Overall, Kentucky Tracen Academy wasn't all that different from other Tracens. It had a couple dedicated tracks for the umamusume to run in, several in-door gyms scattered across the academy grounds, a large basketball field for the umamusume to play in, and a decently-sized cafeteria that provided lunch and dinner for the students.
If there was something that was missing, it was the fact that Kentucky Tracen didn't have a statue of the Three Goddesses. Which, in the grand scheme of things, didn't really matter much. But considering what I knew about this world, having a Tracen that didn't pay homage to the Three Goddess felt…strange.
That aside, the whole tour lasted about an hour or so, and during that I got a full view of the students' everyday lives. And as I'd expected, the school was filled with a youthful vigor—all the students here were simultaneously peers and rivals, racing against one another for their own reasons.
Of course, I inevitably attracted eyes as the tour went on. Not only was I walking alongside Wayne Lukas, who was basically this Tracen's version of Tazuna, but my recent win in the [Santa Anita Handicap] wasn't small news either.
Surprisingly, no one actually stepped up and asked me for a run. I was half-expecting that to happen from the very first moment I stepped into the academy, but it never happened. Maybe having Wayne with me was warding off most students? I wasn't sure, but I didn't really feel like asking either.
「I believe that concludes our tour around the Tracen.」He said, as we eventually found ourselves at the bleachers placed next to one of the two Dirt tracks in the academy.
I nodded.「Quite the fine establishment.」I said genuinely.「And I must thank you for spending your time bringing me around.」I bowed slightly.「I do apologize if my arrival has interrupted anything. I know that this visit was rather sudden.」
「There's no need for apologies, Ms. Blossom.」Wayne smiled proudly.「With someone like Secretariat around, it is a requirement for all of us to be ready at all times.」
My smile twitched.「You make her sound like some sort of cryptid.」
He raised an eyebrow, his smile amused.「Is she not?」
I opened my mouth for a moment, before I shrugged.「I guess you aren't wrong.」
Just then, I heard some commotion happening nearby, and my ears twitched as I turned towards the track. I blinked when I saw a group umamusume step onto the track, with dozens others cheering for them as they stood just outside the track.「A practice race?」I whispered, unconsciously finding my eyes drawn.
Wayne smiled.「Indeed, and from the looks of it, it's a race between a few umamusume who've only recently made their debuts.」
I hummed softly as my eyes went from one runner to the next, analyzing them as best as I could. And while I wasn't as observant as Belno, I could at least pick out a few bits of information about the runners as a whole.
Like how most of them seemed nervous, with how their tails were swaying erratically. Or how none of them stood the same way as another, with each runner having begun developing their own running style. And how I was somewhat confident that the black-haired umamusume would win, considering how she seemed the most prepared compared to the others-
…wait, black hair?
I frowned slightly as I focused in on her, and my eyes widened.
"Manhattan Cafe…?" I accidentally whispered in Japanese, before I realized that was impossible. I was over a decade behind the start of Cafe's career, which meant that she was probably still a child by this point.
Not only that, but the more I looked, the more I noticed subtle differences. Her hair was black and long like Cafe's, but those black locks were a lot wilder, with some strands looking frazzled or curved. Her arms and legs were much more muscular compared to Cafe's relatively slim figure. And though it was hard to see, her eyes seemed to be blood red, instead of Cafe's dull yellow.
And then, just as the runners kicked forward, I finally understood.
「If I may ask,」I began, watching as the runners raced forward.「But is that black-haired student called Sunday Silence?」
Wayne blinked as he heard my question, before he slowly nodded.「I…believe she is, yes.」He turned to me, his gaze now intrigued.「You know of her?」
I nodded.「I have, yeah. Watched her Debut Race and found her interesting.」I gave him a wry smile.「It's one of the reasons for my visit here, actually.」
I wasn't lying, either. Just a few hours before my flight from Virginia to Kentucky, one of the maids had somehow procured a tape of Sunday Silence's Debut Race—a thought I'd absent-mindedly mentioned to Secretariat when she asked me why I wanted to visit this Tracen in the first place.
「Oh? That's quite the praise, Ms. Blossom」His eyes narrowed, now fully invested.「If I may be so bold, do you think she has the talent to flourish?」
I glanced at him for a moment, before I turned back to the race that was happening down at the track.「I do, yes.」I said confidently.「Her debut might not be particularly incredible compared to others, but I believe-, no, I know she will get far. And who knows?」I smiled mysteriously.「Perhaps she might even stand a chance in the legs of the Triple Crown.」
Of course, my confidence wasn't unfounded. My knowledge about real-world horse racing was patchworked from all sorts of Umamusume lore, but I knew that she was a Dual Crown Winner, having won the [Kentucky Derby] and the [Preakness Stakes]. And while he didn't achieve the Triple Crown, he still won many other races, and was eventually awarded as the U.S. Champion in 1989.
Hearing my confidence, Wayne's eyes gleaned as he turned back to the race. The runners were approaching the 1000-meter finish line, with none of them particularly leading the pack.
At least, until a black phantom suddenly surged forward, and with a powerful kick, Sunday Silence surged forward, literally leaving the other runners in the dust. A few other runners began their final spurt as well, but it was too late. In the end, she won the practice race by a lead of just over 2 lengths.
Overall, though it wasn't the cleanest victory, it was still clear that Sunday Silence was the best from the group.
「Fascinating.」Wayne whispered as a smile grew across his lips. His excitement was clear to see, and at that moment, he looked like he was seconds away from making Sunday Silence his own trainee.「Ah, but that'd be impossible, wouldn't it…?」He then slouched in defeat, realizing that Sunday Silence already had her own trainer.
I couldn't help but smile slightly.「Well, you could always ask her trainer for their opinion.」I offered.
Wayne blinked, surprised that I'd somehow understood his thoughts, before he nodded.「Hmm, you're not wrong. I guess there's no harm in doing so.」
I nodded, and I opened my mouth to speak before I felt a strange feeling pass through me. I didn't really know how to describe it—it felt like a strange pulse of electricity had coursed through my veins.
And my eyes widened slightly as my System spoke.
[The Destined Fate trembles…]
「Oh my.」Wayne said, his smile slightly amused.「I'm afraid we've been spotted, Ms. Blossom」
I subtly swiped the floating panel away, and only then realized that all the umamusume who'd gathered at the track had turned our way. Most of them quickly realized who I was, and I could faintly hear their surprised whispers. The runners who'd recently returned were similarly surprised, though they also seemed embarrassed that I'd been watching them.
But Sunday Silence quickly stood out, with how her eyes stared at me, her blood red eyes drilling into mine.
Unconsciously, my lips turned up to a small smirk.
Wayne chuckled as he glanced at me.「Well, I'd know those eyes anywhere.」He said, before he not-so-subtly asked.「Since we're already here, perhaps you would be willing to have a demonstration?」
And though I didn't really plan on running today, I found myself nodded.「I don't mind. Might as well do somethin' since I'm already here.」I turned back to him.「Though I might need to-」The rest of my words fell away when I saw the gym clothes Wayne had pulled out from somewhere.
He smiled proudly.「You need not worry, Ms. Blossom. These clothes are perfectly suited to your size.」
I stared for a good moment, before I sighed.「This is Secretariat's doing, isn't it?」I asked, and I groaned slightly as I saw his amused smile.「Ah, fine.」I took the clothes from him, and I slung them over my shoulders as I prepared to head out.「Would you mind telling Ms. Silence to wait for a moment. I'll be back soon.」
He nodded.「That I will.」
I nodded back, and I went off to quickly change my clothes for my upcoming practice race.