At Tracen Academy:
"What do you mean by that, Trainer Mizuki?! I'm not the type to just cry anymore!" Narita Top Road's cheeks were flushed.
She had just returned from the infirmary and was wearing her casual clothes— a white knit French-style top and a midi skirt.
She was holding a pair of flats, intending to change at school, when she saw herself being teased.
She let out a huff, her face pouting.
She hadn't gone to the infirmary for health reasons, she just hadn't felt like training lately.
As adolescent girls, Uma Musume have their worries too.
As a class rep, she was under a lot of pressure, so slacking off for a day or two every few months was normal.
"Sigh, if only one day I could tell Trainer Mizuki that I can see her logs."
"I wonder what her face would look like. Shock? Surprise? It would be interesting."
"But no matter her expression is, when that day comes, she won't escape my wrath."
Top Road's gaze was firm. She felt that sooner or later, she'd make the always-smiling Trainer Mizuki give her an explanation.
Mizuki teased her every single day. That debt couldn't be settled easily.
Actually, it wasn't just one debt. Top Road had already run out of fingers to count them on.
She stomped her foot, getting angrier the more she thought about it.
The fact that the whole world knew she was a "crybaby" was frustrating enough, but her relatives teasing her about it made it worse.
Her parents even showed videos of her bawling as a child, which made her breakdown entirely.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts.
However, she couldn't deny that Seabiscuit and Red's story was incredibly moving. She really had almost cried.
"The day I won the Kikuka Sho, my Trainer must have been proud of me too. I don't have a story as twisted as Seabiscuit's, but only I know the bitterness behind the scenes."
"No matter how many shoes I wore out, how many times I stayed up late watching tapes with the Trainer, how many plans we scrapped and rebuilt... only those who have lived it understand the toil."
"I've always felt that if you don't work hard, you can face failure with a smile. But if you truly, desperately worked your hardest, that person will cry whether they fail or succeed."
"Seabiscuit, and Red... you ran until the very end. You're amazing."
"Although my strength may not be as exceptional as yours, in my own little world, I will definitely work hard and shine for those around me."
Narita Top Road knew her record wasn't as glorious as T.M. Opera O's, let alone the world's top-tier Uma Musume.
Thus, she hoped that through her story, others could see the beautiful side of the world.
And that was enough for her.
Hishi Miracle chimed in.
"Speaking of which, thanks to Trainer Mizuki writing in her log that I'm afraid of swimming and that I skip class, I get special attention every time we have swimming lessons now."
"Someone bring me my horseshoes, I want to 'style' Trainer Mizuki's hair with them."
Copano Rickey was terrified: "Hishi Miracle-san, that's going too far, really!"
Tap Dance City laughed.
"She's just joking. But thanks to Trainer Mizuki, she can't escape our clutches anymore. We force her into the water every time, and she can't even run away."
Hishi Miracle: "But my swimming technique is pretty good now, right? After a few lessons, I feel like my level has skyrocketed."
Symboli Kris S said with a straight face: "By 'pretty good,' do you mean being losing by 9 lengths in a 50-meter swim? And that was with a kickboard."
"I waited at the finish line for so long that I thought you had drowned."
Oguri Cap: "That seems even slower than me. I was only defeated by 7 lengths."
Tamamo Cross couldn't hold herslef back: "Why do you look so proud, Oguri?! You still lose by 7 lengths!"
Oguri Cap said blankly: "Because, Tama, I was beaten by 8 lengths before. I'm catching up."
Tamamo Cross: "Then catch up more!"
Hishi Miracle blushed: "That... that time was a mistake! I'm very strong now."
Tap Dance City immediately started teasing her.
"Strong? Hishi Miracle is just stubborn. Kris S, she just wants you to admit she's improved so she has an excuse to start making excuses to skip class again. Don't fall for it."
"You have to strike her down ruthlessly, scold her as much as you can."
Tanino Gimlet: "Tap Dance City, you're too strict."
Gold Ship: "Poor Hishi Miracle. Trying to skip swimming class but having every path blocked. Wuuu, I want to cry for you."
Hishi Miracle: "Wuuu, stop it, stop it! You guys are too much!"
Tokai Teio spoke up: "But I have a question. Why did she conclude that Seabiscuit is a combination of me and Oguri Cap?"
"Besides the obvious— Seabiscuit and I are similar because we both made comebacks after leg injuries— where is the similarity with Oguri? Is it because she can eat as much as Oguri?"
Tamamo Cross: "She can as much as Oguri?! The American cafeterias must be under a lot of pressure."
Special Week: "But can anyone really eat as much as Oguri-senpai? In my heart, she's still number one."
While the students chattered about eating contests, the global training goals in the log were reaching 98% completion.
Everyone wondered what would happen when everyone finished their goal races?
What was the legendary reward?
Soon, Mizuki's log updated again.
[But let's stop there regarding American horses for now. In terms of sheer peak dominance, the British horses currently hold the edge.]
[Even if America brings out the legendary duo, Man o' War and Secretariat, Britain counters with the Horse of the Year Frankel and the greatest Empress, Enable.]
[However, both America and Britain share one legendary commonality: A horse named Eclipse.]
[Enable won 5 G1s in 2017 and 2 in 2018. On July 6, 2019, her first race back was the G1 Eclipse Stakes. This famous British race is named after the horse Eclipse.]
[Furthermore, the highest honor in American racing, the Eclipse Award, is also named after him.]
[If there were a Tracen Academy in Britain, the Principal would undoubtedly be Eclipse, born on April 1, 1764.]
[In fact, it would be an honor for the school to have her.]
[If the Three Goddesses are the highest authorities, then Eclipse is the absolute legend right beneath them.]
[Eclipse was born during a solar eclipse. His owner, Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, never imagined this horse would become the pinnacle of the Thoroughbred world.]
[Since his debut on May 3, 1769, he was undefeated in 18 races. More impressively, he typically won by margins of 2,000 to 4,000 meters!]
[Granted, races were longer then at 3,200 to 6,600 meters, but his dominance was so terrifying that owners refused to race against him.]
[Eventually, no one would enter a race with him in it. For the last 17 months of his career, he won by simply walking the course alone because no one dared to challenge him.]
[This led to the famous saying by Captain Denis O'Kelly: "Eclipse first, the rest nowhere!"]
[In Tracen terms, Maruzensky's story mentions she couldn't run the Triple Crown because she lacked rivals. But in reality, Maruzensky was barred by rules.]
[Eclipse, however, truly had no rivals.]
[His low-to-the-ground running style amazed spectators, and his racing schedule was absolutely brutal.]
[Sometimes, he'd have back-to-back races across two days. I can't imagine how tough he must've been to survive that schedule.]
Tracen Academy:
The atmosphere in Tracen had turned solemn. The weight of history pressed down on them.
They finally understood why the Three Goddesses were enshrined.
Meanwhile, Mizuki was already planning her next entries.
She wanted to write about the mid-20th century, starting with the legendary mare Almahmoud, whose grandsons, Halo and Northern Dancer, would go on to define modern racing.
She thought back to Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross.
In an era where noble blood ruled, these two "Gray Cinderellas" rose from the regional circuits to conquer the G1s without a drop of famous blood in their veins.
The era of the Gray Horses was truly romantic.
And while Mizuki was lost in thought, the entire world was exploding because of her log.
Or to put it another way, they were surprised by Eclipse at first.
Little did they know that the content following in the log would be a heavy-duty bombshell capable of shaking the entire racing world to its core.
At Tracen Academy:
"Eclipse... So the British G1 Eclipse Stakes was named after her?"
Special Week said with extreme surprise as she read the beginning of the log.
It wasn't just that, not only was Eclipse highly acclaimed in Britain, but America had named its highest achievement for Thoroughbreds the "Eclipse Award."
This proved just how powerful a status Eclipse held in people's hearts.
Special Week knew how strong Shinzan-senpai was.
In the era Shinzan raced, every win in the "Eight Major G1 Races" resulted in an increased weight handicap.
Even under such conditions, she won all the way, dominating an entire generation of the JRA.
But even for a legend like Shinzan-senpai, she was only commemorated with a G3 race in the JRA.
Compared to Eclipse, it was a completely different league.
Furthermore, Special Week tried to imagine if there were a race in the JRA named after her, called the "Special Week Memorial."
Even if it were just an OP race, she would consider it a supreme honor and be incredibly excited.
But she knew how hard that was. Even though she was called part of the "Golden Generation," she only shone for one era.
She couldn't even get into the highest Hall of Fame in the real world, let alone have a race named after her.
That was the stuff of fairy tales.
Yet, in front of Eclipse, having a top-tier British G1 race named after her wasn't considered an honor for Eclipse— it was an honor for that G1 race.
'Outrageous... It's really too outrageous.'
In her heart, Special Week felt an immense admiration for Eclipse.
She knew Eclipse was viewed this way because she was the senior to most racehorses and the founder of many racing techniques.
After 1750, she must have been fumbling through things on her own. Back then, there were no facilities as good as Tracen Academy.
Special Week felt a deep sense of gratitude and respect for her.
However, Special Week didn't yet know that Eclipse was more than just a "founder."
Once she read further, she would understand that the amount of information there was unprecedentedly explosive.
"Not just Britain, but America has an Eclipse Award too? Who am I to compare myself with a horse who truly created history?"
Shinzan knew about the Shinzan Kinen.
To be honest, she had been very excited at the time, but reading this, she naturally knew she couldn't compare to Eclipse.
What she had to do was pave the way for her juniors as much as possible.
What she wanted wasn't to upgrade the Shinzan Kinen to a G2 or G1, but to nurture a new generation of legendary horses who could have races named after them in the future.
By condensing all of Japan's experience, effort, and expectations, they would nurture the next legendary racer. They could definitely do it.
"18 wins in 18 starts. If I am the 'Overlord of the Century's End,' then she is the 'Overlord of Two Centuries'."
T.M. Opera O was stunned for a moment.
Although she understood that the strength of horses back then couldn't be compared to today, Eclipse was undoubtedly the dominating presence of that era.
To reach the level of "Eclipse first, the rest nowhere" absolutely represented her exaggerated strength.
Moreover, Opera O had observed Oguri Cap's running form before.
Indeed, when Oguri sprinted, her center of gravity was very low and her speed was very high, that was truly the sign of a powerhouse.
Eclipse must have been the same as Oguri, or perhaps even more extreme.
What was even more ridiculous was that she ran races of at least 3,200 meters on back-to-back days. Sometimes, her races would even reach distances of 6,600 meters.
"Running 13,200 meters in two days? Is that a real number? If I went up there, I'm afraid I'd be finished halfway through..."
Meisho Doto said, trembling. She simply couldn't imagine how Eclipse did it.
You had to realize this wasn't just a casual run, but a race, so there was competition.
Doto felt that if it were her, facing such a schedule, she wouldn't even have the courage to enter.
"Hmm... if it's just a casual run, one could run very far in a day. But for a race, the intensity is a completely different concept."
Kitasan Black's expression was very solemn.
Her stamina was excellent, in the third season of the anime, she ran from the mountains all the way to Kyoto Racecourse to cheer for Satono Diamond in the Kikuka Sho, a distance of dozens of kilometers.
But if you asked Kitasan Black to run the 3,200m Spring Tenno Sho with racing intensity two days in a row?
Even with her powerful body, she'd collapse on the spot.
"I didn't expect such a terrifying figure to exist in Britain since the 1760s. Compared to her, I'm just too far behind..."
Maruzensky spoke up quietly.
During her Classic year, she indeed wasn't interested in the Classic Triple Crown, so she didn't run it.
During that time, it wasn't that she looked down on other Uma Musume, she just mysteriously couldn't enjoy the joy of running.
Agnes Tachyon told her that her mood at the time might have been affected by the fact that her real-world counterpart couldn't compete.
Everything in their lives as Tracen Uma Musume was closely linked to the real horses.
Maruzensky didn't think too much about it. Instead, she was very glad that there were now "Training Rewards" that could help her real-world self, her team, and her jockey fulfill the dream of the Triple Crown.
She just wanted to keep reading. She wanted to see what other shocking miracles this undefeated Eclipse would create.
"It isn't just you, I can't imagine any modern racer having that kind of record."
"If I could visit the British Academy and get data on Frankel, Enable, or even Eclipse, that would be for the best. Their performances in their respective eras were too perfect."
"If I could get their data and perform an analysis, I would certainly gain many precious insights."
Air Shakur said, tapping away at her keyboard.
Her data columns were already densely packed with information on many Uma Musume. She didn't use it all for herself, though.
She looked fierce, but she was very willing to share the data she obtained.
She was basically a semi-tsundere.
Moreover, Air Shakur recorded this data to organize it by categories so that future young Uma Musume could use it as a reference.
Even though she looked mean, she was actually thinking about making her own contribution to the future of Tracen.
Actually, Air Shakur was quite gentle. She was Meisho Doto's roommate.
In Doto's URA scenario, she initially played the role of a total villain, scolding Doto until she was almost catatonic, but later she provided Doto with a lot of help.
A typical case of a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
"Unbelievable. There was such a terrifying existence as early as the 1760s? British racing is truly exaggerated. If it were Japan, were there any powerful horses in the 1760s?"
Sakura Chiyono O was now shocked beyond words.
In terms of historical depth, Japanese horses were indeed no match for those in Britain, America, or France.
But Chiyono O didn't lose heart. They had to focus on the present and the future.
To give future Uma Musume more confidence, they had to strive desperately now.
She thought that if a hundred years from now, the name "Sakura Chiyono O" could make future Uma Musume feel a bit of pride, then her existence would have meaning.
Watching Eclipse, even though she knew she was a British Horse Girl, Chiyono O respected her from the bottom of her heart.
For some reason, she felt a mysterious sense of familiarity with her.
Chiyono O understood that it was precisely because horses like this existed around 1760 that the history of this sport could continue to deepen.
" 'Eclipse first, the rest nowhere'... that's our school's moto, isn't it?"
Narita Brian turned to Biwa Hayahide, a twig dangling from her mouth.
"I was wondering where that quote came from."
"Although horses back then weren't as strong as today, achieving Eclipse's level within a generation hasn't happened since, and it's impossible to happen in the future."
"Eclipse... her birth was just like her name, it was as if even the sun's vast brilliance was plundered by her."
"Top-tier racing nations like Britain and America name their highest G1 races and honorary awards after her. I can't find the words to describe it."
Biwa Hayahide said. Her thoughts were the same as Chiyono O's.
Her philosophy was that everyone living in the present actually bridges three time periods: The past, the present, and the future.
The conditions she had now came from the dedication of past seniors. Everything she was doing now was to create a better future for the juniors of Tracen to the best of her ability.
Because Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross had been here, a gray horse like her would never be looked down upon again.
Now, because she was here... what could Biwa Hayahide bring to those who follow?
She had read the story of her real-world self.
She was the backdrop for Tokai Teio's 1993 Arima Kinen, the "ultimate villain" in a miraculous comeback.
Perhaps countless people would be moved and excited by Tokai Teio.
In truth, she was no different, but she also acknowledged that her self on that day had given her absolute all.
Yes, compared to Tokai Teio, the existence of Biwa Hayahide and her story was indeed quite ordinary.
But being ordinary was fine.
If in the future, if there were even just one Uma Musume who was encouraged by her career and story, then that would be the meaning of her seizing the present and running with all her might.
Hayahide felt the heavy weight of racing history.
She felt a deep respect for Eclipse. As a racer who opened an era, she truly deserved such honors.
She respected the greats of history immensely, because only then would juniors respect her in the present.
Hayahide's heart was filled with endless respect, but she didn't yet know what she would see next.
Meanwhile, in Britain:
"Eclipse-senpai... That Eclipse-senpai who spends all day dazing off and doing nothing is actually that incredible?"
Alpinista was stunned.
On the top floor of the British academy, she often saw Eclipse-senpai in her huge office, staring out the window alone without saying a word, or sitting before a chessboard with pieces that never moved.
Her expression was cold, but her heart was kind. She never seemed to refuse anyone's requests.
Eclipse-senpai had a remarkable trait: She almost never forgot a face and remembered exactly what everyone liked and disliked.
Alpinista had sought out Eclipse before. She thought Eclipse was strong back then and, having heard she took all challengers, proposed a race.
Alpinista enjoyed that race immensely because she was neck-and-neck with Eclipse-senpai the whole way, only winning by a nose at the very end.
At the time, she thought Eclipse-senpai was good, but not as good as her.
Now, knowing the truth, Alpinista was flabbergasted.
'Could it be that Eclipse let me win that day?'
"Alpinista, Eclipse is truly lonely. Do you know? The saddest thing in this world isn't losing to your rival, but your rival quitting."
"In Chess, there's a saying: One person cannot play a legendary game. Eclipse is like that."
"She waits at the board for an opponent who can make her nervous, an opponent who can make her excited."
"In the end, she was just waiting for an opponent who simply dared to challenge her."
"But in the end, she was destined to be disappointed. The result was that she sat alone at the board and took all the glory without moving a single piece."
Enable said quietly.
She understood that feeling very well, which is why she suddenly realized why she had felt bad for Frankel that day.
Because, even though she had become the greatest of fillies, there was still a goal above her that she could pursue. Frankel, standing at the world's apex.
But Frankel didn't have that. A throne for one is indeed brilliant, but it is also lonely.
Perhaps she was like Eclipse, waiting for an opponent who could stand as her equal.
'No wonder... no wonder Frankel was so excited when she saw Flightline and Sea The Stars.'
'Because she... finally had opponents she could play against on the chessboard, existences that could at least walk beside her at the world's peak.'
'Only by facing strong enemies like Sea The Stars and Flightline could an existence like Frankel take a further step beyond the world's apex.'
"I see... Then Enable, can you give me your phone for a second?" Alpinista said immediately.
"What for?"
Enable handed her phone to Alpinista. Her phone case was cute, featuring a cartoon pattern released by British racing.
"Didn't you say no one plays chess with Eclipse? I'll download a chess engine and have her play against the computer. She'll definitely find it fun."
"I won against my grandpa using a computer once, and he never played chess again."
Alpinista had already started the download.
Enable was speechless. She stopped Alpinista's plan.
After all, it wasn't that Eclipse-senpai literally wanted to play chess.
At the same time, Enable felt very sorry for Alpinista's grandfather. That way of playing was far too hard on an old man.
They continued to read, wanting to see what other achievements Eclipse had. Did she retire?
However, the next part left Frankel, Enable, Sea The Stars, and all the other horses dumbfounded.
Enable, who had just taken her phone back, dropped it on the ground in shock.
Especially when she saw these lines:
[Furthermore, Eclipse's contribution to the racing world goes beyond that.]
[As the great-great-grandson of the Darley Arabian, one of the Three Foundation Sires, and the maternal great-grandson of the Godolphin Arabian, Eclipse's offspring are spread across the globe.]
[To this day, 95% of all Thoroughbreds in the world are related to the Darley Arabian and him.]
[Ironically, Eclipse was almost castrated as a foal due to his violent temper. If that had happened, the racing world would be unrecognizable.]
[Legends like Secretariat, who inherited Eclipse's abnormally large heart, would never have existed.]
[Actually, I think I need to talk about Secretariat for a moment. That guy was a monster.]
[By the time he died, his heart weighed 22 pounds. The average weight of a horse's heart is 8.5 pounds.]
[In America, the 1940s Seabiscuit belonged to the People. The 1970s Secretariat? He belonged to God.]
[These two were famous enough to get movies made of them, something almost no other horse has achieved.]
[Secretariat's 31-length victory in the Belmont Stakes remains a record that may never be broken.]
[Let me just say that there are Triple Crown winners, and then there is Secretariat. They're not on the same level.]
[Many experts agree that even a horse as powerful as American Pharaoh would lose to "Big Red."]
[But tracing back to the source of his bloodline, we can see that between the 17th and 18th centuries, the "General Stud Book" records that Britain imported over 100 stallions from the Middle East to breed with local British mares.]
[The resulting foals were considered the first generation of Thoroughbreds.]
[Today, the bloodlines of all Thoroughbreds in the world can be traced back to three specific Arabian stallions.]
[These three are thus known as the "Three Foundation Sires."]
[And these Three Foundation Sires are the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Byerley Turk— the prototypes for the Three Goddesses!]
Of course, it wasn't just Enable, Frankel, and Sea The Stars.
Every country including Japan, France, America, Ireland, and China was in an uproar.
In the United States:
"Wait, did I hear that right? The Three Goddesses... they have real-world counterparts?!"
"The Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, the Byerley Turk... they are the prototypes of our Three Goddesses?"
"But that means the Three Goddesses were born between the 17th and 18th centuries and came from the Middle East!"
Secretariat was stunned. She hadn't expected the real-world horses to be categorized so specifically.
In the world protected by the Three Goddesses, there was no distinction between Thoroughbreds and other horses. There were only Uma Musume.
But she found it normal now. The real world was different, they had stallions and mares.
Furthermore, reading on, Secretariat was shocked beyond measure. Even she was a descendant of Eclipse, despite the countless years between them.
But Secretariat didn't care about that now. At least she finally knew where her powerful heart was inherited from.
"The Three Goddesses... I have to remember their names. But they're so long, I feel like I won't remember..."
"I'll copy them down first."
Seabiscuit immediately committed the names of the Three Goddesses to memory.
Indeed, in the world of Uma Musume, it wasn't just the Uma Musume at Japan's Tracen Academy who received the legacy and blessings of the Three Goddesses. It was Uma Musume all over the world.
After all, it was clear that almost all Uma Musume were descendants of the Three Foundation Sires.
"I get it. It's like an ancestral relationship. Our Thoroughbred ancestors are the Three Sires— the Three Goddesses."
American Pharoah said. It was like a family tree spreading out.
It was truly a surprising revelation, but it made sense. Mathematically, as people marry and breed, the family size increases exponentially.
They were the beginning, slowly spreading and dividing into the distinct, competing racing factions of Britain, America, Japan, France, and Ireland.
"But I can't believe Eclipse almost became a gelding. Why? Don't horses in the real world have rights? Why does an owner get to decide such things?"
"Logically, we just joined a club. That doesn't mean we handed our reproductive rights to the owner!"
Flightline said in confusion.
"If you're asking me, I'm not entirely sure either. But Trainer Mizuki mentioned that sometimes, making a horse a gelding is a last resort— perhaps a way to heal them or extend their racing life."
Seabiscuit analyzed it this way.
She was still reeling from the shock of finally learning the names of the Three Goddesses' prototypes.
She planned to offer a tribute to them tomorrow, since in their world, the Three Goddesses were equivalent to God.
Meanwhile, American Pharoah read further:
"A matchup between me and Secretariat, and no one thinks I can win? These people... what a cold, rational analysis."
"Logically, I have to agree..."
She spoke quietly, but the fire in her eyes hadn't faded one bit.
"How scary, American Pharoah. You say that, but the obsession in your heart is definitely telling you that you can win, right?" Zenyatta remarked.
"Do I look like such a devious person? You're wrong, Zenyatta. I acknowledge the result."
"I don't deny that there's a 99-to-1 probability of me losing to Secretariat, but isn't there still 1% left? I will definitely seize that one-percent chance."
That was American Pharoah for you. While she might be criticized for crying over trivial daily matters, the composure and calm she displayed in critical moments were almost frightening.
In Flightline's eyes, American Pharoah was indeed a eccentric, somewhat abnormal existence, but she had never said the Pharoah lacked strength.
She simply didn't understand the meaning of the word "impossible." She would face Secretariat with her cool, aloof, and gallant attitude.
Flightline noticed the mention of movies.
She already knew Seabiscuit's story was a film, but she hadn't expected Secretariat to have one too.
Flightline wondered if anyone would make a movie about her...
At Tracen Academy:
"It seems everyone's ancestors are the same group of horses. Vodka-senpai, Scarlet-senpai, you're basically relatives. You should coexist more peacefully," Gold Ship said with a laugh, though her words were clearly meant to stir the pot.
"Hah? Who's relatives with her? This punk idiot?" Daiwa Scarlet snorted, hands on her hips, looking as haughty as could be.
"'Punk'? Well coming from a 'model student' like you, I can't find a flaw in the phrasing. But listen up: When it comes to brains, mine firmly holds the upper hand compared to yours!"
Vodka was always confident. Her heart was firmer than Scarlet's, and she wasn't easily swayed by words or failure.
Except, of course, for Scarlet's words and actions.
In reality, Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka were complete opposites.
Scarlet carefully maintained her "model student" persona but was incredibly stubborn behind the scenes.
She valued being number one to the point of selfishness, failing to get it would sap her motivation and send her into a slump.
Vodka, while equally hungry for victory, was more resilient and wouldn't be shaken by temporary losses.
Scarlet's strength lay in consulting her trainer and executing plans perfectly.
Vodka sometimes refused to listen, following her own training philosophy.
Scarlet liked "pretty" things, Vodka liked "cool" things and acted like a wild biker.
Yet, it was these two who created the unprecedented "Twin Empress" era of the JRA in 2007, a rivalry fans remember vividly to this day.
"That bloodline theory isn't quite enough. Many humans share common ancestors in the distant past, but they aren't considered relatives."
"You have to see which generation the bloodline has reached." Mejiro McQueen pointed out.
"Jeez, it was just a joke! Grandpa, you're so serious! But at least we have a blood connection," Gold Ship said, running up to hug her grandpa.
McQueen, a girl radiating elegance, was once again broken by Gold Ship.
"Three Goddesses... Eclipse... I'm already dizzy. I'm trying so hard to memorize the names, but as soon as I remember the first one, I forget the second,"
Special Week's learning ability was bad to the point of worrying even Tokai Teio.
However, Special Week had a unique talent: She could guess what the cafeteria was serving with over 70% accuracy.
"Shocking... Truly shocking. Is this the depth of British racing? If we look at history, the number one racing nation is undoubtedly Britain."
"No! El Condor Pasa must also spread her wings! My dream now isn't just for El to be number one desu, but for Tracen Academy to be number one in the world!"
"El will fly through the sky and forge a new path for everyone!"
El Condor Pasa's energy filled Tracen with life.
Tracen couldn't exist without El, just as El couldn't exist without her mask.
"El, I've received your energy," Grass Wonder said with a smile.
She looked at El with a gentle gaze—a classic "Grass-san" smile.
"And then there's the invincible Teio-sama! Ni-shi-shi! My Teio Step must push Tracen Academy forward, and that's just the beginning!"
"I'll become the most professional instructor and help everyone catch up to those girls overseas!"
"When the time comes, the Uma Musume who defeats Frankel better remember to perform the Teio Step!"
Teio's passion combined with El's fervor energized the crowd.
Having a goal didn't crush them, it gave them the strength to face difficulties.
"O-ho-ho-ho-ho! The word 'quit' doesn't exist in the dictionary of a first-rate King! I'll make sure my juniors are the same way!" King Halo clenched her fist, glowing with confidence.
"I will also work hard to be everyone's sun," Rhein Kraft and Cesario shared a smile.
"Ha—hahaha! Everyone, I must admit, you are so dazzling today. I'm moved! Even a bit of my brilliance has been shared by you."
"Yes! A solo of one era isn't enough, the resonance of two eras isn't hot enough. How can a symphony of three eras satisfy us? We must continue!"
"Four, five, six eras... as many as needed until the song of our Tracen, the perfect opera of our future, plays forever on the world's highest stage!"
Opera O was ecstatic.
As the Overlord of the Century's End, seeing so many powerful rivals only fueled her fighting spirit.
She thought of her jockey, Ryuji Wada, who stayed at his post for 17 years despite countless failures.
She would learn from that spirit.
"Opera O-senpai, I will always follow you," Mikki Rocket said.
She was usually quiet, buried in research, but she deeply admired Opera O's brilliance.
"Hmm, but Seabiscuit and Secretariat have movies. I wonder if there's a movie with me as the protagonist?" Special Week asked honestly.
Little did she know, she was likely the first Uma Musume most new fans would ever meet.
Years later, if asked who started their love for racing, many would say: "The Japan Cup winner, Special Week."
"Spe-chan, the movie would definitely be about me! It'll show me winning the undefeated Triple Crown and doing the Teio Step."
"It'll be a blockbuster!" Tokai Teio said with a giggle.
"Movies? I'm not interested," Agnes Tachyon stretched.
She only cared about experiments and pushing the limits of Uma Musume.
She was particularly intrigued by Secretariat. Mizuki had mentioned her many times, and now finally described her.
Unfortunately, Secretariat's strength was irreproducible— that large heart was like a cheat code.
Silence Suzuka touched her left chest.
'How large is my heart?'
Everyone looked back at the log, eager for more.
They understood now why Eclipse was so famous— it wasn't just because of her the record, but it was also because of her bloodline.
Eclipse was the "perfect" horse: Perfect record, perfect bloodline, perfect offspring.
In the modern era, only Frankel could compare, and even then, Eclipse had the weight of centuries behind her.
They also wondered if they would ever meet the Three Goddesses.
Many younger Uma Musume were just now realizing that the Goddesses were real, not just legends.
Then, Mizuki's log continued, and the next part shocked everyone.
[But speaking of greatness, Eclipse is the most famous beneath the Three Goddesses.]
[Of course, the 1760s are quite distant. For the Uma Musume I know at Tracen, we can start with the 1947 mare Almahmoud. Her lineage produced two stallions that changed the racing history of Europe, Japan, and France.]
[They are: Halo, born in 1969 and Northern Dancer, born in 1961.]
[Actually, in 1948, Japan had a very strong horse whose bloodline unfortunately wasn't preserved: Tokino Minoru, born just a year after Almahmoud.]
[Who belongs to the Halo line?]
[First, Halo's daughter, Goodbye Halo. Her son is a name everyone knows: King Halo, born in 1995.]
[Halo also has a grandson named Taiki Shuttle, who was born in 1994.]
[The relationships are a bit messy, Taiki Shuttle, who is a year older than King Halo, would have to call King Halo "Uncle".]
[But the real champion I want to talk about is Northern Dancer!]
[Northern Dancer's lineage has countless branches. The famous five are Danzig, Lyphard, Nijinsky, Sadler's Wells, and Tracen's very own Chairwoman, Northern Taste.]
[The most successful branch is Sadler's Wells, which includes Galileo, El Condor Pasa, Montjeu, and T.M. Opera O. They've dominated almost all of Europe.]
[Under Danzig, we have Grass Wonder, Agnes Digital, Fine Motion, and more.]
[However, the branch that influenced the JRA the most is the Chairwoman's line.]
[Northern Taste had many offspring, but one horse stands out that everyone knows: Northern Taste's son, Matikane Tannhauser.]
At Tracen Academy:
"Eh?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Matikane Tannhauser was taking diligent notes on the log when she suddenly froze.
'Wait, wait, wait... you're saying Matikane Tannhauser is whose son?'
'The... the... CHAIRWOMAN?!!!!!!'