Past summer and into the autumn season, it was the middle of October.
Today was Urara's fourth race, a maiden race at the Tokyo Racecourse. I brought Urara to the racecourse just like before, but I noticed she was acting strangely.
"Urara? What's wrong?"
"Hmm... I don't know. I just feel restless."
For some reason, Urara was trembling slightly. I put a hand on her forehead, thinking something was wrong, but she didn't have a fever.
After saying something to her, I had her open her mouth to check inside and felt her neck, but her throat and tonsils didn't seem swollen.
"Do you feel anything weird in your body?"
"Nope, I'm in tip-top shape today. But I just can't seem to calm down."
As she spoke, her ears were twitching, and her tail was wagging back and forth restlessly. Although she was smiling as usual, it felt forced.
"It doesn't seem like you're sick... Are you nervous?"
I took Urara's wrist to check her pulse, but it was only slightly faster than usual, nothing to worry about. As far as I could remember, Urara wasn't the type to get nervous before a race.
"Nervous... maybe? I'm just so excited to run. I'm all tingly, like 'BANG!'"
"I get that you're excited to run, but I don't get the last sound effect... Are you really not sick?"
"Nope!"
If she were sick, I'd consider withdrawing, but from the looks of it, her physical condition seemed perfectly fine. If she wasn't sick or nervous, then what was it?
(...A tremor of excitement? Urara?)
I thought, "No way." But if she wasn't trembling from sickness or nervousness, it was the only other thing I could think of.
"Urara, calm down and take a deep breath. Just five times for now. When you're done, tighten up all your muscles for three seconds."
"Okay... Phew... Haaah..."
Urara listened to my instructions and took a deep breath. When she was done, she tensed her whole body, and after three seconds, she relaxed.
"How was that?"
"I'm... calmer?"
Urara said as she looked down at herself. I knelt down to meet her eyes and smiled intentionally.
"If you ever feel like trembling again, just take a deep breath or tense your body. It'll help you calm down."
"Okay! Got it! See you, Trainer, I'm going!"
I sent Urara off to the waiting room to change, and I headed for the stands.
My desire for her to get 1st place hadn't changed, but I had come to terms with it. If I did what I was supposed to, the results would naturally follow. I was a little concerned about Urara's tremor of excitement, but it might mean that her feelings toward racing had changed in some way.
Thinking about that, I headed to the paddock stands first. I wanted to observe the other Uma Musume who were racing today to get as much information as I could.
This was Urara's fourth race. That meant the other Uma Musume had also experienced several races after their debut.
So, I had already analyzed the race footage and all the information I could get from their race history and times. All that was left was to check their condition before the race to see how they were feeling today.
Thinking that, I waited for them to be revealed in the paddock. But I immediately felt something was off and tilted my head.
(There aren't many people... There were a lot of spectators today, though...)
Today, in addition to the maiden race Urara was running, there were other races: the GII Mainichi Okan and Fuchu Uma Musume Stakes, the GIII Saudi Arabia Royal Cup, open races like the Green Channel Cup and the October Stakes on the turf, and the Platanus Prize on the dirt.
Of course, the number of spectators was fewer than when a GI race was being held, but still, over 50,000 Uma Musume fans had come to the Tokyo Racecourse.
Despite that, the number of spectators who came to see the paddock was small. There were a few people who seemed to be magazine reporters, a dozen or so spectators, and five trainers, including myself. It was a little lonely.
Some passionate fans came to the paddock between races and then went back to watch the races when it was time, but families were probably either waiting in the stands or at the food stalls near the racecourse.
(This is Urara's fourth race, but it's the seventh maiden race in the junior class if you include turf races. The promising Uma Musume are all moving up in class, and the ones who are still in a maiden race at this time of the year...)
They probably weren't getting much attention. The exceptional Uma Musume had already made a name for themselves and were doing well in their races.
Kiryuin-san's Happy Meek had just won 1st place in the Saffron Prize, an open race, the other day. Now, she was scheduled to run in the GIII Artemis Stakes in late October. Her preparations seemed to be going well for the G1 race, the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, in early December.
Considering all that, to put it bluntly, the further along the season went, the weaker the Uma Musume who remained in maiden races became. Some trainers had started to give up on training Uma Musume who couldn't win a maiden race after several tries and were quitting their jobs.
Some trainers didn't quit but focused on training their other more successful Uma Musume, giving only the bare minimum of attention to their maiden ones or letting them do their own practice and leaving them alone.
Even though trainers at Tracen Academy were warned after the accident in Urara's third race, a trainer's resources for their Uma Musume are limited. The Uma Musume who don't show any promise tend to be treated poorly.
Because of these circumstances, some people had already left the academy, and some had transferred to local areas. Some had given up on running, some had gotten injured, and some wanted to win in a local area if they couldn't win in the central one. It was a mixed bag.
In that regard, I might be an unusual one among trainers. From an outsider's perspective, I was working hard to train an Uma Musume who came in last in her debut and had already lost two maiden races.
As I was observing the surroundings, the Uma Musume started to appear in the paddock. I took out my race sheet from my pocket and looked at its contents while observing each Uma Musume.
Maybe because there had already been several maiden races, the Uma Musume who were running with Urara today were all ones I had seen before.
I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the Uma Musume who had taken off their jerseys and were in their gym clothes.
(This is...)
After checking the condition of the other Uma Musume, I couldn't help but make a face. At the same time, the race sheet in my hand crumpled with a crunch.
Urara's body was in better shape than in the previous race, having gone through summer training and another month of training. Compared to her, the other Uma Musume hadn't shown much improvement.
If their trainers had properly supervised them and planned their training menus, they wouldn't look like that. Some of them had trained on their own without considering balance, and their muscles were disproportionate.
It wasn't bad enough to break their bodies right now. But if they continued like this, they would likely suffer an injury within a few races.
Even though they were Uma Musume trained by other trainers, I decided to write a report to the chairwoman after today's race. With her, even a report from a rookie trainer like me would be checked. As I was observing the Uma Musume, it was finally Urara's turn. Urara took off her jersey with her usual smile, showing her excellent condition to the public.
Then, sounds of admiration arose from the few spectators. While watching Urara busily pick up her discarded jersey, I heard voices from all over.
"Is that really an Uma Musume who's still a maiden at this time of the year?"
"Some girls transfer here after being scouted from local areas, so maybe she's one of them..."
"Urara-chan! I came to cheer you on today, too!"
"I'm counting on you for 1st place today! If you win, I'll give you a carrot next time you come to my shop!"
It seemed the people from the shopping district had also come to the paddock. They had come to cheer her on since the Tokyo Racecourse was nearby.
"Wow! Thanks, everyone!"
Noticing them, Urara smiled and waved her hands enthusiastically. Her tail was also wagging back and forth, as if the tremor of excitement she had before had completely disappeared.
I was honestly grateful for their support.
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"Starting now under the clear autumn sky, the third race at the Tokyo Racecourse. A 1300-meter dirt maiden race. The track condition has been announced as good."
"Which Uma Musume will get the honor of 1st place and break out of the maiden class today? We can't take our eyes off this one."
As the fanfare ended, the voices of the commentator and the male analyst echoed through the racecourse. The Uma Musume started to enter the gates one by one, and their names were announced accordingly.
"Next up, Gate 8, Number 8, Haru Urara. The shining, most popular one."
"She has been steadily improving her rank, with 9th in her debut, 5th in her second race, and 3rd in her last race. We can expect great things from her today. Look at her condition. Honestly, I think she could run well in a higher-class race in her current state."
Today, Urara was in an outside gate and was the most popular one for the first time. As she was being introduced, cheers for her flew from all over the stands.
Urara waved her hands in response to the cheers, entered the gate, and took a deep breath. Then she made a motion of clenching her hands in front of her chest—and I frowned slightly.
(Urara, is she nervous... no, is that the tremor of excitement from earlier?)
Although I had just taught her that, I felt something was off about Urara's gesture, which I had never seen in her previous races. However, Urara closed her eyes, looked down, and took another deep breath before slowly raising her head.
"Oh..."
When I saw that face, I couldn't help but gasp.
What I saw was a different kind of smile from Urara. It was the face of a true racer: a little nervous but also expectant of the upcoming race, feeling excited, yet with a focused look in her eyes.
(No way... This is...)
When I saw Urara's face, I felt my heart beat loudly. My chest started to swell with anticipation even before the race had started.
The introductions and gate entries of all the Uma Musume were complete, and silence filled the racecourse. This unique tension lasted for a few seconds before the sound of the gates opening echoed.
"And they're off! The gates have opened, and all the Uma Musume have gotten off to a beautiful start."
"Even though this is a maiden race, they've all run several races by now. They're probably used to the start."
"Number 5, Shabalanque, is off to a quick start, followed closely by Number 7, Heart Caesar. Two body lengths behind them, Number 1, Green Chouchou, and Number 9, Kindershatz, are in the lead. One more body length behind them is Number 8, Haru Urara. Three body lengths behind her, Numbers 2, Wiseman Lens, 3, Boom Abang, 4, Slein, and 6, Beta Cubism, are at the back of the pack."
"This is... is Haru Urara not a chaser but a front-runner? Did she choose a different strategy than usual?"
The analyst said in a confused voice. Urara was in the middle of the pack, in 5th place, but she was too close to the front for a chaser. She wasn't in the back or the middle, but at the very end of the lead group.
"They're heading into the corner, pulled along by Shabalanque. Is the pace a little too fast? Heart Caesar is also going for the lead. But right behind them, Green Chouchou, Haru Urara, and Kindershatz are looking for an opening. The distance from the leader to the middle pack is about five body lengths, and the distance to the back is another four body lengths. What do you think about this development?"
"The two in the lead are going at a pretty fast pace, but it looks like Haru Urara is also gradually increasing her speed. She doesn't seem to be slowing down much even though it's a corner... Judging from her condition in the paddock, her legs and waist must be strong enough to do that."
Listening to the voices of the commentator and the analyst, I stared intently at Urara. I crossed my arms and tightened my grip to calm my thumping heart.
"Here we go, past the big Zelkova tree and into the 4th corner! The lead has changed to Heart Caesar! But Shabalanque is right behind her! They're about to get out of the corner, but can she take back the lead? Oh! It's Haru Urara! Haru Urara is coming up!"
"She's making her final spurt at a very early position. With 500 meters left, does she have the stamina to hold on?"
"Out of the corner and into the final straightaway! Haru Urara is closing in! Heart Caesar is running away! Shabalanque is trying to get away—but can't! Haru Urara is in 2nd place! The distance to Heart Caesar is less than a body length! Can she catch her!?"
"She's already side by side with Heart Caesar, Haru Urara. There's a slope on the straightaway at the Tokyo Racecourse, but will she pass her and—oh!?"
The analyst's voice was filled with surprise. At the same time, I leaned over the fence that separated the stands and the course, as if I were going to hit it.
"Haru Urara has completely passed Heart Caesar! She's running up the slope as if it's nothing! What incredible legs! The Uma Musume in the back have also started their final spurt, but will they be able to catch up!?"
Step by step, Urara ran up the slope with enough force to dig into the sandy ground. Her expression was desperate, and she was doing her best—and yet, she seemed to be having fun.
"Go, go, goooo! Uraraaaa!"
Seeing her, I yelled from the bottom of my stomach. The spectators were also cheering, but I shouted even louder, determined not to lose to them.
Could my voice reach her in the ground-shaking cheers of over 50,000 spectators? Could it reach her among the voices that were now filled with nothing but cheers for Urara?
"..."
For just a moment, Urara looked at me. And her mouth formed a small word.
"Go, go! Go, go, go!"
In response, I yelled again while thrusting my fist forward. Urara smiled as if she had heard my voice and put all her strength into her feet as she ran.
Urara's shoes, which had horseshoes in them, kicked up the sand with enough force to make a dent, propelling her body forward.
I can say with certainty that this was the fastest I had ever seen Urara run.
"Go, Haru Urara! Go, Haru Urara! Her first victory is in sight! The gap with the ones behind her is widening quickly! Four body lengths, no, five body lengths! It's still widening!"
Not just the spectators, but even the commentator was cheering on Urara's run. Her running was that much better than everyone else's.
Urara went up the slope and ran down the straightaway. She didn't slow down at all until the end; in fact, she accelerated.
"Haru Urara! She's all alone! A solo trip! There's no one behind her! There's no one, Haru Urara! How big is that gap!? 100 meters left! 50! This is it, Haru Urara!"
Of course, there was no one in front of Urara, who was in the lead. And there was no one behind her, who had fully accelerated.
"Ah... ahh!"
And now, Urara crossed the finish line. I tried to burn the sight into my memory, but my vision was blurry, and I couldn't see well.
"Goal! Haru Urara has lived up to her popularity! Haru Urara is 1st place!"
Hearing those words, I wiped away the tears that were blurring my vision.
Urara, who had crossed the finish line, gradually slowed down and looked back as if she didn't know what had happened. Then, she looked around at herself standing still and, after confirming that she was the first to cross the finish line, clenched her fists while trembling slightly.
"---! I did it!"
Urara shouted in joy and jumped up and down while thrusting her fists into the air. The spectators cheered even louder, their voices shaking the Tokyo Racecourse.
"Haah... haah... I did it, Trainer! I won! I won!"
Sweat on her forehead, Urara came running to me while jumping. As Urara, whose tail was wagging back and forth, got closer, I wiped away my tears again and nodded.
"Ahh! I saw it, Urara! But are you hurt!? Are you okay!?"
"Of course! You'd get mad at me if I got hurt!"
Urara made a peace sign, and I let out a sigh of relief. I was happy about her 1st place, but since it looked like she used more strength than usual, I was worried about the strain on her body. But Urara's movements, though tired, were as usual, and she didn't seem to be in any pain.
I nodded several times, savoring my joy, and then looked at the results board. Other Uma Musume crossed the finish line after Urara, and the last one finally crossed the goal.
After a short moment, the results board lit up.
1st place, Number 8 - Haru Urara.
It was displayed on the board, and the word "confirmed" was also shown. In other words, it wasn't a mistake or a dream. But my eyes were glued to the number right next to Urara's number.
I must have had a very stupid look on my face before any indescribable joy could spill out.
"...Are you serious?"
What was displayed there was the time Urara had recorded. And right above the time, there was an unfamiliar word.
"The results have been confirmed—huh!? Haru Urara, a record win! She has recorded a record time for a maiden race on this course! The winning time is 1 minute, 19.47 seconds! 1 minute, 19.47 seconds! She has shortened the previous record by more than two seconds!"
"This is... surprising. The most popular one getting 1st place is kind of expected, but she set a course record, even for a maiden race..."
As the male analyst said, by this time of the year, most of the strong Uma Musume had already moved up to higher classes, so even if it was a record, it wasn't an outstanding time when you looked at it as a short-distance dirt race.
But, a race record was unexpected, even if 1st place wasn't. I couldn't say anything and just opened and closed my mouth like a fish, but after checking it three times to make sure I wasn't seeing things, I pumped my fist.
Some Uma Musume in the higher classes could probably get a similar time to Urara's, but the number of them wouldn't be that high.
I turned my eyes toward Urara, who had, without me noticing, moved away from me and was talking to the Uma Musume she had raced against. Some of them were crying, but the ones who were talking to Urara had a strangely bright, wry smile on their faces and were patting her back. I couldn't hear what they were saying. However, seeing the Uma Musume smiling as if they had gotten over something, I lowered my eyes, guessing what would happen to them in the future.
It was an arrogant thought, but I thought, "At least let them have their last moment during the winning live performance"—and as I thought that, I broke into a cold sweat.
(Urara, it's her first winning live performance, is she going to be okay? I did have her practice, and I brought her live performance outfit, but...)
Just like a race, a winning live performance is a one-shot deal. And it was Urara's first time in a winning live performance. The last time, when she got 3rd place, it was canceled, so this was her first winning live performance.
As I was worrying, I couldn't help but smile, thinking that Urara would be able to pull off any live performance.
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A winning live performance.
It's a dream stage that only Uma Musume who finish in the top three of a race are allowed to perform on.
It's a special place where they wear their live performance outfits, stand on a special stage, and sing and dance for their fans.
(The first winning live performance I ever saw was... yeah, I thought, "What kind of show is this?" By the way, what is "Umapyoi"? Even as a trainer, I still don't know what it is.)
Waiting for Urara's performance to begin, I remembered the first winning live performance I had seen on TV.
The song in a winning live performance changes depending on the race. In a G1 race, the Uma Musume wear their race outfits and, if they win, they sing that strange song called Umapyoi. But in a maiden race, it's a different song.
The outfits for the winning live performances of non-G1 races at Tracen Academy have a unified design, even though they come in different sizes.
A wine-red vest and short pants. A jacket with white and indigo as the main colors, and a skirt that only opens in the front and covers the waist. White boots with indigo over-the-knee socks. They wear a unified outfit to perform the live performance.
They are treated like idols, and in a way, Uma Musume are idols. The sight of Uma Musume with beautiful looks and superior physical abilities dancing in cute outfits can only be described as idol-like.
However, I wondered what kind of feelings I would have during the winning live performance, regardless of her victory. I thought I might feel a little embarrassed, but...
The winning live performance started, and Urara came out onto the stage with a smile, wearing her race outfit. On her left and right were the 2nd and 3rd place Uma Musume, who started to sing and dance with Urara.
"..."
I watched Urara silently.
It was the same when I watched her run in a race, but seeing her dance in the winning live performance was something else. I didn't feel a shred of embarrassment; instead, only pride surged within me.
Urara, with her small body, danced with all her might, diligently and happily. She made some mistakes in the choreography and lyrics, but neither the other Uma Musume nor the spectators seemed to care.
Being the center of a winning live performance is a privilege only granted to the Uma Musume who wins the race. Not the 2nd or 3rd place winners; only the 1st place winner is allowed to sing and dance in the center.
"Ah... ahh..."
Ah, damn it, I can't. Urara's dancing was so radiant that my vision blurred. This was the second time today. I didn't remember getting so teary-eyed.
As Urara's song entered the chorus, the spectators' excitement went up even more. Listening to Urara's singing and the cheers from the spectators, I just quietly shed tears.
Urara had only won a maiden race; as an Uma Musume, she had only just taken her first step. She had only been given the right to run in open and major races from now on and aim for even higher places.
There are many Uma Musume who stand at the starting line of their debut race, fight in a maiden race without taking a single step forward, and end up retiring without even being able to start.
Compared to those Uma Musume, Urara was better off just by being able to start. How far she could go from here would depend not only on her hard work but also largely on my efforts.
Looking ahead, it was an endless journey, a path shrouded in fog where I couldn't even see my feet, but I would just do what I could, as I had always done.
I flicked away my tears with my finger and burned the sight of Urara dancing into my memory.
Maybe this would be her first and last winning live performance. On the other hand, I might be able to see Urara dancing in a winning live performance every time she ran a race from now on.
(...No, Urara can do it.)
I couldn't help but wish to see Urara dancing on the dream stage of a GI race someday. And I vowed once again to help her achieve that.
But for today, I just wanted to be happy and watch Urara dancing innocently.
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But at that time, I didn't know.
The strength of the Uma Musume who fight in the major classes.
--And that I would meet a new Uma Musume.
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