In theory, every horse girl who missed the registration deadline for the Classic Triple Crown but could still compete by paying a late fee ought to thank a certain senior.
That senior was none other than the one hailed as the "Idol Horse"—Oguri Cap!
Back in the day, Oguri Cap had started her career in the boonies, a nobody from the sticks. But with jaw-dropping potential and relentless growth, she clawed her way up.
From a dirt-poor backwater to the big leagues—Central Races, then Tracen Academy. Her underdog story won over the crowds, amassing a legion of fans.
But then, disaster struck. She missed the Classic Triple Crown registration window. No matter how hard her fans begged the URA to bend the rules or loosen up their rigid system, the old-fashioned higher-ups refused to budge.
The backlash was huge. While the rules themselves didn't change, a new clause was added—late registration with a fee, giving stragglers a shot at the crown.
And now, Platinum was one of the lucky ones.
Platinum couldn't help but feel grateful to that "Oguri Cap-senpai."
After all, she was about to take on the Irregular Triple Crown—the Oaks and the Japan Derby, both within a single month. She really owed that legendary, bottomless-pit-of-a-senpai she'd never even met.
Fresh off a big G3 win, Platinum fit the new rule's conditions perfectly.
So, she pulled up the official race site on her computer and started searching.
[Fillies' Triple Crown · Second Leg · Oaks (Two Weeks Later)]
[Classic Triple Crown · Second Leg · Japan Derby (Three Weeks Later)]
[APPLY!]
A click on the "Apply" button, and a pop-up appeared—[Submission Under Review].
"Alright, now we wait for the staff to process it."
--+--
Meanwhile, in a high-rise conference room...
A dozen suited-up adults sat around a table, deep in discussion.
They were the URA's race operations team, and spread before them was a mountain of race data and Uma Musume profiles.
The agenda? Planning the next couple months of races—operations, promotions, marketing.
Resources were limited. Even for a national sport, not every race could get the full spotlight. Choices had to be made.
Which races deserved the biggest push? Which horse girls had breakout potential? That's what this meeting was for.
From the URA's perspective—
"The horse girls up front just have to run their hearts out. But us behind the scenes? We've got a ton to juggle!"
On the table, a few select documents took center stage—priority material for the coming workload.
Most of them covered two major races in the next month: the Oaks, the second leg of the Fillies' Triple Crown, and the Japan Derby, one of the most-watched events in all of Japanese racing!
The profiles of the expected contenders were laid out—these two G1s would get the bulk of the promotional budget.
But alongside them… was a rookie who'd just won a measly G3 a few hours ago.
Platinum.
Somehow, in just a week, she'd caught the entire URA's attention.
Still, the meeting's focus remained on the Derby and the Oaks.
"No question—we prioritize the Japan Derby and Agnes Tachyon. Everything else is secondary."
"Agnes Tachyon will dominate. She'll be the second undefeated Triple Crown winner after Symboli Rudolf, the next pillar of Japanese racing—just like Oguri Cap and Rudolf."
"I agree! With Teio's two fractures, she's got no shot at catching the 'Emperor' now. Who knows when she'll even return? Agnes Tachyon is Japan's next strongest, no contest."
"Exactly. Agnes can't lose. Even the 'Emperor' in her Triple Crown days might've struggled against her."
"That monster, nicknamed 'Tachyon'—she's been steamrolling her generation since the Satsuki Sho and earlier. Barring another Teio-level fluke, the Triple Crown is hers."
Unanimous. Every hand in the room went up.
"Good. Next topic—next year's classic season, rookie development, and prep work for promotions."
"Next year's batch is stacked—super rookies like Teio, Daiwa Scarlet, and Vodka."
Somehow, Teio's name came up again.
"If we get three straight years of undefeated champs—Tokai Teio (2 Crowns), Agnes Tachyon(3 Crowns), then Platinum (3 Crowns)..."
"Japanese racing will hit a historic milestone—enough to shake the world stage!"
"I propose ramping up Platinum's promotions now. Her runaway dominance is perfect for next year's classics. That kind of endurance means her physique is monstrous—no need to worry about injuries."
"Seconded. Platinum is worth the—"
BAM!
The door flew open.
A flustered staffer burst in, face pale, and delivered the bombshell.
"Three minutes ago—Platinum, that freak rookie who can rally or run wild—she—!"
"She just applied for both the Oaks and the Japan Derby!"
Silence.
Then—chaos.
"Huh?!"
"Platinum vs. Tachyon? Seriously?!"
"Wait, why throw away a shot at next year's Undefeated Triple Crown to fight Agnes Tachyon for the last two?!"
At first, they assumed she'd just applied randomly and would pick one later.
Until—
One woman spoke up, voice steady.
"...What if..."
"She's going for the Irregular Triple Crown? A nightmare schedule even worse than an Undefeated Triple Crown?!"
The room froze.
The Irregular Triple Crown.
A relic of the past—something old-timers brought up to impress newbies. No one ever thought it could actually be won.
"This is insane!!"
"Do we talk her out of it? Tell her to focus on next year? Or just... let her try the hardest Triple Crown in history?!"
Finally, the highest-ranking official sighed.
"First... contact the Tracen Student Council President and the Chairwoman. Get their take."
--+--
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.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
p@treon.com/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.