Who are you calling weak, you old hag?
Gotham Song seethed inwardly, yet gradually, she let herself slip further back.
At first, Manhattan Cafe had been momentarily frozen by the explosive pressure from Gotham Song's aura. Once she'd recovered, however, she'd burst out of the gate with an even swifter pace than usual.
Cafe's ideal distance was longer than this, but even at 1600 meters, using an unexpectedly aggressive tempo wasn't out of the question.
Meanwhile, Fine Motion, gritting her teeth against the oppressive aura, had barely managed to break from the gate, sweat already visible on her forehead. Still, at a mere 1600 meters, this brief strain wouldn't exhaust her.
Frankly, for top-tier Uma Musume like these, 1600 meters was comfortably within their capabilities.
But despite knowing this, Fine Motion couldn't help feeling envious of Twin Turbo, who'd chosen the same reckless strategy but seemed completely unaffected—already charging ahead at full speed without hesitation.
Come on, Fine Motion! You can't stop here! She clenched her teeth, steadily accelerating.
Yet, what completely astonished her was that Gotham Song—the intimidating Uma Musume who had started at the front—was now falling behind.
First, the blue comet, Twin Turbo, streaked past. Then came the shadowy Manhattan Cafe, and now even Fine Motion herself was overtaking Gotham Song, quickly closing the gap toward the approaching turn.
This development left Fine Motion baffled.
She had expected a brutal, neck-and-neck battle—but this?
Was Gotham Song actually not as fearsome as rumors claimed?
In Fine Motion's experience, no sane Uma Musume would willingly give up the advantage they'd so dramatically seized at the start.
Another undefeated genius, huh…? What are you playing at?
"The runners are finally out cleanly—but astonishingly, it's not Gotham Song who leads, despite her incredible start! Instead, Twin Turbo has surged ahead, followed closely by Manhattan Cafe and Fine Motion!"
"That's right! Even stranger, Gotham Song has fallen back into the midfield pack. Wouldn't holding onto at least second place be a better strategy for someone who started off so strongly?"
Indeed, even ignoring Twin Turbo—likely to burn out eventually—it was obviously advantageous for a front-runner to maintain second place at least.
But that was assuming a normal 1600-meter race, without any unusual conditions.
Before this race, Secretariat had repeatedly emphasized to Gotham Song:
Winning the Yasuda Kinen wasn't enough. To trigger the international race-level adjustment, she had to cross the finish line roughly 100 horse-lengths ahead.
To clarify: one horse-length was about 2.5 meters. That meant a lead of at least 250 meters.
Thus, for Gotham Song, this wasn't a 1600-meter race—it was a 1350-meter one.
Within the last 1350 meters, no other Uma Musume could be allowed to exist.
From this perspective, wouldn't an early lead be preferable?
Not necessarily.
Pulling ahead by 100 lengths was one thing, but Gotham Song had her own stubborn pride.
She wanted to offer the spectators—and everyone watching—a grand spectacle.
Run ahead, everyone. Keep running as far as you like. You'll see soon enough what's coming.
Maintaining her steady pace, Gotham Song drifted toward the inside of the track, visibly appearing harmless.
Perhaps to observers, she looked as if she had entirely given up on winning altogether.
"The first corner approaches fast! Leading the pack remains our beloved second-favorite, Twin Turbo! Manhattan Cafe remains impressively calm, maintaining pace even against such a frantic opponent. Fine Motion is closely pursuing as well."
"Shockingly, Gotham Song—the favorite—is only fourth. If she doesn't pick up speed soon, first place seems impossible."
"They're entering the first corner! Will this determine the outcome?! Twin Turbo hits the curve first! Will she lose speed here—wait! What's this?!"
"TWIN TURBO ISN'T SLOWING DOWN!"
The entire stadium, the viewers at home, even those watching livestreams abroad erupted into chaos.
When fans thought of runaway Uma Musume who defied physics, one name always came up first.
Was it Mejiro McQueen, who previously performed such maneuvers at the Ruka Stakes?
No. Even that elegant heiress had only been an imitator.
The first and only Uma Musume who had defied corners without slowing, whose name every fan instantly recalled, was—
Twilight Song.
In that moment, Twin Turbo's figure seemed to overlap with that unforgettable horse girl who had once raced back from death.
Their racing outfits were different, but they shared the same petite frame, the same unstoppable dash, and the same power to stun the audience.
Twin Turbo's audacious cornering put incredible pressure on everyone chasing behind her—
—including Manhattan Cafe.
"So, this is what Song taught you..."
Manhattan Cafe didn't reply. She remained deeply immersed in the race.
For Cafe, this race carried profound meaning—
More than just competing against Gotham Song, it was about proving herself as well.
Manhattan Cafe's Kikuka Sho victory had always stirred controversy. Even today, many still debated what might've happened had Mejiro McQueen participated.
Of course, for Cafe herself, there was another, deeper, more critical reason to give her absolute best today.
For the very first time, her "friend" had appeared on the racetrack beside her, running alongside, waiting for the first corner.
At the Arima Kinen against Mejiro McQueen, her friend had suddenly leaped ahead, chasing the frontrunners…
Cafe didn't know when her friend would repeat that move again, nor would she ever ask for it. So, at this Yasuda Kinen, Manhattan Cafe had every reason—and determination—to claim victory.
Yet, a subtle confusion lingered in her heart.
Why hasn't Song caught up yet?
The massive turn of the Yasuda Kinen loomed ahead.
Unlike most other races, the Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse featured just one sweeping turn, bookended by lengthy straightaways.
In other words, by midway through this curve, more than half of the race would already be decided.
Twin Turbo still charged joyously in front, but clearly, the gap between her and Manhattan Cafe and Fine Motion was gradually shrinking.
Indeed, despite successfully cornering without slowing, speed had never been Twin Turbo's weakness. Instead, it was her stamina—simply insufficient for maintaining her all-out sprint over the entire distance, especially after exhausting herself through a blazing corner at top speed.
So, wasn't this exactly the moment to overtake?
Manhattan Cafe and Fine Motion both prepared for the final, decisive sprint.
By the time the curve's end was in sight, virtually everyone had written Gotham Song off completely.
What a joke. The frontrunners had almost cleared the turn, yet Gotham Song had barely reached halfway.
Wasn't her throat-slitting gesture at the opening parade ridiculously ironic now?
Another undefeated genius? Doesn't look like much, huh.
So, who would ultimately seize first place? Any of the top three seemed possible. Oh? Wait, someone started accelerating already!
"The end of the race is near, and it's been a surprising battle filled with twists! Twin Turbo remains in the lead, followed closely by Manhattan Cafe. Fine Motion still holds third, wait—?!"
"What's this? Gotham Song is closing in?! She's rapidly approaching Fine Motion—closer now, and still gaining! She's passing!"
"Positions updated—Gotham Song now moves into third place!"
The stadium erupted into chaos, but Gotham Song herself was entirely immersed in the race, ignoring Fine Motion's astonished and discouraged expression, focusing instead on Sunday Silence's intense gaze.
You think you can take first place in the Yasuda Kinen?
I don't think so. Be a good girl and let me pass.
Manhattan Cafe eagerly accepted the challenge, refusing any cowardice. In direct response, she also pushed forward, reaching for every bit of strength she possessed.
Less than a thousand meters left. Even going all-out now, she could manage this.
I don't want to lose. I refuse to fall behind. I refuse to be left behind by Song and my friend again!
"Manhattan Cafe accelerates! The elder sister answers her younger sister's challenge. Both are speeding up! The turn is nearly over, and Twin Turbo's already begun her final sprint! Is this it? The decisive moment? Will Turbo hold out until the end, or will the elder sister win—or will the younger sister pull off an upset from behind?!"
Sunday Silence was dumbfounded. She genuinely hadn't anticipated Gotham Song's explosive acceleration.
She'd known Gotham Song was similar to her, but this powerful after falling so far behind?
No—this little brat did this intentionally!
She deliberately lagged behind just to shock everyone with a comeback?
Interesting! Let me join your little game.
Sunday Silence laughed silently, surging forward herself—
But before she could even reach Cafe's side, a swift shadow brushed past, graceful as the wind.
Gotham Song's pace kept accelerating, surging forward, exponentially increasing as if utterly limitless—
The commentators had barely hyped up the sisters' confrontation before the battle was instantly decided:
Manhattan Cafe was swiftly, decisively left far behind.
Only Twin Turbo stubbornly pressed onward, desperate and refusing to yield. She didn't want to lose—couldn't lose!
Yet, with her stamina utterly spent, what resistance could she still muster?
At 350 meters from the finish, Twin Turbo finally faltered, and Gotham Song reclaimed her place at the front—as if she'd never given it away in the first place.
Before the chasing pack even cleared the turn, the terrifying black figure at the front began her final stretch.
Yet what truly left the crowd speechless was—
Despite her ridiculous, otherworldly speed, Gotham Song still initiated a furious final spurt, as if mocking everyone by emphasizing she wasn't a front-runner but a chaser.
Now only the finish line existed in Gotham Song's vision. Yet, alongside her, another figure suddenly matched her stride.
The eerie black ghost smiled wildly, an unknown 17th runner, hidden from the world!
Come on, Song. Come on! What an exhilarating duel! Only a dozen or so meters left now, right?
Come, face me! Show me your full strength!
You might not win this race, you know?
Sunday Silence eagerly awaited Gotham Song's reaction. Yet, to the phantom's astonishment and the roaring disbelief of the entire stadium, Gotham Song unexpectedly slowed down.
Instead of sprinting straight through, she gracefully jogged to the side, retrieving the scepter she'd planted at the starting line. Then, clutching it calmly, she stepped leisurely toward the finish.
Gotham Song, with casual elegance, crossed the finish line, claiming victory in the Yasuda Kinen.
And what was the final margin between her and the second-place Manhattan Cafe?
One hundred and one horse-lengths.
At the sidelines, Secretariat stood frozen for a moment, then slowly broke into a delighted smile.
This little one—she'd gone even further than expected.
But—
This is what makes things interesting, isn't it?