The Greatest of All Time!
As Nearl's charge past the finish line unfolded before the world, witnessed by all, the commentator's praises echoed relentlessly across the venue.
This moment, captured by countless flashing cameras, would undoubtedly be remembered as an iconic spectacle, passed down through the ages!
Unlike Eclipse, whose era lay too far back—over a century ago—this was true power witnessed firsthand, by countless spectators both at the track and through live broadcasts.
The title of "The Strongest" now officially changed hands, fair and square!
[Rejoice! Bathed in the glory of the mightiest, the one who has become the greatest Dirt Uma Musume in history—The Radiant Knight, Nearl!!]
[Cheer to your heart's content, and engrave this scene into your memories, for in all our days to come, we shall never again witness an Uma Musume greater than her!]
[Following the Turf Pegasus, the Dirt Pegasus now also stands unrivaled in her generation, reaching heights never before seen and unlikely to be surpassed!]
The commentator's lavish praises continued to resound, unending.
It seemed that for these seasoned, professional commentators, this Breeders' Cup Classic—destined to go down in history—was their first experience of something so profoundly memorable and endlessly praiseworthy.
But that wasn't all!
From the stands came a thunderous, earth-shaking roar of excitement, an tireless wave of cheers rising from countless voices.
"Nearl!! Nearl!! She really is the strongest!"
"Rejoice, the greatest of all time is born!"
"Sniff… Secretariat, my Secretariat… how could she lose by a full five lengths even with the inside track advantage?"
"The Radiant Knight is truly terrifying! To be this powerful?"
"Incredible! Still in her classic year, she's already defeated Secretariat, supplanted Man o' War, and claimed the title of GOAT?!"
The stadium was at a fever pitch, so loud that apart from the celebratory cheers and astonished cries, little else could be heard—a truly deafening uproar.
Countless exclamations surged forth, so intense they nearly drowned out the commentators themselves.
"How can a newcomer, just one year into her career, surpass every dirt Uma Musume in history?!"
"It was worth coming. After my beloved Miss Platinum retired, Nearl is the only one who truly carries the Pegasus spirit."
"As a Pegasus fan, after failing to support Platinum, of course I should support Nearl!"
"I simply can't imagine what kind of Uma Musume could ever defeat Nearl now."
"Maybe by sneaking some of that stuff? Taking the risk of 'career-ending news' or 'blasting off to Steroid Planet'—theoretically, that might do it?!"
Amid the massive, bustling crowd were also members of elite Uma Musume dynasties from around the world.
From Seabiscuit to Sham, Ruffian, and Man o' War herself—along with many renowned European Uma Musume—none had missed this race.
After all—!!
This Breeders' Cup was not only the retirement race of the immensely popular Pegasus Platinum, aiming for an unprecedented two crowns in one day.
It was also the event that would determine the next greatest dirt Uma Musume in history. Thanks to Platinum, Secretariat, and Nearl, it drew even more attention than the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Many professional retired legends and active Uma Musume, wide-eyed and stunned, couldn't help but voice their amazement.
And then, the subsequent discussions and speculations began.
"In-incredible! I knew Nearl had a real shot, but she was in the outside post, and this track is brutal on wide runners… I thought the Radiant Knight would win by half a length, maybe one at most…"
"Five lengths! She crushed the second-generation Big Red Monster, who's on par with Man o' War, by five lengths! What an unbelievable achievement!"
"Right? If Nearl had the inside advantage too, then… then she might have performed a miracle?"
"No, in my book, beating Secretariat by five lengths from the outside post is a miracle!"
Because they were professionals, unlike the cheering, celebrating fans, they instinctively analyzed the reasons and factors behind the victory.
The more they focused, the more they were awestruck by Nearl's staggering performance!
Nearl had faced the severe disadvantage of the far outside post, while Secretariat and Flightline enjoyed the absolute advantage of the innermost posts.
Even if most Uma Musume didn't know the official inside-post win rate statistics like Seabiscuit did as track staff, they still had a rough idea—everyone knew the inside-outside gap was significant.
And this year's track conditions were especially unforgiving to wide runners.
In this "one up, one down" scenario—one side with a natural advantage, the other with a handicap—the advantaged runner was none other than the widely acknowledged potential top-three historical great, the Big Red Monster, Secretariat!
Not only did Nearl win, she didn't win by the narrow margin most predicted, but by a decisive five lengths!
It made them all wonder: if Nearl had drawn an inside gate, just how much would she have won by?
Seven lengths?
Eight?
Or even… a complete blowout?!
"The legend of Big Red has been surpassed by the myth of the Radiant Knight… no, upgraded to merely a chapter within the myth of the Radiant Knight?"
"The Dream Cup is still coming! Miss Man o' War and Miss Seabiscuit will return in their peak condition! They'll surely be able to challenge the Radiant Knight, right?!"
"It's a shame my own record isn't even in the top twenty-five historically. No way I'd qualify for the Dream Cup."
"Ugh, the entry conditions are just too strict. What kind of monster do you have to be to race in the Dream Cup?"
"Next up is the legendary [Dream Cup]. I'm really looking forward to it."
And so, the discussion among the Uma Musume shifted towards…
The fabled Dream Cup, rumored to commence soon!
Even these battle-hardened retired legends and active Uma Musume unanimously believed:
After this Breeders' Cup, the Radiant Knight, Nearl, would undoubtedly enter the dirt Dream Cup as the [Top Pick] and [Favorite to Win]!
The monarch of the old era, the original Big Red Monster, would face the new era's supreme ruler—Margaret Nearl!
--+--
In the stands.
Even though the race had just concluded, and this Breeders' Cup Classic was the final event of the entire [Breeders' Cup]…
The massive crowd, far exceeding a hundred thousand, barely showed any signs of leaving.
Most were still chanting Nearl's name, countless cheers of celebration continuing to rise.
From the front rows, a round of applause broke out.
The source was the legendary Uma Musume Seabiscuit, her expression unable to conceal her awe as she clapped enthusiastically.
"Nearl…"
"I knew she was strong, and I thought her chances of winning were good… but I never expected…"
"For this monster to win so spectacularly, especially from the far outside post?!"
As a legendary predecessor, Seabiscuit knew all too well the disadvantage of an outside post in the Breeders' Cup.
It was tough enough for regular outside runners to win, let alone for Nearl, all the way out in the widest post, numbering double-digits. And yet, Nearl had stuck to her own running style, refusing to change tactics just for this hard-won victory and showdown?!
Under such conditions, she still achieved a spectacular win, sweeping past nearly every notable top-tier American Uma Musume. If this wasn't the strongest… then who was?
Now, the Radiant Knight Nearl had truly supplanted Man o' War, becoming a legendary existence without equal, past or future!
One could say that even a legend like Seabiscuit willingly acknowledged that the Radiant Knight was rightfully the undisputed strongest of all time!
"On Turf, we have the [Turf Pegasus - Platinum]!"
"On Dirt, we have the [Dirt Pegasus - Nearl]!"
Seabiscuit was convinced: this era would undoubtedly be remembered as the dawn of a legend, fondly recalled, marveled at, and celebrated by countless generations to come.
And the central figures of this mythical tale would undoubtedly be Nearl and Platinum!
It was like witnessing a myth reborn! What legendary, magnificent era were they beholding?!
The legendary senior crossed her arms, letting out an amused and intrigued sigh.
"Probably... even the Three Goddesses would acknowledge their strength and watch their races, right?"
"In that case, I can't just remain a spectator. It's a rare chance to be lucky enough to temporarily return to the track."
"Let me experience the power of the Pegasus for myself!"
Seabiscuit, along with countless others, believed that the Radiant Knight, still in her classic year, likely had more room to grow. It was possible that after this confrontation with Secretariat, she would become even stronger.
What a terrifying monster she was!
But in Seabiscuit's eyes, the more interesting aspect of this Dream Cup wasn't the three-way showdown between Man o' War, Secretariat, and Nearl.
It was!
"That mysterious Pegasus, Platinum, is definitely one of the main attractions."
Although the retired Platinum had run in remarkably few dirt races—less than a handful, a mere two—those two victories had come under the nightmarish difficulty of achieving two major wins in a single day.
Their significance and impact were immense, adding greatly to her legendary status and allowing her to rank within the top twenty in American history with just those two starts.
"Will Platinum choose to participate in the Dream Cup?"
"And if she does... what kind of performance will she deliver?"
So far, that Turf Pegasus had no experience facing legendary Uma Musume on dirt.
Yet no one doubted that Platinum could display talent on dirt rivaling a once-in-a-century legend!
"The first Big Red Monster vs. the second Big Red Monster!"
"Turf Pegasus vs. Dirt Pegasus?"
"What kind of dream am I having?"
The elegant senior Seabiscuit chuckled softly as she stood up. Then, the curiosity and interest in her eyes shifted into... blazing fighting spirit.
She could finally meet these juniors of hers!
--+--
On the racetrack, past the finish line.
The crimson-haired girl, the Big Red Monster, after crossing the line, was staring intently at the figure beside her.
"Nearl!!!"
Secretariat couldn't help but grit her silver teeth, uttering that girl's name. Her beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief and shock, seeming utterly unable to comprehend losing by such a margin.
Then, she straightened her sleek and curvaceous frame, turning to look at the device recording the race results.
When she clearly saw the margin of her defeat—approximately [five lengths]—the scarlet pupils in Secretariat's eyes seemed to lose focus slightly.
A crushing defeat!
Indisputable, absolutely crushing!
In truth, Secretariat had suffered losses before this; she was never an undefeated Uma Musume like Platinum, Nearl, or Frankel. She had been beaten in her debut race and in her first encounter with the Giant-Killer, Prove Out.
But everyone knew that the Big Red Monster, Secretariat, had perhaps been off-form for various reasons in those races—it was never a case of her losing at her absolute best.
Except for this race!
Not even the most fervent Big Red fan could claim, "Our idol Secretariat was just off-form," or "She'll definitely win next time when she runs normally."
After all, the defeat was plain for all to see, leaving no room for excuses.
And in the next moment, within Secretariat's field of vision, the grand and vast [Pegasus Hall] displayed a new image—a scene of her, Secretariat, suffering that massive five-length defeat, now showcased within the Pegasus Hall belonging solely to Nearl.
It was like a clip of embarrassing history being recorded, right here...!
Instantly, the usually composed and cool Big Red Monster flushed crimson from her slender neck all the way to the tips of her ears.
The girl's 'overheating' was more telling than any sweet nothing.
"Hah... Hah..."
After taking several deep breaths, Secretariat regained her composure. She then turned her gaze back towards the Radiant Knight, Nearl, who stood victorious as the champion.
Then, she spoke to Nearl, offering her words.
"Congratulations, Nearl."
"This was a contest of the strongest that no one can question, certainly no less than the epic battle where the Pegasus Platinum defeated Frankel."
Secretariat didn't hold back her praise, lavishing acclaim upon the one who had defeated her.
Facing such high praise from the Big Red Monster, Nearl turned, a gentle, pleased smile gracing her lips.
"This is a race... I will remember forever."
"You won't stop here either, will you, Secretariat?"
Back then, Secretariat had engaged in a deep exchange with Nearl's original self and, perhaps not at her best, soon after lost to the historically renowned Giant-Killer, Prove Out.
But Secretariat, possessing a fierce will for revenge, quickly adjusted her form.
In later races, she displayed even greater power, not only achieving revenge but dominating with an overwhelmingly superior, kingly performance!
Nearl knew that this wasn't Secretariat's first defeat. She would never give up easily and would surely want to challenge again in the future, just as she had against Prove Out.
"Yes."
Secretariat nodded, openly admitting it.
The tall, stunning, and imposing crimson beauty then chuckled lightly.
"Your uncle, Dr. Lin Anran... he belongs to me."
"By that logic, Margaret, you could be considered my future junior."
"Hm?"
Nearl's expression immediately turned complex, surprised to hear Secretariat's 'ambitious declaration' at a time like this!
Surely Secretariat hadn't noticed anything...?
"But as the senior, losing like this is just too embarrassing."
"Next time, in the Dream Cup, I'll be stronger. I won't lose by five lengths again."
In the next moment, with a voice both cool and brimming with fighting spirit, Secretariat declared her resolve.
It was both the unyielding spirit expected of an Uma Musume and the dignity of a future senior!
In the Dream Cup, Secretariat would have her revenge, proving she was no less than the first Big Red Monster, Man o' War, and avenging her loss against her future little niece, Margaret!
In response, the golden-haired knight turned calmly.
"I'll be waiting."
"But it's worth mentioning... wanting to become my auntie is no easy task either, Senior Big Red."
After saying this, Nearl began to walk away.
"But I promise, this will be the first—and last—time you play the role of my dancer, Senior Big Red."
Before leaving, Nearl calmly delivered that final line, causing Secretariat's pupils to contract sharply, as if she'd heard something utterly staggering.
It wasn't just Nearl's comment about how becoming her aunt wouldn't be easy... but also because of...
Nearl's final words—that [declaration]!
'Dancer'—as the name suggests.
Refers to the defeated Uma Musume who finish second or third, performing alongside the champion on either side.
For the vast majority of Uma Musume, it is a mark of shame.
But before anyone realized it, one universally acknowledged truth had emerged: being chosen as a dancing partner for those two Pegasus Uma Musume was considered a top-tier honor!
And now, Nearl declared that this would be Secretariat's first—and last—time performing as a supporting dancer?
In other words… Nearl intended to go all out against her in the Dream Cup?!
After an indeterminable silence, the tall, crimson-haired beauty's face, which had only just cooled from its heated flush, now wore a stern, murderous intensity.
"You'll regret this, Pegasus."
--+--
"Five lengths… that's a bit too narrow a margin."
On her way back, Nearl, clad in her knightly race uniform, murmured to herself with genuine seriousness—not out of any desire to show off.
This time, she had only won by five lengths?!
In the upcoming Winners' Stage after the Breeders' Cup Classic… Secretariat would appear beside her as a supporting dancer.
Truth be told, compared to sharing the stage with accompanying dancers, Nearl actually preferred performing solo. Having others around somewhat diminished that sense of freedom.
'Next time… I can't win by such a small margin again.'
Secretly, Nearl steeled her resolve.
The Dream Cup would undoubtedly be her ultimate challenge—not just in the near future, but possibly throughout her entire long career as an Uma Musume.
There was simply no race more prestigious, influential, or packed with stronger rivals than the Dirt Dream Cup.
Unless—unless a [Dream Cup] was also held on the turf.
Only then could it possibly compare to the upcoming Dirt Dream Cup.
But who knew when that would happen? Besides, Nearl had no experience racing on turf. She hadn't battled across different racing surfaces like "another version of herself," or like a certain Platinum in her prime.
So even if a Turf Dream Cup were launched, Nearl wouldn't qualify anytime soon—she wasn't ranked among the top twenty in turf racing history.
No matter how you looked at it, this Dirt Dream Cup held incomparable importance. It was a once-in-a-lifetime race that Nearl had to cherish.
Precisely because it was the most valuable and the most challenging, and compounded by the fact that this Breeders' Cup performance wasn't a solo, all these factors together only ignited the Radiant Knight's burning fighting spirit even more.
"Well then, I'll just resume training as soon as I return."
"I must face Secretariat, Man o' War, and Seabiscuit in even better condition!"
--+--
A short while later.
After watching the races, Daiwa Scarlet, back in her hotel room, lay on the bed scrolling through her phone.
Without a doubt, all the day's headlines belonged to those two Uma Musume.
To be precise—those two Pegasus!
Two crowns in one day, a perfect finale, a fifty-length victory—the Pegasus, Platinum.
Following her defeat of the third-generation Big Red Monster, she then triumphed over the second-generation one—the Radiant Knight, Nearl.
Having just watched the recent Breeders' Cup races and returned to her hotel to rest, Daiwa Scarlet hadn't expected her phone to be flooded, no matter where she looked, with nothing but "Platinum" and "Nearl."
[Unbelievable! An unheard-of mythical victory—Platinum retires after a fifty-length win!]
[Two crowns in a single day, the myth returns! A fitting, transcendent finale worthy of surpassing Eclipse—the Pegasus's perfect ending not to be missed!]
[Dirt Pegasus Nearl wins by five lengths with a huge outside move—her opponent was the historically top-ranked Secretariat!]
[Who will be the top favorite for the Dream Cup? Man o' War or Nearl?]
No matter how she scrolled or which site she opened, nearly every piece of news was about Platinum and Nearl.
In a way, these two Pegasi—one reigning supreme on turf, the other on dirt—could already be described as [half the world] of the Uma Musume realm.
Clicking randomly on any article revealed comments full of praise and awe.
"My god, that was… fifty lengths!"
"They say Man o' War once won by a hundred lengths, but her opponents were low-tier, minor stakes Uma Musume whose names are hard to even find. But Platinum's fifty-length victory was against GI-level Uma Musume!"
"The Radiant Knight… she can even surpass the Big Red Monster?!"
"Incredible, absolutely incredible!! Too bad I couldn't get a ticket—this will be a lifelong regret, boo hoo."
She hadn't missed the Pegasus Platinum's retirement race. And after watching it, Daiwa Scarlet was stunned to find that the closing Breeders' Cup Classic was just as classic and legendary as Platinum's own performance.
"Nearl… she's truly a monster."
"To win from such a disadvantaged outside position… by f-five…"
As she muttered to herself, mentioning Nearl's winning margin, the voluptuous and mature Scarlet Queen's face flushed bright red.
She suddenly remembered her own debut race!
As everyone knew, turf and dirt racing stood side by side, and the two strongest contemporary racers were both hailed as mythical [Pegasus].
The strongest Dirt Pegasus, Nearl—the closest to her was the Big Red Monster, Secretariat, who lost by five lengths.
The strongest Turf Pegasus, Platinum—the closest to her… was herself, who also lost by five lengths.
The Scarlet Queen and the Big Red Monster both lost by five lengths!
Nearl = Platinum!
Five lengths = Five lengths!
Didn't that mean—she and Secretariat were about equal?
Immediately, the self-deceptive, voluptuous, and mature Scarlet Queen clutched her head.
"There I go fantasizing again—imagining I'm as strong as Big Red, then getting my revenge by riding the Pegasus atop Platinum."
That scene…
Could probably only happen in dreams or delusions, right?!
--+--
Time: Night.
Having finished a busy few minutes of racing and several hours of lazing around, the silver-haired young woman pushed open her door with lazy contentment…
She was just about to head straight to bed when she turned and suddenly froze.
Because there, on the bedside table, something was placed.
It was… a letter?
Seeing it, Platinum's first thought was… had a thief broken in?
But soon, she also noticed that nothing else in the room had changed—or rather, the only change was this extra letter.
She remembered that in anime, many master thieves had a habit of sending advance notices before striking, or leaving notes and envelopes afterward.
Kaito Kid, Lupin the Third, the Cat's Eye sisters!
But the lazy Platinum had no habit of writing letters herself, and even if some fan wanted to send a gift, they wouldn't be able to reach her.
Who could have possibly slipped this letter into her room without anyone noticing?
With a subtly strange expression, Platinum approached and picked up the pristine envelope.
When she saw the brief line of text on the outside, her pupils abruptly constricted.
—[To Centaurea]
Not her racing name, Platinum, but… her real name, Centaurea?
Aside from telling Winx, she hadn't revealed it to anyone.
Who was capable enough to dox her like this?
After a moment of stunned silence, Platinum opened the letter, her eyes going straight to the last line.
—[Respectfully presented by: Godolphin Arabian, Darley Arabian, and Byerley Turk.]
These three names were beyond "household"—they were more than that.
For any Uma Musume in this world, they were as familiar as could be.
One might forget their own real name someday, but never these three.
Because they were the creators of the Uma Musume world, the supreme beings revered as the [Three Goddesses]! Actual, existing deities!
"Oh, the Three Goddesses. Well, that explains it."
This was… a personal letter from the Three Goddesses. It was a [Dream Cup Invitation]!
The next second, the usually lazy Platinum snapped to attention, her composure gone.
Her lively eyes now held a trace of bewilderment.
"Huh? But I'm a turf racer, aren't I?"
"An invitation… sent to me right after I retired?"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
There should be... around 70+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.