Welcome to the U.S. Triple Crown, Margaret Nearl!"
As if, as the host and the top favorite, she already saw the championship as hers for the taking.
While the Radiant Knight, as an outsider, was merely a guest rushing to attend.
Seeing this, Sunday Silence's expression didn't change.
'Third Big Red Monster and the golden Pegasus...'
'But Dr. Lin must be watching; I won't lose to anyone!'
Faced with Easy Goer's noble declaration, Margaret Nearl wasn't the type to make pre-race challenges or harsh words.
But she didn't mind responding.
The tall golden-haired girl turned back to look at Easy Goer.
"Your welcome is too early; it wouldn't be too late to say it later."
These brief words made Easy Goer's smile freeze instantly.
Did that mean...
Soon, Nearl would achieve victory, and she should offer a proper welcome then?
Hailed as the third great red star, Easy Goer stared intently at the tall golden girl Nearl, once again crossing her arms and straightening her posture.
"Don't get the positions wrong; you're the challenger here!"
She would win!
--+--
Amid such eager anticipation and discussion...
From the commentary box, the voices of the commentators finally began to slowly sound out, quickly echoing through the racecourse.
[Welcome, everyone, to the annual first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown—the Kentucky Derby!]
[On this highly anticipated top stage of the new generation, we have both geniuses like Easy Goer and Sunday Silence, who have already proven themselves, and also monsters like the Radiant Knight Nearl, once-in-a-generation talents!]
[In such a grand race, who will be the first to reach the pinnacle, the peerless Uma Musume? Let's wait and see!]
[The first to enter, the most favored top contender worldwide, is... Easy Goer!]
In the massive spectator stands, over a hundred thousand people had already taken their seats, and the number of people watching live on TV or phones had already reached tens of millions!!
Not only that, given the influence of the American Uma Musume scene, many in Europe and elsewhere were also tuning in.
After all, people worldwide love watching [Classic Triple Crowns], the [Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe], and the [Breeders' Cup]—either to see rising stars clash or to witness champions vie for supremacy.
Among the world's various classic triple crowns, the U.S. Triple Crown is recognized as one of the best! Its influence even surpasses the British Triple Crown by a whole level!
Especially since the previous U.S. Triple Crown produced the legendary Uma Musume Secretariat, sparking even more interest in this year's so-called top three rivalry.
The reason is simple: the previous triple crown was called a two-power struggle, but ended with Secretariat sweeping everything! Dominating dirt racing!
Now, could this so-called three-power rivalry replicate the previous year? That's a topic of great external interest.
Therefore, the total viewership for this Kentucky Derby... was beyond many people's imagination.
Among the over hundred thousand spectators in the stands, heated discussions continued incessantly.
"Third Big Red Monster, the Dark Monster adept on heavy tracks, the Great Escape Artist Pegasus Nearl... really hard to choose."
"Yeah, this Triple Crown is worthy of its reputation as a three-way competition, anyone winning the Derby wouldn't be surprising."
"Wonder if by the end of the triple crown, it'll be a split with each winning one crown."
"Go, Miss Nearl! I'm the Pegasus's devoted fan!!!"
The next moment, as Easy Goer entered the starting gate.
The tall golden-haired girl, the second favorite, was shown on the big screen, carrying her signature lance-blade as she began to move.
Under countless gazes filled with awe or anticipation, her pure white cloak untouched by snow, and her beautiful golden hair tied into a flowing ponytail, all gently swayed with the walking breeze and the falling snow and rain.
Nearl, here she comes!
The path to glory for the Radiant Knight's triple crown, and even the road to the Dream Cup, seemed to unfold and extend before her!
--+--
Snow and rain drifted!
The starting gates were full, the countdown ended.
[3!]
[2!]
[1!]
The Derby begins!
--+--
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.