"Mejiro McQueen takes the lead!! Ryan's right behind, Palmer closing in!! Mejiro's unstoppable again!! But wait—Ikuno Dictus from the outside!! Ikuno Dictus storms in, a ferocious charge!!"
"Go, Ikuno~!!!"
"Push it!!"
"HAAAA!!!"
"She's gaining from there!? But I won't lose with grit!!"
"As expected of Ikuno-san, but—I won't yield!!!"
"I'm not losing either!!!"
"Mejiro McQueen surges!! Palmer's back in it!! Can Ikuno Dictus make it!? Will she close the gap!? She's passed Palmer—can she catch Ryan!? Here it is!! Mejiro McQueen first!! Mejiro Ryan second!! Ikuno Dictus, a close third!!"
"Good run, Ikuno. How was McQueen?"
"I thought I knew her strength, rooming together… but she was unreal. I had her, but…"
"Top-tier stayer right now."
The Emperor's Cup (Spring): Ikuno took third, just shy. Ryan second, Palmer fourth—Mejiro's dominance shone.
"No time to mope. Next, I win."
"Talk big, huh? I'm Mejiro too, y'know?"
"You're Mejiro, but more my teammate."
"Love that vibe."
"Love yours too."
High-five. Ikuno looks analytical but rides the team's energy like it's nothing.
"Next, Yasuda Kinen as planned?"
"Thought about Victoria Mile, but… scrapping it."
Ikuno shadowed Palmer's breakneck pace, carving a flawless rhythm to rattle her. Palmer held tough with raw grit, throwing Ikuno off just enough for McQueen to slip through. Ikuno pushed to overtake, but only passed Palmer.
"Palmer's a beast too… I'm used to your pace, Ikuno, but it wrecks others, right?"
"Yeah, sparring with other teams—they crumbled."
"Ikuno Pace, named by Turbo-san, is my killer move."
"Hmph!!"
Palmer's pace wore Ikuno down, so she's skipping Victoria Mile for the planned Yasuda Kinen.
"Aiming for G1 glory. I'm the only one left without one."
Ikuno, Rampage's rival and peer, keeps hitting strong foes, winning G2s and G3s but not G1s. Racing's brutal.
"May's packed. Turbo's Oaks, Nature's Derby."
"I'll win!! True Dokkan Turbo!!"
"I'm gunning too Catapult Nature, was it? That's my shot"
Turbo's all fire; Nature's chill. Minami approves—hype fuels the body, calm ensures steady power.
"And before them, Rampage's Victoria Mile."
"Gunning for the win."
"Win that, and it's the full Tiara Route sweep."
"No way!? Senpai's unreal!!"
"Haven't won yet."
The Tiara Route's six G1s: Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Cherry Blossom Stakes, Oaks, Autumn Flower Stakes, Elizabeth Queen Cup, Victoria Mile. Rampage has five—Victoria Mile would seal total domination.
"Do it, big sis! Rice is cheering!"
"Just gotta run… Feeling the pressure, though."
"From who? You, shaken? Can't picture it."
"What's that mean, Tanhoiza?"
Streaming and URA's gifted race gear—probably why she's hoarding outfits.
"So, Granny Mejiro wants to introduce me to someone. A huge name. Got me rattled."
"You've faced the Chairwoman, CB, Vice-Chairwoman Ramone. What's to shrink from?"
"This one's scarier than them."
"Who is it? Someone we know?"
"You'd know her. Name drops, jaws drop."
Even for an undefeated champ, this is wild. Rampage, who's rubbed shoulders with Triple Crown legends, is nervous. Who could it be?
"She wants to join my stream."
"Sounds chill! You'd vibe."
"Hope so… but she's an Arc de Triomphe challenger."
"What?"
Minami's gasp joined the chorus. Arc challengers? Only three Japanese Uma Musume: Sirius Symboli's a known face, so it's one of the other two…
"Uh… maybe…"
"Yup. Granny's old pal."
"No way!!?"
"Speed Symboli. Granny's inviting her to the estate this weekend…"
"Need backup?"
"Thanks, Minami-chan, but I'm good. Watch Turbo and the crew."
Next time: Facing double Grannies.
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