『Approaching the year's end at Oi Racecourse. Under a clear winter sky, the 10th race is about to take place, the Grade I Tokyo Daishoten, a 2000-meter dirt race. The track condition has been announced as "Good."』
『As the last G1 of the Twinkle Series to be held this year, Oi Racecourse has been packed since morning. The URA has announced that the number of fans gathered, including outside the racecourse, has exceeded 600,000 and is approaching 700,000. They said they honestly can't count any more than that.』
A fanfare echoed through the Oi Racecourse, and the commentator and analyst each spoke.
(700,000... No wonder the cheers are this loud.)
When the fanfare sounded, cheers erupted not only from the stands but also from outside the Oi Racecourse. I couldn't help but smile wryly at the sheer volume of the cheers.
The Tokyo Daishoten is a 2000-meter right-handed course. The starting position is near the exit of the fourth corner, so it's on the right side from the stands. From there, they run a full lap and head for the finish line set up just before the first corner.
The Oi Racecourse has no elevation changes, so there's no need to consider stamina consumption on uphill or downhill slopes. The length of the home stretch and the backstretch is the same, and the corners are also the same.
It's a course that Urara has run many times, so she's used to it. But it's the same for the other Uma Musume, so the conditions are even.
The Uma Musume are gathered beyond the gates at the starting position, and after being introduced one by one, they enter the gates. It's starting with the odd-numbered ones, so Urara is the third.
『Lane 3, number 5, Haru Urara. First favorite.』
『Her first-place finish in the Champions Cup the other day must have had an effect. She's the first favorite, ahead of Smart Falcon. Will she be able to live up to the expectations? I'm so excited.』
The analyst commented in an excited voice. And following that, a huge cheer erupted from the stands.
How many tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of people are cheering for Urara? If you include the fans cheering in front of their TVs, it might even exceed 1 million.
In response to the cheers, Urara jumped up and down with a smile and waved to the stands with both hands. Her gestures made the fans cheer even louder.
Urara, wearing her cute racing outfit and the ear covers I gave her for the Christmas party the other day, entered the gate. And the moment she entered the gate, Urara's atmosphere completely changed and became serious.
(Urara...)
Looking at Urara, I called her name in my heart. It's difficult to express my current state of mind in a single word. Happiness, pride, a little bit of sadness. Various emotions are mixed and filling my heart.
『Lane 6, number 11, Slein. Third favorite.』
『She finished second in the Champions Cup the other day, ahead of Smart Falcon. This girl has a top-class ability among the current dirt Uma Musume. Will she finally surpass her rivals and take first place today? Let's have high hopes.』
Slein waved at the stands, then took a deep breath with her hand on her chest. Then she slowly but surely entered the gate, and her face became determined, looking straight ahead.
『Lane 3, number 6, Smart Falcon. Second favorite.』
『She may have yielded the first favorite to Haru Urara, but she's by no means inferior in popularity or ability. Her record against Haru Urara is 3 wins and 3 losses in 6 races, a perfect tie. Will the score be settled in today's Tokyo Daishoten, or will the other Uma Musume get in the way? I'd like to pay attention to that as well.』
Smart Falcon posed with a smile towards the stands. And when a huge cheer came back, her smile deepened, and she gave a flying kiss before entering the gate.
As expected of her, there's no sign of tension. On the contrary, the more attention she gets, the more momentum she seems to gain.
A long time has passed since Urara met Smart Falcon and lost to her. Urara has lost to other Uma Musume as well, but Smart Falcon is still her biggest rival.
She lost to Smart Falcon and learned how difficult it is to win a race.
She lost to Smart Falcon and cried tears of frustration.
She lost to Smart Falcon and came to truly wish to win a race.
Urara is going to settle the score with Smart Falcon in this race today.
The gates are all filled, and the sound is gradually disappearing from the Oi Racecourse. So that they don't make a sound, so that they don't disturb the race that's about to begin, the spectators close their mouths and stare at the gates with sparkling eyes.
『All Uma Musume have entered the gates... And they've started!』
And with a bang, the gates opened, and Urara and the others all dashed out at once.
『All Uma Musume got off to a clean start. The first one to take the lead is number 6, Smart Falcon. She's running forward like a textbook start. She's followed by number 4, Heart Caesar, and number 8, Yggdrasil Valley. Behind them are number 2, Mini Daisy, number 3, Fife Rhythm, number 9, Gold Shushu, number 5, Haru Urara, number 10, Shorty Shot, and number 16, On Stage Review.』
『Wow, what a clean start. All the Uma Musume were focused.』
『Following them are number 1, Heart of Sweet, number 12, Mini Lotus, number 14, Marin Seagull, and number 15, Aqua Lake, who are running side by side. Following them are number 7, Local Stream, number 11, Slein, and number 13, Luminous Escudo, who are at the back.』
The sound of the Uma Musume running on the course, the cheers of the spectators, and the voices of the commentator and analyst. While soaking in all of that, Urara and the other Uma Musume ran on the dirt.
They're all serious, they all want to win, and they're all running with all their might. Watching them, I put my hand on my chest and gripped my clothes tightly.
Various emotions come to my mind. And in my head, I recall the first time I met Urara.
『Aww! Is the race over already?!』
When I first met her, Urara was an Uma Musume who participated in mock races, always finished last, and was not scouted by any team or trainer.
And I, at that time, was a half-baked... no, a human being who couldn't even be called a trainer, just someone who had a trainer's license and didn't know what it meant to raise an Uma Musume.
『Whoa! Amazing! You're a trainer! Then I want you to scout me!』
When I told her I was a trainer, Urara asked me to scout her. And she told me her name, Haru Urara, a name that even I, who knew little about horse racing in my previous life, knew. I can still vividly remember that moment.
Hey, Urara, do you remember? And would you believe me?
If I told you that the girl from back then is now, on this grand stage of the Tokyo Daishoten, racing to win her sixth G1, to beat her rival, and to give me a victory as a present, would you believe me?
『It was so much fun! Running is so much fun!』
When I first met her, took her on, and had her run to see how amazing that Haru Urara was... her legs were surprisingly slow.
She could barely run a short-distance race, her time was slow, and she would forget about training and work as a vendor in the shopping street... But Urara was always smiling.
『The leading Smart Falcon is leaving the first straight and entering the first corner. Her pace is amazing. She's running as if to get away from the other front-runners.』
『In the Champions Cup, it seemed she ran out of stamina at the end... But what about today? It's 200 meters longer than the Champions Cup, but there are no hills. I wonder how that will affect her...』
I narrowed my eyes as I watched Urara running towards the first corner, leaving the home stretch behind. I stared at her back as she got further away.
『Hee... amazing, amazing! Trainer, you're like a trainer!』
I recall Urara's excited expression when she said that.
I went to a trainer's school, got my central and local trainer's licenses, and was assigned to Tracen Academy... Even though I had yet to accomplish anything, just meeting an Uma Musume named Haru Urara made me feel like a full-fledged trainer.
But Urara, you walked with me, a person who was only like a trainer. We walked together, in a three-legged race, slowly but surely, one step at a time, moving forward.
---You're the one who made me a trainer.
On that day, at that time, in that place. If it wasn't you who met me, what would I be doing now? Would I be working as a sub-trainer for some other trainer or team? I don't know now.
I'm sure I wouldn't have become who I am now. I think I would've lived as a person who was just like a trainer, someone with just a trainer's license. Or maybe I would've left Tracen Academy early on.
『Number 6, Smart Falcon, is running at a light pace. That's a good pace. Four lengths behind, number 4, Heart Caesar, and number 8, Yggdrasil Valley, are fighting for second place. Two lengths behind them, number 2, Mini Daisy, number 3, Fife Rhythm, number 5, Haru Urara, number 10, Shorty Shot, number 9, Gold Shushu, and number 16, On Stage Review, are following.』
『The Uma Musume are also turning the corners beautifully. They're running skillfully with barely any deceleration.』
『Two lengths behind the leading group, number 1, Heart of Sweet, number 12, Mini Lotus, and number 14, Marin Seagull, are running side by side. A little behind them is number 15, Aqua Lake. Near the back are number 11, Slein, number 7, Local Stream, and number 13, Luminous Escudo.』
The race hasn't even reached the middle yet, but Urara is gradually starting to move up. I couldn't help but smile wryly as I watched her from afar.
The only hardship I had when I started training Urara wasn't just her lack of stamina. Her running form was messy and uncoordinated, she was bad at running corners, she had no idea of saving her legs, and her stamina would run out before she could even think of saving her legs.
That Urara is now running with a beautiful form, positioned well even from a distance, and running without swelling to the outside from the first to the second corner.
I can say with no bias that it's a good run. But it's not something Urara had from the start. It's a running style she learned little by little, a little bit at a time, through her daily training.
I'm also in charge of other Uma Musume, like Rice and King. But Urara is the only one I've raised from the very beginning.
Rice had the speed and stamina to win G1s almost on her own, and above all, the passion to beat Mihono Bourbon.
King had the distance aptitude to run all distances on the turf, a natural sprinter's acceleration, and above all, the determination that never wavered.
But Urara had nothing. All she had was an innocent smile and a cheerful demeanor that allowed her to enjoy any training or race. In terms of Uma Musume talent, she was incomparably worse than Rice or King.
But Urara never stopped smiling, no matter how hard the training was. She never said she was tired, she hated it, or she wanted something easier... no, I think she did say she was tired. And she was often taken care of by King-chan.
But even when she was tired, she was smiling, and it was only in a nuance of having worked up a good sweat. I was also careful, but she never had any serious injuries other than scrapes, cuts, and minor inflammation, and she never even caught a cold.
『The leading Smart Falcon is entering the backstretch. The distance from the front to the back is... about 12... no, maybe 13 or 14 lengths.』
『It doesn't seem like she's going too fast, either. Look at that smile. She looks like she's having too much fun running.』
I watch Smart Falcon running in the lead. Just as the analyst said, Smart Falcon is running with a smile that I've never seen before. Urara, who's running behind Smart Falcon, is also smiling.
In her recent races, she was always serious from the moment she entered the gate until she crossed the finish line, but today, Urara is smiling as if she's truly enjoying the race.
But compared to the Urara of the past, the meaning of that smile is different.
The Urara of the past simply enjoyed running. No matter what kind of training, what kind of race, or what kind of opponent, Urara seemed to be having the time of her life.
She finished 9th out of 9 in her debut race after an accident.
She lost in her first and second races as a maiden.
And in her third maiden race, she won with a new record.
I can still vividly remember the sight of Urara's first winning live concert.
After that, she ran in many different races.
She lost to Oguri Cap and El Condor Pasa in the Hyacinth Stakes.
She lost to Smart Falcon and Taiki Shuttle in the Shoryu Stakes.
In the Tango Stakes, she tried her best to pass the winning baton to Rice, who was challenging the Spring Tenno Sho, and she won.
In her first major race, the Unicorn Stakes, she beat Smart Falcon and Slein.
In her first G1, the Japan Dirt Derby, she lost to Smart Falcon and Oguri Cap.
In the JBC Sprint, she got her first G1 victory.
In last year's Champions Cup, she lost to Smart Falcon again.
And this year, she won the February Stakes, Teio Sho, JBC Ladies' Classic, and Champions Cup.
Urara became stronger and stronger. But she never became arrogant, never wavered, and stayed true to herself.
I'm sure Urara doesn't know how much her attitude and her smile have saved me.
When I was wondering whether to take on Rice, Urara was the first to agree.
When I met King, Urara never objected.
And with Rice and King, she became stronger and stronger.
『The leading Smart Falcon has passed the 1000-meter marker. The time at the 1000-meter mark is... 58.5 seconds.』
『It's slower than in the Champions Cup, but it's still a time you wouldn't expect from a "Good" dirt track. Since there are no hills, I guess you could say she's holding back a little... No, it's strange to say she's holding back with that time.』
『The other Uma Musume are also passing the 1000-meter marker one after another. Four lengths behind in second place is number 4, Heart Caesar. In third place is number 8, Yggdrasil Valley. A little over two lengths behind them, number 5, Haru Urara, has moved up.』
She has already moved up to fourth place at the halfway point. But the gap to Smart Falcon is about 6 and a half lengths. If she continues to run at this pace, I wonder if Urara can catch her at the end.
The smile on Urara's face, who's running on the backstretch, is disappearing. As if she felt that, the smile also disappears from Smart Falcon's face, and they both become serious.
Their expressions told me that the real race begins now, that the last half of the race is the decisive moment.
"Urara-chan! Do your best!"
"If you win today, we'll have carrot hamburgers!"
"I've prepared both meat and carrots!"
Perhaps feeling the change in Urara, a familiar cheer flew from the stands. I don't look at them because I'm watching Urara, but judging from the voices, they must be the people from the shopping street. It seems they came to cheer for her despite the busy year-end season.
The voices cheering for Urara aren't just from the people in the shopping street. Many people are shouting her name, "Haru Urara, do your best," "Haru Urara, do your best."
The sheer volume of cheers is a testament to everything Urara has built up. It's proof that you, Urara, have grown into an Uma Musume that many people wish would win.
『Smart Falcon passes the 600-meter marker and enters the third corner! Is the gap to the pack widening?! No, this Uma Musume is putting a stop to that! Number 5, Haru Urara, has passed number 8, Yggdrasil Valley, and moved up to third place! Yggdrasil Valley, who's in the classic class, is she struggling now?! And Slein has started a long sprint from the back!』
Urara entered the third corner and is running towards the home stretch. Urara's gaze is fixed on the back of Smart Falcon, who's running ahead, and she won't let go.
Looking at Urara, I felt my body trembling. She's working so hard, running with all her might, and so desperately, wanting to win, and she looks so radiant.
By some twist of fate, I was reborn and started with a more fortunate beginning than in my previous life, but I hit a wall. My reason for aiming to become a trainer wasn't pure at first.
I was interested, the pay seemed good, and it was stable. I judged that there weren't many other jobs that were better, and I decided on my future dream out of curiosity and calculation.
I had an impurity in me, that I couldn't say it was because I was purely fascinated by Uma Musume.
But what fascinated me was probably the sight of an Uma Musume named Haru Urara running and smiling.
---And before I knew it, I started to strongly wish to pursue my dream with you, Urara, and to win with you.
『Smart Falcon is entering the final straight while still in the lead! She has already passed the 400-meter marker! Will she run away with it?! But Haru Urara, who moved up to second place, her strongest rival, is closing in from three lengths behind! And even more! Slein is moving up all at once from the back!』
『Now, this is the decisive moment! Only the straight remains! Who will win?!』
Urara and the others are rushing into the home stretch, the final straight. As the ground-shaking sound of their hooves gets closer, the cheers from the stands get even louder.
I took a deep breath, ready to cheer for Urara. I'm willing to have my throat tear, and I'm about to scream with all my might--- but I stop when I see Urara's face.
"...Big brother?"
"Trainer?"
Rice and King looked at me with puzzled voices. But I didn't answer and just smiled wryly.
Oh, damn it, what the heck... I want to see Urara's face clearly, but why? Why is my vision blurring with tears? She hasn't even crossed the finish line yet, but tears are overflowing just from seeing her run.
She's desperate, serious, and working so hard. Her face is screaming that she wants to win, she wants to beat Smart Falcon, she wants to beat her rivals.
『Haru Urara is moving up! With 200 meters left in the straight! Haru Urara is catching up to Smart Falcon's back! But Smart Falcon is running away! She still has energy! Slein is also moving up, as if saying, "Let me in on the fight!"』
I wiped away my tears with the sleeve of my clothes. I want to watch Urara's performance until the very end.
"Win... Urara."
I muttered and took a breath.
"WINNNNNNNNNNNNN! URARAAAAAA!"
And then I screamed. I screamed with all my might, as if to push Urara forward.
"Win! Urara-chan!"
"Win! Urara-san!"
Rice and King also cheered for Urara. Perhaps she heard them, because Urara's body sank for a moment as if to gather herself, then she showed even more acceleration with a louder sound of her hooves.
『Haru Urara has accelerated! But Smart Falcon also accelerates, as if squeezing out her last bit of strength! And right behind them! Slein is closing in to within one length!?! Haru Urara is side by side! Haru Urara is side by side with Smart Falcon! Just a little more to the finish line! What will Haru Urara do?! Will she pass her?!』
Urara accelerates, and Smart Falcon also accelerates. And Slein is rushing in, trying to pass Urara and Smart Falcon, who are running side by side.
Watching the three of them competing, the spectators all stood up and let out a huge cheer. They're all shouting the names of the Uma Musume they're rooting for, desperately wishing that their Uma Musume would cross the finish line before the others.
Urara is desperate, Smart Falcon is desperate, and Slein is desperate. And the other Uma Musume who are chasing them are also desperate.
What was happening was a race that made the hearts and bodies of those watching tremble.
I was so happy and proud that the Uma Musume running such a race was the one I had raised from the beginning, and I wished she would win--- and I smiled.
Win? She will.
---Because, it's Haru Urara, isn't it?
Urara gets just a little bit ahead of Smart Falcon. Right behind her is Slein, but she can't pass her, and Urara remains in the lead.
『Ha-Haru Urara has passed Smart Falcon! She passed her, just barely! And just like that, the finish line!』
I continued to watch her as she crossed the finish line, and I felt tears rolling down my cheeks.
Urara gradually slowed down after crossing the finish line. And as she caught her breath along with Smart Falcon, who was next to her, and Slein, who had caught up, they all looked at each other.
One after another, the Uma Musume from the back crossed the finish line. And within a few seconds after the last one crossed the finish line, the results board lit up.
『The order of finish has been determined. 1st place, number 5, Haru Urara. Winning time is 2:00.2, a new record. 2nd place, number 6, Smart Falcon, by a neck. 3rd place, number 11, Slein, by a nose. 4th place, number 2, Mini Daisy, by 1 length. 5th place, number 4, Heart Caesar, by a half-length.』
For a moment, the sound disappears from the Oi Racecourse. But when the spectators understood what had happened, they all roared a huge cheer.
Not only from the stands, but also from outside the Oi Racecourse, a chorus of voices rose. Some were shouting Urara's name, some were letting out incoherent war cries, and some were wailing.
In the midst of the commotion, Urara raised both of her hands to the sky to show off her victory. She opened her right hand and held up her index finger on her left hand, as if to show her 6th G1 victory.
Her performance brought about even more cheers. Urara was breathing heavily, but she had a big smile on her face.
Smart Falcon hugged Urara, who was smiling so happily, and Slein looked up at the sky with a wry smile. Heart Caesar and Mini Daisy also ran up to Urara, and I could see them patting her on the shoulder to congratulate her, even though they looked disappointed.
Urara smiled genuinely at all the congratulations around her--- and our eyes met.
Then Urara's expression changed to a surprised one for a moment, and her smile crumpled as she started to cry. And for some reason, Urara started running toward me.
"Trainer! I won! I won!"
Urara shouted in a teary voice and jumped over the fence. And since she jumped into my arms with her arms wide open, I also held her tight, crying. I almost fell backward from the impact of an Uma Musume jumping on me... but as if they had anticipated it, Rice and King supported me.
"Urara! Congratulations!"
I hugged Urara and congratulated her in a teary voice just like hers.
She has truly become strong and grown so much. But she hasn't changed in this way. I let Urara, who was hugging me with all her might, do as she pleased and cried with her.
And after the race comes the winning live concert.
I somehow managed to stop Urara's loud crying, who said she had given me a Christmas present, and with the help of Rice and King, I got her ready and sent her off.
I hurried back to the stands with Rice and King and waited for Urara's winning live concert to begin.
It's the winning live concert for the Tokyo Daishoten, the last G1 race of the year. Not a single spectator had gone home; they all remained in their seats, waiting for Urara and the others to appear.
After a few minutes, a stage rose from inside the Oi Racecourse, and I could see Urara and the others in position.
Urara was in the center, and Smart Falcon and Slein were on her left and right. When I saw that, I felt my tears, which had just stopped, start to overflow again.
"Oh, my... Trainer, aren't you crying too much?"
"That's not true, King-chan. Rice is so happy she's crying, too. Right, big brother?"
King said with a wry smile, seeing me start to cry again. Rice protested against King, but King's voice was soft because there were tears in her eyes as well.
I mean, Urara is standing in the center and dancing! She won against Smart Falcon in their head-to-head record and is in the winning live concert! Of course, I'm going to cry!
But still, I wiped away my tears. It's Urara's winning live concert. I can't watch it with a blurry vision.
That's what I thought.
"Agh...!"
Tears overflowed as I watched Urara sing and dance. It's not the first time I've seen Urara's winning live concert. I've seen it many times before, but today, my tear ducts are just too fragile.
Since I was assigned to Tracen Academy, I've run with Urara in her junior, classic, and senior years.
I don't know if she'll continue to run in the senior class next year, if the URA will tell her to advance to the Dream Series, or if she'll go to the overseas.
I won't know until the future comes, but the path I've walked with Urara will never change. That's the one thing that will never change.
Urara is the first Uma Musume I've raised from the beginning in my career as a trainer. Watching her sing and dance with a smile, I thought to myself.
I will never forget the sight of this winning live concert. Along with her run in the race, it's a treasure I'll cherish for the rest of my life.
『Trainer!』
In the middle of the song, in the brief moment when the music broke, Urara shouted.
My eyes met Urara's, who had her usual smile but also a somewhat sad, mature expression. When she saw me, she smiled while shedding tears.
『I made it this far! Thank you!』
Those words were similar to the ones I heard at the winning live concert when she won her first G1 in the JBC Sprint last year.
When I heard those words, I smiled wryly and thought, "She's a handful."
She really is a handful... How many times does she want to break my tear ducts? I wanted to watch her sing and dance until the very end.
I smiled wryly at my rapidly blurring vision and thought that.
And so, the Tokyo Daishoten that Urara challenged, the last race she challenged this year, came to a close.
---And three months passed.
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