When Yasui Makoto turned his eyes toward the paddock, on the large screen directly opposite the stands, another Uma Musume appeared behind Mejiro Bright.
She had long dark-brown hair and violet eyes, a temperament clearly distinct from Mejiro Bright's—cooler, more reserved—but the resemblance in appearance was undeniable.
Stepping closer to Mejiro Bright, the Uma Musume had a somewhat helpless look in her eyes as she tapped Bright's shoulder. Only then did Bright snap out of greeting the camera.
She quickly made an apologetic gesture, whispered something with a smile, then walked towards the paddock, leaving the stage to the newly-arrived Uma Musume.
"Bright-senpai really does move at her own pace, huh… Ahaha…"
Feeling an inexplicable second-hand embarrassment from the paddock scene, Kitasan Black quickly grew excited again.
"And now, this one is… Mejiro Dober-senpai! McQueen-senpai's family really is filled with amazing Uma Musume!"
As if echoing Kitasan Black's sentiment, the announcer's voice resonated across the stadium.
Five G1 victories, winner of two Filly Triple Crown races, four consecutive years voted best active filly Uma Musume of the year, listed among the century's top hundred Uma Musume…
As Mejiro Dober's accomplishments flowed through the loudspeakers, wave after wave of cheers erupted from over a hundred thousand spectators.
In fact, these cheers hadn't stopped since the paddock presentation began, intensifying further with each star's appearance.
And the roar of excitement reached its climax precisely as the Uma Musume stepped into their gates.
"At last! The long-awaited Summer Dream Trophy is about to begin!"
Even the announcer seemed far more excited than usual. "Under the scorching August sun, these star Uma Musume are ready to present us with an intense, unforgettable race!
"They've completed loading into the gates. The racers look incredibly fired up—how will they respond to the passionate expectations of their enthusiastic fans?"
"And now, the Summer Dream Trophy—Tokyo Racecourse, G1, turf, 2000 meters, left-handed course. This very moment…"
"Start!"
At the announcer's declaration, Yasui Makoto, along with a hundred thousand other spectators, unconsciously held his breath.
As if he heard a phantom metallic snap beside his ears, his eyes fixed intently upon the gates suddenly brightened.
This break from the gate was clearly distinct from other Twinkle Series races—even compared to other prestigious G1 races, the current start was distinctly more captivating.
It seemed meticulously rehearsed, more performance than competition. The gates sprang open for only a moment, yet over a dozen figures flowed onto the course, meshing together with gear-like precision.
In another blink of the eye, with equally seamless coordination, a light-blue figure instantly surged ahead, seizing the lead position.
"What an absolutely beautiful break from the gate!"
The announcer shouted passionately, "It's Seiun Sky! Seiun Sky takes the lead, exactly as anticipated, showcasing once again her exceptional front-running skills!"
"The senpais' gate breaks…"
Kitasan Black murmured softly, eyes filled with awe. "They're really so beautiful! It feels totally different from our races!"
"Naturally."
Without turning his head, Yasui Makoto instinctively replied:
"They have far more experience—races, training—and most importantly, they know each other inside out."
"In this race, the only skilled front-runner is Seiun Sky. She even managed to pull off an escape win at the Kikuka Sho. Competing against someone like her for the early pace would just be pointless—better to let her lead."
"By the way, Kita-chan, regardless of the final outcome, you're also a front-runner like Seiun Sky, so pay close attention to how this senpai handles different situations."
"Hai! Got it!"
Her body reflexively straightened, tail flicking upward as she responded loudly, but Kitasan Black couldn't help scanning the entire field, unable to fully focus only on the leading Seiun Sky.
In less than a blink, her brows suddenly knitted together slightly.
"But… even in a race like this… can someone break slowly?"
She fixed her eyes at the very rear of the field.
As if half a beat behind, the previously mentioned Mejiro Bright was running there.
Right then, the announcer's commentary chimed in perfectly:
"At the rear of the field is Mejiro Bright, who seems to have started late—just like in her previous races."
"However, running from behind is Mejiro Bright's strong suit, and during her career, she was famous for her 'unheard-of' late kicks. Being at the back isn't necessarily a disadvantage for her."
At the same time, Yasui Makoto said, "It's not exactly a slow break."
"I should've told you before, every aspect of your races depends on individual differences."
"For example, the break from the gate—the interval from gate opening to your brain registering and then reacting—there's something called 'limit reaction time.'"
"Theoretically, the average Uma Musume reaction time is about 100 to 200 milliseconds. Special training can stabilize it around 150 milliseconds."
"But some Uma Musume naturally have longer reaction times."
"I've seen Mejiro Bright's data; she belongs to that category. When she first debuted, her gate-test reaction time was a whopping 310 milliseconds."
"In her case, she naturally breaks a bit slower. Compared to the strong competitors in this generation, it's even more noticeable."
Yasui Makoto explained all of this very rapidly, mixed within the deafening cheers.
But Kitasan Black caught most of it, after all—the concept of "reaction time" was something they'd already studied in training and classes.
Hearing it again now from Yasui Makoto, and observing Mejiro Bright's current race situation, she suddenly felt something click.
"I see…"
Pointing tentatively toward the very back of the racing pack, she ventured cautiously:
"Bright-senpai… probably knows her weakness, so she's running very close to the inner rail!"
Hearing this, Yasui Makoto offered no explanation but nodded approvingly instead.
From his perspective, Mejiro Bright's thinking likely matched what Kitasan Black had just pointed out.
This Uma Musume definitely understood her own gate-breaking issue. She also knew exactly how her former rivals tended to run—their skills, techniques, tactics.
Hence, she knew precisely how to maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses.
Just as the frontrunners didn't bother challenging Seiun Sky for the lead, Bright closely hugged the inside track—no doubt planning to conserve her energy.
The inner rail unquestionably saved more stamina, and there were no other closers in this particular race.
Conserving stamina while observing her rivals from the rear, waiting for the right moment to surge and overtake, using her extraordinary late kick to cross the finish first—this was absolutely the best tactic suited for her running style.
At this thought, Yasui Makoto nodded slightly, then his brow furrowed a bit.
But from now on, the race might not proceed as smoothly as she envisioned…
No, considering how deeply they knew each other, no one's race would go entirely as planned…
Just as Yasui Makoto thought this, the announcer's initially excited voice settled somewhat.
"After the short opening straight, the field enters the first corner."
"Let's confirm positions."
"Currently leading is Seiun Sky, entering the turn first with an advantage of two and a half lengths."
"Closely behind her, running slightly to the outside, is Special Week. In third, hugging the rail slightly further back, is Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi."
"Positions four, five, and six respectively are Phalaenopsis, Erimo Excel, and Air Jihad."
"The mid-pack group is similarly large."
"Leading this cluster are El Condor Pasa and Grass Wonder."
"Right behind them come Mejiro Dober and Matikanefukukitaru."
"Mejiro Bright continues to run at the back of the field."
"The pace remains quick—the Uma Musume rapidly clear most of the turn, swiftly approaching the back straight."
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T/N: bonus chaps tomorrow
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