Accompanying the commentator's declaration, the sudden burst of cheers erupted simultaneously with the starting gates flying open. Over a dozen figures surged out from the start, quickly forming a trend of leaning inward.
This trend did not rush straight for the inner lane by the rail but stopped just as they were about to hug it, as the athletes unanimously chose to run a style that avoided the innermost lane.
"All the Umamusume have made a beautiful start. Likely influenced by the course and track conditions, no athlete has chosen to tightly hug the inner lane. Instead, they are sticking close to where the inner turf conditions are better."
Timely, the guest analyst also supplemented with relevant information.
"Although the terrain of the Chukyo racetrack is mostly regular, the slope after the third corner still requires a lot of power."
"Furthermore, the Takamatsunomiya Cup is held during the rainy season, and it rained just a few days ago. Judging from past races and today's other races, the Umamusume's race times and final sprint speeds are generally slower."
"Given this, avoiding the poor conditions of the inner lane to save leg strength appears to be a wise choice."
"The athletes in this race are very calm. Even with fierce competition at the start, none are rash enough to attempt an overtake in the inner lane."
Following this, the commentator spoke about the status of the race.
"In the leading position is Floating Bird, whose five consecutive wins have given her extraordinary momentum. She is also very skilled in the Front running style and has immediately pulled ahead by a distance of three horse lengths."
"This distance is still increasing. It looks like she intends to maintain this lead throughout the entire race."
"Currently, there are no other Front runners. The competition for the Pace Chasing positions is much fiercer."
"Vina, Milok, and Sichi are all in this position and have fought for placement multiple times in the opening stages. The intensity of this Takamatsunomiya Cup is much greater than anticipated before the race."
"Following closely are the Late surging Umamusume. Coincidentally, the most popular, Cosmo Dream, and the second most popular, Inari One, have both chosen this position."
"Cosmo Dream ran the Pace Chasing position in the Oaks. By choosing Late surging now, it seems she views Inari One as her strongest opponent in this race."
"This is understandable. Eisei is currently the most sought-after team, and every Umamusume in it is a top-tier athlete of this generation."
"Inari One currently boasts a record of 10 wins and 2 seconds from 12 starts, with an astonishing 100% top-two finish rate."
"It's rumored that she and her teammates previously traveled to Europe to compete against world-class opponents. Judging by her stablemate Tamamo Cross's performance in the Takarazuka Kinen, her current strength can certainly be described as having reached a new level."
"Clearly, even the Oaks champion would absolutely not dare to underestimate an opponent of this caliber."
"Not only Cosmo Dream, but Tanino Comet ), who has often chosen End Closinf before, has also abandoned her usual running style and joined the Late surging group."
"She is sticking closely behind Inari One, forming pressure on her from both front and back with Cosmo Dream."
"We hope Inari One can withstand this pressure and deliver an exciting performance for us."
The competition on the track was as fierce as the commentator described. Aside from Floating Bird, who led by a wide margin, position battles were constantly occurring in the subsequent Pace chasing and late surger groups.
Positioned in the second competitive group, Inari One felt almost instantaneously after leaving the gate that this race would be even more challenging than she had anticipated.
She was being targeted simultaneously by two opponents: one to her front-left and one to her rear-right.
The possibility of being targeted was something considered in the pre-race analysis, but no matter how meticulous the analysis, it remained a pre-race conjecture; the reality is often hard to predict.
Most of the previous predictions suggested that Cosmic Dream would likely adopt a marking tactic, trying to deliberately disrupt the target's rhythm or even use unique running maneuvers in the Advance position to dictate the pace of the entire field.
This was clearly demonstrated in the Oaks, which the Eisei team had repeatedly broken down.
Inari One knew very well that the opponent to her front-left, who had closed in on the leading Floating Bird after the start, aimed to force her to run the Front running style at the rhythm Cosmo Dream desired.
Normally, an Umamusume choosing Front running will actively increase speed in the opening stage to gain sufficient advantage for the later segments and the win.
However, a game of strategy exists here: when another Umamusume threatens the leading position, the Front runner must accelerate again to secure their competitive edge.
The point of this strategic game lies in whether the Front runner can instantly determine if the steps chasing behind are truly trying to snatch the lead or merely feigning it to some extent to wear them down.
For most Front runners, the cost of betting that the opponent is feigning is too high.
If they let the opponent lead, and the opponent truly takes the lead, it's tantamount to forfeiting the Front ruuning style's greatest advantage, making the chances of winning this race extremely slim.
Therefore, contrary to the common knowledge among fans that "a Front runner just needs to run all the way through," the pressure and mental effort required for this position, especially in the opening stage, are far greater than for other positions.
Cosmo Dream exploited this strategic game, subtly controlling the race rhythm to some degree in the Oaks and now in this Takamatsunomiya Cup.
Floating Bird, like her opponents in previous races, demonstrated extremely high speed in the opening. She kept accelerating from the moment the commentator mentioned her, only stabilizing her speed after pulling five horse lengths ahead of the second-place runner.
Of course, this strategic game carries risks for both sides.
She had no intention of actually grabbing the lead position; her comfortably dropping to the Late surging position after the opponent accelerated is the best proof. The switch between fighting for position and normal cruising state is bound to involve various forms of depletion.
However, since this opponent chose this strategy, both before and now, it indicates that the underlying cost is something she can completely accept.
The overall idea of this situation was within pre-race expectations.
But neither trainers like Kitahara nor Umamusume like Inari One had anticipated that Cosmo Dream, after feigning the fight for the lead, would not choose the Pace Chasing position she commonly used in previous races but would drop straight back to the Late surging position.
Right in front of Inari One's left.
The despicable... big liar...
Staring at the back in front of her left, Inari One secretly gritted her teeth. She vaguely sensed that, even though the opponent never looked back, her attention remained entirely on her.
She was absolutely staying in her current position intentionally for her own sake; she was sure she wasn't being self-absorbed.
Inari One admitted that her temper wasn't the best and her grades weren't great, but being influenced by the many smart partners in Eisei, she wasn't incapable of analysis.
Taking advantage of the moment right after the start, when her stamina was plentiful and her mind was clear, she quickly gained a certain grasp of the race situation.
It was only the opening stage, and the leader had already pulled ahead by a significant gap, which meant a certain level of stamina consumption.
If the opponent wasn't an astounding Front Running genius, the 3.5-meter downhill, 2-meter steep uphill, and the roughly 200-meter-long slope section of the Chukyo track would surely exacerbate this stamina expenditure.
In other words, the opponent might very well lose speed before the finish line sprint, just like Cosmo Dream's opponent in the Oaks.
A complete loss due to a blunder only at the start is not impossible.
This is not only because there's a precedent in the Oaks but also because Inari One has learned about Front runners from a truly top-tier genius: Reference Point, the European runner whose Front running technique is incredibly refined.
During her time in Europe, besides preparing for the exchange race, the Eisei team also discussed many racing insights with the Umamusume there after the races.
Naturally, core techniques involving the Domain could not be mentioned, but both sides happily discussed conventional topics like Front Running, Pace Chasing, Late Surging, and End Closing.
Inari One recalled that Reference Point, had said in a joking tone that the Front Running style was quite nerve-wracking.
One must prevent opponents from catching up while also avoiding running too fast and losing stamina too quickly.
Especially in the opening phase after the start, instantly judging the opponent's intentions and making the most favorable countermeasure in the blink of an eye is something that sounds exhausting just to think about.
More crucial is the timely remedy after a strategic misjudgment.
For instance, after losing the strategic game, one must immediately retaliate.
Simply put, since the opponent forced her to accelerate and spend stamina, she must immediately find a way to expend an equivalent amount of their stamina.
Never mind whether I win or not, you made me this tired, so there's no reason for you to continue running easily.
Inari One truly couldn't be sure if Reference Point was joking when she said this, but her intuition told her that the principle of equivalent stamina exchange was generally correct.
However, even though she had just fallen behind, thanks to the track perception ability honed by long-term training, she could still sense that the runner in the front, after being forced to accelerate, did not retaliate against the Umamusume who had pressured her.
Cosmo Dream barely spent any stamina, yet she made Floating Bird accelerate extra like a "startled bird." Cosmo Dream then comfortably lowered her speed and came over to target another opponent.
Her targeting was also uncomplicated: sticking firmly, like a "nail," to Inari One's front-left. If this marking continues, the latter might not get a good overtaking opportunity before the final sprint.
It is easy to see that this Umamusume's ideal race scenario is to replicate her victory in the Oaks: subtly dictating the rhythm of the entire race and limiting the performance of the most noteworthy opponent from start to finish.
And, coincidentally, Cosmo Dream clearly considered Inari One the most noteworthy opponent, while Tanino Comet, to Inari One's rear-right, clearly had the same idea.
Despite always running End Closing, suddenly switching to Late surging in this event makes the intention of this tactic overly simple and obvious.
Yet, it is quite effective.
After all, even the calmest Umamusume would feel significant pressure when simultaneously facing a pincer attack from the front and back, and Inari One is not exactly a calm Umamusume herself.
What an annoying person...
Gritting her teeth again, Inari One had a momentary impulse to surge past immediately.
This wouldn't be difficult for her.
Overtaking essentially depends on instantaneous acceleration and position-switching ability, meaning having sufficient power, positional awareness, and displacement technique.
Inari One lacked none of these.
In terms of power, she was one of the best just within Eisei.
Her trainers had already analyzed that, even compared horizontally against all active Umamusume of this generation, her power could not be surpassed by anyone.
If one had to single out someone who could genuinely contend with her in terms of power, it would only be Oguri Cap, who was naturally able to convert her terrifying appetite into terrifying strength.
As for positional awareness and technique, "blindfold training" had long been a routine special training for the team.
Top-tier techniques like the "Lightning Running Style" and "Ultra-high-speed Lane Change" were also continuously practiced within the team. Even if she couldn't use them as smoothly as Tamamo Cross or Oguri Cap, with her basic mastery and abundant stamina in this opening stage, overtaking a few opponents would be effortless.
She could already anticipate that a sudden burst would make overtaking from the outer lane very easy.
That would not only instantly break the opponents' pincer movement but might also startle them and disrupt their original plan.
Alternatively, she could overtake from the poorly conditioned inner lane. Although this method would consume more stamina, the shorter distance meant the final consumption should be within an acceptable range.
But she held back.
Because, what then, after overtaking?
She wasn't an Umamusume skilled in Front Running she lacked special talent for the wind-breaking technique, rhythm control, and distance sensing required for that position, nor had she undergone much special training for it.
Pace chasing was feasible, but if she ran Pace chasing, given the current performance of these two opponents, they might catch up to that position and continue their targeted marking, which would be a waste of stamina.
More importantly, the instantaneous thought of overtaking was inherently an emotional, stamina-wasting idea.
While the current race situation was tougher than expected, the two most noteworthy opponents were merely more thorough and extreme in their targeting than anticipated; there were no additional maneuvers.
Everything was within the pre-race plan.
And according to the plan, as long as she maintained this state past the slope section, the rest of the course would be smooth sailing.
In that location, her strength, her Domain, everything could be utilized to the maximum extent.
There was absolutely no need to take a risk and act impulsively now.
So, I must endure, Inari.
Think of the efforts Tamamo and Oguri have made for me during this time; think of how Little Oguri and Teio are constantly striving.
I mustn't be led by the nose.
It's just a matter of enduring. By enduring, I can achieve a brilliant victory.
Before that, I absolutely cannot be willful and let everything go to waste.
"Woah, you're completely different from what the senpais predicted."
A sudden teasing voice from her rear-right interrupted Inari One's train of thought. Looking over in surprise, she saw a face full of smiles.
"Tanino... Comet?"
Instantly recognizing the opponent, Inari One mumbled, and as if she had been complimented, Tanino Comet immediately became excited.
"Yes, yes, yes! That's me!"
She exclaimed joyfully, "I didn't expect an Eisei Umamusume to remember me. It's truly an honor."
"But you really surprised me."
"But the one in front has been so aggressive towards you, yet you can still be so calm. It's really unexpected for the seniors."
"Nice, nice. This is what a strong opponent looks like. Then, I won't bother you according to the pre-planned strategy."
"Good luck. Don't let me easily overtake you in the final straight."
Bad-tempered... irritable...
Who the hell are you talking about?!
Do you want me to punch you?!
For a moment, Inari One wanted to rush over and give this opponent, who had inexplicably thrown in a few lines, a few kicks.
But after saying those few seemingly provocative words, the opponent quickly controlled her speed and gradually fell back quite a bit. This situation instantly calmed Inari One down.
Tanino Comet deliberately chose late surging instead of her more proficient end closing at the start. Her purpose was clearly to test her.
It seems that her situation was not only understood by the trainers within the team but also meticulously investigated and analyzed by her opponents, their seniors, and their trainers.
Personality, which is initially difficult to spot, especially since her previous races were meticulously planned and her performance was quite normal.
In this context, the fact that the opponent could still deduce her personality was enough to make Inari One calm down out of vigilance.
And after calming down, she quickly felt a surge of excitement.
Returning to her most proficient running style after the test showed that Tanino Comet, the seniors she mentioned, and her trainer all planned to use the early stages of closing in to test her situation.
Once they realized she was acting out of character due to her personality, they would likely have subsequent targeted plans.
But because of her endurance, the opponent clearly had no way to deal with a calm Inari One and could only revert to her most proficient running style.
In this case, she would only have to confront me with sheer strength.
And the sheer strength of End Closing is to compete in the final sprint speed in the final straight.
Since the one behind has no solution for me, the one in front probably has no better countermeasure. At most, she can only continue to mark me from the front. The victory will ultimately depend on true ability.
If it's just about ability...
What do I have to be afraid of?
At this thought, Inari One experienced a moment of sudden enlightenment, and the pressure she had felt from before the race until just after the start suddenly vanished.
What she had been worrying about all along was not how strong the opponents in this race were.
Instead, it was whether she could overcome her shortcomings and perfectly display her strength, winning the victory with everything she had accumulated over time.
She could indeed acknowledge that her opponents would also have their own tactics, especially when facing a team that the outside world generally considered "skilled in various unusual tactics." They would clearly put more effort into this aspect.
However, the premise for a tactic to truly work is a balance of power.
Just like the Umamusume in the Eisei team, judging purely by ability, they each possess different talents, with their respective specialties in running styles, tactics, and techniques, and there is no obvious chasm between them.
In such a situation, the right tactics will play a crucial role.
But outside of Eisei, as long as she adheres to the pre-race plan from start to finish, no matter what tactics the opponent employs, they won't be able to affect her.
So, I just need to run at the current pace.
If I just run like this, this Takamatsunomiya Cup...
I've got this!
Inari One's shift in thinking was not apparent to anyone. To most of the audience, her performance was too "by-the-book" compared to her usual self.
In the viewing box at the highest point of the racetrack, such a voice emerged.
"Inari... this girl... is running much more by the book this time than before."
As the Student Council member who interacted the most with Eisei, Maruzensky quickly noticed the difference in Inari One compared to her usual self.
"I remember she competed with Tamamo many times, right?"
"The impression I have is that whenever Tamamo performed outstandingly, she would soon follow suit, unwilling to be outdone."
"That extraordinary fighting spirit, the subconscious tendency to stick close whenever facing a recognized opponent, is both a strength and a vulnerability."
"Although the opponent this time isn't as dominant as Tamamo, she has been targeting Inari One all along."
"Yet, she can remain calm until now. It's a bit unexpected."
As Maruzensky commented, the field on the track had already finished the opening stage. The group of athletes had passed the gentle uphill segment and were gradually closing in on the third corner.
After this position comes the sudden 3.5-meter drop, followed by the base of the slope lasting several hundred meters, before ascending the 2-meter uphill past the fourth corner and returning to a flat stretch.
"If it were before, Inari was indeed like that."
Tsubara, Inari One's primary trainer, quickly responded, "Her strength itself is not a major issue. I believe she has the capability to contend with any opponent."
"It's just her personality; she's genuinely very competitive, which is part of the reason she and Tamamo often bicker."
He quite frankly admitted his Umamusume's personality traits, then smiled again.
"However, I believe she won't have such issues this time."
"It's not just trust as her trainer; it's also because we've all been working hard for her during this period. I believe she can feel this sentiment, overcome her past issues."
"And then, win this race beautifully."
"Oh? That really is a different training style."
Maruzensky slightly shifted her gaze from the track and smiled with interest, "I mean you and Kitahara."
Hearing this, Yuzuhara was stunned, and Kitahara also pointed to himself in surprise.
"Me?"
"Mhm, of course I mean you, and actually, Komiyama too."
Glancing over the Eisei trainers, Maruzensky nodded and smiled, "How should I put it..."
"Kitahara, I feel you're like an old father; you rarely say things like 'I believe in you,' 'you're great,' or 'good luck'—direct expressions of emotion."
"Rather than those emotional words, you seem to arrange everything clearly. Oguri Cap and the others just need to diligently follow the plan to achieve victory after victory."
"This quite fits the conventional image of a taciturn old father."
"...Hey, hey, I'm not even 30 yet. Don't make me sound so old, alright?" Kitahara felt helpless.
"Hehehe, I actually think Vice President is right. Brother Kitahara, you just have the personality of an old conservative; calling you an old father isn't wrong at all!"
Komiyama unceremoniously roasted his colleague, then turned to Maruzensky with a grin, asking curiously, "What about me, Vice President Maruzensky? What type of trainer am I?"
"You and Yuzuhara are very similar, both the 'big sister' and 'big brother' type."
Maruzensky laughed without hesitation, "You both do everything a trainer should, and you also care for your Umamusume like older siblings."
"Oh, Kitahara, don't misunderstand. I'm not saying you don't care, just that even if you do care, you definitely wouldn't say it out loud like Komiyama and Yuzuhara."
"Of course, there are still some differences between Komiyama and Yuzuhara."
"Differences..."
Yuzuhara glanced at his grinning colleague next to him and hesitated, "What differences?"
As trainers, their professional evaluations are handled by the Tracen Academy and the URA Board. However, privately, Yuzuhara and the others still pay attention to the opinions of certain people or Umamusume.
A well-known Umamusume like Maruzensky has unique insights in terms of race experience, life experience, and understanding of trainers. Yuzuhara felt her opinions were worth listening to.
"Yuzuhara, you are still a bit more reserved. This is probably a common trait among men; you and Kitahara are the same in this regard."
Saying this, Maruzensky once again focused her gaze on the track, her tone softening and carrying a hint of encouragement.
"I imagine the 'trust' you just mentioned—you've never actually said it to Inari, have you?"
"Kitahara, needless to say, even if he trusts his Umamusume, what he says is about training and racing."
"But as fellow Umamusume, I think whether it's Inari, Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, Super Creek, or Ardan, they all probably wish to hear some emotional words from you."
"After all, we are all very sensitive and emotional by nature."
Wish to hear emotional words, huh...
Subconsciously repeating the phrase in his mind, Kitahara instinctively looked towards the other group of Umamusume.
Over there, Oguri Cap and the others were talking to their juniors, like Oguri Roman, seemingly adhering to the team's previous arrangements and diligently analyzing the race situation.
In his peripheral vision, he clearly saw that Yuzuhara's gaze was fixed intently on the track below, his expression gradually becoming complex.
Amidst the casual interlude in the viewing box, the field on the track had gradually passed the third corner, the slope section, and the fourth corner, entering a flat segment similar to the opening.
Beyond this point, there was no complex terrain. The upcoming straight, the final bend, and the final straight were completely smooth, where victory could only be decided by absolute strength.
The competition among the Umamusume on the track became visibly fiercer.
Seemingly affected by the race conditions, the commentator's voice gradually became more passionate.
"This is a relatively rare situation. In typical races, competitive moments usually occur in the more complex sections."
"This Takamatsunomiya Cup is quite the opposite. Through the slope section just now, all the athletes were extremely calm, maintaining their opening positions through the fourth corner."
"But right after passing the fourth corner, the situation on the track has undergone a massive change!"
"The speed of the Front runner, Floating Bird, seems to be dropping!"
"There's still a distance to the speedometer. We can compare speeds in detail after passing it, but it seems we won't have to wait that long; the gap between her and the pursuit is clearly starting to shrink!"
"Cosmo Dream chose this exact moment to accelerate!"
"An excellent choice. The upcoming track has no special features, so many technical running styles cannot be utilized freely."
"Seizing the advantage now allows her to take control of the decision for victory early."
"And what's more..."
"And due to Cosmo Dream's sudden speed change, the Umamusume previously in the Pace chasing position have also started fighting for placement."
"Floating Bird still maintains a lead of about two lengths, but behind her is a row of opponents running almost abreast."
"Behind this row of Umamusume... is Inari One!"
"Inari One seems to be facing a tricky situation. If the opponents ahead maintain this formation, it might be difficult for her to overtake."
"Will she run further out into the outer lane? Or will she risk charging through the inner lane with its poor condition?"
"With less than 1,000 meters remaining to the finish line, there is still time. We hope she can quickly think of a countermeasure and not disappoint the fans who are supporting her!"
Amidst the commentator's and guest's slightly worried voices, the cheers for Inari One from the stands noticeably increased. Driven by this atmosphere, the entire racetrack gradually entered a thrilling climax.
In this roar of voices, Cosmo Dream, who had already secured the second position, subtly glanced back.
Among the participating athletes, Inari One's height was quite noticeable, and she immediately spotted the opponent she had been observing for over a month, even before the race started.
A bit strange...
She frowned inwardly, because Inari One's performance in this race was entirely unexpected by both her and her trainer.
In the pre-race plan, she had repeatedly broken down all of Inari One's race footage, as had her trainer.
They both unanimously agreed that Inari One's strength was indeed formidable—so strong that even with her Oaks champion status, Cosmo Dream felt little certainty of defeating her based purely on ability.
The only thing they could leverage was her impulsiveness.
In races like the Shiwasu Stakes, Hanshin Daishoten, and Tenno Sho (Spring), Inari One's performance seemed aggressive, but a careful analysis reveals that she easily falls into the rhythm of strong opponents.
Before coming to the Central league, in her Shiwasu Stakes race against Oguri Cap, she only burst into action the moment the latter made her move.
Similar situations also appeared in the Hanshin Daishoten and Tenno Sho (Spring). She seemed to lack her own rhythm, only "finding" it when Tamamo Cross made a definitive move.
This running style might have unique benefits, such as unleashing even more astonishing power under the pressure of a strong opponent.
The reality was exactly this; Inari One's data for these few races were clearly much better than her others.
However, this doesn't mean she is purely the type who grows stronger when challenged. The evidence is that, apart from the dead heat (simultaneous first-place finish) in the Hanshin Daishoten, she failed to win against strong rivals in her other confrontations.
This situation is less about growing stronger when challenged and more about being easily led by the nose by the opponent.
Cosmo Dream's ideal victory in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen was also based on this.
If she could ignite Inari One's competitive spirit in the opening and mid-stages, the opponent would likely waste unnecessary stamina.
By the time of the final straight, where the race is truly decided, she might lose speed because of this.
Just like the leading Floating Bird, who was now losing speed, the tactic against this opponent was essentially no different from the one against Inari One.
But... why isn't she falling for it...?
The plan shouldn't have any issues...
However, it probably won't affect things much...
After a flurry of thoughts, Cosmo Dream withdrew her gaze from the back and slightly eyed the few opponents running abreast in the inner lane.
These were the Umamusume who had just been fighting for the position with her. Now, due to Floating Bird's loss of speed and falling behind, all of them were affected, and their forward paths were obstructed.
This was all part of her plan.
If Floating Bird was influenced early on, she would find it hard to control the urge to accelerate, but her stamina and endurance would be insufficient to sustain the later course. Her loss of speed now was exactly as planned.
And her own deliberate expenditure of stamina to fight for the position from the outer lane was based on the prior knowledge that Floating Bird would interfere with the pursuit when she lost speed. Thus, what seemed like taking the long way around was actually the shortcut to victory.
Not only would it affect the Pace chasing position, but in the crowded situation, it would certainly be very difficult for that short Umamusume (Inari One) to break through.
How could she possibly have anticipated the current situation?
So the next step is to go all out and...
"Wow, this time it's just like the senpaise said."
A sudden voice from her rear-side caused Cosmo Dream to startle, and she looked over in utter astonishment.
"Tanino... Comet?" Seeing whose smiling face it was, she exclaimed.
"Yes, yes, yes! It's me... Huh? Why does this scene feel familiar?"
After giving a laughing reply, Tanino Comet paused, then her expression quickly became solemn.
"It doesn't matter. In any case, thank you."
"Thank...?"
Astonished again, Cosmo Dream hadn't reacted before, as if in a blur, she saw Tanino Comet instantly pass her.
"Thank you for helping to test Inari One's condition in advance. That girl is much calmer than you think."
"And thank you for blocking her for me..."
Dropping these two sentences, Tanino Comet accelerated further, instantly widening the gap she had just created.
With her family's support, she had thoroughly planned this race.
In this plan, the most crucial opponent was none other than Cosmo Dream, the one she had just overtaken.
This opponent was extremely skilled in various troublesome tactics. If she faced her head-on, it would certainly be a huge headache.
Her senpais and trainers had speculated that if Cosmo Dream viewed her as an opponent, she might not hesitate to slow down to the Late-race position to attempt to mark her.
This line of thought seemed incredible to Tanino Comet; she couldn't imagine any Umamusume being so specifically targeted.
But judging from the opponent's previous races and the current development of this Takamatsunomiya Kinen, the Oaks champion might truly have done that.
However, that possibility no longer existed, as the opponent hadn't focused on her from the start.
Instead, she had focused on Inari One, the one she had previously overtaken.
As an Umamusume skilled in End Closing, sustained acceleration is an essential ability. The moment the uphill climb after the fourth corner was completed, Tanino Comet began continuous acceleration.
She clearly saw the congested situation ahead, so the moment she accelerated, her direction was the outer lane.
Subsequently, she smoothly overtook Inari One and then, completely catching Cosmo Dream by surprise, she passed her too, arriving now in the first position.
This was the most ideal scenario in the pre-race plan.
So, apart from Inari One being unexpectedly calm, everything else has gone smoothly so far...
I just need to keep charging forward, right... wait?
"What in the world... are you talking to yourself about?!"
She wasn't overtaken from the first position, but the sudden, fierce sound of footsteps and the breathtaking pressure from behind instantly made Tanino Comet realize that Cosmo Dream was catching up.
And she was catching up in her Domain state!
With the experience of her seniors, she knew about the existence of the Domain, and she also knew that Cosmo Dream, who won the Oaks, had likely touched upon the Domain.
But when she asked if she could become a generation-leading Umamusume and also master the Domain, her senpais either fell silent or looked conflicted.
She somewhat understood that her seniors might not have much faith in her.
But what did that matter? Since she was an Umamusume, no matter who the opponent was, how could she just give up without running until the last moment?
Even if you are an Umamusume who has mastered the Domain, so what?
Everything about you was within the seniors' predictions, even the Domain!
Tanino Comet knew about the Domain and had experienced the pressure brought by her senpais' Domains; she could adapt.
Driven by her unwillingness to concede and her competitive spirit, after a momentary fright, she immediately gritted her teeth and accelerated again.
I won't let you pass easily, I... wait, again?!
A second set of fierce footsteps chasing from behind made Tanino Comet's heart clench again.
What terrified her even more was that she had clearly experienced the oppressive feeling of the Domain from her senpais and just now from Cosmo Dream.
But compared to those experiences, this one could only be described as a drop in the ocean.
It was as if a thousand-year-old Fox Spirit had suddenly manifested for some unknown reason; what she felt chasing behind was a terrifying presence of that kind.
No, it was no longer just from behind; it was right beside her!
It wasn't just footsteps either; she even heard the Fox Spirit's low murmur.
The murmur was like a whisper wrapped in deep purple fox-fire, possessing an enchanting and terrifying allure that involuntarily made her want to turn and look, yet she utterly lacked the courage to do so.
She didn't know if Cosmo Dream, whom she had just passed, heard the murmur, but she could tell that the murmur was indeed addressed to both of them.
"You two... had enough?"
The low murmur sounded like a sigh, accompanied by footsteps that seemed to tear something apart.
"If you have, Lady Inari is coming through!"