Even though Mejiro McQueen was pushed to fourth place by Tannhauser and Biwa Hayahide, she remained completely calm.
Having experienced her last match against Rice Shower, she has become much more mentally resilient and will not be so easily swayed.
Sakura Baimu's Spartan-style training methods improved Umamusume's abilities in more ways than just in terms of raw skill.
Although they have the support of Sakura Baimu's various items, this is not a game after all.
Even if their mood and physical strength can be restored through items, the training method will still bring a lot of mental fatigue to the Umamusumes.
And this cannot be restored by using items alone.
While the massive amount of training initially took a toll on Umamusume's spirit, it also boosted their mental strength.
This is the most important reason why despite Rice Shower's ferocious, beast-like momentum in the last race failed to fully affect Mejiro Mcqeen, making her unable to catch up to her until the finish line after overtaking Mejiro McQueen once.
Mejiro McQueen found an opening the moment Tannhauser lost speed and overtook her in one fell swoop.
Most of the audience was simply thrilled that Mejiro McQueen had finally broken through the pincer attack of the two Umamusumes, and cheers erupted everywhere.
However, a small number of people present were completely amazed by Mejiro McQueen's performance.
At this moment, inside the Kyoto Racecourse, both Canopus trainer Minamizaka and Mihono Bourbon trainer Kuronuma were slightly moved after witnessing Mejiro McQueen seize a momentary opening in Tannhauser's defenses and overtake her on the ramp.
"Trainer-san, what's wrong?" Ikuno Dictus keenly noticed Minamizaka's change and asked.
"I guess they were surprised to see Tannhauser being overtaken by McQueen. Honestly, we should have let Turbo take the field!"
Twin Turbo glanced back at her trainer, then shouted defiantly.
"No, it's not that simple." Minamizaka rarely spoke up to refute. "Accelerating on a slope will consume stamina twice as much. If McQueen hadn't managed to overtake Tannhauser and Biwa, she would have lost a considerable amount of stamina and speed."
"Just as I expected." Ikuno Dictus adjusted her glasses and said slowly, "I had a feeling that McQueen's overtaking wasn't so simple."
After saying that, she turned to look at Minamizaka.
"Speaking of which, besides Miss McQueen, there probably isn't anyone else who can match Umamusume's ability to seize opportunities and make instantaneous judgments."
"No, McQueen's move was indeed beautiful, but there are quite a few people who are better than her."
"For example, Super Creek, trained by Fumino Nase."
"Ah! So Creek-senpai is this strong?!"
Ikuno Dictus was instantly stunned. She usually only saw Super Creek and Oguri Cap hanging out together every day, and she had almost never seen her running.
Unexpectedly, Minamizaka's evaluation of Super Creek surpassed that of Mejiro McQueen.
"Super Creek's the umamusume in the classic triple crown race Kikuka Sho who was surrounded by countless Umamusumes in the track. She seized that one moment when there was no fence at the intersection of the clockwise and counterclockwise tracks and overtook everyone to win the championship."
"This level of difficulty is far greater than overtaking one person on a slope."
"I...I really didn't expect that..."
Ikuno Dictus looked astonished, and even her speech became slightly stuttered.
She never imagined that the always gentle, strong Super Creek, who possesses maternal aura and a magnanimous spirit would be so amazing.
"However, I see the potential of Super Creek in Mejiro McQueen. Super Creek's strength is inseparable from her trainer, Fumino Nase. Mejiro McQueen's trainer truly deserves to be called the youngest genius trainer after Fumino."
Nanzaka chuckled and looked at Kuronuma, a trainer in the distance with his shirt open, revealing his muscular physique.
This Mihono Bourbon trainer was probably the quietest of all the trainers, but after noticing Mejiro McQueen seize the opportunity to overtake Tannhauser, a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes behind his sunglasses.
"Sakura..."
--
"We see Mihono Bourbon has entered the final corner, and after the downhill comes the final straight sprint. Can she maintain her lead until the end?"
"It's truly surprising; after such a long period of recuperation, her comeback shows that her strength hasn't been affected in the slightest."
Although the live commentators and commentators said this, they and the audience were all holding their breath, clearly expecting something.
After climbing uphill, we came to the final bend.
And this is the moment when Mejiro McQueen unleashed her power.
She didn't relax at all after overtaking Matikane Tannhauser.
A few seconds later, the instant her white boots stepped onto the final bend, Mejiro McQueen suddenly burst into incredible speed.
"It's erupted! It's erupted! It's Mejiro McQueen's eruption! She's finally accelerating!"
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh!"
Countless people raised their hands, and the long-held breath finally burst into cheers.
Mejiro McQueen's biggest weapon was her burst of speed at the final corner.
"Biwa Hayahide is influenced by Mejiro McQueen. She's also started to speed up! But she's a step too late."
"One length, half a length..."
"She's overtaken! Mejiro McQueen has overtaken Biwa Hayahide and is now rapidly closing the gap with Mihono Bourbon in second place."
"Mihono Bourbon's speed hasn't increased further, and she's showing signs of strain. Could it be that she's run out of stamina to accelerate any further?"
"What a pity. It seems that leading the 3200-meter race will be quite a difficult task for Mihono's stamina."
"It's over! Mejiro McQueen has overtaken Mihono Bourbon to become number one! Next up is Biwa Hayahide, who has overtaken Mihono Bourbon to come in second."
No sooner had the commentator finished speaking than two incredibly swift figures overtook the tiring Mihono Bourbon.
"Narita Taishin and the other excellent players have caught up and they've surpassed Mihono Bourbon. Mihono Bourbon has now dropped to fifth place, and all five of them are now on the final line, ready for the final competition!"
Mihono Bourbon clenched her teeth. She looked at the Umamusumes around her who had surpassed her with a slight sense of powerlessness beginning to emerge in her heart.
Her long period of rest and absence from competitions has altered her physical condition to varying degrees.
Having nearly won three titles before, she dreamed of defeating Rice Shower.
...but now she finds it so difficult to even get into the top three.
Mihono Bourbon felt her legs were nearing their limit; the lead of over two thousand meters ahead of her was a considerable test of her stamina.
"Sensing low stamina... I could no longer accelerate."
Mihono Bourbon subtly shook her head, expressing deep regret for the promise she had made to Rice Shower before the competition.
But at that moment, a voice came from beside Mihono Bourbon's ear.
A voice she knew all too well, yet it sounded utterly unfamiliar.
"Bourbon, don't lose!!!"
Mihono Bourbon was startled and turned her head sharply.
She saw Rice Shower at the very front of the audience, who was shouting loudly at her with her hands waving like megaphones.