Chapter 53
Yasui Makoto had not planned to say much about any of this. His original idea was to give Kitasan Black's notes a quick once-over, offer a few words of praise, and leave it at that.
But the young girl's enthusiasm and genuine concern made him want to be more open with her.
Besides, the entries in her little notebook might not have been professional, yet every line was written with clear care and attention. It was obvious she had been copying his usual training habits.
That told him Kitasan Black had poured real effort into studying him and was just as dedicated to her regular training routine.
The notes definitely held some value as a reference.
The age at which Uma Musumes reach true maturation differs from horse girl to horse girl, but it usually happens within a few years after they turn ten. For them, this is exactly like human adolescence, complete with the same kinds of emotional and psychological shifts.
During this time they become more aware of the changes in their own bodies and, as their minds mature, they start to see the world around them in a new light.
Noticing her trainer's stress, for example, could easily be one of those changes showing up in Kitasan Black.
In the racing world this topic could fill an entire field of study on its own. Even so, there is not a single trainer who has fully mastered it, let alone one who can put that knowledge to practical use in daily training and race strategy.
Many veteran trainers with long, successful careers still fall short here. They miss the subtle psychological shifts in the Uma Musume under their care, which leads to friction that hurts both training and race performance, and sometimes even ends in contract termination.
Yasui Makoto had heard plenty of those stories before he came to Tokyo, and he had already seen a few cases with his own eyes since arriving.
That was why he had long wanted to find good ways to offer proper psychological guidance.
Luckily, his own black-haired girl was obedient and level-headed. He could observe her day-to-day without worrying about clashes, and in doing so learn more about the various mental states Uma Musumes go through.
"So it really was just a coincidence…"
The blush on Kitasan Black's cheeks slowly faded. She looked at the fence with open curiosity.
"Does that mean the machine can be used now?"
The drone kit came with a base for stability, and Yasui Makoto had already set it up on the fence.
"It has always been ready to go. Some of the remaining issues still need sorting out, so for now it can only do fixed-point recording."
After the quick explanation, he felt it was time to get back to the actual training.
"But this is more than enough for what we need right now," he said seriously. "According to the schedule, you two will start with six sets of early-stage positioning training."
Kitasan Black and Vodka both straightened up at once. Without another word they answered loudly and dashed to the starting markers.
The moment Yasui Makoto gave the signal, two sprinting figures—one slightly ahead, one right behind—joined the rest of the Uma Musumes already working on the track.
Positioning training is standard practice, especially important for Uma Musumes who prefer to run from the front.
Kitasan Black had gradually made the leading style her own, which meant she needed to claim the front spot right from the gate. Good positional awareness was essential.
In an actual race every horse starts from the gate, and every gate is the same width. The distance from the innermost to the outermost gate changes depending on the size of the field, so the best way to secure position also changes.
If she draws an inside gate she needs to angle slightly outward at the start. Otherwise, when the outside group pushes in, she can easily get boxed in during the early stages.
From an outside gate the opposite applies: she has to cut diagonally inward right away, and her early speed must be sharp enough to take the lead while still claiming the better inner path.
The middle gates are usually the most comfortable. Once clear of the gate the runner can simply go full speed and still have time to adjust position on the first turn.
The same logic applies to cornering, cruising, and the final stretch—each phase has its own positioning demands. The exact drills are always tailored to the individual Uma Musume and adjusted according to the specific race conditions.
Right now Kitasan Black was practicing her positioning right after breaking from the gate.
One full set consisted of four repetitions, and each repetition meant four 400-meter runs that simulated leaving the gate. The six sets were divided horizontally into inner-gate, middle-gate, and outer-gate situations, and vertically into two patterns: side-by-side runs and runs with a gap between the two horses. The second pattern prepared her for close-marking tactics.
If a race featured a particularly dangerous rival, the overall strategy would be refined even further, with extra adjustments to positioning.
After the sixth set finished, Yasui Makoto called out,
"All right, take a break."
He walked over to the two girls carrying two chilled energy drinks.
"You did great, Kita-chan. Thanks for the hard work, Vodka."
Kitasan Black took the drink, her ears twitching with excitement as she nodded happily.
"Mhm! Thank you, Trainer!"
Vodka accepted hers, took a long swig, and grinned.
"What are you talking about, Yasui? I already told you—being able to come back to this familiar track and run again after so long is plenty of fun for me."
She turned to Kitasan Black and nodded several times.
"Kita-chan really looked sharp out there. You wouldn't think she only debuted two months ago."
"Huh? Really?"
Kitasan Black took a sip, surprised, then looked a little shy.
"Vodka-senpai… you're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?"
"Am I the type to do that?"
Vodka shook her head with a smile, then spoke seriously.
"Honestly, Kita-chan, if you were in my generation you would probably be the rival I respect most after Daiwa Scarlet. But you don't need to try so hard to copy her style. And I won't sugarcoat it—pure talent-wise, you're not quite on her level yet. She's the kind of opponent you can tell is special the moment you see her. Speed, power, stamina… everything stands out. Especially her racing instinct. That girl is completely different on and off the track. Outside the racetrack she's an excellent student because she's patient, careful, and genuinely bright. But once the gate opens… you might not believe this, but she doesn't think at all."
Kitasan Black froze.
"She… doesn't think? R-really? If Daiwa Scarlet-senpai isn't using her head, then how does she run…?"
"Instinct. That's what I just said, right?"
Vodka shrugged, smiling helplessly.
"What I've seen from you in training and races lately makes sense to me. Your positioning, timing your acceleration, cornering technique… it all comes from steady practice, and I can spot the parts where you're imitating Daiwa Scarlet. But she's not like that. Even though you ran against her once, she probably didn't show the same style she used back in her prime. You'll understand when you see it for yourself. A lot of her decisions when she's leading don't make sense to normal people. They even look counter-intuitive."
Kitasan Black still did not quite follow the explanation.
Before she could think about it further, Vodka turned to Yasui Makoto.
"But your current leading ability already has a solid foundation, so you don't need to worry about that side of things just yet. Right, Yasui?"