The public viewing at the paddock was over, and the Arima Kinen was about to begin. I stood in the front row of the spectator seats with Urara, narrowing my eyes as I surveyed the Nakayama Racecourse.
The Arima Kinen, which was about to take place, was 2500 meters, but the course had a slightly irregular shape.
The Nakayama Racecourse is a right-handed course, but it has two different distances called the inner loop and outer loop. In the Arima Kinen, the race started partway through the outer loop and then ran on the inner loop.
When viewed from above, the inner loop looked like a typical racecourse—a rounded rectangle, while the outer loop was like an arc-shaped course attached to the upper part of the inner loop.
The starting point was a nearly straight section from the end of the outer loop—from the third corner of the outer loop to the third corner of the inner loop. After starting, the runners would head for the home stretch, running through the third and fourth corners of the inner loop.
As a side note, the reason they were called the third and fourth corners even though they were entered right after the start was simple. On a right-handed course, the corners are numbered sequentially from the first corner reached after the finish line on the home stretch: first corner, second corner, third corner, and fourth corner.
If you were to compare the course in this case to the kanji character '田', the bottom-left corner would be the first corner, the top-left would be the second corner, the top-right would be the third corner, and the bottom-right would be the fourth corner.
In the Arima Kinen, the runners would run one lap from the vicinity of the third corner of the inner loop to the finish line on the home stretch, but the name of the corner wouldn't change even if they passed through the third corner twice. It would just be called the second lap's third corner.
Also, the home stretch is the straight section in front of the spectator stands, and the straight section on the far side is called the backstretch. The starting point for the Arima Kinen was even farther than the backstretch, so I couldn't even see Rice's face clearly from here.
"Ooh... is Rice-chan gonna be okay..."
As I was looking at the course, Urara, who was next to me, muttered anxiously as usual.
Compared to the races Urara had experienced so far, there were more than twice the number of spectators, and the excitement was gradually building up right before the G1 race.
"Don't worry, Rice will be fine. So let's cheer as hard as we can."
"Yeah! I'll cheer so loud Rice-chan can hear me!"
When I said that, putting my hand on Urara's head, Urara regained her energy and nodded vigorously. I smiled at Urara's reaction, but then quickly tightened my expression and turned my gaze to Rice in the distance.
(Yeah, Rice will be fine... The only problem is whether my assessment is correct...)
Because of the distance, I couldn't observe the Umasume waiting to enter the gates in detail. Still, I had already given the instructions. The die had been cast. There was nothing more I could do but wait to see what the outcome would be.
As I was waiting for the race to begin, a murmuring voice echoed from the spectators behind me. When I turned to see what it was, I saw Mihono Bourbon, dressed in the Tracen Academy uniform, walking slowly toward us. Her trainer was also next to her.
"May we also cheer from here?"
"Of course."
I nodded to Mihono Bourbon's words and also gave a nod of acknowledgment to her trainer.
He was a senior trainer at Tracen Academy, a man wearing a black fedora and sunglasses, and a white tracksuit with no shirt underneath, exposing his toned abs.
Perhaps because he looked a bit like someone in a certain kind of business, no spectators tried to talk to him even though the famous Mihono Bourbon had appeared.
"How's Rice Shower's condition?"
When the senior trainer asked me, I intentionally put a smile on my face.
"She's in top condition. She could even beat Symboli Rudolf right now."
"Hmph... You rookies are so cocky."
The senior trainer said that, twisting his mouth, but it wasn't because he was annoyed by my words. He was smiling slightly.
I was about to say something to the senior trainer about Mihono Bourbon. However, I closed my mouth when I saw him standing close to Mihono Bourbon, as if supporting her, as she was having trouble with her right leg.
The relationship between a trainer and an Umasume is so varied that it's not for others to judge. If the senior trainer had been treating Mihono Bourbon badly, I would have complained, but seeing his hand on her shoulder as if to support her, I realized there was no need to say anything.
In that case, I would just watch my Umasume's brave figure. I took my eyes off Mihono Bourbon and her trainer and looked toward Rice with Urara.
And finally, the fanfare echoed through the Nakayama Racecourse.
"The ninth race of the day, the Arima Kinen, is about to begin under a cloudless winter sky. The course is turf 2500 meters, and the track is officially good."
"The time has finally come... It's time for the year-end festival with 16 Umasume selected by fan voting. I'm sure many Umasume fans have been looking forward to this race, haven't they?"
"I'm sure they have. As proof of that, today's attendance has exceeded 180,000 people. It shows the high anticipation for the Arima Kinen."
The voices of the male announcer and the male commentator were heard, and the spectators cheered in agreement with their conversation. Although not all the spectators were cheering, the voices of over 180,000 people were so loud that they could shake the entire racecourse.
"Now, let's introduce each Umasume. First up, from gate 1, number 1, the 4th favorite, Nice Nature."
"I think she's in very good shape. She's got a lot of spirit, and a top finish is inevitable."
Since there were 16 runners, the announcer's and commentator's words were a bit short. Still, every time they called out a name and added a comment, cheers rose from each of their fans.
"Next, from gate 2, number 3, Mejiro Palmer. Although she's the 15th favorite, I'm sure many fans are expecting her to lead the race."
"She's an easy-to-understand Umasume, with a clear choice between leading the whole way and sinking partway through. That's probably why she's so popular."
The cheers were a bit softer than for Nice Nature, but she seemed to have a good number of fans in the crowd. Mejiro Palmer, hearing the cheers, raised her arm toward the spectator seats before entering the gate.
"Next, today's big favorite. The winner of the fan vote, Tokai Teio, is running from gate 3, number 5."
"She won the Japan Cup the other day, so fans' expectations are high for today's race. However, I am a little concerned that she didn't look very energetic in the paddock."
When Tokai Teio was introduced, a particularly loud cheer went up from the spectators. The loudness of the cheer was enough to shake the decision I had made, but I just listened in silence.
There was no reaction from Tokai Teio, who had received the cheers.
As I listened to the announcer and commentator, I observed the Umasume from a distance.
And finally, it was Rice's turn.
"Finally, from gate 8, number 16, Rice Shower. She's the second favorite."
"Although she's not as popular as Tokai Teio, she's still very highly regarded. And from what I could see in the paddock, she looked to be in great condition. We can have high hopes for her."
The commentator gets it, I thought, nodding. However, a few boos could be heard mixed in with the cheers. I wondered if I should turn around and memorize their faces.
But Rice showed no signs of being upset. She entered the gate with a focused expression, not even looking at the spectator seats.
I folded my arms and took a deep breath. I could hear my heart beating, and the sound and intensity of it were gradually increasing.
My Umasume was about to run in the upcoming G1 race, the Arima Kinen. Although I hadn't raised her from scratch like Urara, I was still nervous and excited.
Over 180,000 spectators held their breath, and the murmuring faded away like a ripple. Even those who had been booing Rice naturally closed their mouths in anticipation of the great race that was about to begin.
And then, silence filled the Nakayama Racecourse.
"All the Umasume have entered the gates... And they've started!"
With a thud, the Arima Kinen started. And right after the start, I opened my eyes wide.
"Oh, one of them was slow to start. The big favorite, Tokai Teio, had a huge stumble out of the gate. The other Umasume all got off to a clean start."
"It doesn't seem to be an accident. It looks like Tokai Teio lacked focus."
Tokai Teio, the number one favorite, had a huge stumble at the start. As the commentator said, she must have lacked focus when the gates opened.
(If I had told her to mark Tokai Teio, we would've been screwed from the start...)
Even if the opponent you're supposed to mark has a big stumble, you can't just wait for them. I broke out in a cold sweat, imagining the future that would have awaited us if I had told her to mark Tokai Teio.
"Now, the Umasume have started. There's a gentle right-hand curve right after the start, but which Umasume will be the first to break away?"
"Since it's a corner right after the start, they aren't going that fast. The first one to break away is... Mejiro Palmer."
"Mejiro Palmer, number 3, has taken the lead. Daitaku Helios, number 8, and Doruje, number 7, are in close pursuit. A length behind them, Ikuno Dictus, number 11, Quartet Accord, number 4, Nice Nature, number 1, Going Noble, number 14, and Rice Shower, number 16, are in the lead group."
As I expected, starting from the outside gate must have had an effect. Although Rice had a clean start, there was a distance between her and the Nice Nature she was supposed to mark, and other Umasume were in between them.
"About two lengths behind them, Alley Cat, number 2, Flamenco Step, number 10, Short Sleeper, number 13, Grand Chamal, number 9, and Sweet Cabin, number 15, have formed a group. A length behind them are Circuit Breaker, number 6, and Breeze Kite, number 12. And three lengths behind them, Tokai Teio is running in the back."
"The race has just started, so it's going to be interesting to see how it unfolds from here."
Rice Shower was in eighth place, almost in the middle of the long line of Umasume. Still, I wasn't flustered and watched Rice as she came out of the fourth corner and entered the home stretch.
"Now, the first one to come out of the fourth corner is Mejiro Palmer, number 3. Right behind her is Daitaku Helios, number 8. Doruje, number 7, has fallen back slightly. The two runners in the lead have already put a five-length gap between themselves and the rest. The Umasume are running toward the straight, led by Mejiro Palmer, who is in the lead."
"There's an uphill slope at Nakayama from here. Let's pay attention to each Umasume's decision, whether they'll use the slope to move forward or save their legs."
At the Nakayama Racecourse, where Urara also ran, there is a slope with a height difference of over 2 meters on the home stretch.
The slope continues until near the first corner, and from there, it becomes a downhill slope of nearly 400 meters, which puts a strain on the legs and consumes a lot of stamina.
"The cheers are amazing. This is a winter tradition at Nakayama. The cheers for the Umasume running on the home stretch are shaking the racecourse."
"It's amazing every year, isn't it? I'm worried that my voice and the announcer's voice can't even be heard."
"Oh, while we're talking, Nice Nature, number 1, and Rice Shower, number 16, have moved up the slope. Mejiro Palmer and Daitaku Helios are still fighting for the lead."
"They both have amazing speed. Nice Nature's acceleration is as if she's being chased by something."
"...Alright!"
I let out a voice as I watched Rice's movements. It was a good thing she was able to mark Nice Nature just before entering the first corner. She was already in fifth place from the front, so from here on, it was a matter of when to make her move.
Should I be happy that my prediction was right, or should I lament it? Mejiro Palmer and Daigaku Helios were running at a very fast pace in the lead. I wanted to close the distance as much as possible to catch Mejiro Palmer later.
(Rice's move... she's chasing Nice Nature and making her rush, huh...)
And then, when I saw Rice's movements, I was sure. It seemed that Rice was sticking close behind Nice Nature, who was trying to save her legs, and by showing her presence, she was making her speed up.
This was the same move she had shown in a recent mock race against Happy Meek, where she made her opponent rush and lose her rhythm. Since this race was 2500 meters, Nice Nature was probably trying not to go too fast, but she seemed to be flustered by Rice's movements.
A faint look of confusion was on Nice Nature's face as she ran past the spectator seats just now. In a sense, that was a natural feeling. The normally timid Rice was chasing her with the ferocity of a carnivore, as if she was about to devour her at any moment.
"They've passed the 1000-meter mark, and the time is 58.6 seconds, which is a very fast pace. Mejiro Palmer is still in the lead. The gap between her and Daigaku Helios in second place is about 2 lengths. Three lengths behind them, Doruje is running on the inside, and Rice Shower is closing in on her from the outside."
"The field has stretched out. The one in the back has changed to Breeze Kite, number 12. Tokai Teio, who had a big stumble at the start, is in fifth place from the back. She's gradually moving up, but the distance to the leader is still almost 15 lengths."
"They've passed the second corner and are on the far side. Mejiro Palmer's legs aren't slowing down. She's increasing the gap with the rest of the field. How long can Daigaku Helios keep up? She closes the gap, but then Mejiro Palmer pulls away again."
"Ikuno Dictus and Flamenco Step are moving up from the middle... But Mejiro Palmer's speed is incredible. Is she going to try to lead all the way?"
As I listened to the announcer and commentator, I looked at Rice without even blinking. Once they passed the straight on the far side, it would be the second lap's third corner.
The second lap's third corner, where I had given the instructions.
Could she mark Nice Nature and chase her while also keeping an eye on the distant Mejiro Palmer?
"Rice! Goooooo!"
It was a long distance, and with the incredible cheers, Rice probably couldn't hear me no matter how much I yelled.
I regretted giving her such a reckless strategy. I had judged that Rice was capable of it, but it's easy to say and very difficult to execute.
"Mejiro Palmer has reached the second lap's third corner. Daigaku Helios is chasing, but the gap is gradually widening. They've just passed the 600-meter sign... Oh, she's made her move! Rice Shower, number 16, has made her move!"
--- But Rice responded.
"Rice Shower is accelerating and passing Nice Nature! She's now passed Doruje and has jumped into third place! The gap with Daigaku Helios is 4 lengths! How far is she from Mejiro Palmer?! Is it still 8 lengths?!"
"I think it's still too far to make her move, but will she have enough left to last? Oh, Nice Nature is also accelerating, maybe she was pulled along by Rice Shower!"
The accelerating Rice entered the third corner and charged into the fourth corner without slowing down much. Seeing her incredible speed, I clenched my fists and prayed to God.
(A long sprint from that position... The timing was perfect, but will Rice's body hold up? Will her stamina last...?)
When I saw Rice running through the corner, I suddenly felt a sense of unease.
It wasn't a sign of injury or anything.
It was Rice, who was executing the strategy that could barely be called a strategy, running as if chasing Nice Nature, and now, speeding up with a long sprint.
On the big G1 stage, Rice's face, which must have been mentally and physically exhausted, was filled with an incredible intensity. But, her exhaustion seemed to be less than what I had expected...?
(The longest race Rice has run so far is the Kikka Sho at 3000 meters... I tried to get rid of as much of her physical fatigue as possible over the past two months, but could it be... that Rice is an Umasume who can run even longer distances?)
For example, let's say Rice's optimal distance is over 3000 meters, around 4000 meters. Just because she can run 4000 meters doesn't mean she can run the 2500-meter Arima Kinen with ease.
The race unfolds differently at each distance, and for shorter distances, she also needs the ability to run fast.
However, Rice is an Umasume who can train by herself to the point where her muscle balance becomes dangerous. She's physically strong enough to train on her own and win the Kikka Sho without a trainer's guidance.
Of course, Rice's strong will also plays a part in this. Even if an Umasume has the instinct to run faster and win races, it's not easy to train diligently by yourself and strengthen your body without being forced to do so by anyone.
I was the one who was trying to fix the slight歪み in her body while making sure she didn't lose the stamina she had built up from doing something that wasn't easy.
Rice's body hasn't been completely healed yet. Her muscle balance is getting better, but I can't say she's fully recovered.
But even so, she had enough stamina left to toy with Nice Nature and now, to chase down Mejiro Palmer, who was still in the lead.
"Now for the final straight! Mejiro Palmer is still in the lead! But Rice Shower is right behind her! The black-clad stayer is closing in! They've passed the 400-meter mark, but can she lead all the way?! Rice Shower has now passed Daigaku Helios! The rest of the field is also accelerating!
"The favorite, Tokai Teio, is also starting to move up, but this is..."
The stage was in front of the spectator seats, the home stretch. Rice, who had passed the final corner and entered the straight, had a ghastly expression on her face.
Rice kicked the ground harder, and the turf flew backward. The horseshoes on her shoes dug into the dirt, accelerating Rice's body more and more.
Rice had already passed Daigaku Helios and was in second place. The one running in front of her was Mejiro Palmer, who had been leading the whole way since the start.
"Only 200 meters to the finish! The uphill slope is from here! Can Mejiro Palmer lead all the way?! Will Rice Shower's legs last until the end?! Three lengths behind! No, can the rest of the field catch up?! Nice Nature is also moving up, she's now in fourth place! Nice Nature has passed Daigaku Helios!"
"This has turned into an amazing race! The cheers are so loud I don't know if the commentator and I can even be heard! The Nakayama Racecourse! The ground! It's shaking! The spectators are all standing and cheering!"
The cheers from the spectators were so loud they could drown out the voices of the announcer and commentator. Over 180,000 people were going wild over the race in front of them, letting out a roar.
"Go, go, go! Go, RICE! Just a little more! Just a little more! BREAKAWAY!"
"Go, Rice-chan! Gooo!"
I yelled as if not to lose to the spectators around me, and Urara also yelled. I repeatedly hit the fence in front of me, forgetting about bothering others, but my shouts were completely drowned out by the cheers.
That's how incredible Rice's pursuit was.
"Mejiro Palmer was the first to climb the Nakayama slope! It's Mejiro Palmer! Does she still have something left in her legs?! But Rice Shower is right behind her! Two lengths! No, one length! Less than 100 meters to go! Can she pass or will she lead all the way?!"
Should I be happy that my assessment was not wrong, or should I lament it? Mejiro Palmer, who had been in the lead the entire time since the start, still had some left in her legs at this very moment.
She was running with all her might to escape the approaching Rice, and she was putting everything she had into it, as if to say she would be the first to reach the finish line.
Rice also kicked the ground with an incredible force, trying to pass Mejiro Palmer. Would she make it, or would she not? I felt a pain in the back of my throat from yelling so loud, but I continued to yell, not caring about it.
And, witnessing Rice's run, Mihono Bourbon also raised her voice.
"Win... Please win, Rice-san!"
--- I wonder if she heard that voice.
"Less than 50 meters to go, she's passed her! Rice Shower has passed her! She's passed Mejiro Palmer--"
Rice's legs had extended even further forward.
"Now! She's crossed the finish line! She's passed her and crossed the finish line! Rice Shower! First place by one length, Rice Shower! Second place, Mejiro Palmer!"
A moment of silence, less than a single instant, like the one before the start. But that silence was instantly lost in a torrent of cheers due to Rice Shower, who had crossed the finish line in first place.
"Yessssssss! RICE! YOU DID IT!"
"Amazing! Rice-chan is amazing!"
I repeatedly pumped my fists, and Urara jumped up and down. But when I choked from yelling too much, I laughed and said,
"Ah... Crap, I think my throat just cracked."
"Huh?! Your throat cracked, Trainer?! Are you gonna die?! Don't die!"
Urara jumped in a panic at my words, but it just hurt and wasn't actually cracked. That's how much I had yelled, and it was a race that was hot enough to make me yell that much.
When I looked at Rice, who had crossed the finish line, I saw her being patted on the back by Mejiro Palmer, who had a wry smile on her face. I couldn't hear what they were talking about because of the distance, but from the atmosphere and the movement of her mouth, she was probably saying "you beat me."
In the meantime, the rest of the Umasume also reached the finish line, and the scoreboard lit up shortly after the last one had crossed the finish line.
"The order has been confirmed. First place, number 16, Rice Shower, with a winning time of 2 minutes 32.4 seconds. Second place, by one length, number 3, Mejiro Palmer, third place, by four lengths, number 1, Nice Nature, fourth place, by two lengths, number 12, Breeze Kite, fifth place, by one length, number 11, Ikuno Dictus."
It was a confirmation of Rice's victory, and I instinctively looked at Rice, who was also looking at me. Or maybe she was looking at Mihono Bourbon, who was near me.
I didn't know if Rice could see me, but I raised my right hand. And then I put up my index finger so she could see it, and then I slowly put up my middle finger to make a peace sign.
Just as I had told her on the day we first met, it was her second crown in a G1 race. It wasn't the Triple Crown, but Rice had achieved a feat that would be remembered in Umasume history just by winning a G1 race, and she had done it twice.
Rice's eyes widened, surprised by my gesture. She then turned to face the still-excited spectator seats, bowed her head once, and then looked around at the spectators with a refreshed expression.
She then puffed out her chest, put her left hand on her hip, and raised her right hand to the sky. She only had her index finger up, but as if to show it off, she also put up her middle finger to form a peace sign.
The next moment, a roar of cheers erupted from the spectators who saw it.
"First-place winner Rice Shower! She's making a peace sign toward the spectator seats! She's proudly making a peace sign after winning the Arima Kinen!"
"She didn't do this performance at the Kikka Sho... It's a performance just like the old Symboli Rudolf. Oh, that brings back memories."
"So, could this be a statement that she's going to win G1 races just like Symboli Rudolf from now on?! The senior season next year is going to be exciting."
I had been nodding at Rice's figure, but then I was taken aback by the voices of the announcer and commentator. No, wait, that wasn't my intention, and I don't know about a performance similar to Symboli Rudolf's. But it's true that I want Rice to win G1 races, so I can't deny it!
I panicked inwardly, but seeing Rice's proud figure looking back at the spectators, I thought, "Well, I guess that's fine."
Rice won first place at the Arima Kinen. That meant a winning live performance would be held.
As a trainer, I had secured a spot in the front row of the live performance, but I was quite nervous on the inside. The previous race had been one that made the spectators go wild, but the winning live performance was a trauma for Rice.
For an Umasume, there could be no greater pain than to be booed by fans after winning first place in a G1 race. In that sense, Machikane Tanhoiza, who had finished within the top three in her first G1 race at the Kikka Sho, must have been very flustered when she was caught up in the booing live performance.
This time, I think she'll be okay. But what would Rice think if something similar were to happen again?
"Aah, aah... Alright, my throat's in good shape. Urara, do you have your glow stick?"
"I'm all ready! Here!"
"What?! You broke it already?!"
Even if no one else cheered for Rice, Urara and I would cheer with all our might. With that in mind, I had prepared blue glow sticks, the same blue as the blue roses Rice always wears, but Urara, who probably wanted to try them out right away, broke one and made it light up. Ugh, I'll break mine too!
It was a bit of a false start, but I held the glowing blue glow sticks and waited for Rice and the others to appear. After a while, the live performance seemed to be ready, and Rice, Mejiro Palmer, and Nice Nature, all in their race clothes, came out.
Rice's expression was bright. Had she gotten over it after the performance she just did, or was it...?
"Alright! Go, Rice!"
"Kyaa! Rice-senpai!"
"You were amazing, Senpai!"
I felt like I heard Gold Ship's voice, who might have been watching the race. And the voices that followed might have been from the kids Rice raced against in the mock race before.
"You did great, Rice-chan!"
"Come to the shop again!"
I also heard voices that seemed to be from the shopkeepers in the shopping district. Although it was Rice's race and not Urara's, they had come to watch.
Blue lights lit up all over the spectator seats. They were lights to praise Rice, and their number gradually, little by little, increased.
I also took a deep breath and was about to call out Rice's name. However, I noticed that big tears were welling up in Rice's eyes as she saw the blue lights spreading through the live venue, and I let out the breath I had taken.
Rice knew that Urara and I were in the front row. So, instead of yelling, I decided to make a clearer statement.
Urara and I both held up our blue glow sticks above our heads. And when we waved them slightly, more people, as if pulled by our action, held up their glow sticks above their heads.
I was about to break the glow sticks for Mejiro Palmer and Nice Nature as well—but I'm sorry, just for now, please forgive me.
I wanted to show Rice the expanse of blue light spreading to celebrate her first-place finish, just for a little while longer.
And so, Rice's winning live performance, dyed in blue, came to an end.
And the year-end Arima Kinen ended, and a new year began.
--- A year of trials for Urara and me.
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