"Haaaaaaah..." A massive yawn escaped Rampage.
"You look exhausted. Stay up late?"
"Took those kids in last night, and Fine was way more energetic than usual... kept hyperventilating about making new friends..."
After the press conference, Rampage had invited Tachyon's group to stay overnight at his place. Naturally, he had handled all the coordination himself... though their families had been excessively apologetic about the whole arrangement. As the head of the house, it wasn't something he could just dump on the head of his security detail, so there was no getting around it.
"Plus, they were completely wired after watching Brian's run. I lost count of how many times they replayed the recording... They kept pestering me for my breakdown of the race. I would've shot Tachyon down, but I couldn't say no with Pocket and Cafe staring at me with those pure, wide-eyed idolizing looks..."
"Adults gotta protect their pride in front of kids," Suzuki chuckled, handing over a drink. "Got some canned coffee if you want one."
"I'll take it."
Sipping the coffee provided by Trainer Sakahara, Rampage turned his gaze toward the turf. There, running with noticeably more fire than usual, was Maya.
"Look at Mayaya go. That's a damn good face she's making."
"No kidding. That's definitely a expression you'd never see back when I was managing her on my own," Sakahara agreed.
"Maybe Brian's interview hit the mark more than we thought."
Suzuki could only nod. On national television, Brian had singled out Mayano Top Gun as her next target, stating how much she looked forward to facing her on the same stage. For Maya, who had desperately wanted to prove herself against Brian in their mock races, those words were absolute high-octane fuel.
"And up next is the G1... the Hopeful Stakes."
"It's... finally here, huh..." Sakahara murmured, soaking in the moment, while Suzuki's voice trembled slightly.
Suzuki was still a rookie and wasn't her primary trainer. Though he led coaching sessions for specific routines within Team Pleiades, this effectively marked his very first challenge at the G1 level.
"Sakahara-san, this isn't your first G1, is it?"
"I've been a trainer for ten years now, so I've taken a few shots at it. My best result so far... was 4th in the Derby, I think."
"Placing on the board in the Derby? That's incredible!"
"Not really. Considering that's literally the pinnacle of my career, it just shows my limits."
Sakahara was a mid-tier veteran—highly respected for his stable methods, but never quite able to seize the ultimate prize. He produced solid results in G2 and G3 races, but G1 was a different beast entirely. Becoming a 'G1 Trainer' remained his ultimate dream.
"What are you two getting so worked up for?" Rampage snorted, looking at them in contrast. "It's not like you're the ones running out there. Just relax. Look at Minami—guy was cool as a cucumber."
"You're a rookie trainer yourself, so where do you get off being this relaxed?"
"Probably because every race I've stepped into since joining has been a G1? If anything, this low-stakes atmosphere feels nostalgic to me."
"Right, I forgot about your ridiculous track record. Still, nerves are normal. I'm sure even Minami-san felt it."
"Even if you do, don't let it show on your face," Rampage said, his tone turning grounded. "From a runner's perspective, seeing your trainer lose their cool just breeds anxiety. At the end of the day, winning or losing is on the runner. All we gotta do is trust everything we've built up to today and stand tall like a rock."
"...I'll be damned. Getting a lecture on trainer posture from a newbie..." Sakahara chuckled softly.
It brought back memories of Sakahara's early days as an assistant, learning under the grand veteran, Rokuhira. He had been taught countless lessons, but the most vital one was about maintaining composure.
'Listen close: even if you're panicking inside, swallow it whole. If we lose our cool, who are the girls supposed to trust? A race is a lonely battle. That's why we have to be their anchor. Even when they doubt themselves, knowing their trainer believes in them is what gives them the strength to push through.'
A trainer must always remain calm. If the Horse Girl is the warrior on the field, the trainer is the strategist. A frantic strategist is useless. Even if you're out of plays, keeping a calm face is enough to banish their doubts.
"Old man Rokuhira really knew his stuff," Rampage mused.
" 'Feel free to panic, just don't show it,' huh... Simple enough to say, but insanely hard to do," Suzuki sighed.
"Tell you what: next time you panic, I'm setting up a dinner date between you, me, Su-chan, and my grandmother."
"AS IF I COULD SURVIVE THAT?!"
"Which part—the grandmamma or Su-chan?"
Watching the trainers bantering on the sidelines, Maya's smile deepened as her focus sharpened on the track. She genuinely respected her whole team: Sakahara, whom she affectionately called 'Trainer-chan'; Suzuki, who treated her like a kid but was generous with praise; and Rampage, the core of the team who ran alongside her and shared the secrets of full-body running mechanics without holding back.
Yet, she had been surprised to learn that Sakahara had never won a G1.
(So... Trainer-chan has never won a G1 before...)
A trainer who produces a G1 winner earns the prestigious title of 'G1 Trainer.' In the world of Horse Girl racing, simply winning a Debut race proves high capability, and making it into the Open class is a feat reserved for a tiny fraction. The weight of a G1 title was immense.
'Hey, hey, Trainer-chan! Is there a specific race you really want Maya to win?'
'Hmm... not particularly. As long as you finish your races safe and healthy, I'm happy. If you win on top of that, I'd be thrilled no matter what race it is—even a mock race or a freestyle run.'
'Gosh, you really adore Maya, don't you?! Well, Maya super-duper-loves you too!!'
She recalled that conversation clearly. Her roommate, Tokai Teio, was an overwhelmingly dominant racer who had shared plenty of stories. Maya remembered how deeply moved Teio was by how her own trainer celebrated her G1 victories as if they were his own.
What about Sakahara? If she took a G1, would he celebrate like that? And if... just if she could present him with the ultimate title of Derby Trainer... how happy would he be? Would he finally praise her as a proper, mature lady...?
With a whirlwind of determination surging through her mind, Maya's expression turned fiercely resolute.
"Rampage-saaaan! Let's do a mock race!!"
"Oho! Our star asset is requesting a spar, Main Trainer-san."
"In that case," Sakahara smiled, stepping up, "I'll back Maya and test the tactical counter-measures we've prepared specifically for your running style."
"Ha! Let's see if your little tactics can handle my total breakaway."
The Hopeful Stakes drew near—the final G1 hurdle standing before the Twinkle Series Finals and the Legend Race.
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