Finally, the day of the Hyacinth Stakes has arrived.
The weather is beautiful this morning, and the forecast says there's no need to worry about rain. It feels warm for late February, perhaps because spring is just around the corner, making it a perfect day for a race.
The Hyacinth Stakes, where Urara is running, is the ninth race of the day at the Tokyo Racecourse. The start time is 2:30 PM, so we had plenty of time to do a light warm-up at Tracen Academy and check Urara's condition before heading to the racecourse, but—
(Urara's in great shape... the weather's good, too, so there are no worries about the race... no worries, but...)
Urara is in top form, and her physical condition is perfect. In terms of preparation for the race, it couldn't be better.
However, even if I have no worries about Urara or the race, I'm concerned about the competitors she'll be facing. To be honest, I'm extremely worried.
El Condor Pasa is here from Team Rigil, Tracen Academy's strongest team.
And more than anything, Oguri Cap is here.
I want to hit myself hard for thinking just the other day that the turf classic route was better than this.
"El-chan is running with me today, and Oguri-chan is here too, right? I'm so excited!"
We had just arrived at the Tokyo Racecourse, but Urara was in a great mood. She was radiating excitement and smiles, and Rice, walking with her, looked a bit troubled, smiling awkwardly as if unsure how to react.
(This fearlessness is one of Urara's strengths. This is her first classic-level race, her first official race since last year's maiden race... She's been watching Rice run and was probably looking forward to the race, but...)
Even though she can run mile races now, the scarcity of dirt races is a problem. And more than anything, it hurts that two of the very horse girls I was wary of are here.
I had anticipated that if those competitors didn't show up, we would have a very good chance in this Hyacinth Stakes.
Training with Rice has increased her stamina and top speed. The biggest factor, however, is that her motivation has been consistently high because she gets to practice with her good friend, Rice.
Urara loves to run in races and loves training, but her motivation can fluctuate slightly from day to day. I haven't trained enough other horse girls to say for sure, but even Urara, who always seems full of energy, has her motivation hovering between 90 and 100 on a scale of 100.
When she's with Rice, however, her motivation is almost certainly at 100. And since Rice's motivation also goes to 100, you could say their chemistry is perfect. Even with her high motivation and the fact that I can confidently say I've given her the most training possible, I think our chances of winning this race are very slim.
(Maybe one win out of ten... If it were just Oguri Cap or El Condor Pasa, I'd say one in five...)
In my estimation, without Oguri Cap or El Condor Pasa, we'd have a 60-70% chance of winning. Part of this is because the field for dirt races is thin, but training with Rice, who has two G1 titles, has made Urara that much stronger.
Although there's a difference between dirt and turf, being able to train and compete against a superior opponent constantly is a huge advantage. That's what I believe. However...
(When you talk about constantly training with a superior opponent, El Condor Pasa is even more dangerous...)
El Condor Pasa is likely being trained to the absolute limit by Team Rigil, led by Symboli Rudolf. Her full potential isn't yet known since she's only run in a few races, but she can run on both turf and dirt, is good at mile to middle-distance races, and her preferred tactics are leading and late charges, which all match the Hyacinth Stakes.
The pre-race popularity rankings are El Condor Pasa at number one, Urara at number two, and Oguri Cap at number three.
Oguri Cap has more racing experience and wins than both Urara and El Condor Pasa, but the fact that she was a local horse girl seems to be a major factor. She's already shown results in turf races, but there's a question of whether she can handle central dirt races and if she can beat Urara, who set a race record in a maiden race, and El Condor Pasa, a member of Team Rigil. These factors seem to have influenced the popularity ranking.
Still, the fact that she's ranked a solid third shows that race fans also feel she has a certain "aura of a runner."
(No matter how much of a horse girl race fan you are, you can't see their training at Tracen Academy... It makes me happy that Urara is ranked second, but I can't be truly happy about it...)
This will be Urara's fifth race. But I've never been this anxious before a race. Even before her first race, I was full of more confidence and hope.
"Onii-sama..."
Sensing my mood, Rice gently squeezes my hand. The warmth of her hand brings me back to reality, and I shake my head to clear my thoughts.
(That's right, Urara has trained hard. She'll win, even against El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap.)
I've never heard of them in my previous life, and at least in terms of name recognition, Urara should have been more famous. But I feel like I might have heard of Oguri Cap... maybe it's my imagination.
The only horse I clearly remember from my previous life is Haru Urara, so my knowledge isn't reliable. I also vaguely remember news stories about a horse that blew through 12 billion yen and a horse owned by a famous enka singer.
I only know the names Matsukaze and Sekitoba. El Condor Pasa? Oguri Cap? I'm with Haru Urara.
(...Okay, I've calmed down.)
Thinking about unnecessary things seems to have helped me settle down. It's Urara who's about to run. If I, her trainer, lose my composure, it'll have a bad effect on Urara.
"Oh! It's carrot cakes! Hey, Trainer! We still have time, can I buy one?"
"...I'll let you eat as many as you want as a reward after the race, so be patient for now."
No, maybe it won't have a bad effect after all. I thought to myself, letting out a wry smile.
Since the race was about to start, Urara went to the waiting room. So, I went to the paddock with Rice to wait for the horse girls participating in the Hyacinth Stakes to come out.
"Mind if I stand next to you?"
"Go ahead... huh?"
I answered the voice from behind me and, when I turned to look at the person, I froze.
The woman who spoke was wearing a gray pantsuit. She looked to be in her late 20s with her black hair tied back in a bun. She had a sharp, intelligent look, and her piercing gaze shot through me from behind her glasses.
"Team Rigil's..."
"It's nice to meet you. My name is Tōjō."
It was Ms. Tōjō, the trainer for Team Rigil. In my mind, she's the Great Demon King.
It wasn't strange for her to be here since El Condor Pasa was running, but I couldn't figure out why she was talking to me.
"...It's nice to meet you."
"You're Team Kitalpha's trainer. And this girl here is Rice Shower... I see."
I don't know what she "sees," but Ms. Tōjō nodded in understanding as she looked at me, who was at a loss for words, and Rice, who had hidden behind me.
Maybe she figured I was Team Kitalpha's trainer because Rice was with me, but it seemed like she had looked at my face first before guessing the team name... Does she know my face? No way. If the Great Demon King knew my face, my heart would stop right then and there.
"Have we... met before?"
"No, we haven't spoken. But if you work at Tracen Academy, you're bound to see me around, aren't you?"
I couldn't help but say something probing, but Ms. Tōjō answered without a hint of concern. Her sharp eyes were probably just a natural trait, but it was a bit intimidating. As expected from Air Groove's trainer, her stare has a lot of pressure. But unlike Air Groove, she doesn't seem pained.
However, a question arose in my mind. Ms. Tōjō is arguably the most famous trainer at Tracen Academy, and even though I only know about her by reputation, I didn't think she was the type to purposely talk to a rookie trainer.
Besides, there are other trainers in the paddock. Many of them are more senior than me. I don't understand why she chose to talk to me instead of them.
Is it because Rice is with me? But from her gaze, it seems like she has business with me, not Rice. I really don't know why she'd talk to me instead of Rice, who won the Kikuka Sho and the Arima Kinen. Is it because I'm a rookie trainer who started a team? That would make some sense. Or maybe she's trying to poach Rice? I'd never hand her over, not even for billions of yen.
"You don't have to be so guarded. I've heard about you from an acquaintance. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to introduce myself."
Sensing my wariness, Ms. Tōjō softened her expression. An acquaintance? None of my fellow trainers have ever said they know Ms. Tōjō... And if it were the chairperson or Ms. Tazuna, they wouldn't use such a vague term as "acquaintance."
"I'm honored that Ms. Tōjō, from Team Rigil, would talk to me. It seems El Condor Pasa is running today... and our Haru Urara was really looking forward to competing against her."
"Oh... is that your way of saying you'll beat my El? You must be confident in the horse girl you're training, considering you're entering her in a race where Oguri Cap is likely to be."
"Haha... I wonder about that?"
I couldn't say that Urara was just genuinely looking forward to it, so I laughed it off. Ms. Tōjō then smiled as if she was amused—no, like a hunter who'd found prey.
"I see... then I'll be looking forward to the race."
With that, Ms. Tōjō walked away. Her words weren't exactly a taunt, but she's a very elusive person.
(And she called El Condor Pasa 'El'... A bit different from my image, but it seems there's a strong bond of trust between them.)
Calling her by a nickname suggests a deep relationship. This also means that El Condor Pasa is a horse girl that Ms. Tōjō has a lot of faith in.
(And, "a race where Oguri Cap is likely to be"? The races that girl has entered since moving to the central circuit have all been on turf, haven't they? Did I miss something...?)
Thinking back on Ms. Tōjō's words, I felt a cold sweat run down my back.
If I had known that Oguri Cap was going to be in this race, I probably would have skipped the Hyacinth Stakes. But I hadn't heard any prior announcement that Oguri Cap would be running.
Maybe a trainer of Ms. Tōjō's caliber can easily predict which race her rival horse girls will enter next. But there's also the possibility that I simply missed it.
(No, avoiding the race just because Oguri Cap is here would mean I don't believe in Urara... She'll win... I know she will.)
Avoiding a race because a strong horse girl is in it is a valid strategy. You can't lose a race you don't run in. But if you run away every time a strong horse girl shows up, you'll never get anywhere.
As I was thinking this, the paddock display began. One after another, the horse girls for the Hyacinth Stakes revealed themselves to the spectators.
"Entry 2, Haru Urara."
Urara is in an inner lane today. She drew a favorable position for a dirt race.
When Urara appeared, cheers erupted from the crowd. Urara responded by waving with a big smile and bouncing in place.
"Entry 5, El Condor Pasa."
El Condor Pasa is in position 5. The cheers for Urara are louder, but many spectators are gasping in admiration at El Condor Pasa's physique.
(...I see. As expected of Ms. Tōjō, she's in excellent condition.)
Her dark chestnut hair sways as a mask covers the area around her eyes. Her expression is full of confidence, and her physique looks fantastic, backing up that confidence.
"Her rear muscles are well-toned, and her muscle development is balanced... A truly great body... Hmm, for research purposes, I'd like to palpate it—Ouch!? Ri-Rice?"
I was admiring her, as expected of a horse girl trained by Ms. Tōjō, when Rice suddenly pinched my hand. I looked at her in surprise and met her gaze. She was pouting.
"...Hmph."
Oh no, she turned her head away while making that sound. What's wrong? I was just trying to check El Condor Pasa's muscle development by touch, not just by sight.
Rice, who was pouting and looking away from me, began to gently tap my thigh with her tail, which was wagging from her waist. It was so cute.
"Entry 7, Oguri Cap."
Hearing that name, I looked up at the paddock. Cheers rose from the crowd, but at the same time, there was a murmur of confusion.
(Her condition... as always, it's hard to read. Why is she just staring blankly at the sky...? What's up there...? Just a few clouds...)
The weather is still good. I looked up at the sky, too, following Oguri Cap's gaze, but all I saw were clouds shaped like cotton candy floating by. She can't be looking at the clouds and getting hungry.
(Wait, I heard that Oguri Cap is a huge eater... But Urara's friend, Special Week, eats a lot, too, so it's not that strange.)
It's just information I've heard in casual conversations with colleagues, but I've heard that Oguri Cap's appetite is a rumor even in the horse girls' cafeteria. However, horse girls eat far more than regular people. Even the petite Urara and Rice eat many times more than I do.
No matter how big an eater she's rumored to be, there must be a limit. But still...
(Her unique aura aside, her physique is still developing... And yet, she shows that kind of running in practice. She's only been here for less than two months since moving from the local circuit. As she gets more training, I wonder how she'll perform in the race...)
Compared to Urara and El Condor Pasa, Oguri Cap's body doesn't look as well-trained. But it's true that she has that "aura of a runner."
In conclusion, she's an unknown quantity. I think she's a very strong horse girl, but right now, El Condor Pasa, trained by Ms. Tōjō, seems like the tougher opponent.
Also, Oguri Cap has raced in late January, early February, and now. She's been racing every two weeks. I would think she's getting tired by now...
(...Ah... I see... That's what Ms. Tōjō meant!)
I finally figured out the answer to the question I had when I was talking to Ms. Tōjō earlier.
Since moving to the central circuit, Oguri Cap has raced twice: the Crocus Stakes and the Kyodo News Hai. Both races were at the Tokyo Racecourse, and this Hyacinth Stakes is also at the Tokyo Racecourse.
(She doesn't have enough prize money to break into the classic route... but if she keeps racing continuously, she'll get tired... so they decided to race her at the Tokyo Racecourse where the travel burden is almost zero.)
Ms. Tōjō must have bet on the high probability of Oguri Cap racing here based on her two previous races and the intervals between them, which is why she entered El Condor Pasa. I don't know why she wanted El Condor Pasa to race, but I understand the reason why Ms. Tōjō thought Oguri Cap would be here.
Unlike Ms. Tōjō, the reason I didn't consider Oguri Cap being here was simple: not only has she raced on turf twice in a row, but I would never force my horse girl to do that.
Urara also needs to earn prize money to aim for the G1 dirt races, but I wouldn't race her every two weeks. Even if I did, I wouldn't race her three times in a row. I thought that doing so would cause Urara to get tired and lead to an injury.
Oguri Cap's trainer, however, was okay with that. To be more precise, they may have judged that racing in a dirt open race would not cause much fatigue.
That's because, unlike turf races, the field is thin. If they thought Oguri Cap could win easily, it makes sense that she would show up for this Hyacinth Stakes.
If she can win easily and earn prize money without getting tired, it's very plausible that they would give the go-ahead. But—
(They probably didn't expect El Condor Pasa, but Oguri Cap's trainer must have thought that even if she was tired, she could still win against my Urara... Is that what's going on...?)
There are only a few dirt races for classic-level horse girls. It should have been easy to predict that Urara, who won her maiden race last year, would show up here.
And yet, they still decided to race here, because they thought they could win easily against Urara.
"O-Onii-sama? Are you... angry?"
As I gnashed my teeth, Rice, who had been gently tapping my thigh with her tail, timidly asked me. Her voice brought me back to my senses. I let out a deep breath and stroked Rice's head to calm myself down.
"Not at you, Rice... Yes, that's right."
Of course, it's possible that I'm just mistaken. But if I believe Ms. Tōjō's words, the possibility of Oguri Cap being here was very high.
As I held back my anger, Urara, who had just finished her display at the paddock, came running over to the fence.
"Trainer! The strategy is the same as always, right?"
"...Yes, it's the same as always. Be careful not to get injured and make a late charge."
"Okay! Got it!"
When I answered, Urara ran off happily. If it were Rice in the race, I'd have her mark El Condor Pasa or Oguri Cap and make a late charge to win, but Urara isn't that skilled. I haven't trained her to that level.
As I was thinking, I saw Urara and El Condor Pasa talking to each other seemingly in a friendly way. Both Urara and El Condor Pasa were smiling, and they exchanged words as if they weren't about to compete in a race.
(I know they're friends because Urara said so, but...)
It's normal for Urara to be her usual self, but what I can sense from El Condor Pasa is...余裕? (composure/leeway) Did she also think she could win this race easily, just like Oguri Cap?
What kind of result would that bring? The race began in no time.
"The ninth race at the Tokyo Racecourse is the Hyacinth Stakes, a dirt open race held under a clear winter sky. The distance is 1600 meters, and there are 10 horse girls in the race. The track condition is listed as good."
"This is the first classic-level dirt race of the year. However, the number of participants is a bit low at 10."
The sound of the fanfare rang out. As I listened to the commentary, I nodded to myself. The participation of El Condor Pasa was truly unexpected, so maybe other trainers avoided a showdown with Oguri Cap, or, to pat myself on the back, with Urara.
"Next up is Entry 5, El Condor Pasa. This horse girl is undefeated in two races and is the number one favorite."
"As a horse girl from Team Rigil, fans' expectations are very high. I'm looking forward to seeing if she can deliver."
El Condor Pasa, in an odd-numbered lane, entered the gate third, and the cheers from the crowd were immense. Being the number one favorite means she has a lot of expectations on her.
"Next is Entry 7, Oguri Cap. She was a member of the Kasamatsu Training Center but moved to the central circuit this year."
"Like El Condor Pasa, she's already won two races since moving to the central circuit, and her last race was a G3 win in the Kyodo News Hai. Her record is outstanding, but there must have been some concern about whether she could perform just as well on dirt, which is why she's only the number three favorite."
After El Condor Pasa, Oguri Cap entered the gate. She still had that same blank look.
"Next up is Entry 2, Haru Urara. Last year, she set a race record on this course in a maiden race. She's smiling and waving to the spectators as she enters the gate."
"And she's the number two favorite, just slightly behind El Condor Pasa. Will her last race be a fluke, or will she show us the grit of a horse girl with a record? Let's look forward to it."
A "fluke"—I don't think you can set a record by chance. Or maybe she's being underestimated because it was a race record in a maiden race that she took multiple attempts to win.
With the outermost lane left, the horse girls entered the gates, from odd-numbered to even-numbered lanes. A huge cheer went up when Urara waved to the crowd. Urara gave them a huge smile and then entered the gate.
All the horse girls are now in the gate, and the preparations are complete. The unique tension just before a race filled the racecourse. The crowd fell silent.
"All horse girls in the gate—and they're off!"
The gates opened with a bang. The 10 horse girls shot out of the gates at once.
Urara is in lane 2, which is an inner lane, a more favorable starting position compared to El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap. So, what's going to happen?
"The horse girls all had a clean start. Taking the lead first is Entry 1, Ephemeron, followed by Entry 9, Sunny Weather. About a length behind them are Entry 5, El Condor Pasa, Entry 4, Green Chouchou, and Entry 7, Oguri Cap. Another length behind them are Entry 2, Haru Urara, Entry 3, Blitz Eclair, Entry 8, Straight Bullet, and Entry 6, Colosseo Fight. In last place is Entry 10, Jewel Malachite."
"That was a very clean start. The Hyacinth Stakes is 1600 meters, so after the long straight from the start, once they turn the corner, it's a straight shot to the finish line. The key will be when to make their move."
This is a left-handed course. The start is on a turf course, but they quickly move onto the dirt course and run a straight of nearly 600 meters. After turning the third and fourth corners, there's a straight of about 500 meters.
The course's undulations aren't that big. They'll have to run up a gentle slope for about 300 meters on the final straight, but the elevation change is only a little over two meters, which won't be a problem for Urara. From there, it's a 200-meter flat straight to the finish.
"Entry 1, Ephemeron, who took the lead, and Entry 9, Sunny Weather, are slightly behind and have a big lead on the rest of the field. The gap to the third place is about six to seven lengths. They're running at a good pace."
"El Condor Pasa, Haru Urara, and Oguri Cap have powerful late charges. They probably want to get as far ahead as possible."
"Following the two leaders, El Condor Pasa is in third, Oguri Cap has moved up to fourth, and then Green Chouchou, Haru Urara, Straight Bullet, Colosseo Fight, Blitz Eclair, and Jewel Malachite. The field is stretched out."
Are the two horse girls at the front really wary of Urara and the others, as the commentators say? It's too early to make a move, but maybe they have the stamina to maintain a lead for the entire mile.
(If so, that's what makes it an open race... The level is completely different from a maiden race.)
Watching the horse girls' movements, I can see that each one is making small tactical moves. To pass, to drop back, or to maintain their position. Only El Condor Pasa, Oguri Cap, and Urara seem to be running without a care for the other horse girls.
(Oguri Cap's expression has changed...? So she's the type to get into a zone during a race?)
Oguri Cap, who seemed to be in a daze before the race, has a completely different expression now. She's full of fighting spirit, though not as much as Rice, and she seems to be watching for an opening in front of her.
"They've passed the 1000-meter mark. Ephemeron, in the lead, has entered the third corner. Sunny Weather is right behind her."
"That's... a slightly fast pace."
For a 1600-meter dirt race at the Tokyo Racecourse, the time is usually around 1 minute and 35 to 40 seconds. The pace of the leaders... it's not a record, but as the commentator said, it's a bit fast.
"The rest of the field is also entering the third corner... and, oh! El Condor Pasa in third place is making her move! She's picking up the pace and closing the gap to the leaders! Oguri Cap, perhaps spurred on by this, is also picking up the pace!"
"They're taking the turn beautifully... They're not just maintaining their pace, they're increasing it. What powerful legs!"
Despite being on a corner, El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap have increased their speed. It's not a full-on final spurt, but they're closing the gap to the leaders. When I saw that, I checked on Urara and nodded.
(Good, she's not getting carried away... Urara has enough stamina for 1600 meters, and the final straight is almost 500 meters long. It's not time to make her move yet, Urara.)
Urara is also slowly picking up the pace, but it's not a sudden burst of speed like El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap. She's accurately increasing her speed, balancing her remaining energy and the remaining distance.
Urara learned this skill thanks to Rice. As I watched Urara run, I stroked Rice's head, who was standing beside me.
"O-Onii-sama!?"
"Urara's showing the results of her training with you, Rice. Look, she's in a good position. It's all thanks to you."
If it was just Urara and me, I wouldn't have been able to teach her the finer points of racing. But Rice, who has won two G1s, is far more experienced than Urara. The fact that Rice has the ability to run alongside her, train with her, and point out her mistakes is something I'm very grateful for.
"They've passed the 600-meter mark, and the first to come out of the fourth corner is Ephemeron! The gap to Sunny Weather in second is two lengths, but El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap are right behind her! Haru Urara is in fifth, three lengths behind them!"
"The rest of the field is about five lengths behind Haru Urara. They're about ten lengths behind the leaders, but will any of them be able to come up on the final straight?"
"Now, it's the final straight! The 400-meter mark is approaching! Oh, there she is! Haru Urara! The horse girl who set the record is now accelerating all at once!"
(It's a little early, but did she decide it was time to make her move?)
As soon as she entered the final straight, Urara accelerated all at once. I thought it was a bit early, but Urara must have judged it was the right time to make her move. She must have felt that if she didn't make a move now, it would be a problem.
"Haru Urara is accelerating rapidly! But El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap have also started their final spurt! They've passed the 400-meter mark on the slope! Ephemeron is still in the lead, but she's getting tired! The gap to the rest of the field has—it's gone! El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap are side-by-side, and they're passing her!"
At the 400-meter mark, going up the slope, El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap finally took the lead. Their speed was tremendous, and they quickly put distance between themselves and the rest of the field.
"But here she comes! Another one from behind! Haru Urara is moving up! She's passed the fading Ephemeron and is closing the gap to the leaders! What about the others? They've just passed the 400-meter mark!"
Because she started her spurt earlier, Urara reached her top speed first. She's catching up to El Condor Pasa and Oguri Cap, and now, they're side-by-side.
"Haru Urara has caught up! Can she pass them? They've just passed the 200-meter mark! From here on out, it's a flat straight! Who will cross the finish line first!?"
El Condor Pasa must have been flustered that Urara caught up. She accelerated to try and pull away. Oguri Cap did the same, but the one who caught up has a psychological advantage over the one who was caught up to.
Now, it's a test of stamina and willpower to maintain that speed to the finish line. And Urara has been trained well enough in both of those things with Rice.
"Go, Uraraaaaaaah!"
"Do your best! Urara-chan!"
Rice and I cheer her on. The crowd is also cheering at the top of their lungs for the three of them in this thrilling dead heat.
"100 meters to go! No one has pulled ahead yet—"
At that moment, I saw Oguri Cap's mouth move slightly. It was a short word, and I couldn't hear it, but I felt like I definitely heard what Oguri Cap said.
—"All out."
That's the voice I heard.
"What!?"
I couldn't believe my eyes. Oguri Cap, who was already in a final spurt and competing, changed her aura and suddenly accelerated with an explosive force, kicking up the sand behind her.
(She can accelerate even more from there!?)
My eyes widened in astonishment.
A second, or a second stage of acceleration, like a multi-stage rocket. With that, Oguri Cap pulled away from Urara and El Condor Pasa all at once and took the lead. She ran low to the ground, almost gliding, and sped away.
"What is this!? She's pulled away! Oguri Cap has pulled away! Oguri Cap, who was in a final spurt, has pulled away even further from El Condor Pasa and Haru Urara!?"
"I... am shocked."
The commentator was excited, and the analyst was in a daze.
"Oguri Cap! She's first across the finish line! The second-place race is three lengths behind between El Condor Pasa and Haru Urara! Who will pull ahead first—El Condor Pasa! El Condor Pasa is slightly ahead and crosses the finish line! Haru Urara is in third!"
As I listened to the commentator, I looked at Oguri Cap in a daze. She still had plenty of energy. She wasn't even breathing heavily after crossing the finish line. El Condor Pasa and Urara were panting, but Oguri Cap was just pressing her stomach with her hand.
"She's a great one, Oguri Cap."
"Ms. Tōjō..."
As I was looking at Oguri Cap, Ms. Tōjō, who had come up beside me, spoke to me. But she was looking at El Condor Pasa and nodded as if she understood something.
"I thought she had a 30% chance of winning, but she still couldn't win. And, if Oguri Cap wasn't here, Haru Urara might have made the late charge and won."
"...But the result is everything. My Urara... lost."
She said that Urara might have won, but it was that final burst of speed in the last few dozen meters that made the difference. Urara made her final spurt early and accelerated, but El Condor Pasa had another gear from there. Although compared to Oguri Cap's performance, she was a bit lacking.
"El... She's a horse girl born in America. She hopes to race overseas in the future. America or France... It depends on which race she enters, but if she goes to America, dirt will be the main event."
"..."
I looked at Ms. Tōjō with a puzzled expression. What is she talking about all of a sudden...?
"As her trainer, I want to expand her potential as much as possible. For that, I believe it's also important to lose to a strong horse girl, like she did today."
"You said she had a 30% chance of winning, but you had her race knowing she might lose...?"
"There are no absolutes in a race. El might have won... But she lost. That's all that matters."
After saying that, Ms. Tōjō looked away from El Condor Pasa and looked at me.
"You've got the face of a proper trainer for a rookie. But since you started training a strong horse girl like Rice Shower all of a sudden, you seem to have lost some of your desperation."
"..."
The words were a surprise, and I was speechless. Ms. Tōjō looked at me squarely, then shifted her gaze to Urara, who was smiling and waving to the crowd.
"The way you've trained Haru Urara, and the bond of trust you have with your horse girls, you're doing an amazing job for a trainer who's about to start her second year. However..."
Ms. Tōjō's gaze on Urara sharpened.
"I believe that caring for them and being overprotective are two completely different things. And I also think that your desperation back then when you were running with Haru Urara in the middle of summer to keep her motivated... that was also important."
"...You saw that?"
"Yes. Now then... How much of a loss you can turn into a learning experience for your horse girl also depends on the trainer's skill."
With that final word, Ms. Tōjō left. I couldn't say a thing to her retreating back.
(...I lost. A complete defeat.)
Not just to Oguri Cap and El Condor Pasa, but I lost to Ms. Tōjō as a trainer. I never thought I could reach her level as a trainer, but to even have a loss woven into her training plan was a mindset I didn't have.
She's a tough person—but she also truly cares about El Condor Pasa.
I thought I had trained Urara and Rice and sent them out to race with complete faith in them. I never once considered making them lose to a rival to toughen them up.
Of course, the difference in our training philosophies and the personalities of the horse girls we're training have a lot to do with it. But, making your horse girl lose for the sake of their growth is not something many people can do.
And the reason she went out of her way to talk to me must have been her way of cheering on a rookie trainer like me, who started my own team.
I was watching Ms. Tōjō's back, and I saw her call out to El Condor Pasa, who was walking back after the race.
Ms. Tōjō exchanged a few words with the dejected-looking El Condor Pasa, and El Condor Pasa's expression grew much stronger. She must have made her accept the loss and encouraged her to get back up.
(It truly is a complete defeat...)
As Urara came running toward me with a smile and a wave, I was racking my brain, trying to figure out what to say to her.
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