Inside Team Spica.
"The Golden Generation... has it come to an end?"
Seeing this, Seiun Sky was filled with emotion. The running she was so proud of ended with a 12th-place finish at her final Tenno Sho Spring.
Coming in last after 546 days away from the track left her with mixed feelings.
Seiun Sky couldn't help but wonder that if she had been in her prime, could she have outrun T.M. Opera O?
She looked at Special Week, Grass Wonder, El Condor Pasa, and King Halo beside her. Everyone was staring at the log, their eyes shimmering.
Seiun Sky thought they must be cheering for her, after all, they were of the same generation— best friends and greatest rivals.
She felt sorry she hadn't given the Golden Generation a perfect finale. Sometimes, the end of a story is just like that— drifting toward a close on a quiet afternoon.
She still remembered the glory of winning the Kikuka Sho. The sky that day was described as perfectly clear. That moment felt like yesterday, yet here she was, retiring at a rain-soaked Kyoto Racecourse.
Seiun-chan really tried her best, but that was the ending. She hoped the rest of the Golden Generation wouldn't blame her.
Of course, that wouldn't happen. As the members of the Golden Generation saw their endings, they realized they truly had a magnificent era.
In a lifetime, to have moments that shone so brightly... that kind of life is truly, truly good. They had left their hoofprints on this era.
They also hoped their stories would inspire those who feel lost in the future.
For example, Grass Wonder thought that if her story could give strength to someone being doubted, that would be enough.
She had stood on the mountain peak, only to fall to the valley and be labeled an early-bloomer for over half a year, yet she relied on her own strength and the help of others to reach the end.
And King Halo— she focused only on the present. Past failures didn't matter, what mattered was the courage to start over.
The Golden Generation was brilliant, but it had to end. Knowing that T.M. Opera O, Meisho Doto, Narita Top Road, and Admire Vega were taking the baton was enough to put them at ease.
"However, finishing last... some things still worry me, regardless," Seiun Sky smiled. S
he saw her ending, though it wasn't good, it was her best effort, as shown by that 58-second opening kilometer.
But now she thought of another issue:
'After I lost, did Nishiyama Farm run into trouble?'
She cared about old man Nishiyama's situation.
Seiun Sky felt a sense of resonance, for some reason, an uneasy feeling told her that the once-prosperous Nishiyama Farm might have gradually become unprofitable because they weren't getting good results, eventually leading to its abandonment.
The farm would be in ruins, everything of the past vanished into smoke.
She sometimes dreamed of this scene. In the nightmare, she saw Nishiyama Farm collapsing, and she couldn't stop it alone. Beside her, there was only one young girl fighting with her, but in the end, they couldn't protect the farm.
Every time she woke up, she felt shocked and pained. They say dreams are the opposite of reality, but this dream felt incredibly real every time.
Now, after reading her story, that unease deepened.
"What will be the fate of Nishiyama Farm? And that girl beside me... I forget her face every time I wake up. But it's okay, I still have a chance now. If possible, I want to help those who helped me as much as I can, and help the farm that raised me."
Seiun Sky continued to read, hoping to see more content.
Naturally, King Halo was the same. She was thinking about her jockeys— Yuichi Fukunaga, Yoshitomi Shibata, and the other members of her team.
Shibata's dream might have been fulfilled, but what about Fukunaga's wish for the Tokyo Derby? Did he win it in the future?
He remembered Fukunaga and Wada were from the same period, known as the "Flower Class of 12."
Wada didn't win another G1 until 2017, which showed how hard a single G1 was, let alone the Derby.
Could it be that Yuichi Fukunaga never won the Tokyo Derby?
She didn't dare to conclude, but hoped for a good result.
"By the way, Equinox, you mentioned that when a Stallion retires, there are 'mare resources.' What does that actually involve?"
Almond Eye blinked her beautiful eyes. "Then when we Mares retire, will there be 'stallion resources'?"
Equinox frowned. "That's got me stumped. Does it mean the two have to have a new kind of race? Could it really be the 'assigned dating partner' thing Gold Ship-san mentioned? But that can't be right, an Uma doesn't have to marry another Uma."
Equinox was confused. In the Tracen world, the birth of a Uma Musume was random, two humans could give birth to a Uma Musume, and humans and Uma Musume could marry.
So she was conflicted.
Mayano Top Gun chirped, "Hehe! Whether it's an assigned partner or not, Maya-chan will definitely seize the opportunity! Because Maya-chan is an adult, I definitely need to find a chance to fall in love!"
"But... I'm a boy in the real-horse world. That's tricky, especially since all I've been researching are 'girly romance tips' for so long."
Almond Eye's face reddened at the topic. She asked shyly, "If it's a girl... are there any romance tips for her?"
Nearby, the little witch Sweep Tosho also pricked up her ears, curious to hear what Mayano Top Gun had to say.
Mayano Top Gun chuckled and put her hands on her hips. "Maya will teach you! Actually, what boys like most isn't necessarily a mature, curvy onee-san or a cute, tiny girl. What a boy really likes is someone who cares about him and is willing to laugh with him!"
"Someone like that, even if they only flash through her life for a fleeting moment, will leave a deep impression."
"Of course, vice-versa, it's the same for girls liking boys. Maruzensky-senpai said it too: Love is mutual! This is the data Maya has summarized from many people and many romance books. Once you know this, you can go fall in love and become an adult!"
Hearing this, Almond Eye nodded and took serious notes.
'So, I just need to laugh?'
She felt like she had truly learned something today.
Seeing Almond Eye so serious, Mayano Top Gun nodded with satisfaction, thinking that whoever ended up with Almond Eye would certainly be lucky.
At that moment, Mizuki's log continued, and everyone resumed watching.
[However, as everyone knows, after the Tenno Sho Spring in April 2001, T.M. Opera O never personally achieved another victory. His subsequent win in the G2 Kyoto Daishoten was only due to Stay Gold being disqualified for interference, which promoted Opera O's ranking.]
[In the 2001 G1 Takarazuka Kinen, Meisho Doto finally fulfilled his long-cherished wish and took a G1 title from Opera O's hands.]
[After the Golden Generation retired, there were many stories, but most were accompanied by regret.]
[First was El Condor Pasa. Shortly after retiring, on July 16, 2002, he passed away due to intestinal volvulus. He had only been retired for three years and didn't even have time to see his offspring debut.]
[Seiun Sky also passed away in an accident. On August 16, 2011, he died after suddenly standing up in his stall and striking his head. Nishiyama Farm initially announced the cause of death as a heart attack, likely fearing people wouldn't be able to accept the true cause.]
[In Cygames' design for Seiun Sky, she has a habit of resting her hands behind her head in a "head-protecting" pose, a part of that design choice stems from this event.]
[After Seiun Sky's death, the owner of Nishiyama Farm, Shigeyuki Nishiyama, was heartbroken. He erected a tombstone specifically for Seiun Sky at the farm with the epitaph: "The lightning that raced across the blue clouds and sky, sleep forever."]
[After Seiun Sky won the Satsuki Sho and Kikuka Sho, Nishiyama Farm didn't win many more graded stakes, and its business situation was not ideal.]
[Speaking of Seiun Sky, one must mention the history of Nishiyama Farm. There are so many connections and stories between them, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Nishiyama Farm witnessed the origins of Japanese horse racing.]
[In 1966, the Hokkaido Nishiyama Farm was founded by Shigeyuki Nishiyama's father, Masayuki Nishiyama. At the time, its scale was on par with the Shadai and Mejiro Farms. They imported hundreds of horses for breeding, but it wasn't until 1987 that Nishiyama Farm won its first G2 graded stakes.]
[Amidst this slump, Nishino Flower's sudden emergence in April 1989 brought a turning point. However, because she was a small horse, she wasn't highly regarded.]
[Her fate was very similar to Seiun Sky's, though her pedigree was good, her legs were thin and her build was tiny. Several trainers rejected her, believing she had no future.]
[But Nishino Flower was eventually accepted by Masahiro Matsuda at the Ritto Training Center in Shiga Prefecture.]
[The first impression of Nishino Flower was: "A horse with long, slender legs like a fawn." Fittingly, she was a bay horse.]
[Yet, it was this very Nishino Flower who created an incredible miracle. Like the initially underestimated Seiun Sky, she slapped the faces of all the doubters.]
[In 1991, having reached racing age, Nishino Flower entered the Matsuda stable for the first time. Although her size hadn't changed much, people began to believe she was a horse who could win.]
[In July 1991, she made her debut at Sapporo Racecourse. However, due to periostitis, her team chose a dirt race, which is easier on the legs, for her first start. Nishino Flower easily won by 4 lengths, showing her true strength for the first time.]
[She followed this with consecutive victories in the G3 Sapporo 3-Year-Old Stakes and the G2 Daily Hai 3-Year-Old Stakes, winning both overwhelmingly by 3.5-length margins.]
[December 1, 1991, the day of the G1 Hanshin 3-Year-Old Filly Stakes. Nishino Flower, riding a three-race win streak, was the 1st favorite and lived up to expectations by seizing the victory.]
[Without a doubt, Nishino Flower had reached the summit of 3-year-old fillies. With a proud record of 4 wins in 4 starts and 3 graded stakes wins, she was unanimously voted the 1991 JRA Best 3-Year-Old Filly, becoming the protagonist of the next year's Classic line.]
Actually, saying 'Classic line' for Nishino Flower just follows the old naming convention. In the past, horses were considered one year old at birth, like Grass Wonder and the others.
By modern naming, the next year was Nishino Flower's Classic year, but her actual age here was only 2.
[In March 1992, the camp chose the Open-class Tulip Sho as her first race of the Classic year. Nishino Flower had overwhelming 1st favorite support at 1.2 odds. However, due to a tactical error by jockey Masao Sato, she finished second.]
[Consequently, jockey Masao Sato lost confidence for the upcoming Oka Sho and recommended to the owner that jockey Hiroshi Kawachi replace him.]
[On April 12, 1992, Nishino Flower entered the first leg of the Filly Triple Crown, the G1 Oka Sho, as the 1st favorite.]
[At that time, both Masayuki Nishiyama and the young Shigeyuki Nishiyama were present. They were extremely nervous. Nishiyama Farm was struggling, and Shigeyuki had been breeding horses for 26 years without winning a G1 Classic race.]
[Under these circumstances, the G1 Oka Sho— carrying the dreams of Nishiyama Farm for so many years— began.]
[In this race, Nishino Flower used a Pace Chaser tactic, staying around 3rd place. In the final 200m, she unleashed a terrifying terminal speed, visibly pulling away from the pack. She beat the Tulip Sho winner by a full 3.5 lengths, successfully avenging her previous loss.]
[After the race, the young Shigeyuki Nishiyama was cheering, but when he turned his head, he saw his father in tears because of the G1 Oka Sho victory.]
[Perhaps at that moment, he etched everything Nishino Flower had done deep into his heart. There were no words, only gratitude.]
[Afterward, Nishino Flower worked toward the second leg of the Triple Tiara, but her appetite dropped sharply after the Oka Sho. Much time was spent trying to maintain her weight, so she stepped onto the Tokyo turf without much training and finished 7th.]
[In the autumn, she moved to middle-distance races. In the Rose Stakes and her next race, the G1 Elizabeth II Cup, she finished 4th and 3rd respectively. This made the camp realize her suitability and distance: She was a classic Miler.]
[December 20, 1992: Nishino Flower participated in her first mixed-sex G1, the Sprinters Stakes. As mentioned before, she was the 2nd favorite behind the legendary stallion Daitaku Helios. Ultimately, Nishino Flower defeated the invincible Helios to claim a miraculous G1 victory.]
[Notably, the 6th place finisher in this Sprinters Stakes was none other than Sakura Bakushin O, who would later be known as the Sprint Overlord.]
[Sakura Bakushin O ran 12 races under 1400m in his career and won 11 of them. The only horse to ever take a sprint victory from her was Nishino Flower.]
[Her outstanding results in sprints earned him the titles of 1992 JRA Best Sprinter and Best 4-Year-Old Filly.]
[In 1993, Nishiyama Farm's fortunes improved, and Nishino Flower continued to run. Her senior career began with the G2 Milers Cup, a rematch against last year's rival, Yamanin Zephyr.]
[Though Yamanin Zephyr marked her closely, Nishino Flower easily shook her off on the final straight, winning by a massive 3.5-length margin.]
[It's clear that in her career, winning by 3.5 lengths was a frequent occurrence.]
[Later, she participated in the international G1 Yasuda Kinen as the 1st favorite, but because she couldn't break out of the pack, she suffered a crushing 10th-place defeat.]
[In the subsequent G1 Takarazuka Kinen, she was the 3rd favorite but finished 8th. In the autumn, she lost the G2 Swan Stakes and the G1 Mile Championship, finishing 3rd and 13th.]
[At the end of the year, in the G1 Sprinters Stakes where she aimed for a repeat victory, she finished 3rd. It was decided she would retire. On January 9, 1994, a retirement ceremony was held for her at Hanshin Racecourse.]
[Her total record was 16 starts, 7 wins, including 3 G1s and 6 graded stakes wins. It was an excellent record to be proud of anywhere.]
[We know the rest of the story: Seiun Sky was born in 1995. In 1996, Shigeyuki Nishiyama took over the farm and initiated major reforms. Like Nishino Flower, Seiun Sky was underestimated.]
[In fact, Seuin Sky's pedigree was far inferior to Nishino Flower's, and yet he saved Nishiyama Farm once again.]
[Some say that Nishino Flower and Seiun Sky are the pride of Nishiyama Farm. Though ignored at their debuts, they achieved incredible things.]
[But as stated before, after Nishino Flower and Seiun Sky, no horse appeared that could save Nishiyama Farm again.]
[Shigeyuki Nishiyama sold the farm land in 2008, keeping only the broodmares and entrusting them to other farms to preserve his family business under the Nishiyama name.]
[On February 25, 2020, Nishino Flower passed away of old age at Nishiyama Farm. It is said that in the two years before her death, her teeth were completely gone, so her groom, Mr. Takeshita, ground up apples and grapes for her to eat.]
[After her death, she was buried beside Seiun Sky. The two great glories of Nishiyama Farm and the obsession of the owner— Seiun Sky and Nishino Flower— sleep peacefully together underground.]
[When the elderly Shigeyuki Nishiyama looks at the graves of Seiun Sky and Nishino Flower, he surely remembers everything: His father's tears at the 1992 Oka Sho, and the ups and downs Seiun Sky shared with the farm.]
[Shigeyuki Nishiyama has his own website. Since 2010, he has been recording his daily life and many matters regarding Seiun Sky and Nishino Flower online.]
[Initially, not many people visited his site. After all, not many people specifically followed horses like Nishino Flower and Seiun Sky. Back then, the internet wasn't developed and the JRA was churning out famous horses constantly, no one went looking for these two.]
[But in 2021, when Cygames added Seiun Sky to Uma Musume, countless young people suddenly flooded his website. Now over 60, he was startled. He eventually learned through his daughter that his beloved horse was being updated and added to the game, followed later by Nishino Flower.]
[He didn't understand what an 'update' was, but he was delighted his beloved horses were known to everyone. He patiently answered questions and later reached a deal with another Cygames title, authorizing his horses for 5,000 yen each.]
[For just 5,000 yen, he stated that Cygames could use his horses' copyrights freely.]
[5,000 yen— think about that. Authorizing a horse for about $35 USD, even horses of the caliber of Seiun Sky and Nishino Flower. That price isn't even enough to hit pity in the game.]
[It's clear he wasn't trying to make money off his horses, he just wanted more people to know them.]
[Furthermore, old man Nishiyama is very active online. He even helped Cygames with translation issues. For example, Seiun Sky was being translated as 'Nebula Sky', but he personally reached out to the official team to change it.]
[He explained that he named the horse "Seiun Sky" in the hope that he would have the "ambition to reach the blue clouds". Since then, Seiun Sky has been the official translation.]
[His dedication to his horses is evident.]
[In 2022, Cygames released an SR Power Support Card for Seiun Sky and Nishino Flower, a legendary card of its time— "Lifting Your Spirits.'"]
[Lifting Your Spirits.]
[In the card's illustration, Nishino Flower is picking flowers and making a garland, looking at Seiun Sky while thinking her own thoughts.]
['I wonder if Seiun-san is happy with the garland I made?']
['There are many flowers to pick from, but I heard that daisies love the sun...']
['They wait for the sun to bloom, always facing the sunlight, just like Sky.']
['That's not the only thing daisies have in common with Sky.']
['In the language of flowers, daisies mean "simplicity" and "being yourself"']
['And just like how daisies flutter in the wind, peaceful and free, Sky always seem so at ease, taking naps and going fishing.']
['Every time we talk, I feel so relaxed. I don't feel like I have to say anything if I don't want to.']
['(I hope she likes the daisies, because I have already fallen in love with them.)']
Inside Team Spica, many were overwhelmed with emotion after reading this.
They hadn't expected such tragedy for El Condor Pasa after retirement, and Seiun-chan and Nishino Flower were truly the heroes of Nishiyama Farm.
Nishiyama Farm and Mejiro Farm were both once prestigious, but while the Mejiro clan remained a massive powerhouse, Nishiyama had declined, leaving only these touching stories.
"El, how could you be so careless!" Grass Wonder said anxiously.
'What kind of disease is "intestinal volvulus"? Could it be because El liked spicy food too much?'
Grass Wonder certainly didn't want to see that happen.
"Waaa, Grass, I was caught off guard! I didn't dodge!" El Condor Pasa was also panicking.
Life really had its ups and downs, she was just wondering what to do after retirement, only to find out she died three years in.
'What kind of disease was that?'
Whatever it was, she vowed to stay far away from it.
"And Seiun-chan! If Trainer Mizuki is right, it's no wonder people couldn't accept it. Dying from hitting your head while standing up is way too careless! At least choose a better way to— wait, no, you just can't die at all!"
King Halo was so worried she didn't know what she was saying. If the Trainer hadn't written it down, she wouldn't have believed it.
'Was Seiun Sky sleep-walking?'
She immediately had an idea: She heard Duramente has a very hard head, maybe Sky should learn how to train her skull?
Relying on keeping her hands behind the head wasn't a permanent solution!
Duramente blinked, feeling like someone was staring at her.
'Was it an illusion?'
Titleholder and Liberty Island weren't afraid when they read about Seiun Sky's death, they often bumped heads and felt they could take anyone on.
"Biwa Hayahide, you have a big head, you should be careful too," Winning Ticket said with great concern.
"Thank you for your concern. Next time, don't be," Biwa Hayahide replied, pushing up her glasses.
She was dying inside— how exactly was her head "big"? But since Ticket was being sincere, she could only swallow the insult.
"I've hit my head many times, but I seem fine," Kitasan Black said seriously.
"Everyone's constitution is different, Kita-chan," Satono Diamond added.
However, after seeing the spoilers, Seiun Sky became much more cautious. She had also completed many training goals, which should hopefully strengthen her real-world counterpart's head.
"Bakushin! Bakushin! I'll make sure everyone stays alive! I really am amazing! Hahaha! 13 wins out of 14, and only lost once to Flower!"
Sakura Bakushin O was overjoyed. Her passionate voice echoed around, full of energy.
This log gave her immense confidence. As expected, Bakushin was the right way to go.
"Bakushin! Bakushin!" Equinox followed her great-grandfather's lead, joining the shouting.
She just thought it was fun. Bakushin O's energy was infectious and great for stress relief.
She decided that if she felt pressured in future races, she'd shout some slogans. She hadn't thought of her own yet, so she'd stick with Bakushin for now.
In fact, both Sakura Bakushin O and Kitasan Black liked to let out a yell while running, so Equinox's urge to shout was truly in her genes.
"Flower is so amazing. I need to work hard too and find my own 'Triumphant Wind'," Yamanin Zephyr said.
She was a Uma Musume who sought the protection of the Wind God. She had even asked Mizuki about the Wind God.
To be honest, Mizuki didn't know much about the Japanese Wind God, she knew about the Chinese Wind Master and Rain Master from Taoism, but those stories were few.
Nishino Flower, meanwhile, was extremely bashful. She hadn't realized she and Seiun Sky both came from Nishiyama Farm. It felt wonderful that she could do so much for the farm.
Looking closely at the logs, she realized she was actually a bit older than Sky. She saw the mention of Masayuki Nishiyama crying because of her and wanted to wipe away his tears.
He was the one who protected her when no one believed in her, and she was the one who should be grateful.
Seeing her G1 victories made her very happy. With so much information flooding in at once, the cute Nishino Flower was filled with so many emotions she didn't know how to react.
She felt blessed, yet incredibly sad about Seiun Sky's death and the decline of Nishiyama Farm.
'If I could have done more, would Nishiyama Farm have continued to prosper?'
"Old man Nishiyama is over 60 now... maybe even older. But his thinking isn't old-fashioned at all, just like my grandpa. Usually, people in their 60s don't touch games, but he's so enthusiastic," Seiun Sky smiled.
With her intelligence, she knew he was so invested in the horse-racing game because of them.
Seiun Sky was right, his thinking was anything but old-fashioned. In fact, he was more forward-thinking than many young people.
After all, back then, Cygames was very strict about protecting the horses and owners, banning many fan-made creations, including "lewd" ones.
Only old man Nishiyama said it was fine as long as it increased their popularity... though he later walked back the statement after realizing it sounded a bit improper.
Still, it showed he was a real madman. A true modern-thinker.
Seiun Sky now knew that Nishiyama Farm still existed, and that the girl who fought beside her in her dreams was Nishino Flower. Everything in her dreams finally clicked.
'Seiun-chan can't relax yet, there's still so much to do.'
However, seeing the flavor text of the support card, Seiun Sky was touched and a bit embarrassed.
'Did Flower think that much just to make a garland for me?'
She recalled how Nishino Flower was always so gentle. When Flower knew she hadn't eaten, she'd cook for her. When she knew Sky went fishing, she'd give her the class notes.
If Sky wanted to slack off and asked Flower to wake her in 20 minutes, Flower would sit by her side and wait exactly 20 minutes before waking her with a soft voice.
She truly received a lot of attention from Flower. She was deeply, deeply grateful.
'I should be the one giving Flower a thank-you gift, not the other way around.'
Even an idiot like Tosen Jordan was almost in tears, finding it so moving.
"By the way, did real-horse Nishino Flower and Seiun Sky have a good relationship too? Since Seiun-chan is a boy and Flower is a girl, is there a story there?" Gold Ship said with a mischievous grin.
"Since the game is based on the real-horse world, the story on this SR card must be based on real history, too. Do you think they...? Hehe..."
Nice Nature joined in the teasing. "Seiun-chan, did the real-horse version of you get with Flower?"
Gold Ship, always looking for chaos, nodded immediately. "Highly likely! If you marry Flower, you definitely hit the jackpot, since she's so helpful!"
Tosen Jordan and Daitaku Helios were stunned, the two resident gyarus of Tracen Academy now wore expressions of extreme hunger for more gossip.
In reality, Gold Ship and Nice Nature were mostly joking. They thought there was a slim chance for Seiun Sky and Nishino Flower, but it was likely just a tease.
However, the two "geniuses" who overheard them took it completely seriously. Looking at their blank expressions, it was clear they hadn't caught Gold Ship's sarcasm at all.
Yet, this time, they actually guessed right.
In the real world, Seiun Sky and Nishino Flower truly did "get together" in the end. At the strong insistence of Shigeyuki Nishiyama, they were bred.
One could argue that Seiun Sky's long-distance pedigree and Nishino Flower's short-distance bloodline were a complete mismatch, but as established, Owner Nishiyama was a madman.
Because many breeding syndicates chose Special Week over Seiun Sky at the time, Nishiyama was quite indignant. To preserve Seiun Sky's lineage, he orchestrated this pairing that shocked the racing world.
"Honestly... stop teasing Flower-chan," Seiun Sky said.
But deep down, she was grateful to Nishino Flower. She felt she had to shoulder more responsibility and work hard alongside him.
If given the chance, she really wanted to see the real-world Nishiyama Farm.
'I even want to go to my own grave and take a selfie or something. Nya-haha, just kidding.'
Meanwhile, Mejiro McQueen felt a pang of sadness watching this. She began to wonder if the prestigious Mejiro clan would face a similar scene in the future.
Would the stories and glory left by the Mejiro family be forgotten by everyone, like withered leaves falling in autumn?
'I will absolutely not let that happen. Because we are Mejiro Uma Musume, upholding this honor and mission, we will make sure the brilliance of the Mejiro family shines forever.'
However, McQueen was a bit worried. She recalled that in Equinox's era, or even the earlier era of Kitasan Black, there didn't seem to be a single horse with the name "Mejiro" anymore.
'What... exactly happened?'
McQueen prayed for Nishiyama Farm in her heart, and also for the Mejiro family, waiting for the Mejiro stories to unfold.
Of course, it wasn't just McQueen, Mejiro Ramonu, Mejiro Bright, and Mejiro Dober noticed this too. They realized that there were no Mejiro Uma Musume in the later years.
They decided to keep watching.
Special Week felt the same. She didn't want to see anyone's farms go bankrupt.
In fact, Special Week's sire-line survived partly thanks to Nishiyama Farm. Little Spe continued to read.
At this point, Mizuki's log resumed.
[After Grass Wonder retired, he was extremely docile. He continued to do his own thing quietly at the farm, cooperating with strangers taking photos. Most of the time, he just kept to himself.]
[However, there is another theory among fans about Grass Wonder. Some say he wasn't just docile, but rather "too lazy to move," or that he developed a "slacker" personality in the middle-to-late stages of his career.]
[Some even speculate that Grass Wonder intentionally slacked off in G2 races. For example, his G2 record was 4 wins in 7 starts with no second places, a win rate lower than his G1 record.]
[But this theory isn't very reliable, it's mostly because Grass Wonder's condition fluctuated wildly.]
[Special Week could almost say: "Grass, I really never beat you, but if I go outside to get groceries, I can see seven random passerby who beat you in G2s."]
[After being retired for a while, Grass Wonder's personality became quieter and quieter, looking more and more like a big yellow cow. He spent his time switching between three states: Sleeping, eating grass, and standing perfectly still.]
[This might be why he lived so long, unlike Seiun Sky, who played himself to death.]
[Thus, Grass Wonder-san is still happily eating grass for years, hailed as a living legend.]
[It was only on August 8th, 2025 that he passed away at the age of thirty due to old age. By horse standards, he lived a long, happy life.]
[Aside from Seiun Sky dying by hitting her head, Special Week also died in an accident. On April 23, 2018, Special Week fell while grazing and suffered a heavy blow to his left hip. He was kept in her stall for observation.]
[On April 27, staff found him collapsed in his stall, and he passed away at 4:40 PM.]
[Coincidentally, this happened during the broadcast of the first season of the Uma Musume anime, which featured Special Week as the protagonist, causing infinite grief among the audience.]
[Special Week's owner, Hiroyoshi Usuda, also passed away from illness on December 26, 2019, at the age of 79.]
[As for King Halo, he passed away one year after Special Week. On March 19, 2019, King Halo died of old age. Five days later, in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen, Yuichi Fukunaga rode Mr. Melody to victory, dedicating the win to his old partner.]
[Furthermore, Yuichi Fukunaga fulfilled his dream. In the 2018 Tokyo Derby, he finally achieved his long-cherished wish, riding Wagnerian to victory in the race he had coveted for so long.]
[However, that was just the beginning for Fukunaga, he went on to achieve the feat of "Three Derbies in Four Years," riding Wagnerian, Contrail, and Shahryar to victory.]
[Coincidentally, Wada Ryuji also broke his 17-year G1 drought in the 2018 Takarazuka Kinen.]
[In 2023, Yuichi Fukunaga reached the end of his legendary 27-year career. He far exceeded the win record of his father, Yoichi Fukunaga, evolving from "Yoichi's son" to the legendary jockey Yuichi Fukunaga.]
[With dozens of G1 titles and three Tokyo Derby wins, he is firmly a Hall of Fame jockey.]
[In the JRA rules, 10 G1 wins are required to become a Hall of Fame jockey. Uncle Wada, with 8 G1s, is still working hard for those last two.]
[Actually, fans often joke about which famous horse Fukunaga is "ruining" next, but it's undeniable that his strength is that of a legendary jockey. His final dance with Contrail, and his victory over the Horse of the Year Equinox in the Satsuki Sho, were classic races.]
[I wish him the best on his new journey.]
[Now that we've finished with the Golden Generation, what should I write next?]
[I think before the Golden Generation, there was another incredibly brilliant era— an era that changed everyone's perception of horse racing and sent shockwaves through the industry.]
[So much so that years later, when people recall the ace horse of that era, they use these words to describe it— ]
["God exists! It's the super horse!"]
[Yes...]
[Their appearance was in no way inferior to the Golden Generation.]
[The horse that burst from the track like an unexpected bolt of lightning, the "White Lightning" that left everyone in awe, Tamamo Cross.]
[Constantly competing, constantly dueling, constantly creating miracles. The "Heisei Big Three" who brought endless emotion to countless spectators: Super Creek, Inari One, and... Oguri Cap.]
[A noble horse whose life was filled with struggle and miracles from birth, like crystal glass— Mejiro Ardan.]
[Those who inherited the dreams of their predecessors... Sakura Chiyono O, Yaeno Muteki, and the never-say-die Bamboo Memory.]
[This was the generation where Gray horses proved themselves. After they came, no one ever said a Gray horse couldn't run fast again.]
[Yes, let us start describing it from that tiny little place...]