Chapter 26. Satsuki Sho; Break The Curse
After turning into the straight opposite the stands, Tokai Teio did not intend to let the positions she had lost earlier go to waste.
She angled slightly inward by a single step, then quietly adjusted her rhythm.
"Let's speed up a little here and move back to fifth place."
The moment she made her decision, Tokai Teio immediately began accelerating.
"Tokai Teio is accelerating! It seems she has no intention of remaining in the latter half of the pack!" the live commentator shouted excitedly.
"After all, Nakayama Racecourse's final straight is very short, so even Tokai Teio wants to secure a more forward position,"
Tojo Hana calmly explained. "She only lost position earlier because she deliberately widened her path through the bend, so making up ground now on the straight is completely understandable."
Then even Tojo Hana's tone carried a trace of amazement.
"But Tokai Teio's acceleration preparation is incredibly short. She's already catching up."
"Could it be that the others simply aren't accelerating?" the live commentator asked with raised brows.
This time, Shuta An actually agreed with him.
"They aren't," the young man said while staring at the screen. "There are still 1000 meters left to the finish line. No one would normally accelerate here."
Almost the moment his words fell, the upper-right corner of the big screen displayed the passing time for the first 1000 meters.
59.4 seconds.
"So fast!"
Shuta An, Mejiro Dober, the live commentator, and even the audience all reacted nearly in unison.
For a 2000-meter race at Nakayama Racecourse, a first-half pace of 59.4 seconds meant that After Me was genuinely attempting a large escape strategy today rather than merely threatening one.
"With a pace this fast, is Miss Tokai Teio's senko tactic really okay?" the director asked worriedly.
"No problem."
Shuta An answered without hesitation, his tone completely firm.
"This pace won't trouble Teio. After all, this is Nakayama Racecourse."
If the race had been held at Tokyo Racecourse, he truly would have been more concerned.
"No problem," Mejiro Dober quietly added from beside him.
Her eyes remained fixed on the screen.
"I can feel it—every step Teio takes right now is overflowing with confidence."
She paused briefly.
"Just like I was yesterday."
Shuta An turned toward Mejiro Dober and nodded gently.
"I trust Dober's judgment." Then his gaze returned to the track. "And I trust Teio's ability."
—
By the time Tokai Teio passed the end of the straight opposite the stands and entered the final bend section, she had already moved up into fourth place.
It was not because she overtook fifth place and then impulsively accelerated again to pass another opponent.
Rather, Big Fight, who had originally been ahead of her, had already exhausted too much stamina and begun dropping backward through the pack. Tokai Teio merely inherited the position naturally.
"At this pace, once they enter the final straight, everything will depend on whose stamina is enough to climb Nakayama Racecourse's Slope Road," Mejiro Dober murmured softly.
The moment she mentioned the Slope Road, her expression visibly stiffened.
Last year's Arima Kinen had taught her an unforgettable lesson there.
Although Tokai Teio had successfully conquered Nakayama's slope once before during the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, today's race was 2000 meters—four hundred meters longer than that previous challenge.
That difference would absolutely become a new test for Tokai Teio's stamina.
However, Shuta, who had already partnered with Tokai Teio in that Dream World race, showed no concern whatsoever.
"Teio will be fine."
"Shuta Trainer really trusts Miss Tokai Teio's strength," the director commented.
The young man turned back slightly and answered calmly:
"Of course."
After a brief pause, his expression softened slightly.
"Tokai Teio has practically been with me ever since she officially began receiving Uma Musume training. I'm one of the people who understands her talent, personality, and ability the best."
"I see…" the director murmured quietly to himself.
Of course, this line would never make it into the final edit.
What he truly wanted to emphasize was something else entirely—
Even while everyone around him was worrying about Tokai Teio, Shuta An alone continued to trust her without hesitation.
After all, documentaries were still a form of storytelling. Certain qualities always needed to be highlighted.
—
Within the bend section itself, Big Fight's collapse was merely the beginning.
Soon afterward, both After Me and Legacy of Zelda also began losing speed.
One after another, they were swallowed by the pack before gradually falling behind Tokai Teio.
At this point, the Uma Musume unexpectedly leading the race had become Kane Habomai.
To be honest, she did not want to lead at all.
However, when entering the bend earlier, Kane Habomai had glanced backward once—and what she saw instantly made her scalp tingle.
Behind her were Tokai Teio and Shin Horisky.
Leaving Tokai Teio aside for the moment, Shin Horisky had never once led a race before. Since she was positioned directly behind Kane Habomai, there was simply no possibility she would voluntarily inherit the lead.
As for yielding position to Tokai Teio?
That possibility was even more absurd.
Allowing the strongest Uma Musume in the field to take the lead freely right before entering the final straight, with absolutely no obstruction ahead of her?
Kane Habomai was certain that if Tokai Teio won in dominant fashion afterward, every post-race analyst in Japan would conclude that the decisive turning point of the race had been her own cowardice.
"Even if my chances of winning are slim, I at least don't want to become the scapegoat afterward…"
KaneHabomai muttered bitterly to herself as she reluctantly maintained the lead.
—
Meanwhile, inside Team Sadalsuud's activity room at Central Tracen Academy, several Uma Musume were also watching the race broadcast.
"Once Teio-senpai enters the final straight, her field of view will completely open up," Kurofune said first.
"But the pace of this race is extremely fast," Rice Shower replied worriedly while frowning. "Can Teio-senpai really maintain her current speed all the way to the end? I feel so much pressure just watching."
"She also has to think about the next race," Kurofune added quietly. "The Japanese Derby is only one month after the Satsuki Sho. If she consumes too much stamina here, it could affect her preparation for the Derby."
"Let's trust Teio-senpai," Agnes Digital suddenly said while taking over the conversation.
Then she smiled faintly.
"Or rather… trust Shuta Trainer."
"He definitely wouldn't overlook something like this. If Teio-senpai is running this way, then he must already have accounted for everything."
"That's true."
Kurofune and Rice Shower exchanged glances before speaking almost simultaneously.
As members of Team Sadalsuud, they possessed enormous trust in Shuta An's race planning.
—
By the time the pack exited the final bend and charged into the final straight, Tokai Teio had already overtaken Shin Horisky.
Only a single horse length now separated her from Kane Habomai.
However, Tokai Teio did not immediately surge forward to overtake the already defenseless leader.
Instead, she subtly adjusted her breathing and rhythm once more.
She was preparing for acceleration.
Tokai Teio had no intention of immediately taking the front of the pack.
Although Nakayama Racecourse's final straight measured only 310 meters, Tokai Teio showed no intention of immediately rushing past Kane Habomai, who was still running ahead of her.
A major reason for this was the infamous Slope Road waiting further ahead on Nakayama Racecourse's final straight. If she accelerated too early and entered the uphill section mid-surge, her acceleration efficiency would inevitably be weakened. At that moment, the opponents behind her might close the gap all at once.
Tokai Teio did not want to give them even the slightest illusion of hope.
"Shattering all your confidence in a single instant is probably the kindest way."
Tokai Teio continued following closely behind Kane Habomai as they charged toward the Slope Road. Of course, she had already prepared herself to accelerate at any moment.
—
"Teio still hasn't accelerated yet. Could the earlier high-speed pace have already affected her?"
Inside Team Spica's activity room, Mejiro McQueen frowned slightly and murmured in confusion.
"Otherwise, with her ability, she should be able to overtake Kane Habomai and shake her off immediately from that position, right?"
"It's because she doesn't want to enter the Slope Road while accelerating,"
Special Week explained calmly.
"The most troublesome part of Nakayama Racecourse's final straight is that uphill section. If you haven't fully accelerated before stepping onto it, it's very easy to suddenly lose speed. In G1 races, that kind of mistake can be fatal. Teio probably wants to secure this victory flawlessly."
Inside another activity room, the Uma Musume of Team Rigil had arrived at the same conclusion.
Taiki Shuttle leaned back while holding her head with both hands. "Dober-chan should be with her Trainer in the grandstand at Nakayama Racecourse right now. She definitely won't misunderstand this decision."
"The total number of people in this room probably isn't even as high as Miss Dober's total G1 victories." Air Groove teased from the side before sighing softly. "I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to compete against Miss Dober in the Queen Elizabeth Cup."
"That probably won't be easy." Taiki Shuttle raised an eyebrow. "Unless you, Air Groove, decide to run in this year's Yasuda Kinen or Takarazuka Kinen."
"How is that even possible?!" Air Groove rolled her eyes helplessly.
Inside the Student Council office, Symboli Rudolf, Maruzensky, and Mr. C.B. were also watching the Satsuki Sho broadcast.
"Teio has become much calmer," Symboli Rudolf commented quietly. "If it were the old Teio, she would definitely have accelerated immediately after exiting the final bend."
"If that happened," Maruzensky narrowed her eyes slightly and continued, "the outcome of the race probably still wouldn't change, right?"
"And Nakayama Racecourse's straight is already short enough as it is. Accelerating early is actually the safer option. Even if you lose some speed on the Slope Road, everyone slows down once they step onto it." Mr. C.B. added her own analysis.
"But Teio doesn't even want her opponents to see that tiny bit of lost speed." Symboli Rudolf understood Tokai Teio far too well. "Her eyes are no longer fixed only on this race. She even wants to use this race to reduce the pressure awaiting her in the Japanese Derby and the Kikuka Sho."
"I really don't understand the way you people think." Mr. C.B. pouted unhappily.
—
The instant Kane Habomai stepped onto the Slope Road section, Tokai Teio—who had already created enough acceleration space beforehand—finally stopped holding back.
She decisively lengthened her stride, her powerful acceleration exploding forth in an instant. She effortlessly overtook Kane Habomai, then smoothly left her behind without the slightest hesitation.
At the same time, Tokai Teio showed absolutely no concern about opponents behind her attempting to forcefully charge through the inner lane. She had no intention of angling toward the rail to seal off the inside path. Instead, she maintained a perfectly straight sprint line, charging directly toward the finish line.
"Dober, do you know?"
Shuta An watched Tokai Teio reach the very front of the pack. His expression remained astonishingly calm, without excessive excitement.
"For Uma Musume, being able to maintain a perfectly straight sprint line during a full-speed burst is itself a very rare talent."
Mejiro Dober did not answer immediately.
Her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
She suddenly realized that the highly anticipated children raised within the Mejiro Family during her childhood indeed all possessed this same trait—they never lost balance or drifted sideways during full-speed sprints.
Then she unconsciously turned her head and glanced at her Trainer.
"If our child…" Mejiro Dober's thoughts abruptly wandered in an increasingly dangerous direction.
—
Tokai Teio, meanwhile, had absolutely no idea that her senior near the trackside was already thinking about such things. Right now, her entire focus remained fixed on charging toward the finish line.
With every step she took, chunks of turf rich with moisture splashed wildly upward. By now, Tokai Teio's racing uniform had long since been stained with mud.
However, after she passed more than half of the Slope Road section, the mud kicked up by her strides no longer splashed onto the opponents behind her.
Because Kane Habomai—the Uma Musume closest to Tokai Teio—had already fallen over two horse lengths behind her. And as Kane Habomai continued losing speed, that distance only widened further, until the other trailing Uma Musume overtook her one after another and replaced her as second place.
"The final 100 meters! Tokai Teio has completely shaken off Kane Habomai! She's thrown ShakoGrade behind her as well and finally reached the very front of the pack! No one can catch her now! Even her shadow can only obediently remain behind her!" the live commentator roared excitedly.
"Is another candidate for Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume successing Symboli Rudolf about to be born?!"
Shuta An could clearly hear the emotional discussions erupting from the grandstand behind him.
But just as everyone eagerly anticipated Tokai Teio crossing the finish line in overwhelming fashion while leaving every opponent far behind—
Tokai Teio suddenly slowed down.
"What happened?!" the live commentator cried out in shock.
Yet Shuta An showed not the slightest trace of concern.
Because after easing her speed, Tokai Teio straightened her back proudly, turned her head toward the grandstand, and revealed a dazzling smile.
No—more precisely, she smiled toward the young man.
Then, she raised her left hand and extended a single finger upward.
"Tokai Teio crosses the finish line!!" The live commentator clenched his empty hand tightly, leapt to his feet, and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Four races, four victories! The undefeated Satsuki Sho champion! 2 minutes and 0.5 seconds! A brand-new Satsuki Sho race record! Even the cursed gate 18 has been shattered by Tokai Teio as though she were merely taking a stroll!"
"She practically strolled across the finish line—" Tojo Hana sighed softly, "and yet she still left the Uma Musume behind her by at least three horse lengths."
"Tokai Teio truly possesses the talent to become an Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume."
(Three length was more than the real life version where it was only one length after Shako Grade.)