A Day at the Races: The Tang-o Stakes and the Spring Tenno Sho
On the day before the Tango Stakes and the Spring Tenno Sho, which were both to be held on Sunday, I was using the Saturday morning to put Urara and Rice through their final paces. As I watched the two of them run on the Tracen Academy training track, I couldn't help but scratch my head.
(I just don't get it... Why is Kiryuin-san running Happy Meek in the Tango Stakes?)
I was so confused by her decision that I tried to talk to her about it, but either she was unavailable, or if I did manage to catch her, she'd quickly slip away, saying she was busy with Happy Meek's training.
Kiryuin-san and I are just colleagues. Considering that Urara and Happy Meek would be competing against each other in the Tango Stakes, we were rivals for the time being. My priority right now was to make sure Urara and Rice won their races.
After the final adjustments in the morning, the plan was to head to Kyoto in the afternoon for an overnight stay. After making sure Urara and Rice were well-rested, we would head to the Kyoto Racecourse for the main event. Still, a question kept swirling in my mind.
(It's true that Happy Meek can run on dirt, so it wouldn't be strange for her to switch to the dirt track... but to do it right after the Satsuki Sho? What's the deal with that?)
Happy Meek had already run five races this year. She had raced in the Yayoi Sho in early March, the Wakaba Stakes in late March, and the Satsuki Sho in early April, all in a row. So I couldn't understand why she would bother to show up for the Tango Stakes in late April.
(Did she not get enough prize money to qualify for the Japan Derby after her 14th place finish in the Satsuki Sho? No, she had more than enough from last year's races, so she doesn't need it. Even if she wanted to be extra sure, Happy Meek's prize money is top-tier for a Classic-grade horse girl... Huh? I really don't get it.)
I couldn't fathom a reason for putting her horse girl through such a punishing schedule or for entering an open dirt race.
Switching to dirt because the turf races were a "demonic realm" of competition might be one approach, but even if that were the case, the priority should be to let Happy Meek rest. At least, that's what I would do. Happy Meek's prize money was enough that she could afford to rest for a while before making a full switch to dirt.
It wasn't my place to interfere in Kiryuin-san's and Happy Meek's affairs, but the situation just didn't sit right with me. However, my own job remained the same.
(Smart Falcon didn't show up... Happy Meek is the only horse girl I'm paying attention to. Of course, I won't let my guard down.)
I watched Urara as she ran alongside Rice. She was in excellent shape—no, you could even say she was in the best shape of her life.
When Urara found out she'd be racing against Happy Meek, she said, "Wow! This is my first time racing Meek-chan in a real race! I'm so excited!" with her usual smile. I hesitated, wondering if I should scold her, but I guess she sensed my change in mood. Urara's expression became serious, and she looked down at her small, clenched fist as she said, "Yeah, I know, Trainer... I'll beat Meek-chan and pass the baton to Rice-chan."
Her words and attitude made me smile, knowing there was nothing more I needed to say.
Rice, on the other hand, had been pushing herself to the absolute limit, thoroughly training her speed. We only had a month since the Osaka Hai, but to her, that was a whole month to prepare.
(Now it's just a matter of how the other horse girls are doing... I'm getting fired up.)
In the Spring Tenno Sho, just like in the Osaka Hai, Toukai Teio and Mejiro McQueen were competing. While Nice Nature from Team Canopus had withdrawn, I couldn't let my guard down because Ikuno Dictus and Matikanetannhauser were still in the race.
And then there was Mejiro Palmer, who had competed against Rice in the Arima Kinen, also scheduled to race. The Classic turf races were a "demonic realm," but the Senior-grade races were full of strong horse girls, too. As a horse girl fan, I was thrilled, but as a trainer, I couldn't afford to celebrate.
But still, you know...
(Rice is going to win the Spring Tenno Sho... I'm going to get my revenge for the Osaka Hai.)
Both Rice and Urara were in peak condition. I had Urara and Rice run just enough so they wouldn't be tired for the next day, and then we got on the Shinkansen we had reserved and headed for Kyoto.
The next day, Kyoto was blessed with a clear, spring-like day. The weather forecast said it would stay sunny all day, making it a perfect day for a race.
The Tango Stakes was scheduled as the 10th race at exactly 3:00 PM, and the Spring Tenno Sho was the 11th race at 3:40 PM. So, in the morning, I had Urara and Rice do some thorough stretching and a light jog on the streets of Kyoto to loosen up their bodies.
After that, I let them eat a light lunch and we traveled to the Kyoto Racecourse in Fushimi Ward. Since they had back-to-back races, I sent Urara and Rice to the waiting room and headed to the paddock—but then...
"Ah..."
Just like me, Kiryuin-san seemed to be there to observe her rivals, and we ran into each other. She let out an awkward sound, averted her gaze from me, and tried to leave the paddock stands.
"Hello, Kiryuin-san. It's been a while since we've met like this when we actually have time to talk."
I smiled and blocked her path. We were rivals today, but there was no law against talking. So I approached her without hesitation.
"Oh, hi..."
Kiryuin-san's eyes darted around nervously, avoiding eye contact. I frowned at her demeanor and walked toward an empty area away from the spectators, beckoning her to follow.
"We arrived in Kyoto yesterday, but what about you, Kiryuin-san?"
"I... I took the Shinkansen in the afternoon. Before that, I was training Meek..."
"...On race day?" I asked skeptically.
I had Urara and Rice run lightly, too, but it was just to warm up their bodies. Running without a proper warm-up could lead to injury, and it was also a way to check on their condition for the day. In the end, I judged that both of them were in top shape.
Of course, it was between Kiryuin-san and Happy Meek, and if she wanted to train her right up to the last minute, that was her business. But considering the time it takes to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen, I couldn't help but think it would just lead to fatigue.
It's unthinkable, but... could she be thinking that even if Happy Meek is a little tired, she can still win?
I was aware that my gaze was growing sharper, but I asked her, stripping my voice of all emotion. "You're not, by any chance, thinking that Happy Meek can win on dirt no matter what condition she's in, are you?"
Knowing Kiryuin-san, I didn't think she would believe that. But if, by some chance, she did, it would be an insult not only to Urara but to every horse girl whose main focus was the dirt track.
"N-no! Of course not! I just..."
At my question, Kiryuin-san's voice rose in a panic. But as soon as her eyes met mine, she quickly looked away.
Her reaction made my suspicion even stronger. But then, she said something unexpected.
"I just thought that if I had Meek race against Haru Urara, I might be able to see something..."
"...See something?"
"Yes... As you probably know... or, I hope you do, Happy Meek hasn't won a single race since the beginning of the year..."
Kiryuin-san said this, glancing at me. At first, she spoke as if it were a given that I would know, but then, for some reason, she corrected herself and said, "I hope you do."
(...Is this girl okay? Her mind seems to be, well, falling apart.)
She had always been a little awkward with social interactions, but perhaps because we hadn't had a chance to talk closely recently due to our busy schedules, she seemed even more timid than before.
Since I had started Team Quasar, we had become somewhat estranged, but whenever we saw each other, we would at least stop and chat...
"I don't even know what's wrong anymore... Happy Meek is an amazing horse girl... but she just can't win... No, Happy Meek is an amazing horse girl, so it must be my fault... I must be an inexperienced trainer..."
As she spoke, Kiryuin-san's expression grew darker. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and I instinctively looked up at the sky.
"Ah... It's clear you care a lot about Happy Meek. Hmm..."
I wondered what to say. It wasn't that hard to console her. I also believed that Happy Meek had a lot of talent, but some of her losses were just a result of her tough competition.
The horse girls who were excelling in the Classic-grade turf races this year were so good that if you put any one of them in the Classic races by themselves, they could probably win the Triple Crown.
So I could have consoled her by saying that she had just run into a bad string of opponents, but...
(That's not going to do her any good, is it?)
I let out a sigh. Kiryuin-san flinched and looked up at me nervously. For today, Kiryuin-san was a rival trainer, but maybe it's just a bad habit of mine that, being an older man, I feel the need to take care of younger people.
As I was thinking that, the introductions for the horse girls in the Tango Stakes began. The horse girl in Gate 1, No. 1, appeared in the paddock, and I urged Kiryuin-san to follow me to the stands.
"Gate 2, No. 3, Happy Meek."
And then, as her name was announced, Happy Meek appeared. A sound like "pik!" seemed to ring in my temples.
Since it was an open race, Happy Meek was in her training uniform, but her ears were drooping, and her tail was hanging down listlessly. Her face was clearly tired, and she seemed to be in the worst possible condition. However, despite her fatigue, her eyes were glinting.
The crowd stirred with confusion at the sight of Happy Meek. Based on her past record, she was the fifth favorite, but... looking at her now...
"It's nice to hear you think something will come of having her race against our Urara, but is it something you should do at the cost of pushing Happy Meek so hard?"
"...Huh?"
I asked Kiryuin-san in a voice that was lower than I intended. She looked around nervously, but I felt like I was holding my head.
"I've also entered Urara in races where she might not win, just to give her a competitive edge, so I'm not in a position to be too critical. But this isn't about winning or losing... Are you trying to break Happy Meek?"
"N-no! Of course not! I just want to help Meek win!"
"...Do you really think she can win in that condition?"
"She will win! Meek is an amazing horse girl!"
Kiryuin-san said this, clenching her fist, but I doubted if she truly believed it herself. She looked like she was at a dead end, lost and desperate.
"....I see. Then, let's see you in the race."
I said only that and walked away from Kiryuin-san. I wanted to help both Kiryuin-san and Happy Meek, but I knew that anything I said right now would be useless.
"Gate 4, No. 8, Haru Urara."
When Urara's name was called, I turned my attention to the paddock. There was Urara, waving to the crowd with a big smile on her face.
"She's in great shape..."
"Yeah, her muscles look good..."
I heard some of the spectators say in admiration. Of course she is! She's got muscles she's been training relentlessly. But since they weren't as defined and bulky as a man's, you'd have to have a good eye to notice her muscular legs.
As I was thinking this, I saw a somewhat stout young man with glasses and another young man with green hair intently watching the paddock. I see those two at a lot of races... They must be dedicated horse girl fans.
As I was thinking that, Urara, whose introduction was over, came running over to me with a big smile.
"Trainer! Is it okay to go all out today, too?"
I had heard her say that many times in past races. But this time, I smiled and replied.
"Yeah. Just like always, run your best without getting hurt, have fun... and go get that win."
"Okay! Watch me, Trainer! I'm gonna 'whoosh' to the finish line and get first place!"
The difference was that Urara had started to aim for first place. So I could send her off with a smile. And if she lost? That would just mean my training was at fault.
As I was thinking that, I saw Kiryuin-san and Happy Meek talking to each other through the paddock fence, just like Urara and me. But their interaction seemed awkward and strained.
(They seem more distant than they did in our mock race last year... Is everything really okay?)
As I was thinking that, I took the race program from my pocket and headed for the stands, checking its contents.
There were 16 horse girls in the Tango Stakes, but the dirt track still had a shallow field of competitors. Many of the horse girls Urara had raced against before were in this race.
"Onii-sama."
As I was heading to the stands, Rice, who was in her race uniform, called out to me. Noticing her, I took off my light coat and put it on her.
"Even though the temperature is rising, you shouldn't go without a jacket. Besides, your race uniform stands out."
"Hehe, thank you, Onii-sama. I was so excited to cheer on Urara-chan that I forgot."
It wasn't cold enough for her to catch a cold, but it was still a bad idea to let her body get cold before a race. Rice seemed strangely happy as she put on my coat.
"I didn't make it to the paddock in time, but how were the other girls racing with Urara-chan? I haven't seen Happy Meek-chan recently..."
"Happy Meek was... well. To put it in your words, she wasn't scary at all."
Honestly, I hated saying that because it might lead to complacency. But right now, I was more concerned about Happy Meek finishing the race without any issues than I was about her abilities.
However, if Urara could still aim for first place without hesitation, even against the current Happy Meek, that would be a huge asset for her.
"The Kyoto Racecourse is blessed with spring-like, pleasant weather. The 10th race, the 1400-meter open dirt race, the Tango Stakes. The track condition is listed as 'Good'."
"The next race is the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring), so the stands are already packed. We can expect a race that's just as exciting as a G1."
The fanfare sounded, and the male commentator and analyst began to speak. The Kyoto Racecourse has a capacity of 120,000, and it had already reached full capacity before noon. If I wasn't a trainer, I wouldn't have been able to get in.
As I was thinking that, each horse girl was introduced as they entered the gate.
"Gate 2, No. 3, Happy Meek, the 5th favorite."
"She finished 14th in the Satsuki Sho, her last race, but she's the one who won the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at the end of last year. We don't know if she's officially switching to dirt, but being the fifth favorite in her first dirt race shows high expectations. But, judging from her appearance in the paddock, she didn't seem to be in very good shape..."
The analyst trailed off, and it seemed many of the spectators had the same thought. A murmur spread through the crowd.
"Gate 4, No. 8, Haru Urara, the first favorite."
"She finished 5th in her last race, the Shoryu Stakes, and 3rd in the Hyacinth Stakes before that, but her competition with Oguri Cap and El Condor Pasa in the Hyacinth Stakes was simply magnificent. We can have high hopes for this horse girl."
"Oh, Haru Urara is waving to the crowd with a big smile. The crowd is cheering loudly in response."
"She's very popular because she always runs with a smile. Her conditioning in the paddock was excellent... No, it looks like the best she's ever been. She's entering the gate now... Oh? Her expression..."
The analyst sounded a little confused. That's because Urara, who had just entered the gate, had a serious expression on her face, something I had never seen before.
Seeing that expression, I instinctively leaned over the fence to get a better look at Urara. And then, a smile spread across my face.
"Rice, watch carefully. Urara is going to be strong today. I'm sure she'll pass the first-place baton on to you."
Urara's concentration right now was even greater than when she won her first victory in the Maiden Race. Back then, Urara was trembling with excitement, but now she seemed to have been so focused that she had even forgotten to be nervous.
"All horse girls are in the gates—and they're off!"
With everything in place, the Tango Stakes began.
"Oh, No. 3 Happy Meek had a slightly late start. No. 1 Hard Control is taking the lead. No. 5 Indigo Chouchou and No. 14 Sunny Weather are right behind. The favorite, Haru Urara, is in 4th place. Two body lengths behind them are No. 2 Green Chouchou, No. 6 Shorty Shot, No. 9 Khaki Chouchou, No. 13 Pristine Song, and No. 16 Frilled Berry in the lead pack."
Most of the horse girls had a clean start, but Happy Meek had a slight delay. Urara, on the other hand, had a clean start... a more decisive start than any of her past races. Instead of being a closer, she was in the front, right behind the leader.
(Urara's getting good at being a front-runner... Is it because she's training with Rice?)
She wasn't as good at it as she was at being a closer, but she had become good enough to use it in a race. And I knew it was all thanks to having a model of a good front-runner right beside her.
"Three body lengths behind the front group are No. 4 Cheer Rhythm, No. 10 Straight Bullet, No. 7 Horn Rhythm, No. 11 Marine Seagull, and No. 3 Happy Meek. Two body lengths behind them are No. 12 Ogresse, and the back-marker is Fenicia Deal."
"They've left the turf and entered the dirt course. But from the straight to the third corner, the famous Yodo Hill of the Kyoto Racecourse awaits. How they handle it will determine the winner."
As the analyst said, the Kyoto Racecourse has a steep hill called Yodo Hill with a height difference of 4.3 meters. However, that's on the outer turf course, and the inner and dirt courses are a little more moderate with a height difference of around 3 meters... Well, it's better than the outer course, but it's still pretty tough.
"They're on the backstretch, and No. 1 Hard Control is still in the lead. She's being followed by No. 5 Indigo Chouchou... Oh? No. 3 Happy Meek has made her move! She was in third to last, but she's moving up! She's passed four girls and is now right behind the front group."
"She might be over-eager. It would be good if she could take a breather..."
Happy Meek, who was late out of the gate, had sped up and was now moving up the ranks, even though it was still early in the race. Given Happy Meek's stamina for long-distance races, she might have enough left in the tank to go all the way even if she sprinted from the beginning of the 1400-meter race, but...
(Rice wouldn't be able to last at that pace... Is she going to be okay?)
Even in a short-distance race, you can't go all out from the start to the finish. When to make a move depends on how the race unfolds, but looking at Happy Meek's running, I could see why the analyst said she was over-eager.
"Happy Meek has moved up to 5th place. The front group has passed the 1000-meter mark and is now approaching Yodo Hill."
"Now is the time to see how they'll move. Hard Control is still in the lead, but... huh!?"
"No. 8 Haru Urara has suddenly accelerated! She's running up Yodo Hill as if it's nothing! She's passed Sunny Weather, and now she's passed Indigo Chouchou! All that's left is the leader, Hard Control! She's going to pass her, and she has!"
Just as I thought Happy Meek had caught up to Urara, Urara used Yodo Hill to suddenly pull away.
"The hill is a lot easier than the stairs we've been using, you know."
"Yeah, compared to those steep stairs..."
Rice said with a smile, and my cheeks twitched at the sight of Urara running up Yodo Hill with more force than I had expected. My goal was to improve Urara and Rice's speed, but I also made them go up and down the steep stairs because of Yodo Hill at the Kyoto Racecourse.
Compared to the stairs Urara and Rice had been training on recently, Yodo Hill was nothing more than a gentle slope. The only reason it was a big deal was that it appeared in the early to mid-part of the Tango Stakes. In the Spring Tenno Sho, which Rice would be running in, she would have to go up Yodo Hill twice. The first time would be okay, but the second time would be tough because of the accumulated fatigue.
"Haru Urara is passing the 600-meter mark as she runs down Yodo Hill! She's pulled away and is now about 6, no, 7 body lengths ahead of the second-place Happy Meek! Can the rest of the pack catch up from here!?"
"They're now entering the 3rd and 4th corners. But the final straight after the 4th corner is only about 300 meters long. The others might not be able to catch up unless they make their move early."
Urara had already taken a commanding lead. When you're in the front, it's hard to tell how close the others are behind you, but I had taught Urara how to handle this situation.
(It's not really a strategy, more like "just keep running at full speed until you cross the finish line.")
Urara couldn't keep an accurate pace with her internal clock. So it was simpler for me to tell her to just run at full speed to the finish line.
"Now, Haru Urara has rounded the 4th corner! The others are still far away! The second-place Happy Meek is falling behind... Now, No. 6 Shorty Shot has passed her! No. 2 Green Chouchou is also accelerating!"
"Happy Meek probably used up all her energy in the beginning to make up for her slow start. But she's still holding on in 4th place."
"Haru Urara is on the final straight! She's not slowing down, all by herself! A solo journey! This is it! It's already decided!"
The commentator shouted in excitement. The spectators, too, were cheering loudly for Urara, who was all alone in the lead.
"GOOOOOOOO! KEEP GOING! DON'T STOP!"
Of course, I was shouting too. The people around me were covering their ears in surprise, but I couldn't help it. I was going to shout for Rice, too, who was about to race herself.
"Haru Urara has just crossed the finish line! It's an overwhelming lead! The second-place Shorty Shot is still far behind... And now she has crossed the finish line! Green Chouchou takes third place! Happy Meek holds on to fourth! And Fenicia Deal comes in fifth!"
Urara had run without slowing down and had put a lot of distance between her and the rest of the pack. From my vantage point in the stands, the gap was more than 10 body lengths... In other words, a crushing victory.
"That was more... than I expected..." I murmured in a daze.
She was probably in better shape than she was when she won her first Maiden Race, but I never expected her to win by such a landslide. Urara's growth was more than I had anticipated, and maybe my own expectations were useless now.
"The results are final. First place, Haru Ura--! My apologies. First place is Haru Urara, with a winning time of 1:21.7, a new record! Second place, a massive margin behind, is Shorty Shot. Third place, a body length behind, is Green Chouchou. Fourth place, three body lengths behind, is Happy Meek. Fifth place, a nose length behind, is Fenicia Deal."
"This is... an amazing time. She beat the previous race record by 1.6 seconds."
"...Can Urara only win by breaking records?"
Urara's record was now 2 wins in 7 races, and it seemed like she was going to add a "2 records" to that. And the time difference between her first win in the Maiden Race and this one, which was 100 meters longer, was only two seconds.
(...No, that difference is a sign of Urara's growth... right?)
I was convinced that she had made progress since her first victory, and I smiled to myself as I looked at Rice, who was standing next to me.
"Rice, how was the baton from Urara? She didn't just win, but she even added a record to it."
"Yeah... I got it, Onii-sama. I'm really fired up..."
When I spoke to her, Rice's voice was filled with enthusiasm. I nodded and, after glancing at Urara who was waving to the crowd with a smile, checked my watch.
"It's almost time. Rice, go ahead. I'll say a quick word to Urara and then head to the paddock."
When I said that, Rice turned and started to walk away. Oh, she's still wearing my coat... Well, that's fine.
"Huff... huff... Trainer! How was it!?"
As I watched Rice go, Urara came running to the fence and called out to me. The spectators around us congratulated Urara, but I shouted over them.
"It was the best! You did it, Urara! Rice definitely got the baton!"
"...Yeah!"
When I shouted, Urara nodded with a smile. I wanted to talk to her more, but I tapped my watch with my finger to show Urara the time. I'll save all the praise for later. Get ready, Urara.
"I'm going to the paddock for Rice's race! I don't know if I'll be able to see the victory live, but let's meet up here when you're done!"
"Okay! Got it!"
When I said that, Urara nodded again with a smile. I wanted to see Urara's victory live, but I also needed to decide who Rice should keep an eye on in the paddock.
So I started to run--and then stopped.
"Kiryuin-san."
"Yes..."
Kiryuin-san was there. She must have been watching from a distance, but she was staring at the results board and not looking at me.
If Meek had been in perfect condition, Urara probably wouldn't have won so easily. But Meek was in a terrible state. And she lost to Urara.
That was the only fact that mattered.
I didn't know what Kiryuin-san was thinking. But I put my hand on her shoulder and smiled.
"Let's go for a drink sometime. I'll listen to whatever you have to complain about. For now, please make sure Happy Meek gets some rest."
That was all I could say. I didn't know if Kiryuin-san would take me up on the offer, but if she did, I was prepared to listen to everything she had to say.
But that was for the future. I ran toward the paddock to see the participants of the Spring Tenno Sho with my own eyes.
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