"…"
The bar beside Central Tracen Academy fell into a dead silence.
"She…really escaped."
Trainer Nishizaki covered his mouth, unable to hide his astonishment. "She could pull it off even like that? With Silence Suzuka's performance in the Japanese Derby, this should have been impossible. Don't tell me Shuta-kun truly has the ability to turn stone into gold?"
"It's because Suzuka was holding onto resentment—so she pushed herself to the limit, relying on sheer grit to resist her pursuers."
Tojo Hana spoke softly, as if explaining it to herself rather than to the others. "Just by looking at her running form, you can tell Shuta-kun didn't train her specifically for this. This race pace—it was simply the one Silence Suzuka herself found most comfortable. Shuta-kun probably just allowed her to run as she wished."
As that thought settled, her tense mood eased slightly.
"I understand that letting an Uma Musume run at her preferred pace can help her reach her limits. But this kind of escape—" Her voice wavered. "It isn't sustainable. If she keeps racing like this, her body will—"
Her thoughts abruptly stalled.
"Something's wrong—something doesn't add up." Tojo Hana lifted her head sharply, her gaze snapping back to the TV screen. "With Shuta-kun's ability, he shouldn't be unaware of this. Then why—why is he still indulging Silence Suzuka?"
At that moment, the broadcast switched to a trackside interview with Shuta An.
Tojo Hana stared at the screen without blinking, as if hoping to uncover the answer in the young man's words.
While Silence Suzuka caught her breath under the host's questions, Shuta An stepped to the edge of the track. He adjusted his clothes calmly, his expression composed. There were nearly fifty minutes until the next race—more than enough time to consider his responses.
Once he had organized his thoughts, the interview began.
A local Chicago reporter claimed the first question. "In this Secretariat Stakes, Miss Silence Suzuka adopted a great escape tactic. Was this instructed by the Trainer?"
"Calling it a 'great escape' isn't quite accurate, is it?" Shuta An shook his head lightly. "I only asked Silence Suzuka to pass the first 1000 meters in under fifty-nine seconds. She enjoys leading—that's all. When competing overseas, preparation must be comprehensive. Before the race, I analyzed the other entrants and found that none of them had experience handling an extremely fast early pace."
He smiled faintly.
"Unfortunately for them, Silence Suzuka specializes in that kind of race. While her overall growth isn't yet complete, a fast-paced strategy makes it easier to catch opponents off guard. As you saw, even though she was nearly overtaken at the finish, she still secured the victory."
The second question, from an East Coast reporter, was sharper.
"This tactic worked today, but if Silence Suzuka continues racing in America, it won't remain effective. What will you do then, Trainer?"
"A fast pace is one of Silence Suzuka's weapons," Shuta An replied seriously, "but it is not her only one. Tactics aren't something you copy and paste. They must be adjusted based on opponents and track conditions."
He paused, then added coolly, "That's a professional matter—one you, Mr. Reporter, wouldn't understand."
The faint sarcasm in his tone was unmistakable. From that point on, the remaining reporters grew far more cautious.
The final question came from a female reporter of Japanese Twinkle magazine, who had previously conducted exclusive interviews with Silence Suzuka and Oguri Cap. She greeted Shuta An with a polite smile before asking—the only question that mentioned Oguri Cap.
"In two hours, Miss Oguri Cap will challenge the Arlington Million. Has Miss Silence Suzuka's victory eased your tension?"
Shuta An paused briefly, then smiled.
"I wouldn't say I'm completely relaxed—but at least we won't be returning empty-handed today. The Arlington Million is Oguri Cap's comeback race. We know many of her fans in Japan are staying up through the night to watch. We'll do everything we can to meet their expectations and deliver the best performance possible."
Later, the Beverly D. Stakes concluded with Reluctant Guest's victory.
As Reluctant Guest crossed the finish line, Oguri Cap—resting in the lounge—set down the can in her hand and stood.
"Ugh—I drank too much. I'll go to the restroom first." Pouting slightly, the gray Uma Musume hurried out with small, quick steps.
After washing her hands, she didn't return to the lounge. Glancing at the clock, she instead headed straight for the registration desk.
"It's already reporting time. Staying in the lounge a few more minutes won't change anything. I might as well report early and wait there."
With that thought, she passed her lounge door without entering.
As expected, Oguri Cap was the first to report. Her inspection went smoothly—no issues whatsoever. Instead, the Arlington Racecourse staff asked her for autographs.
Though she had yet to claim a victory in America, her title as the holder of the French Two Crowns was more than enough to command respect. Combined with her status as the top favorite for the Arlington Million, the staff eagerly crowded around her.
Oguri Cap handled it with ease, accustomed as she was to attention. After signing several autographs, she sat down on a bench beside the desk and closed her eyes to rest.
Soon, more Uma Musume arrived to check in—among them several opponents Shuta An had specifically warned her about.
Yet Oguri Cap paid them no mind. Her focus remained inward.
"Another comeback race—" Her fingers curled lightly at her side. "I have to win beautifully—just like last time. I really want to see that goal Ann described—become reality."
Because she had drawn gate six, Oguri Cap was scheduled to load eighth. The eleven Uma Musume on the track appeared calm—no stiff movements, no signs of nerves as they entered the gates. The loading process proceeded smoothly, without delay.
Once inside her stall, Oguri Cap immediately adjusted her breathing, settling into a steady rhythm. She focused entirely on the moment ahead, making sure she wouldn't be caught unprepared when the gates flew open.
In the grandstand, Shuta An stood beside Silence Suzuka, who had already changed into casual clothes. Together with Berno Light, they watched the broadcast on the giant screen. Coincidentally, the camera lingered on the overwhelming favorite of the race—Oguri Cap.
The Arlington Million was only ten years old, yet its reputation had spread across the world. The reason was simple: it was the first Twinkle Series turf race to offer a prize purse of one million U.S. dollars. Such stakes naturally attracted the strongest competitors, and this year's field was anything but weak.
There was no need for Oguri Cap to recall her opponents' past achievements. Those details were already engraved deep in her memory.
The gray Uma Musume lowered her stance, assuming her starting posture. She waited silently for the long-awaited sound of the gates—
—click.
Meanwhile, far away, Tokai Teio was jolted awake by her phone alarm. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she hurriedly turned it off before it could disturb her roommate.
She slipped on her wireless headphones, connected them to her computer, and prepared to watch this year's Arlington Million.
"Trainer and everyone should be in the stands at Arlington Racecourse by now, right?" she muttered softly. "It's a shame school starts again in a month—I can't rush over to cheer for Oguri Cap-senpai in person. Guess I'll just watch carefully from my dorm."
Her thoughts drifted.
"But my debut isn't that far away either—one or two more years. I can feel my body steadily maturing—"
Imagining her future fully-fledged form, Tokai Teio's mood brightened instantly.
Back at the racecourse—
"Trainer," Silence Suzuka spoke first, "how confident are you in Oguri-senpai's chances this time?"
"100%," Shuta An replied without hesitation. "As long as Oguri is on the track, I believe she'll win."
Silence Suzuka paused. Her right hand clenched briefly into a fist—then relaxed.
"I'll train harder," she whispered, "so that one day, Trainer can have that much confidence in me too."
It was a noble thought—but in Shuta An's eyes, not a realistic one.
The reason front-running was not considered a royal road was simple: while a front-runner could dictate pace, a sudden burst from a leading or late-closing Uma Musume could easily shatter that rhythm. To achieve a guaranteed victory with such a tactic, the runner needed strength far beyond everyone else on the track.
And Silence Suzuka, as she was now, did not yet possess that overwhelming edge.
In Shuta An's estimation, Central Tracen Academy would soon produce many talented Uma Musume—perhaps within the next one or two years—especially on the middle-distance stage. There was no way Silence Suzuka could suppress an entire generation the way Oguri Cap had.
It wouldn't be simple. Just as these thoughts crossed his mind—
Click.
The starting gates flew open.
"The Arlington Million begins!" The on-site commentator's voice thundered across the stadium.
"The first to break out is TenKeys! Is she attempting to replicate Silence Suzuka's bold strategy from today's Secretariat Stakes? She's accelerating aggressively—already two lengths ahead of ElSenor in second!"
TenKeys' explosive start failed to unsettle the others.
Silence Suzuka's wire-to-wire victory earlier that day had set a precedent, but the level of competition in the Secretariat Stakes could not be compared to this race. The top contenders in the Arlington Million had absolute confidence in their finishing power.
A runaway victory here would be far harder.
Starting from gate six, Oguri Cap chose a senko position. She noticed TenKeys' exaggerated lead—and also noticed that no one else was responding. The rest of the field allowed TenKeys to go, content to watch from behind.
"The final straight is 310 meters…not very long," Oguri Cap calculated calmly. "It's similar to the inner straight at Hanshin. Letting TenKeys lead now is fine—but I can't wait until just before the straight to move. Unless she loses speed early."
Her eyes gleamed.
"I can treat her like Suzuka," she realized. "And run the way we do during serious chase training."
Suddenly, TenKeys—who was desperately stretching her lead—looked much friendlier in Oguri Cap's eyes.
"I'll just treat you as a pacemaker."
Up in the stands, Berno Light grew anxious when she saw the gap.
"This wasn't in the pre-race predictions at all!"
Silence Suzuka, however, remained composed.
"During training, Trainer often has me lead while Oguri-senpai chases from behind," she said calmly. "This situation is just like those sessions. Oguri-senpai should find it familiar."
"She's already realized it," Shuta An said firmly. "Look at her form—she's relaxed. TenKeys' lead was unexpected, but it hasn't disrupted Oguri at all."
"This is her comeback race," he continued quietly. "Safety comes first. Winning comes second. If possible—I would have preferred a slower pace."
But that was no longer an option.
Even if ElSenor tried to control the tempo, forcing everyone except TenKeys into a slower rhythm, catching a runaway leader in the final straight would require an even more violent burst of speed.
Viewed that way, a slow pace might actually increase Oguri Cap's risk of injury.
"A normal pace—fifty-nine to sixty seconds per kilometer, perhaps." Shuta An exhaled softly. "For the rest, we can only hope TenKeys burns out early."
Beside him, Berno Light clasped her hands together, silently praying for Oguri Cap's victory.
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