The instant the race began, the announcer immediately relayed the conditions on the track.
"All Uma Musume have broken smoothly from the gates! No missed starts!"
"No contestants have missed the break!"
Repeating it again for emphasis, the commentator continued:
"The experienced older Uma Musume unanimously avoided the inner lane, shifting outward instead."
"Leading out first is No. 9, Hokko Brave, closely followed by No. 8, Phantom Gale."
"Both competitors beautifully utilized their middle gate positions, taking the early lead."
"But No. 2, Curren Mirotic, is quickly moving up—she's caught Phantom Gale, and overtaken her!"
"Curren Mirotic now occupies second place, but the lead remains with Hokko Brave."
"The pack is becoming crowded, and the mid-group has notably expanded."
"Coincidentally, this race's top two favorites, Kizuna and Gold Ship, are positioned at the very back."
"The two most popular competitors, respectively in last and second-to-last positions, seem to have adopted a chasing strategy."
At this point, the analyst added:
"For Gold Ship, coming from behind is her specialty. Perhaps we'll see another thrilling scene like the Satsuki Sho or Arima Kinen."
"Kizuna also has used chase tactics frequently in the past and has raced against Gold Ship several times. She's probably keeping an eye on her."
Accompanying the commentary, the Uma Musume sped down the back straight, instantly stirring cheers from the audience stands.
"Whoa! It really is a chase!"
Holding tightly onto the railing, Kitasan Black bounced eagerly.
"Golshi-senpai is best at racing from behind!"
"Almond-chan, remember what I told you?"
"Maybe this race we'll get to see Golshi-senpai zoom past all her opponents in one breath!"
"Mm! I remember! Even the announcer just mentioned it, about the Satsuki Sho and Arima Kinen—"
Equally excited, Almond Eye glanced around curiously as she turned toward Kitasan Black, then suddenly froze in confusion.
Just like herself and Kitasan Black, the seniors she'd only met recently—Satono Crown and Duramente—were all visibly thrilled. Even Cheval Grand-senpai, who normally felt difficult to approach, wore an excited expression.
But compared to them, the older generation, like Special Week-senpai, while equally enthusiastic, had thoughtful expressions mixed in with their excitement.
In particular, Yasui Makoto, who held binoculars to his eyes, practically had "thinking" spelled out clearly on his face.
Wait—wasn't Golshi-senpai running from behind like usual…?
Just as she began to wonder and was about to ask, her attention snapped back to the track by the announcer's voice.
"The pack is now approaching the uphill section, the first corner of the Tenno Sho (Spring)."
"Kizuna has made a skillful move inward, passing Gold Ship."
"It looks like Gold Ship attempted to advance but got blocked—she is now at the very back."
"But given her expertise in chasing, and her stable condition, we can certainly anticipate her performance later in the race."
This…should count as chasing, right? She's already at that position…
Then…
What exactly is going on…?
Sneaking another glance at Yasui Makoto and the others, Almond Eye felt even more confused.
…
Her ears flattened against her head from the fierce wind, while the dense, muffled pounding of hooves ahead mixed with rushing air assaulted Gold Ship's eardrums.
Chunks of turf and grass flew past, yet she wasn't distracted in the slightest.
Perhaps she had already exhausted all her distracting thoughts at the gates—right now, her mind was astonishingly clear.
Even clearer than figuring out how to shift from a Kokushi musou hand to a Junsei Chuurenpoutou in mahjong.
Hokko Brave at the very front had opened a lead of a length and a half—that was her limit.
Curren Mirotic's uniform had several golden bells attached, ringing rhythmically in sync with Hokko Brave. It seemed she wasn't aiming to front-run, just lead the front pack.
Sounds of Earth habitually tilted left on this kind of track—her usual signal she was preparing for the curve.
Denim and Ruby's pace was stable, but breathing uneven—probably still deciding something.
Kizuna's figure appeared clearest, so clear that even the tiny arcs of dirt flying off her swishing tail felt vividly visible.
Though the hood obscured most of her vision, every detail in front of her was still perfectly captured by her eyes.
Reflecting clearly in her sight were the sixteen high-speed silhouettes racing ahead. Gold Ship couldn't help curling her lips slightly.
Mm… Clear visibility, no abnormalities.
Then…
Changing lanes.
Muttering silently, she licked her lips subconsciously.
The instant the railing ahead began curving, she suddenly tightened her abdominal muscles.
With a subtle shift of her feet—as naturally as being pushed by air currents—she drifted outward slightly.
The familiar uphill sensation and the high curve beyond it gradually flowed from her legs through her body, giving her a brief impulse to continue shifting outward.
But she gritted her teeth fiercely, resisting it.
From Hokko Brave up front to Kizuna right ahead, from the one-and-a-half horse-length gap to the swirling dust at the tail tip—
—and between them, ringing bells, a leftward lean, hurried footsteps—
Nothing had changed yet.
That meant her lane change…
…Still hadn't been noticed.
Wasn't mahjong the same?
Kokushi musou, Junsei Chuurenpoutou…
Daisangen, Shousuushii, Suuankou…
If your intended hand was discovered, the game was no longer fun.
Then she'd keep this amusing misunderstanding going a bit longer, not letting them realize it.
Stepping with absolute precision along the junction between lanes three and four, she once again curled her lips into a smile.
…
As the pack raced down the track at full speed, the commentator faithfully continued:
"The field has moved steadily through the early phase and is entering the mid-stage."
"As at the first curve, Hokko Brave (No. 9) exits this curve first."
"The remaining contestants have exited the turn as well, divided into three distinct groups."
"As they enter the straight directly facing the audience stands, let's confirm each contestant's position."
"Hokko Brave is still in first place."
"Closely behind her remain Curren Mirotic and Phantom Gale."
"The stalking pack led by Sounds of Earth is tight behind the leaders, also close."
"In the mid-group, Denim and Ruby is leading. Few Uma Musume chose this running style today."
"At the back of the field, we still have this race's top two favorites: Kizuna and Gold Ship."
"It seems the decisive moment will come in the next corner or final straight—"
"Wait a second!"
"Gold Ship's position—"
The announcer's voice suddenly leapt an octave, erupting into a startled shout from the broadcast.
"When did she shift all the way to the outside?!"
As the galloping pack thundered into the stretch before the audience, the roar from the stands lagged briefly, then exploded like hot oil meeting boiling water.
Directly witnessing this, Kitasan Black and the other juniors stared wide-eyed in astonishment.
Almond Eye, who'd already been confused, now clutched tightly at Kitasan Black's sleeve, mumbling unconsciously:
"But…she wasn't in that position just now…"
However, Yasui Makoto and the older Uma Musume—including Special Week—let out relieved breaths, clearly anticipating this. Dream Journey and Nakayama Festa even chuckled softly.
Only Orfevre, arms still crossed, appeared distinctly out of place.
"Tch, always messing around, that idiot…"
Her ears stood sharply, pointed straight at the track. She let out a quiet snort, the last of her voice quickly dissolving amidst the bubbling cheers.