Chapter 3- First Year Races
The calendar feels like the panel in my head. Every race, every date, every G1 goal is visible, scrollable, selectable. By December, the big events arrive, and everything I've trained for will be tested, not just raw stats, but instincts, timing, and survival under pressure.
I began the year as a raw rookie:
Starting Stats:
Speed: 95 (G)
Stamina: 88 (G)
Power: 90 (G)
Guts: 85 (G)
Intelligence: 92 (G)
I wasn't fast, strong, or durable. I had knowledge from the game, though, and that knowledge became my edge. Every prep point, every drill, every imagined corner helped me scrape together what I needed. I focused on short and mile distances, front-running style, and Turf, because that's where I could survive. Dirt, medium distance, end-closing, those would have to wait.
Debut Race - Tokyo Sports Hai Junior Stakes
1600m - Turf - G3 - Autumn Morning
Pre-race stats after prep allocation:
Speed: 140
Stamina: 120
Power: 125
Guts: 110
Intelligence: 130
I had the basics ready: Corner Recovery, Straightaway Recovery, but nothing advanced. My goal: win and learn, front-runner style.
The gates open. I surge forward. Legs scream, lungs burn, but I seize the lead immediately. Front-running is instinct, and instinct matches prep. The pack presses, every hoofbeat hammering my balance and rhythm.
The first corner tightens. I feel my stamina drain, but Corner Recovery triggers, stabilizing me just enough to hold position. My stride smooths, my mind sharpens.
Final straight: the Red Shift-like surge I trained for flickers, a hint, not a full release. I push every ounce I have, muscles screaming, lungs tearing. Crossing the line by a neck, I win. Exhausted but victorious, I feel the first subtle tick: Medium distance aptitude grows slightly, Turf remains perfect, Front-running style solidifies, but dirt and long distance remain foreign.
Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes - Hanshin Racecourse - G1
Pre-race stats:
Speed: 155
Stamina: 118
Power: 130
Guts: 115
Intelligence: 132
I explode out front again. I attempt to control pace early, but a red-haired NPC presses against my flank. Corner Recovery fails under pressure, stamina drops. I adjust, force the lead through the turn, but the early effort costs me.
Finish: 3rd place. Not a win, but enough to earn stat growth and tick up front-runner efficiency. Medium distance aptitude grows slightly; dirt adaptation remains a distant goal.
Hanshin Juvenile Fillies - Hanshin Racecourse - G1
Pre-race stats:
Speed: 160
Stamina: 120
Power: 135
Guts: 120
Intelligence: 135
This time, I stay calm, measured. I take the lead and control the pace. At 1300m, approaching the final turn, a surge simulates Red Shift timing. My stride is smooth, my breath controlled.
Finish: 1st place. Victory reinforces my Speed and Power, Medium distance aptitude inches upward, Front-runner style consolidates. Dirt remains untested.
Hopeful Stakes - Nakayama Racecourse -G1
Pre-race stats:
Speed: 165
Stamina: 140
Power: 138
Guts: 122
Intelligence: 138
Medium distance is punishing. Front-running burns stamina faster here. I lead early, manage pace carefully, and Corner Recovery triggers mid-turn, giving a brief reprieve. A brown-haired NPC pressures me through the final 200m. Deep Breaths activates just enough to keep stride tight.
Finish: 2nd place. Not a win, but the effort grows stamina and Guts, Medium distance aptitude ticks up, and Front-runner style gains another small increment.
End-of-Year Stats & Aptitudes
Stats:
Speed: 340 (D+)
Stamina: 250 (E+)
Power: 320 (D)
Guts: 280 (D+)
Intelligence: 330 (D+)
Aptitudes:
Front Runner: A solidifying
Pace Chaser: C small improvement
Late Surge: D unchanged
End Closer: E unchanged
Short/Mile: A strong
Medium: B > B+ (skill-trigger growth)
Long: D unchanged
Turf: A perfect
Dirt: D faint tick (foreshadowing for US prep)
Foreshadowing American Goals
I make notes I cannot forget. The US is different: longer straights, deeper turf, dirt tracks. Front-running style must be perfected; medium distance must be learned; dirt must be tackled. I haven't done it yet, but every skill, every race, every corner I survive now is preparation for that challenge.
"I can't forget. The US is waiting. I have to farm dirt attributes. I have to perfect front-running. And I will. One day, I'll dominate everywhere."
Maruzensky is not at her peak. She is learning. She is surviving. She is preparing. And that preparation: slow, careful, painful, is the only way she will be ready for the next year. When skill farming, medium-distance mastery, and eventual US domination will truly begin.