The moment the race began, the commentator's voice rang out across the stands, relaying the situation on the track with infectious energy.
"All the Uma Musume have made excellent starts! No one was left behind!"
"No participants were left behind!"
The commentator repeated the point for emphasis before continuing.
"The senior-year contenders are quite experienced. They've all avoided the inside lane and shifted toward the outside. Leading the pack is Number 9, Chasing Thunder, closely followed by Number 8, Phantom Gale. Both used their central gate advantage skillfully to seize the early lead.
"However, Number 2, Curren Mirotic, is closing fast! She's caught up to Phantom Gale… and passed her! Curren Mirotic is now in second, with Chasing Thunder still in front. The pack is starting to bunch up, and the middle group has noticeably expanded.
"Interestingly, the crowd favorite Kizuna and the second favorite Gold Ship are both sitting at the very back of the pack. It looks like the two most popular runners are planning to go for a late-charge style today."
The commentator's tone grew more animated.
"For Gold Ship, a late charge is her specialty. Maybe this race will bring back the same kind of excitement we saw in the Satsuki Shō and Arima Kinen. Kizuna has used late-charge tactics plenty of times herself and has even clashed with Gold Ship before. She might be planning to keep a close eye on her today."
As the commentator spoke, the Uma Musume thundered down the opposite straight, and cheers erupted from the stands right from the opening strides.
Kitasan Black clutched the railing and bounced up and down with excitement.
"Wow! It really is a late charge after all!
Gold Ship is best when she's running from behind like this!
Almond Eye, do you remember what I told you? Maybe in this race we'll see her 'swoosh' past everyone in one go!"
Almond Eye nodded just as eagerly, her eyes sparkling as she turned toward Kitasan Black.
"Yes! I remember! The commentator just said the Satsuki Shō and Arima Kinen were both like that…"
Her gaze drifted across the group for a moment, and she paused.
Like her and Kitasan Black, the other seniors—Satono Crown, Duramente, and even the usually distant Cheval Grand—were all watching with bright, excited expressions. In contrast, the older generation like Special Week looked thrilled but carried a more thoughtful look in their eyes. Yasui, binoculars raised, had "deep in thought" practically written across his face.
Strange… Gold Ship isn't running a late charge?
Just as Almond Eye felt the doubt rising and was about to ask, the commentator's voice pulled her attention back to the track.
"The pack is entering the uphill section—the first turn of the Tenno Sho (Spring).
Kizuna made a very clever cut-in and passed Gold Ship. It looks like she tried to move forward but got boxed in. Gold Ship is now in last place.
Still, a late charge is her specialty, and her condition looks steady. We can expect a strong performance from her in the later stages."
This… this is supposed to be a late charge, right? She's already in that position…
So… what exactly is going on?
Almond Eye glanced at Yasui and the others again, more puzzled than ever.
Her ears were pinned back by the rushing wind. The dense, muffled thunder of hooves ahead, carried on the wind, pounded against Gold Ship's eardrums. Clumps of dirt and grass flew toward her, yet she didn't flinch.
She had already completed every pre-race ritual. At this moment, her mind felt crystal clear—clearer than the path from Kokushi Musou to Pure Nine Gates.
Chasing Thunder at the front had opened a lead of one and a half lengths. That was her limit. Curren Mirotic's racing uniform had a few golden bells; the rhythm of their ringing matched her stride perfectly. She wasn't trying to lead outright—just holding a strong front-running position.
Lovely Day habitually leaned left on this kind of track, already preparing for the coming turn. Triumphant Ballet's footwork was clean, but her breathing was slightly uneven—she was still deciding something.
Kizuna's figure stood out clearest of all. Every speck of dust kicked up by her tail and the arc it traced was perfectly visible. Through the eyeholes of the hood covering most of her head, the road ahead was laid out in full.
Sixteen layered silhouettes of high-speed figures reflected in Gold Ship's eyes. The corners of her mouth curled upward without her realizing it.
Hmm… good visibility. No abnormalities.
Then she changed lanes.
She muttered to herself and unconsciously licked her lips. The moment the railing ahead began to curve, she tightened her core. Her steps shifted subtly, as if nudged by a current of air, and she drifted sideways just a little.
The familiar sensation of the uphill followed by the high-banked turn spread from her hooves through her entire body. For an instant she felt the urge to keep drifting outward, but she bit her lip sharply and held back.
From Chasing Thunder at the very front all the way to Kizuna right in front of her—from a gap of one and a half lengths down to the swirling dust at the tip of her tail—the bell sounds, the left-leaning habit, the hurried footsteps in between—none of it had changed yet.
That meant her sideways movement… they still hadn't noticed.
Isn't mahjong the same way?
Whether it was Kokushi Musou or Pure Nine Gates… Daisangen, Shousuushii, Suuankou… once your winning hand gets discovered, the game stops being fun.
So let's keep this interesting little misunderstanding going. Don't let them find out.
Each step landed precisely at the junction of the third and fourth lanes. Gold Ship raised the corners of her mouth again.
As the pack surged at high speed, the commentator continued reporting the live situation with growing intensity.
"The pack has steadily passed the opening stage and entered the middle stage. Just like when they entered the turn, Number 9 Chasing Thunder was the first to exit it. The rest of the field split into three groups and followed in succession.
"Entering the straight in front of the stands, let's confirm the current positions.
Chasing Thunder remains in first. Right behind her are still Curren Mirotic and Phantom Gale. The leading group, headed by Earth's Voice, is tightly packed behind the front-runners with a similarly small gap. Dani Jewel is leading the mid-pack—a running style chosen by very few Uma Musume.
"At the very back of the pack are still the most popular runner, Kizuna, and the second-favorite, Gold Ship. It looks like the key to victory will be decided on the next turn or the final straight…
Wait a second!
Gold Ship's position—!"
The commentator's voice suddenly shot up an octave, cracking into a near-shriek that blasted through the broadcast.
"When did she cut to the outer lane?!"
As the thundering pack swept onto the track in front of the stands, the crowd's roar faltered for a split second—then exploded like boiling water hitting hot oil.
Kitasan Black and the other juniors stared with wide eyes. Almond Eye, who had been doubtful just moments earlier, now gripped Kitasan Black's sleeve tightly and muttered without thinking.
"She clearly… she clearly wasn't in that position just now…"
Yasui, Special Week, and the others let out quiet sighs of relief and nodded as if they had expected this all along. Dream Journey and Nakayama Festa even chuckled out loud.
The only one who looked out of place was Giant, standing with her arms crossed.
"Tsk. This one really dares to play…"
Her pointed ears twitched toward the track as she snorted, the sound quickly swallowed by the roaring cheers.