(Spy-Author put 186 twice so I kept it as is)
"Undefeated Two-Crown Champion—Bourbon is truly remarkable," Just a Way exclaimed in admiration.
Kousei nodded in agreement, though she hadn't realized she'd been delayed so long that the final leg of Mihono Bourbon and Rice Shower's Triple Crown Race was already underway.
"Mihono Bourbon is certainly an unexpected contender."
Reiko appeared behind them without anyone noticing.
"Aoi and Mr. Takuya drank themselves into a stupor, forcing us to cancel our original plans. Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all! Miss Reiko, please sit next to Way," Just a Way gestured for Reiko to take a seat.
Reiko accepted the invitation without hesitation, settling gracefully into the chair.
"Reiko, do you know much about Bourbon?"
Reiko nodded. "It's the Triple Crown Race, after all—a monumental event in Central racing. However, my interest in the Triple Crown Race stems from a different reason. I'm following it because of Bourbon's Trainer."
"Bourbon's Trainer?"
Generally, people watch races to focus on the Umamusume themselves. Few would follow a race because of the Trainer.
"That's right. Bourbon's Trainer's training philosophy shares a striking resemblance to the Chiin Family's approach. When nurturing Umamusume, most prioritize their innate talents—endurance, speed, or final leg strength, for example.
But Bourbon's Trainer focuses on the Umamusume's capacity as a vessel. Endurance can be built through training, and speed can be cultivated. As a Trainer, I believe that relying solely on an Umamusume's inherent talent is the wrong path.
By pouring water into the vessel through training, one must tailor the approach to each individual and cultivate their dreams to fruition. To nurture a 'Genius' into true greatness, his theory posited that any Umamusume, given the right training, could become the strongest.
This philosophy formed the bedrock of Bourbon's Trainer's theories."
"If that's true," Kousei asked, "wouldn't every Umamusume he trained become the strongest? But what does reality show?"
"The reality is that before Mihono Bourbon, no Umamusume he coached ever achieved renown. To the outside world, his training methods appeared to be nothing more than abuse."
The Central remains the stage for innate talent. Trainer Bourbon's theories have not shaken this foundation.
"If she hadn't met Mihono Bourbon..." Kousei mused, her eyes sparkling with insight.
"Exactly. Without Mihono Bourbon, Trainer Bourbon's theories would have remained nothing more than a sensationalist joke. That's what they mean by a fated encounter."
The trio turned their gaze to the screen as Mihono Bourbon strode confidently into the starting gate.
At the edge of the paddock stood a rugged-looking man, his upper body clad only in a white tracksuit top and dark sunglasses, his expression unyielding. This was Bourbon's trainer, Toyama.
Amidst the roaring cheers for Bourbon at Kyoto Racecourse, his silence stood out starkly. As tens of thousands chanted Bourbon's name, Toyama's mind drifted back to their first meeting.
With Kashimoto Riko newly appointed as Acting Chairman, Toyama had been mired in public controversy, and few Umamusume agreed to be his designated partner. Throughout his long training career, he had never produced a single renowned athlete. Without any notable achievements, Toyama could only wait silently in obscurity for his next opportunity.
One day, a peculiar Umamusume enrolled at Tracen Academy: Mihono Bourbon. Plain and unassuming, she was as expressionless as she was unremarkable. Bourbon's talent wasn't immediately apparent during the entrance trials; her waist was stiff, her stamina was abysmal, and her only redeeming quality was her speed. However, even that speed was unsustainable due to her poor endurance.
Mihono Bourbon's aptitude was undeniably for sprints. This Umamusume, lacking both exceptional pedigree and remarkable talent, attracted little attention.
Trainers held her in low regard, considering it a triumph if she even won her debut race, let alone any further victories. It was clear just how poorly Mihono Bourbon was regarded.
"Then, one day, Bourbon approached me. I remembered her well, because in the Central's talent-obsessed racing world, an Umamusume with such mediocre lineage and a lack of innate talent was truly a tragic sight."
But then...
"Umamusume Mihono Bourbon. My goal is to become a Triple Crown Umamusume. I request your guidance."
Even Toyama was momentarily stunned. An Umamusume who struggled to complete a 1600-meter race wanted to challenge the Triple Crown? The Kikuka Sho, the final leg of the Triple Crown, was the longest race in the freshman year, making Bourbon's ambition—for a sprinter to challenge the Triple Crown—seem utterly delusional.
Not only to challenge, but to become a Triple Crown Winner.
Even Toyama found this utterly absurd. Logically speaking, even with the most far-fetched ambitions, aiming for the sprint championships would have been the most sensible choice.
For the first time, Toyama felt the urge to refuse. Yet Bourbon's eyes were so clear and beautiful, utterly devoid of shadow, that he couldn't bear to crush her spirit.
As her Trainer, he was acutely aware of Bourbon's stamina limitations. Yet, despite this, his heart fluttered with a stifling, exhilarating tremor. Toyama sensed a faint possibility of a miracle lurking behind this fateful encounter, and he made his decision immediately.
Toyama would gamble everything on Bourbon, guiding her to the stage of the Classic Triple Crown.
"The stamina issue can absolutely be overcome through rigorous training," Toyama declared to Bourbon. Just as he felt destined to guide her, Bourbon now sensed her own fate taking shape.
Hearing her fantastical dream, the man in sunglasses neither dismissed nor mocked her, but offered a genuine answer.
The raw gem of a dream had finally been grasped by Toyama's hand.
Despite their efforts, public opinion remained overwhelmingly negative. Few believed in the pairing of a trainer and an Umamusume mother to secure even a single Central victory, let alone win a G1 or the Triple Crown. Such aspirations were widely dismissed as delusional.
Many eagerly anticipated the downfall of Toyama and Bourbon, but the pair simply continued their silent training until the day of Bourbon's debut race.
"Bourbon's a strong runner. You'd better watch out," Toyama warned.
Perhaps due to the pressure of her debut race, Bourbon seemed uncharacteristically nervous and made a fatal mistake—a slow start—in the sprint race.
"Just as I thought, Bourbon is nothing special," the crowd murmured.
But just as they thought this, Bourbon burst forth from off-screen with a powerful final leg, shattering the track record in her maiden victory. Given her running style, this display of speed was only mildly surprising.
However, at the subsequent Asahi Hai, Bourbon secured a G1 victory by a nose, causing public opinion to shift dramatically.
Some speculated that, based on Bourbon's bloodline and her performance at the Asahi Hai, 1600 meters was her absolute limit.
Others argued that Bourbon might genuinely defy distance limitations.
Amidst such polarized debate, Bourbon and her generation simultaneously entered the Classic Triple Crown races. At the highly anticipated Satsuki Prize, Toyama and Bourbon once again astonished the world.
From the moment the gates opened, Bourbon boldly seized the lead, maintaining it until crossing the finish line. Her undefeated streak continued: resounding victory after resounding victory.
The pre-race doubts about her limits were cast aside. Following in Tokai Teio's footsteps, she became another Umamusume challenging for the Triple Crown with an unblemished record.
Breaking the boundaries of bloodlines was no longer a mere boast; every lingering doubt dissolved into thunderous cheers as she crossed the finish line. From sprints to middle distances, from narrow wins to dominant triumphs, each race stretched longer than the last, each performance more remarkable than the previous. Through sheer effort, she shattered conventional wisdom into fragments.
"With a rigorous, systematic training regimen, even those without noble blood can become champions."
Toyama's philosophy surged like a tidal wave across the era, the winds of change blowing from Nakayama across the world.
Dreams were bound to blossom. In Kyoto, where autumn chrysanthemums bloomed in full glory, the chestnut-maned bullet train raced toward the future with unstoppable momentum.