The martial arts endurance training naturally didn't last for just one day. Especially at the beginning, they needed to grasp the methods and essentials. So during this period, Kitahara, the other trainers, and Oguri Cap's group stayed at the Dine family's dojo.
After spending some time there, all the trainers, without exception, wailed in misery. The daily training left their backs aching and their bodies sore to the point of blissful death. If not for the fact that they all agreed with Dine Yoshitaka's belief—that trainers too should build up some endurance—they probably would have quit long ago.
The horse girls, however, found it much easier. Compared to humans, they already possessed physiques beyond imagination, and each of them was among the most gifted of their generation. Other than being a bit unfamiliar with Yaeno Muteki's stances during the first two days, they were now completely adept.
That day, in one corner of the dojo, nine horse girls from the Eisei and Chouetsu teams were standing atop uneven wooden stakes of varying heights.
The stakes were so narrow that only one foot could fit on top, and indeed, each of them stood on one leg—one leg straightened, while the other was lifted high over their heads in a split. They supported it with one arm.
Their other arm rested flat against their abdomen. According to Yaeno Muteki, this was to sense the qi in their dantian—to feel their breathing, heartbeat, and blood flow throughout the body.
[Nah, They tryna become a cultivator]
Every day, they first had to hold this pose for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then take turns walking atop the stakes following specific patterns. This could effectively train willpower, focus, and footwork.
When the training began on the first day, the horse girls had secretly agreed: whenever the trainers came over—especially Dino Yoshitaka—they would act cautious and serious. But once he left, they could relax a bit, maybe chat while maintaining their poses.
So now, as the trainers were busy elsewhere, the horse girls stood balanced in perfect splits atop the stakes, chatting casually.
At first, the topic was about school life, outings, and training. But soon, it turned to the "Satsuki Sho," which would begin in just over half a month.
"Hey, Yaeno," Dicta Striker asked, "if we keep training like this, do you think we'll improve our endurance before the Satsuki Sho?"
"And even though we're training together now, we'll be split up during the race, right?"
"Of course, we'll still be rivals on the track."
"That's right."
Yaeno Muteki's pose was the most perfect. Without moving an inch, she replied calmly, "According to Master, we'll grasp the basics in about half a month. After that, we can split and begin individual training."
"At that point, we'll still have about a week before the Satsuki Sho—enough time to focus on race-specific drills and strategy."
Though the conversation touched on the Satsuki Sho, everyone tactfully avoided discussing their own team's internal plans. Her words naturally led Dicta Striker to steer the topic in a lighter direction.
"So basically," Dicta laughed, "we'll be fighting against Oguri—the one most likely to become the next 'Undefeated Triple Crown'."
Her tone was teasing, trying to keep things lighthearted.
"So, Oguri, as the horse girl most likely to become the next 'Undefeated Triple Crown' after Rudolf Senpai, are you confident about winning the Satsuki Sho?"
All sixteen pairs of long ears perked up—everyone except Oguri herself.
"Hmm… Actually, I don't really understand what that 'Undefeated' thing even means."
Oguri Cap's answer was classic her—unconcerned about anything outside the race itself, yet filled with confidence when it came to running.
"But no matter what, I'll give it everything I've got."
"I'll train hard. I promised my mom I'd become a great race horse girl. Kitahara and everyone have helped me so much—I'll definitely give it my all."
Sakura Chiyono O exclaimed in admiration.
"As expected of Oguri."
Her expression softened with nostalgia. "Though I've already given up on those crazy highway sprint methods thanks to Kitahara's advice, I've always worked hard. Maybe I can accept losing the Satsuki Sho… but the Japanese Derby? I must win that one."
A flash of crimson appeared in her mind's eye. She declared firmly:
"To become a horse girl like Maruzensky-senpai, and to make up for her regret of not being able to run in the Japanese Derby back then—I will win that race!"
After her moment of passion, her tone softened again, filled with awe.
"But after training with Oguri for a few days, I realized—I'm still not at her level of effort."
"She gets up around 4 a.m. every day and has been doing that since long before her debut at Kasamatsu. No wonder she's so strong."
She bit her lip. "I've got to work harder too."
"Indeed."
Yaeno Muteki said simply, "Respect."
She didn't name names, but everyone knew she meant Oguri.
"Eh? Am I really that hardworking?"
Oguri wanted to scratch her head, but remembering Yaeno Muteki's warning not to move, she restrained herself, swaying slightly instead.
"I just really love running. If I could run more, I wouldn't even need to sleep."
"And, um… if I didn't get hungry, I could probably skip meals too."
"…Hey, come on, Oguri, that's way too extreme! Not sleeping or eating just to run?!" ×8
Eight horse girls exclaimed in unison, then blinked at their perfect timing before breaking into laughter.
"Actually," Mejiro Ardan said after the laughter subsided, "I don't think all the expectations about Oguri becoming an 'Undefeated Triple Crown' are necessarily a good thing."
She frowned slightly. "Chief Kitahara said the same thing—that kind of pressure might be too much for her. She may not understand it now, but once she does…"
"Being undefeated in all three Triple Crown races is glorious, but it's also crushing. The pressure could easily affect her performance."
"So ever since the Yayoi Sho, Chief Kitahara's been trying to shift the media focus."
"Typical Kitahara," another horse girl said admiringly. "He always thinks ahead. This way, Oguri can stay calm when she races."
Perhaps because she often acted like a big sister in the Mejiro family, Mejiro Ardan naturally looked after others. Super Creek was similar in temperament.
But Creek had another thought.
"No matter how much Kitahara tries to ease the outside pressure, Oguri herself must feel some of it, right?"
She pondered aloud, "Maybe like you said, Ardan—she doesn't understand now. But when she does, she'll definitely feel it. Should we explain it to her?"
The horse girls all wanted to turn and look at Oguri's expression—but since they were still training, they couldn't move. Instead, all their long ears subtly tilted in her direction.
"Well, if you could explain," Oguri said thoughtfully, "I'd like to hear it."
"My classmates and even some TV shows keep talking about me and this 'Undefeated' thing. I'm curious."
"So what is it exactly?"
"Huh? Oguri, you really don't know?" Bamboo Memory exclaimed. "It's the ultimate dream of every horse girl!"
"See, the Satsuki Sho, Japan Derby, and Kikuka Sho make up the Classic Triple Crown, right? Only the best of the best can even run in those. Winning all three is incredibly difficult."
"'Undefeated' means you can't lose even once before the final Kikuka Sho. Like how the Satsuki Sho has the Yayoi Sho as a prep race, the others have theirs too."
"And those prep races are full of strong contenders. Sure, you won the Yayoi Sho, but you saw, didn't you? Dicta Striker was really strong. If you ran again, could you say for sure you'd still win?"
"…Not really."
Oguri frowned slightly. "At first it felt okay, but in the last 200 meters… Dicta really pushed me hard."
"Even though I hate to say this as someone who lost," Dicta Striker said sharply, "if we ran the Yayoi Sho again, I'm absolutely confident I could beat you, Oguri."
"Or rather, I'm certain I'll beat you in the Satsuki Sho."
"You probably don't know why the Yayoi Sho is called the Satsuki Sho's 'main trial,' and why it's considered the most important one."
"The Yayoi Sho is run at Nakayama—2000 meters on turf. The exact same course as the Satsuki Sho."
"In other words…"
She turned her eyes toward Oguri, catching a glimpse of silver-gray hair swaying in the air.
"What Bamboo said about 'next time' isn't hypothetical—it's happening in just over half a month."
"So, Oguri—if I have the confidence to win, do you?"
Silence.
Because of the training stance, no one could see Oguri's face. After a long moment, her voice came, low and calm, sounding much the same as usual.
Oguri Cap's voice had a quiet magnetism—cold and heavy, like sound filtered through a glacier. It suited her "ice queen" image perfectly—beautiful but unreadable.
Her expressions were the same: mostly stoic or blank, rarely showing emotion.
"…It sounds like being 'Undefeated Triple Crown' is really hard."
She said the title correctly, her tone calm. "And after winning it… what changes?"
She paused, thinking. "Like… for example…"
She trailed off, unable to find the words.
"You mean how people would see you? Okay, let's put it this way."
Feeling that Oguri might finally be realizing the weight of the title—and might be feeling pressure—Tamamo Cross quickly cut in with a joking tone.
"Well, it's simple! If you win the Triple Crown undefeated, you can eat whatever you want, wherever you want! Every restaurant in Japan would feed you for free!"
"Right, Inari?"
Inari One froze for a second, not catching Tamamo's meaning, but soon realized Oguri's silence was unusual.
They were talking about what mattered most to Oguri—food—and yet she was quiet. A twinge of panic hit her.
Crap… did we stress her out too much?
Desperate to lighten the mood, Inari burst into a forced laugh.
"Hahaha! Of course! That's right!"
She scrambled to continue, "Uh, uh… oh right! Oguri, look! Tamamo's exaggerating, but think about President Rudolf—people say she's all-powerful, right? The biggest reason is because she's the 'Undefeated Triple Crown' horse girl! Even if she loves terrible puns!"
…Wait, Inari… everyone gets what you're trying to do, but that explanation is basically a bad pun… You're just making it worse…
At that moment, all the horse girls had the same uneasy thought. Oguri had probably realized what the "Undefeated Triple Crown" really meant—and the pressure that came with it. Super Creek, who'd started this topic, began to regret it.
Oh no… did we just make things worse…?
Just as the anxiety spread, Oguri finally spoke.
"Hmm… I think I get what you all mean now."
Her tone was thoughtful—unusually so for her.
"I don't understand everything, but I get that the 'Undefeated Triple Crown' is something amazing."
"Well… maybe not understand it fully, but I can't really feel how amazing it is. I'm not great at thinking about that stuff."
"I just know that running—and winning—makes me happy. So whether it's the Triple Crown or any other race, as long as I give it my all and win, that's enough."
"That's probably what it means."
Her tone was serene by the end.
…Phew—guess she's fine after all… ×8
"Ha, honestly," Dicta Striker sighed with a laugh, "I didn't really like your personality at first, Oguri."
"But now I think I understand why you're so strong."
"You're pure to the core—completely focused on running, and giving everything you have to win."
"No wonder you have the potential to become the next 'Undefeated Triple Crown.' Maybe President Rudolf was the same way back then."
"Seems I'll have to learn from you—otherwise, how can I be your rival?"
As soon as Dicta said that, Bamboo Memory protested loudly.
"Wait a second, Dicta! Don't you dare steal my line!"
Dicta blinked. "Your line?"
"I mean, I'm already treating Oguri as my rival!"
Bamboo declared firmly, "I may not have the same record as everyone else yet, but starting now, I'll train with the goal of becoming Oguri Cap's lifelong rival!"
"Hold on! If you want to be her rival, get in line!" ×2
Tamamo Cross and Inari One spoke at once, froze, then immediately started bickering.
"Hey! You're stealing my spot, Inari?!"
"What do you mean your spot?! I should be first!"
"No way! I'm a gray horse too, just like Oguri! And I saw her race last year in the Youth Crown! I knew then I'd face her someday—you guys didn't even know her back then! Get in line behind me!"
"W-well I didn't know her then, but I raced her first! The Shiwasu Memorial Cup! Ugh, just thinking about it frustrates me! I was so close! I should be ahead of you—move over!"
Dicta joined in indignantly.
"Hey, I just raced her in the Yayoi Sho, okay? If anyone's up next, it's me!"
"There's no such rule! It's first come, first served!"
"First come by race, right?! Then I'm first!"
Soon, more and more horse girls joined the chaotic argument about this bizarre kind of "first place."
Even those who stayed quiet found themselves inwardly comparing their own abilities to Oguri's—their hearts and spirits subtly shifting.
…Maybe Oguri is the most likely of their generation to achieve the Undefeated Triple Crown. But…
They were all horse girls too.To give up or accept defeat without a fight—never.
Without exception, whether aloud or silently, they all strengthened that resolve.
Caught up in this collective fire, none of them noticed that after her calm statement, Oguri had fallen silent again—her gaze distant, eyes faintly glittering.
So this… is what the "Undefeated Triple Crown" means…Everyone's changing—because they believe I could be that kind of horse girl…
Then I…
That day's training ended. During the evening rest, the next day, and the days that followed, Oguri Cap—rarely seen with worries—found herself burdened with one.
She now somewhat understood what the "Undefeated Triple Crown" truly meant.
Not entirely, but enough to feel its weight.
And as a horse girl, she could clearly sense how her companions' spirits had grown fiercer because of it.She couldn't see them all, but she knew—beyond this dojo, countless other horse girls were surely training in silence too, striving toward one goal:
—to catch up to her.
That day's training, the rest that followed, the next day, and the days after — during all that time, Oguri Cap unusually had something weighing on her mind.
She had begun to somewhat understand what "the Undefeated Triple Crown" truly meant — but only somewhat. She didn't completely grasp it, yet as a horse girl, she could clearly sense that her companions had all become more fired up and determined because of it.
Perhaps she couldn't see it with her own eyes, but she instinctively knew: apart from those training here at the dojo, there must be countless other horse girls out there, all silently training hard for the same reason — working toward her as their goal.
She wanted to understand why. And she wanted to know what she should do.
This line of thought lasted for days. As she herself once said, Oguri Cap was not a horse girl good at thinking deeply — and indeed, she couldn't reach any conclusion.
Meanwhile, the trainers and horse girls of the Eisei Team and the Chouetsu Team also began to notice something different about Oguri Cap's state of mind.
Kitahara was among the first to realize it. After working with her for a year, he immediately noticed that his very first charge had something on her mind. Thinking for a while, he asked the other horse girls, and soon understood what was going on.
He wasn't particularly anxious about Oguri Cap's condition — after all, the commotion following the Yayoi Sho had already made him anticipate this, and he had prepared countermeasures.
On one hand, there was the need to divert public pressure. Thanks to the joint efforts of Nishijin Association, Kawawan Enterprises, Fujii Izumi-suke, and Shining Communications, both the "Moe Monster" project and the "Uma Musume: The Movie" had received heavy promotion. Public attention had gradually shifted away from the topic of "Undefeated Triple Crown." People, whose attention was so easily caught by entertainment, were now mostly looking forward to the new film instead.
As for Oguri Cap's personal pressure, there was already an effective solution: a promised heart-to-heart from Symboli Rudolf, the "Undefeated Triple Crown" horse girl herself.
As a senpai with the most direct experience, a talk between Oguri Cap and Symboli Rudolf was bound to have great effect.
Kitahara had already scheduled the meeting — but on the appointed day, things took a slight change.
That day's training ended a bit earlier than usual. After saying goodbye to the others, Kitahara took Oguri Cap onto the subway and arrived at the station.
"Kitahara, shouldn't you tell me what this is all about already?"
Oguri Cap looked at him with confusion. "You haven't said anything, and now you've brought me to the station…"
Before leaving, Kitahara had only said that they were going to the station for a bit — without explaining why. Given Oguri Cap's innocent and somewhat airheaded nature, her curiosity had finally gotten the better of her.
But since he had promised her a surprise, Kitahara still didn't explain.
"Patience, patience," he said with a smile. "It's a good thing, I promise. Just wait a little longer."
"Oh… okay."
Not getting an answer, Oguri Cap wasn't particularly upset. She nodded obediently, but her thoughts soon wandered back to what had been bothering her these past few days.
If everyone's working hard because of me, that's a good thing, but…
It still feels a little… heavy. Or maybe…
Uncomfortable. Ugh, I even lost my appetite a bit.
No no, now's not the time to think about food — I should be thinking about that matter… huh?
That smell… it's so good. And… so familiar…
That's… Kasamatsu-style deep-fried chicken wings! It can't be wrong!
Wait—this is Tokyo! Why does it smell like Kasamatsu fried chicken wings here—
From surprise to shock, Oguri Cap's eyes widened.
"…Mom?!"
She rubbed her eyes hard to make sure she wasn't seeing things — then, delighted and shocked, she ran forward. "Mom! What are you doing in Tokyo? I—eh? And this is…"
The gentle, soft-spoken horse girl with silver-gray hair emerging from the station exit was indeed Oguri Cap's mother — White Narubi.
"Of course, I came to cheer for my little Oguri~."
Smiling warmly, White Narubi nodded to Kitahara. He, already in on the plan, smiled back — then turned apologetically toward the stunned Oguri Cap.
"Sorry — I wanted to give you a surprise, so I didn't tell you on the way."
Kitahara continued softly, "Your mother called me this morning. She said now that you're entering the Classic Triple Crown, she understands — as a former racehorse girl herself — that this is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge and honor for any horse girl. So, she's decided to stay in Tokyo for quite a while, to cheer for you in person at every race."
White Narubi, too, looked apologetic.
"Oguri, don't blame Mr. Kitahara, okay? I was the one who told him not to tell you — I wanted to surprise you."
Her eyes were full of maternal affection, but also faint guilt. "I'd been thinking for a while whether I should come from Kasamatsu. But I was so used to life in that small place — I worried I wouldn't adapt here, and I didn't want to trouble you or Mr. Kitahara."
"Then, as it happens, a senpai asked me to come to Tokyo for an errand, so I decided I'd come cheer for you, too!"
"How have you been here? Are you doing well? I've watched every one of your races — I've even saved the recordings and rewatch them when I have time."
"Looks like you just finished training, huh? Have you eaten? You're eating enough, right?"
"You haven't caused any trouble for Mr. Kitahara, have you? Ah, sorry, that's a rude question, I shouldn't have asked that now—"
It was clear she had missed her daughter for a long time. At first, her tone was calm and careful, but gradually, her words began to tumble over each other incoherently.
"I'm doing fine! I eat a lot, every meal! Umm… I think I've caused Kitahara a lot of trouble, but he doesn't tell me if it's troublesome or not, so… it probably is troublesome."
With a mix of joy and awkwardness, Oguri Cap earnestly answered her mother's every question — until she couldn't hold it in any longer. She pointed behind her mother.
"Mom… this child is…?"
Oguri Cap was pointing at a small horse girl.
Silver-gray short hair, ruby-red eyes, a shy demeanor — hiding behind White Natubi's skirt, clutching it tightly, showing only half her little face and a pair of timid, darting eyes.
When Oguri pointed, the little girl let out a tiny "Eep!" and hid completely behind White Sapphire.
"Oh, her."
White Sapphire smiled softly and didn't pull the little girl forward. She merely turned her head slightly and said gently:
"She's the granddaughter of my old trainer. That senpai has now retired and can't take care of horse girls anymore. When he heard that you had such an excellent trainer now, he asked me to bring the child to Tokyo to see Mr. Kitahara, to see if she might have a chance to compete."
"I was never as talented as you, Oguri. My race results were average at best — I owe all my wins to that senpai. So when he asked me for this favor, I couldn't possibly refuse."
Her voice grew even gentler as she stroked the little horse girl's head, making her squeak again in embarrassment.
"I've grown quite close to this child. She's very attached to me too. And, coincidentally, her surname is also Oguri. So, with her parents' consent, I took her in as my adopted daughter."
"So, Oguri — you now have a little sister."
"Her name is Oguri Roman. You can call her Little Oguri, just like I do."
"Oguri Roman… Little Oguri…"
Repeating the name under her breath, Oguri Cap suddenly felt a surge of natural affection and tenderness toward the child. She crouched down, held out her hands, and called softly:
"L-Little Oguri, um…"
She accepted her new sister immediately — though she still hadn't fully adjusted to the thought. She stammered awkwardly, "C-can I hug you? I—I really like you, um, I'm Oguri— no, wait, I'm, um, Oguri Cap—"
"No, that's right, but also— I mean, um, I'm your big sister! So, can big sis give you a hug?"
Even though she was the older sister, Oguri Cap sounded like she was asking permission nervously.
"…Pfft…"
A soft giggle came from behind White Sapphire, followed by another small "Eep!" and the rustle of fabric.
After a long moment, Oguri Roman slowly tugged at White Narubi's skirt and shuffled out bit by bit.
"…Big sister…"
She peeked timidly up at Oguri Cap, then quickly lowered her head again. Her voice was tiny, but the moment she called out, Oguri Cap's eyes shone with pure affection. Then, Oguri Roman stepped closer and held out her small hands.
In them was a wrinkled little bag.
"Eh? What's this?" Oguri Cap asked, surprised.
"...It's fried chicken wings..."
Head down, Oguri Roman mumbled softly, "Mom White Narubi said… when you were little, you were sick a lot… So I thought, if you eat something tasty, you'll get better… so I bought these…"
"But, um, Mom and Dad said you're not supposed to bring food on the train, so I kept it tucked in my clothes the whole time…"
She struggled a bit and whispered "heave-ho" as she opened the bag. Peeking inside, her face lit up — then immediately fell.
"Ah, a lot got squished… they won't taste good anymore… eh?"
"I'm digging in!"
Before she even realized what happened, Oguri Cap had, in a blur, snatched piece after piece of fried chicken from the bag, devouring them lightning-fast and spitting out clean bones in seconds.
"So good! Super, super good! Thank you, Little Oguri!"
With her mouth and hands covered in oil, Oguri Cap gave her little sister two big thumbs up. "Super, super tasty!"
Oguri Roman stared blankly for a moment… then giggled softly again.
"If big sister says it's tasty, then it must be tasty…"
"Mm-hmm! It's delicious!" Oguri Cap replied, finally able to speak clearly again. "Thank you, Little Oguri!"
"...Mm."
Oguri Roman nodded shyly — but before she could say anything else, her vision suddenly lifted; Oguri Cap had scooped her up.
"Mmm! So soft! So comfy! So cuuute!"
Holding Oguri Roman tightly, Oguri Cap, for the first time, showed a face of unrestrained excitement — rubbing her cheek against her sister's.
At first, Oguri Roman stiffened in surprise, but soon, feeling the genuine affection radiating from her big sister, she blushed and smiled shyly, lowering her head but leaning back against Oguri Cap.
That only made Oguri Cap even more excited. With a joyful shout, she lifted Oguri Roman onto her shoulders.
"Hold on tight, Little Oguri! Big sis is gonna run — and she's really fast! So hang on, okay?"
Oguri Cap had never thought much about being fast before — but now, she was glad she could be. Running like this with her little sister would surely make her happy.
And so, to everyone's astonishment, Oguri Cap began to run across the plaza outside the station, Little Oguri clinging tightly to her shoulders as pedestrians turned to watch in surprise and amusement.
"Hey, Oguri, don't run too fast! You'll scare Little Oguri!"
Seeing her two daughters getting along so well, White Sapphire's face was filled with tender joy. She smiled as she watched them play for a while, then slowly turned to Kitahara with a hopeful look.
"Mr. Kitahara… do you think Little Oguri could compete on the central circuit someday? Ah — of course, if it's too much trouble, I can take her back to Kasamatsu and let her debut in the local races."
Kitahara nodded almost immediately.
"No problem at all. From what I can tell, Oguri Roman's talent is in no way inferior to Oguri Cap's. There's no issue with her racing on the central stage."
He had already learned about her situation that morning from White Narubi. Unlike her older sister, Oguri Roman's mother was not a horse girl — meaning she was a filly horse girl.
Contrary to the mainstream Japanese belief of the time, Kitahara didn't think fillies were any less capable than colts. With his forward-looking perspective, he knew that regardless of origin or lineage, a horse girl is a horse girl — capable of shining brilliantly in any race.
People in this era didn't yet understand that if filly horse girls were simply given equal opportunities, their performances would be just as outstanding — some might even rival legends.
Even setting philosophy aside, Kitahara had full confidence — both in himself and in Oguri Roman.
He had already coached several extraordinarily talented horse girls, while continuing his own learning without pause. Everything he found — domestic or foreign — he adapted into the best possible training methods for his team.
As for Oguri Roman, judging from her parallel-world counterpart, her talent was by no means inferior. She simply wasn't as lucky — she hadn't managed to overcome her innate weakness.
If Oguri Cap's weakness had been physical, in her legs and stamina, Oguri Roman's was psychological — she was too sensitive, even timid. She feared other horse girls on the track, much like last year's Tamamo Cross, avoiding confrontation.
Such mental fragility was nearly impossible to fix in ordinary horses. Humans could rely on psychology — horses could not. That was the fundamental reason why, in the other world, she had never achieved Oguri Cap's same legendary glory.
Yet even with that weakness, her results were far from poor.
She debuted in a local 800m race, winning by six lengths. Before transferring to the central circuit, her local record was 7 races, 6 wins — equal to Oguri Cap's.
After arriving at the central level, she didn't win as often, but in the lead-up race to the Oka Sho — the Tulip Sho — she lost to first place by only half a length.
More importantly, she was that year's Oka Sho champion — the one and only gray-haired filly ever to win that race.
Unfortunately, due to her psychological issues and other factors, she failed to win the remaining two races of the Triple Tiara, leaving her forever one step behind her sister — never becoming the "Gray Monster II" that fans had dreamed of.
But none of this was something Kitahara saw as unsolvable.
With his deep understanding, ample training experience, and especially his rare skill in psychological coaching, he was confident he could raise this world's Oguri Roman into a true "Gray Monster II."
If Oguri Cap could step into the Classic Triple Crown — something her counterpart never did — then why couldn't Oguri Roman, too, rewrite her fate?
With that conviction, Kitahara met White Sapphire's surprised gaze and continued:
"Mrs. White Narubi, I believe you've also seen it — right now, the public's calling Oguri Cap the horse girl most likely, after Symboli Rudolf, to achieve the honor of an 'Undefeated Triple Crown.'"
"I'll give everything I have to help her achieve that glory."
"And as for Oguri Roman — I believe there's no reason she can't achieve the Filly Triple Tiara herself. Perhaps even the unprecedented Undefeated Filly Triple Tiara. I'll do everything I can to make that a reality, too."
White Narubi was stunned. As a former racehorse girl, she knew too well how hard the "Undefeated Triple Crown" or "Filly Triple Tiara" truly was. It was precisely because of that understanding that she'd come all the way from Kasamatsu to cheer for her daughter.
Her other reason for coming, of course, was Oguri Roman — but she hadn't expected Kitahara not only to agree, but to give them both such lofty, almost dreamlike goals.
"'Undefeated'… That's…"
She couldn't hide her worry. "That sounds so difficult… Oguri already has a lot of pressure on her. Mr. Kitahara, you must be under so much pressure too, right? If Little Oguri's goal is that high as well, wouldn't that be too much for you?"
Her gentle concern warmed Kitahara's heart. He smiled softly and reassured her:
"Please don't worry, ma'am. As for Oguri Cap's pressure — I already have a plan."
"As I told you this morning, I've arranged for her to talk today with the legendary 'Emperor' herself — Symboli Rudolf. With such an experienced senpai guiding her, Oguri won't have any major issues."
"And to completely overcome pressure — or learn to live with it — what matters most is ability and confidence. That's my responsibility, and our team's. We'll make sure Oguri enters the Classic Triple Crown with full preparation."
Seeing White Sapphire nod a little more at ease, his smile grew even gentler.
"As for Oguri Roman, ma'am, you seem to have forgotten — she hasn't even begun formal training yet. Her debut is still far away."
"At least a year from now before she'll be ready to start full practice."
"With that much time, and with her talent, I believe we can build a solid foundation for her. Especially with Oguri Cap as such a wonderful example — I'm sure she'll look forward to her future and work hard toward it."
(No suitable image of young Oguri Roman found, so let's just imagine a young Oguri Cap standing in for her little sister!)
[Translator's Note]
Narutal Rise lost to Narukami in the final race of the dirt triple crown. Shoutout to both of them.
For what reason do ya'll think Japanese Horses lose in the Arc. For me personally its because they send big horses compared to European ones and only those only good at Firm or Good turf.
(End of Chapter)