[Race: Kentucky Derby]
[Reward: Maturation Progress +15%, Pegasus Hall (Margaret Nearl Exclusive Version)]
[Current Maturation Progress: 35%]
The next moment, when the Golden Maiden Knight clearly saw the reward on the system panel before her,
a flicker of surprise flashed through her orange eyes, but it quickly settled back into calm.
[Pegasus Hall]?
Familiar—all too familiar.
For Margaret Nearl, this reward was something she knew inside and out.
After all, back when she had transformed into the Pegasus Platinum, she had received the [Pegasus Hall] as a reward and had flaunted it freely on the racetrack, stunning the world time and again.
But now, after transforming into The Radiant Knight, Margaret Nearl, she had received the exact same reward again?
'It probably… isn't exactly the same, right?'
'If it were completely identical, why bother separating it into a Platinum version and a Nearl version?'
Staying rational, Nearl quickly thought it through and made her judgment.
Different exclusive versions ought to have their differences.
Exactly what those differences were would become clear in the next race, the Preakness Stakes.
Her curiosity piqued, the Maiden Knight remained calm and composed, then turned her attention seriously to the last line: [Current Maturation Progress].
'So now… a 20% reward progress, bringing the total to 35%?'
At this rate, even after the American Triple Crown officially concluded, her conditioning still wouldn't be fully complete.
'Once the final Belmont Stakes is over, it looks like I'll still need one or two more major races.'
'That means… after the Triple Crown, I'll need to face other active champions from the older horse generation to fully complete my conditioning.'
'And then, enter the [Dream Cup] to take on all the legends of history?'
Margaret Nearl swiftly analyzed not only her conditioning progress but also the competitions that lay beyond.
Right now, the surge of talented dirt-track Uma Musume wasn't limited to just this year's crop of foreign fillies.
The seniors who had already entered the older horse generation were also shining stars of this golden age—a [generation] that could be called exceptionally brilliant even across eras.
For instance, the Big Red Monster [Secretariat], who had won the strongest Triple Crown in history the previous year.
Or [Sham], Secretariat's rival. Even in defeat, her incredible performances had made her famous as the only one who challenged Secretariat throughout the Triple Crown.
After returning from injury, Sham had easily claimed conventional G1 races, proving she was far from weak—it was just that Secretariat was too overpowered.
And besides them, there were older-generation champions like Dubai Millennium, who dominated both dirt and turf courses. As the [former dual-surface GOAT], she still held considerable fame.
Then there were [Flightline] and [Ruffian]!
Though Flightline was physically fragile and often raced only once every few months, every one of her appearances was a breathtaking, gold-standard victory.
Ruffian, meanwhile, was preparing to challenge Nearl after aiming for the Fillies' Triple Crown.
All these Uma Musume whose names were worth mentioning were geniuses worthy of leaving their mark on history—and at the same time… they were excellent rivals who could ignite the fighting spirit of The Radiant Knight!
First, face those outstanding opponents and the "small fry" she knew from the past, then ascend to the Dream Cup!
With her plan firmly in mind, Margaret Nearl turned around, the black cloak over her knightly armor still flapping sharply in the cold wind and snow.
First win the Triple Crown, then defeat the third-generation reds, followed by Ruffian and Flightline, and finally wipe out the second- and first-generation Big Reds!
All three reds were, in Nearl's eyes, valuable and worthy opponents.
'Well then… let's start with the Triple Crown, then take on the third-generation Big Red and Sunday Silence.'
The tall, golden-haired girl turned and strode firmly in the direction of the [Winner's Stage].
The American racing system, in many aspects, leaned more toward the world-class European model, so post-race interviews were also held relatively early.
Next up would be a press interview with The Radiant Knight, Nearl.
--+--
On the dirt track, a petite, dark-haired girl—Sunday Silence, who looked almost identical to Manhattan Cafe—stood in stunned disbelief.
The cold snow continued to fall almost mercilessly, its icy touch soaking her body, confirming that this was no illusion.
'I… lost??'
Sunday Silence felt slightly dazed and intensely unwilling about this Kentucky Derby.
In her view, this should have been the race where she had the [highest win rate]—the one she was most likely to win.
After all, this was an exceptionally heavy track, a rare historically harsh conditions with rain and snow, which greatly reduced the disadvantage of her wide draw. And Sunday Silence could fully showcase her superb adaptability to heavy tracks.
Not only that, aside from the conditions, she also possessed… [Zone]!
In this three-way showdown, since Easy Goer didn't have Zone, she should have had even more of an advantage.
But in the end, Sunday Silence did have an advantage—but only when it came to "facing Easy Goer."
That Radiant Knight, that Golden Pegasus, didn't play by her rules at all!!
She had overtaken Easy Goer but couldn't catch up to that dazzling maiden knight, forced to watch helplessly as Nearl raced freely all the way to the finish line… How could Sunday Silence easily accept a result like that?
'Aww… what a shame.'
After who knows how long, once she had watched the cloaked figure of Nearl depart, Sunday Silence finally let out a long sigh and reluctantly pulled herself out of her pointless regret.
Rather than staying here like a defeated pup, clinging to a race that had already ended and affecting her own condition…
it'd be better to just leave the track—where she hadn't even earned a place on the Winner's Stage—and head home to rest.
'Better go back and study the race footage, analyze Nearl in detail.'
'Staying here is useless. Even though I was the "second place," the "closest one to The Radiant Knight"…'
'It's still far from enough.'
'After all, right now, I don't even qualify to stand on the winner's stage as a backup dancer!'
But what gave Sunday Silence a slight sense of relief was…
She recalled another Pegasus, the undefeated turf champion, Platinum.
Compared to losing to Platinum like Dubai Millennium did and being etched into the Pegasus Hall, losing to Nearl as the second place… didn't seem quite as bad.
When you're told your doors and windows will be taken, suddenly opening a window yourself seems like a pretty good option. And compared to ending up in Platinum's Pegasus Hall, Sunday Silence suddenly felt that even though she had suffered a crushing defeat at Nearl's hands, at least she wouldn't be featured in any [Pegasus Hall]!
Losing to Nearl was far easier to stomach than losing to Platinum.
'Even if there are two Pegasus, both with unbelievably dazzling race effects…'
'At least I can take comfort in this—the Pegasus Hall belongs solely to Platinum!'
'If I can just get revenge in one of the next two Triple Crown races, I can wash away the shame of this Kentucky Derby!'
With her mindset adjusted and her spirits renewed, the dark-haired girl turned to leave.
As she departed, she glanced over and noticed…
On the other side, the noble and excellent red-haired young lady, hailed as the third-generation Big Red, Easy Goer, was still standing there dazed, her eyes vacant and lifeless.
It was as if this prestigious daughter had suffered the most devastating blow of her life.
As the first favorite in the race, widely regarded as the strongest among the [top three] before the event, she hadn't even managed to secure second place!!
'Ugh…'
Like an arrogant brat suddenly hit with a massive "reality check," seeing Easy Goer's expression—so wronged and defeated she seemed ready to hide away—didn't make Sunday Silence pause.
In Sunday Silence's eyes, she wasn't a winner herself and had no right to offer comfort.
In fact, Easy Goer's reaction… might even be partly because of her, the "second place"—she'd contributed to this outcome too.
So, with a slightly complicated expression, Sunday Silence paid no further mind and continued on her way out.
--+--
In front of the backstage of the Winner's Stage.
A tall, golden-haired young woman, her expression calm yet radiating a heroic spirit, handed a checklist of interview questions marked with "√" to the event interviewer standing before her.
"All set, these are the ones."
The official interviewer, now holding the checklist and reviewing it with downcast eyes, was visibly nervous, as if this were the first time interviewing such a heavyweight Uma Musume.
Ever since Nearl won her debut race, her potential had been recognized, and she was already seen as a future star Uma Musume, earning the privilege to choose her interview questions.
Not to mention, this was the first leg of the prestigious American Triple Crown. By now, she had thoroughly won the recognition of the American racing officials.
The attention and acknowledgment she received had nearly risen to the level typically reserved for a [Triple Crown Uma Musume]. Even if there was still a gap, it wasn't a large one.
After all, before Nearl, there were Secretariat and Flightline—both monstrous Uma Musume capable of dominating races with overwhelming leads through front-running strategies.
The fact that Flightline, who only raced once every few months and won a single G1, still held immense popularity and influence was proof of just how captivating such dominant victories could be.
As for the renowned monster Secretariat, there's no need to say much—she was arguably the strongest dirt-track Uma Musume, known and celebrated almost worldwide.
Even if Nearl might struggle to maintain a rigorous racing schedule and therefore fail to achieve the Triple Crown or replicate Secretariat's legacy, the possibility of her at least matching Flightline's achievements was very high!
Thus, it was likely that most members of the American racing officials, when in the presence of this incredibly young, classic-year Pegasus named Nearl, treated her with the respect due to a future king and leader in dirt-track racing.
Any notion of dismissing [Margaret Nearl] as some down-and-out or inexperienced Uma Musume based on seniority or background was absolutely unthinkable after the Kentucky Derby!
Respect was something Nearl earned squarely through her victories.
Once the checklist was reviewed, the interviewer signaled that the live broadcast was about to begin.
A few seconds later—
"In the history of the Kentucky Derby, on a track rated as [Heavy], the Radiant Knight Nearl has set a new record time, achieving an absolute dominant victory that has stunned all of America!"
"It's an honor to be interviewing the Radiant Knight Nearl, winner of the Kentucky Derby."
"First, regarding two of the [Top Three]—Sunday Silence and Easy Goer—what are your impressions after competing against them?"
As the first question was asked live, the names Sunday Silence and Easy Goer echoed once again.
The golden-haired young woman remained unruffled. She had no intention of mimicking a certain Platinum figure by saying something like, 'What a thrilling race, I don't think I'll ever forget you...'
If her opponents were praiseworthy and displayed good sportsmanship, she had no issue offering public compliments.
"Sunday Silence performed excellently; she's a strong rival worth competing against. I look forward to facing her again."
"Easy Goer was a bit unlucky. I'm sure in our next matchup, she'll showcase her elegant form on a better track."
"In short, they are both outstanding Uma Musume."
Even though Nearl's voice remained calm and measured, the conviction in her expression and words made it clear to anyone listening that this was no mere lip service.
"Now, for the second question: pre-race, the absolute sole favorite for the [Classic Triple Tiara] in your generation, Ruffian, publicly declared—"
'Once the Triple Crown races are over, I will challenge the winner of the Classic Triple Crown and defeat [her] or [them] fair and square!'
"Since you've already won the first crown, Miss Nearl, you are now on Ruffian's challenge list... Are you considering accepting?"
Without a doubt, this was an extremely weighty topic, one destined to spark heated discussions among countless dirt-track racing enthusiasts.
Classic Triple Crown!
Classic Triple Tiara!
For years, the global Uma Musume community has consistently held that the Classic Triple Crown > Classic Triple Tiara.
Some even believe that the Double Tiara is only comparable to the Derby, and the Triple Tiara is on par with the Classic Double Crown.
2 = 1! 3 = 2!
This peculiar equation highlights the prestige of the Classic Triple Crown.
It's not surprising that many hold this view.
For instance, after Japan's first Triple Tiara winner, Mejiro Ramonu, challenged older horse races and faced off against Classic race champions...
The result? She didn't secure a single victory!
Similarly, Still in Love, Japan's second Triple Tiara winner, also failed to win any races after her Triple Tiara achievement.
In the U.S., while Triple Tiara winners aren't at such a stark disadvantage, there's still a noticeable gap between them and Classic race winners in most cases.
However... Ruffian is undoubtedly among the rare exceptions—perhaps even the most exceptional of them all!
Long before the Triple Tiara races began, Ruffian had already defeated many Uma Musume qualified for the Classic Triple Crown during her two-year-old season, and most of her races broke track records!
Thus, while the Classic Triple Crown had three [top favorites] with relatively close popularity, the neighboring Triple Tiara saw only one overwhelming favorite who dominated the field.
It's fair to say that Ruffian is widely expected to sweep the Triple Tiara—a super Uma Musume with the potential to rank among the strongest Triple Tiara winners in history.
And this future empress has openly declared her intention to take on the champion of the Classic Triple Crown from the same generation!
Whether it's one Classic Triple Crown winner or three individual Classic race champions, Ruffian possesses the ambition and dominance to challenge and defeat them all!
"[Ruffian]... is it?"
A flicker of nostalgia passed through the orange eyes of the golden-haired young woman, Nearl.
Among the young fillies she had known back then, Ruffian was one of the few whom even she, with her often questionable judgment, had immediately recognized as "probably not a pushover."
Sure enough, her rare correct assessment proved true—not only was Ruffian no pushover, but she was a super talent!
She was an incredibly stubborn foreign-born filly—tall, obstinate, and nearly domineering. There was even an incident where she tugged at the sleeve of a certain black-haired young doctor, insisting he treat only her.
But...
Good news: Ruffian was very young.
Bad news: Ruffian was too young.
Back then, terms like "two-year-old season" or "classic year" weren't even on the horizon; there was still a long time until Ruffian's debut.
In the end, that scheming young doctor did some calculations and figured that waiting for Ruffian, Secretariat, Sea the Stars, and others to grow up—taking on all that risk and time...
Well, it'd be better to just go to Japan, become an Uma Musume himself, race, improve his medical skills, and prepare to earn more gold coins in the future.
—'Rather than pin my hopes on unreliable weaklings or somewhat reliable little foreign fillies, I'll do it myself!'
With that mindset, the scheming young doctor made the same [promise] with Ruffian that he'd made countless times before.
Clearly, Ruffian's seemingly domineering and confident [challenge] now was also a choice made to fulfill that promise as quickly as possible.
After all, wouldn't this be equivalent to sweeping all the champions of both the Classic Triple Crown and the Triple Tiara?
"Her [challenge]..."
The ripples in the orange eyes of the golden-haired knight stilled, and she responded in a tone laced with faint amusement.
"It won't be [us]—it'll be [me] waiting for her!"
The moment that response was uttered, even the official interviewer preparing for the next question was taken aback.
There would be no collective of Classic race winners!
There would only be... a one-on-one between the Classic Triple Crown Uma Musume and the Triple Tiara Uma Musume!
Confidence wasn't exclusive to Ruffian.
This world's second Pegasus, hailed as the Radiant Knight and Derby champion, already regarded the Triple Crown as hers for the taking?!
After recovering from his surprise, the official interviewer took a deep breath and posed the final question.
"Then, for the last question"...
"After the [American Triple Crown] concludes, what are your plans, Miss Nearl? Are there any specific races you aim to win or any Uma Musume you wish to defeat?"
This was a relatively standard question, simply inquiring about future goals.
Many Uma Musume, when faced with a long list of questions and unsure which to select, often checked this one.
Then, they'd typically answer by naming a race they previously failed to win or an Uma Musume they sought to defeat in a rematch.
But clearly, Nearl was not among them. This world's second Pegasus had an unblemished record.
And at this very moment!
Nearl lifted her head, and the dazzling golden-haired knight firmly declared her final response.
"My goal is..."
"To defeat Ruffian, Flightline, and Secretariat."
"And to win—the [Dream Cup]."
That understated yet resolute final response, the moment it landed!
In a very short time, much like the recently concluded Kentucky Derby, this [answer] would become a new storm sweeping through the American Uma Musume world!
The Dream Cup! The legendary Dream Cup!
The Radiant Knight Nearl not only aimed to defeat Ruffian, Secretariat, and the others... but also to win the Dream Cup?!
On the live broadcast screen, Nearl turned away.
Her black cape fluttered dramatically behind her, leaving only the exquisite profile of the golden-haired young woman.
In the final moments of the broadcast, she raised two fingers in a victory sign.
Its meaning—G1 victories: two achieved!
The Radiant Knight's soaring journey had already begun!
--+--
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.