There's a saying that goes: to judge a person's level, look at who their opponents are. That saying applies just as well to horse girls.
The Yayoi Sho, Satsuki Sho, Japan Derby, Kikuka Sho, Tenno Sho (Spring), Arima Kinen, and Takarazuka Kinen—without exception, these are the most classic and prestigious graded races ever established by the Japanese URA Association.
Even after the introduction of international racing systems, their status has remained unchanged.
Every year, there are quite a few horse girls with sufficient talent and ability, but those who can truly set foot on these major races can only be described as one in a hundred.
Bizen Nishiki, with 4 wins in 4 starts. Gold Way, the long-distance powerhouse of her generation. Mr. C.B., the Classic Triple Crown winner. Shinzan, the second Triple Crown winner in the history of Japan.
If they had been born in a different generation, they would surely have left their names on the list of G1 champions in many more races.
But unfortunately, the era they lived in bore a single name:
"Symboli Rudolf."
Defeating Bizen Nishiki consecutively in the Yayoi Sho and the Satsuki Sho.
Breaking out of the pack in the Japan Derby to overtake the always-leading Yurayura Mach.
Crowned after the Kikuka Sho with a three-quarter-length lead over Gold Way.
Repeatedly defeating CB in Triple Crown showdowns.
And within the same cohort, aside from herself, only Suzu Parade managed to win the Takarazuka Kinen as a G1 winner.
This was the generation known as Symboli Rudolf.
So powerful that, in a world where nothing is absolute, she created something absolute. Her dominance in her era fully deserved the title of "Emperor."
Her opponents on the track—rather than being called powerful rivals—the results proved that "victims" was actually the more accurate term.
Such a legend, even after stepping down from her shining throne to take charge of the Central Tracen Student Council, would still, whenever she returned to the track—no matter what kind of track it was—show everyone what it meant to stand at the very pinnacle of horse girls.
"She's here!"
"Bearing terrifying leg power, like when she was crowned in glory back then… she's here!"
"She's catching up—she's catching up—she's catching up!"
"Symboli Rudolf is coming!"
"Symboli Rudolf is coming!"
"Symboli Rudolf is coming!"
Only now did Kitahara truly understand why, in so many thrilling and classic races, the commentators' excited words became so incoherent.
When a single sentence would have sufficed, they repeated themselves over and over, as if their professional composure and eloquence had become completely useless at that moment.
Because they truly were useless.
No amount of professionalism or technique could express the emotions and thoughts of that instant. Clinging recklessly to the side door of a helicopter, forgetting that the howling wind at high altitude would interfere with the microphone's sound—
Kitahara only wanted to shout at the top of his lungs, to forcefully convey everything he was seeing to the listeners' ears, so they would not regret missing even a second of the breathtaking action on the track.
"Before the race enters its final segment, the first-leg runners have all chosen to sprint forward. Empowered by legendary-level strength, they've reached the finish line in the blink of an eye!"
"Right now—right now!"
"Symboli Rudolf, who was originally at the very back, is catching up!"
"She's overtaken all the opponents ahead of her in one breath—she's almost instantly taken first place!"
"What terrifying leg power! Is this the true strength of the 'Emperor'?!"
"But!"
"Katsuragi Ace and CB on the outside are also giving chase!"
"Those two former fierce rivals are giving chase as well!"
"This speed and spectacle are far beyond what a relay race should look like—the unforgettable battle once seen at Nakayama is being reenacted here on this unusual track, as if in a parallel world!"
"But!"
"Symboli Rudolf is still in the lead!"
"Symboli Rudolf is still in the lead!"
"Like an emperor who tolerates no one sleeping beside his throne—once she claims first place, she will never give it up—Symboli Rudolf is still in the lead!"
"Cheer! Cheer! All the spectators are cheering!"
"For the figure galloping across the track that lives in their hearts, tens of thousands of spectators have gathered from all over Japan at this summer seaside venue. The names they shouted before may have been different, but at this moment, there is only one name in their cheers…"
"Symboli Rudolf!"
"They have witnessed the divine might of the absolute emperor on the track, shouting the supreme name of Japan's horse-girl world, using their cheers to perform the only concerto of this moment!"
"As if a hallucination—crimson flowers blooming against a military-green backdrop, at this very moment…"
"Blooming magnificently once again!"
The hoarse commentary did not continue. It was as if that final outburst had drained all of Kitahara's strength, and he did not go on to announce the finishing order at the end of the first leg.
Yet whether it was him, the spectators present, or everyone watching this race from afar, the result was already clear.
Symboli Rudolf crossed the line first.
Despite her inner hesitation—unknown to others—she ultimately chose to give her all in this race.
The overwhelming presence that once ruled everything had not faded with time. On the contrary, it had grown ever more solid through accumulation.
Her final sprint was just as terrifying and irresistible as it had been back then, instantly crushing opponents she had once crushed before—along with senpais and juniors alike.
Not only that: even after crossing the first-leg finish line, she maintained her lead. Only, instead of rhythmically swinging her right arm as before, she stretched it straight forward.
The spectators were still immersed in the devastating power of that finishing kick. Echoing through the open-air stands along Nagoya's seaside was still the name "Symboli Rudolf."
They had clearly been misled by the intense and spectacular racing, completely forgetting the true nature of this competition.
Even Kitahara—who kept reminding himself from time to time—had neglected the crucial aspect of baton exchange in a relay race, his brain slightly oxygen-deprived.
Fortunately, he was not the only commentator in charge.
"Be careful! A high-speed first leg poses a major challenge for the second-leg runner during the exchange!"
Like a child who had spotted a fascinating toy, Akikawa Yayoi, just like Kitahara moments earlier, wore a headset and leaned against the cockpit window.
Waving her fan, she shouted into the microphone in a somewhat sharp, childish voice:
"The current order at the line is Symboli Rudolf, CB, and Katsuragi Ace in the top three. Meanwhile, Maruzensky, who had been pressing hard earlier, and Mejiro Ramonu who only surged at the very end, have fallen to the back!"
"But! But, but, but!"
"The exchange zone is only twenty meters long! The sprinting speed of the top three is clearly too fast—those junior second-leg runners will have a hard time matching it!"
"So, even though the outcome of the first leg is already decided, the race as a whole may only just be beginning!"
Akikawa Yayoi did her best to raise her voice, but her naturally doll-like tone lacked sufficient penetration.
The cheers below were still stuck in the aftermath of the previous thrilling scene. Seeing with their own eyes a moment they had dreamed of countless times, the excitement it generated was not something that could fade so quickly.
The spectators' attention had yet to move on to the next phase of the race.
Fortunately, Kitahara—also a "temporary" commentator—came back to his senses.
He even felt that Akikawa Yayoi's words were subtly urging him to adjust his mindset.
Whether that was the case or not, he had to pull himself together immediately, assess the race situation, and deliver the appropriate commentary.
"Relay exchanges require a very high level of skill—especially baton passing at high speed."
To give his brain a brief buffer, Kitahara focused on the track and instinctively began explaining some professional fundamentals he knew well.
"The twenty-meter exchange zone is limited, so the shorter the time needed to complete the exchange, the better."
"And to get a faster start, the next runner is usually positioned fifteen to seventeen meters into the zone—that's effectively only three to five meters."
"This demands extremely high speed and coordination from both the passer and the receiver!"
If this were a human race, he could have added more explanation.
Even the strongest human race walkers need over two seconds to traverse twenty meters at full speed, and deceleration plus exchange in a relay would add more time.
But for horse girls, twenty meters doesn't even take two seconds; even including the exchange, it's only around that mark.
He had no time to explain further—the exchanges on the track had already begun.
"The first to complete the exchange… is Maruzensky!"
He swiftly shifted his focus entirely to live commentary.
"Compared to her rivals, Maruzensky adjusted her speed earlier and seems to have a better grasp of the race's rhythm."
"After crossing the first-leg finish, she didn't slow down at all and charged straight toward the next runner."
"And the next runner on her team is…"
"Oguri Cap!"
"She can fully keep up with her senpais' speed—and she truly does!"
"Over a distance of about fifteen meters, the moment she spotted Senior Maruzensky, she entered her starting posture and launched at precisely the right time."
"Outstanding—she accelerated in an extremely short span of time. For someone with her explosive power, that's no problem at all."
"This gives her a speed nearly identical to her senpais's, and the exchange is completed smoothly!"
Perhaps Oguri Cap's popularity had already reached a phenomenal peak, or perhaps Kitahara's voice simply carried better than Akikawa Yayoi's.
In any case, the spectators who had been chanting "Symboli Rudolf" gradually began shouting "Oguri Cap!"
Little by little, they also came to their senses, realizing that what was happening now was not a recreation of a classic race like the Arima Kinen of old, but rather a dreamlike competition staged to fulfill long-held wishes.
In that brief window, Kitahara quickly finished explaining the exchanges.
"Following Maruzensky's team, the next to complete the exchange is Mejiro Ramonu!"
"The second-leg runner on this team, Tamamo Cross, is no less powerful than Oguri Cap. In fact, as a seasoned senior mare with greater experience, she possesses advantages the latter simply cannot match."
"Her exchange looks even cleaner than those of the other teams!"
"After that come the teams of Symboli Rudolf, Chimei Representative, and Katsuragi Ace."
"This doesn't mean there's any problem with the abilities of the three first-leg runners."
"On the contrary—it may be precisely because they're too strong that the junior runners on the next leg were left with less preparation time!"
"Mejiro Ardan, Inari One, and Super Creek are all outstanding racers with excellent performances in major events."
"But when facing seniors who surpass them in experience, technique, and ability, they had to spend more time and energy synchronizing their speeds."
"And that's with Symboli Rudolf and the others having clearly slowed down a bit."
Before he finished describing the exchange process, the second-leg horse girls had already dashed out of the twenty-meter exchange zone.
For horse girls, that stretch was still far too short—over in the blink of an eye—making it impossible to fully commentate in such a brief moment.
Fortunately, the start of the second segment differed from the first. These runners had no "revenge mentality."
At least, not yet.
So their speed was relatively "slow," giving Kitahara ample time to introduce the early race situation.
As the opening commentary continued, the cheers below gradually transformed into a new round of encouragement.
Kitahara took the opportunity to describe the early phase.
"So, after all exchanges are complete, the runners currently in the lead are Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross."
"They may adjust their positions later according to race needs and tactics, but right now, the two are extremely close, with no clear leader."
"Close behind them are Mejiro Ardan and Super Creek."
"Compared to the two in front, while they have some aptitude for front-running, their strongest style is stalking."
"This position suits them very well."
"I'm not sure whether she's been influenced by her senpai, CB, but Inari One seems rather relaxed."
"She didn't come out of the exchange in a poor position, yet she's currently at the back, looking as though she hasn't gone all out."
"However, late chasing is her specialty, so this position should allow her to fully leverage her strengths."
"So, how will this 3,000-meter dirt segment unfold? Let's wait and see."
At this point, Kitahara exchanged a somewhat helpless glance with Akikawa Yayoi beside him, signaling for the chairwoman to help cover commentary for a bit.
There was no helping it—the image of Symboli Rudolf crossing the line in the previous segment was still vivid in his mind, and the throat pain from shouting himself hoarse hadn't faded.
He couldn't help but wonder whether commentators were born with iron throats. Otherwise, how could they shout so many times and still shout again next time?
In any case, he felt he needed a short break.
And he wasn't the only one who needed rest. Down on the track, the five horse girls who were now jogging also needed it.
Bathed in the cheers and gazes of the spectators on both sides, like an emperor inspecting the grounds after proclaiming victory at a grand ceremony, Symboli Rudolf smiled and gently waved as she jogged slowly along the boundary where the road met the sand.
"Ah—ah… ah! I lost to you again, aaagh—Rudolf…"
Behind her came a drawn-out voice filled with resentment and frustration.
Without turning around, Symboli Rudolf knew it was Katsuragi Ace.
She could even picture it: her friend and rival's jet-black, long ears folded backward tightly against her head.
Hands shoved into the back pockets of her pants, lips pouting, head tilted, kicking pebbles by the roadside in a loose, swaying gait.
Just like a child who'd lost an arcade game against a friend.
And just like that Arima Kinen long ago, when Symboli Rudolf had overtaken her at the finish and then looked back beyond the line.
"…I say, even though this isn't an official race, you should still take the cool-down seriously after such intense exercise, Katsuragi."
Maintaining her polite yet authoritative demeanor while waving to the spectators, Symboli Rudolf tilted her head slightly and said helplessly:
"What kind of posture is that?"
"If you don't jog properly, don't blame me tomorrow when your muscles ache, and your legs go numb."
"Cool-down, huh…"
With an air of nonchalance—and even pulling out Symboli Rudolf's old classroom title—Katsuragi Ace sounded dismissive, yet her body was honest.
She began to jog, still pouting as she muttered:
"Seriously, it's the same as back then…"
"I mean, both in races and at the academy."
"How could it be the same?"
Instinctively—just like when she used to correct the "problem horse girls" in her class—Symboli Rudolf began to object, "This isn't an official ra—"
She was cut off before she could finish saying "race."
"You start off using domain-level strength, and your finish is no different from back then. And you still have the nerve to say this isn't an official race, Rudolf?"
As she teased her, CB had already jogged up to Symboli Rudolf's side.
"But that's what makes it fun."
"At first, I thought you were really going all out—otherwise it would've been boring."
"In the end, I was almost about to catch up to little Katsuragi, and you still hadn't arrived. I thought you weren't planning to play along with us."
"Thankfully, you did sprint up in the end."
"Well, losing to you again is annoying, but just getting to run like this once more already makes me satisfied."
"Oh? If I'm not mistaken, opportunities like this should come up plenty in the future, right?"
"I'm really looking forward to it. After all, even though I've never beaten you once, who knows—if we keep running, maybe one day I will?"
With a gradually carefree smile, CB casually nudged Symboli Rudolf's arm with her elbow.
Being called out on her racing approach this time made Symboli Rudolf blush slightly.
She was a bit embarrassed.
At the start, she truly hadn't intended to use her full strength.
It wasn't out of disrespect for her past and present opponents or her longtime friends. She was simply worried that if she went all out, the junior runner on the next leg wouldn't be able to keep up.
During pre-race training, she had specifically practiced this within her team and was well aware that the planned pace differed from what she eventually displayed.
In her mind, that amounted to going back on her word—especially in front of juniors.
Even though she hadn't told anyone this, going back on one's word was something she had always strictly demanded of herself to avoid.
When no one mentioned it, she already felt awkward. Now that it was said outright, even knowing no one truly understood her thoughts, she still couldn't help blushing.
And she had never liked making excuses. So she fell into an awkward silence.
As if sensing her discomfort, another voice casually changed the subject.
"Looking at it this way, it seems the exchange between Ramonu and me went more smoothly."
Jogging lightly, Maruzensky smiled and nodded toward Mejiro Takamine beside her.
"Well… how should I put it?"
"It's a bit of a shame not to follow official race pacing, but as for me, I seem to be inseparable from regrets anyway."
"But I kept that speed, which seems pretty beneficial for the overall victory."
"And since the next runner is Oguri Cap, I don't think she'll waste my effort."
"Right, Ramonu?"
"That sort of thing…"
Mejiro Takamine gradually slowed her pace. Not just her—other horse girls were also settling into a calmer physical state and slowing slightly.
"To be honest, compared to all that, I really just want to take a shower and properly take care of my tail right now."
As if she didn't care much about the race at all, she frowned slightly with an amused expression, pulled her ponytail forward, and touched its damp roots.
"I really don't like losing, but since I've already done my best, there's not much to complain about."
"And looking at it another way—given that both your exchange and mine went quite well…"
"In Rudolf's team, my two younger sisters are probably facing a pretty big challenge next."
"But still, I trust them a lot."
"So, how about it—do you want to go take a bath together and do a full tail-care routine? My treat."
(End of Chapter)