Back then, Dream Weaver's highest attribute was actually Guts.
Once her A-rank Guts triggered a second wind, it completely defied any simple measurement by her D-rank Stamina.
But she had won that Niigata Nisai Stakes so fast—so blazingly fast—that even as her stamina began to drop and her speed slackened, the second wind had only just kicked in before she was already bursting past the finish line.
The 1600-meter Niigata Nisai Stakes had given Sakura Yamato and her trainer a misleading answer.
Fortunately, though, that was the only wrong answer they had drawn from Dream Weaver's performance back then.
They had accurately pinpointed Dream Weaver's shortcomings in strength and intelligence at the time. If a lack of intelligence could still be somewhat covered by intuition—finding miraculous paths on pure instinct—then strength could only be built up little by little.
"Dream Weaver found her trainer not long after the Niigata Nisai Stakes ended. Most Uma Musume secure their trainers before their debut race. For her, that was unusually late."
"That might be why her physical abilities were so uneven before. Training alone without a guiding theory, she could only focus on honing her speed."
The trainer's pen circled a name in the notebook: Chizuru Haibara.
"Chizuru Haibara is my senior, an elite trainer from the central circuit. She would never let a gifted Uma Musume under her care continue training that way."
If one attribute far outstrips the others, it inevitably brings unpredictable risks to the body.
Dream Weaver had faced such risks before. But her progress was so rapid that before any real danger could manifest, she had already overcome it through the attributes inherited from successive script worlds.
In the eyes of Sakura Yamato and her trainer, however, the only way to avoid such risks was to steadily develop all the other abilities.
"So I'm certain that over these four months, Chizuru Haibara's main focus for Dream Weaver has been building up her other physical capabilities."
"Stamina, strength, race tactics…"
She muttered each word, the light in her eyes growing fiercer by the second.
"Even by the most optimistic estimate, four months is enough for Dream Weaver to bring those abilities up to the same standard as her speed during the Niigata Nisai Stakes."
"What we'll be facing… is a genius Uma Musume whose every attribute is brushing against the G2 threshold."
Sakura Yamato held her trainer's gaze and spoke the next words for her.
"And that… is already much, much better than we initially predicted."
Though the Hopeful Stakes is a G1-grade race, the entrants are all Uma Musume in their first year of debut. In such a short time, they can't possibly reach the standard of a typical G1-level event.
These G1 races for first-year debutantes are less about being true G1 contests and more about filtering out potential future G1-level talents.
Of course, they are still G1 races. Even if a winner never claims another G1 victory, she will still be remembered as a G1-grade Uma Musume.
In Sakura Yamato and her trainer's estimation, an Uma Musume with all attributes touching the usual G2 threshold would undoubtedly be a strong contender for the Hopeful Stakes.
She might even be in the running as one of the strongest entrants in the history of the race.
But that didn't make her invincible.
The world of Uma Musume is full of unknowns.
Anything can happen on the track—even Triple-Crown winners dare not claim absolute invincibility.
An Uma Musume who, by the end of her debut year, brushes the G2 threshold in every attribute is undoubtedly a genius.
By the time of the Satsuki Sho, the first leg of the triple crown, she would likely have one or two attributes reaching true G1 level.
But that's later. After all, the Satsuki Sho is still over four months away from the Hopeful Stakes!
Right now—only right now—could Sakura Yamato see a future where she defeats Dream Weaver.
This might be her only chance, and Sakura Yamato would never let it go!
She looked into her trainer's eyes and quietly clenched her hands.
"Trainer, I know I'm not the type of Uma Musume with exceptional natural talent."
"Sakura—"
Her trainer opened her mouth to speak, but Sakura Yamato gently cut her off.
"My body developed quickly—even within my family, I'm the fastest-growing Uma Musume of this generation."
Sakura Yamato closed her eyes, recalling the admiring gazes of her younger sisters and the expectant eyes of her elders.
"But only I know this growth comes at a cost."
"My ceiling… is far lower than those true geniuses."
"Once this rapid growth period ends, I'll be left behind by the real talents."
"But…"
Sakura Yamato placed a hand over her heart and whispered,
"But right now—at this very moment—"
"I won't fear any genius!"
She opened her eyes, her sakura-pink pupils shining with brilliant intensity. Pressing her lips together, she extended her right hand toward her trainer.
"I've won two graded stakes in a row. I can feel it—this Hopeful Stakes might be my last chance. After this, someone like me who can't keep up won't have a place on the G1 stage anymore."
"Trainer, will you… join me in seizing this final victory?"
Looking into Sakura Yamato's resolute eyes, her trainer nodded solemnly, her own gaze just as firm.
"Yamato-san, I was just an ordinary rookie trainer. You chose me, and through one graded stakes win after another, you've helped me grow into who I am now."
"So… wherever you set your sights, I will never back down!"
"So what if she's a genius? Even if she might win the Triple Crown someday, right now the gap between her and us isn't that wide!"
"Let's give this genius a taste of defeat—together!"
With that, the trainer grasped Sakura Yamato's hand firmly.
Seeing her trainer—who had never flinched, who had spent countless days reviewing tapes with her—Sakura Yamato's face broke into a heartfelt smile.
She squeezed the trainer's hand and declared with unwavering conviction,
"We will win."
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Sakura Yamato chuckled softly.
"You know, since the Hopeful Stakes was upgraded to G1, it seems like the winners never really shine afterward. On the school forum, they've started calling it the 'Hopeless Stakes.'"
"Kinda fits my situation right now, doesn't it?"
Her trainer instantly deflated, wearing a pained, weary expression.
"Do you really have to bring up that unlucky legend right now…?"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.