Following Ms. Hayakawa to the Paddock, which was an open-air exhibition stand located in the eastern part of the venue, similar to a T-shaped runway for models, surrounded by circular spectator seating. This was to allow everyone to better see the elegance of these athletes.
As the music played and the host introduced them, one Uma Musume athlete after another walked onto the stage from backstage. Dressed in their winning outfits, they all looked like darlings of heaven, radiant and eye-catching.
The music, the introductions, and the cheers erupting from the crowd were the best gifts to give them strength.
Watching all this, Kazuo couldn't help but look forward to the day he would stand here, admiring the athletes from his own team on this very stage.
"Generally, only public invitationals and each Uma Musume's Debut Race are showcased in the Paddock."
"Huh? Regular races and G1 heavyweight events aren't showcased?"
"No, this platform is actually for everyone to get to know the Uma Musume athletes better, especially newly appearing athletes." Ms. Hayakawa said, demonstrating with her hand, "For example, in a Debut Race, they might drape a sports jacket over their shoulders, stand in the center of the display platform, and after the host's introduction, throw the jacket off their shoulders. This is basically the standard procedure for Debut Race athletes."
"Is that how it is?"
"However, because it's a Debut Race for a new Uma Musume, it usually isn't broadcast on television. Therefore, this can only be considered an exclusive benefit for Horse Racing fans who enjoy watching live."
At this point, Ms. Hayakawa pointed to the athletes on the Racecourse again and said, "And this is a special exhibition for participating in an open invitational. As you can see now, every athlete here is wearing her winning outfit."
"After all, it's a G1 invitational, and the sponsor is NHK TV. In fact, this race is not only broadcast live in Japan, but also simultaneously streamed on the NHK channel on YouTube. So this race is actually quite popular."
"Hmm... I see, the Mile Race..."
"At Tokyo Racecourse in May, besides the Tokyo Yushun race, this is probably the other highly anticipated one, isn't it?"
"Mile Race, huh..."
Kazuo looked at the venue's promotional brochure in his hand, nodding thoughtfully.
From what Kazuo had learned and studied during this time, the so-called Mile Race is a course length that falls between short and middle distances.
To put it simply, the total track length is not a multiple of four hundred meters.
They are all 1400m, 1700m, 1800m, and 1600m.
These are all included within the scope of the Mile Race.
Logically, it's a race set up for athletes who can achieve a certain speed and have a certain amount of stamina, possess the ability to sprint in a short straight, and also have relatively excellent acceleration on curves and a certain stamina reserve, capable of adapting to a full-track sprint.
Among the more famous races are the Mile CS Cup and the Mainichi Okan... Just as he was thinking, the host suddenly raised his voice excitedly and announced:
"And now, it's time for today's highly anticipated most popular athlete to make her appearance!! Please welcome the undefeated four-time winner, known as the 'Supercar,' Maruzensky!!"
Before the words even faded, the crowd erupted in a loud cheer. It was clear how popular Maruzensky was in everyone's hearts.
Accompanied by a somewhat vintage BGM, a passionate and mature girl with fiery red hair like autumn leaves emerged from behind the stage. Dressed in a vibrant red racing suit, her captivating beauty was enough to mesmerize all, not only highlighting Maruzensky's explosive, devilish figure but also conveying a sense of being 'beyond reach,' only to be admired from afar.
She truly lived up to her nickname—Supercar.
"Yah-ha-llo-ha~! I'm Maruzensky~! ! !"
She enthusiastically waved her hands to the audience, speaking a greeting that was a mix of Hawaiian style and a bit old-fashioned.
Coupled with the Citypop-style BGM, which sounded like it was from the last century, it gave an even stronger impression... that she was a retro humanoid automaton from the Showa era... Perhaps sensing what Kazuo was thinking, Ms. Hayakawa also looked a little troubled.
She covered her embarrassment with a smile:
"Ahaha... Maruzensky's ancestors were from a prestigious British Uma Musume family, so she adopted a more retro Japanese culture. Some of her verbal tics are, how should I put it... already outdated slang... Hmm... at least for today's young people, it might be a little hard to understand."
"Haha ah... Is that how it is?"
Kazuo looked at Maruzensky, who was completely unaware on stage, and he, too, seemed to understand what Ms. Hayakawa meant.
"As an undefeated four-time winner, I'd like to ask Maruzensky, do you have full confidence in the upcoming race?"
The host, still very professional, stepped forward to ask questions and handed the microphone to Maruzensky.
She nodded without hesitation and smiled, "Of course, I will still run my own style in this race, announcing my return."
Return… The host was also good at finding opportunities to interject and ask her, "If I remember correctly, Maruzensky was found to have a sprained left ankle when she achieved her fourth win in January this year, right? I wonder if she has fully recovered now?"
As she mentioned it, Kazutomi also recalled the sense of incongruity Maruzensky had given him during that race, as if she was hesitant to exert herself… Was it because her ankle injury hadn't fully healed back then… But—
Even in that state, she was still able to put immense pressure on Symboli Rudolf, who had the ability to dominate the track… What kind of existence was Maruzensky in perfect condition?
As he was thinking, Maruzensky on the stage smiled sweetly and said with a relaxed laugh, "No problem, I have almost recovered now. The rest during this period will not make me stop; I will only run faster than before."
Her statement undoubtedly gave many fans a shot in the arm, and the host once again brought up a weighty topic.
"There's one more thing I'd like to ask Maruzensky. If you win this race, it means you should have qualified to participate in the Japan Derby at the end of May. I wonder if you will choose to apply to participate in this race? Even if the difficulties are immense, I believe many fans still want to see you compete against Symboli Rudolf on the same track."
This question was a bit sharp; even Kazutomi knew that Maruzensky's identity made it almost impossible for her to participate in the Classic Triple Crown.
Facing the host's question, Maruzensky appeared very composed. She smiled frankly, "No one can say for sure about the future. I might have an opportunity, but I might also refuse this opportunity. What will happen in the future, let's see what happens next." (Everyone is hedging their bets)
P.S.:
Played a little football pun.jpg
[Extra Story Vote]
Was suddenly informed of an exam on the morning of the 22nd, so it's temporarily postponed for one day.
Will update in the evening or afternoon, and the chapters not updated on Monday will be made up on Thursday.
Also, I'm starting to solicit three short extra stories for Volume 2 with Asama Kazutomi. The characters are:
A. Xiao Hai Wan
B. Narita Taishin
C. Fine Motion
D. Okino Kouji
E. Rice Shower
F. Eishin Flash
G. Smart Falcon
The voting deadline is the epilogue chapter before the end of this volume.
Each person can choose three numbers, cannot choose all the same, nor can they choose only one. They will be included in the statistics then.
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