"Grow?"
Realizing it really was about the race, Bamboo Memory's eyes lit up and she leaned in. "Grow how?"
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"Because… I feel like Kita-chan did pretty well today, didn't she?"
"Oh—right, this is just my gut feeling. I mostly ran sprints and miles, and only a little bit of medium-distance. You don't have to take me too seriously."
Back when they'd only met once before, Yasui had already sensed this Umamusume was the straightforward type.
Hearing her speak so bluntly now, he couldn't help but smile, nodding openly.
"I think Kita-chan did well, too."
"In my view, preparations for the Kikuka Sho are basically complete. For the next week, we just follow the plan and give it a final push. But if there's room for improvement, we can't afford to miss it."
"Like bursting from the gate, for example. Or reaction time."
This was exactly what Yasui had been thinking about—really, ever since that morning.
Even at the same overall level, there were subtle differences between individual strengths—between one burst of speed and another, one runner's strength and another's.
Kitasan Black was outstanding in these areas compared to many Umamusume, but setting distance suitability aside, there was still a clear difference between her gate burst and Sakura Bakushin O's.
The gap wasn't large—maybe just a hair's breadth—but it was distinctly measurable.
During the follow-up partner-run training, using professional measurement equipment, they found Kitasan Black's metrics were indeed a few percentage points behind Sakura Bakushin O's in certain aspects.
Take reaction time: Kitasan Black was already above average, around 10 to 20 milliseconds faster than most Umamusume.
But Sakura Bakushin O was even more terrifying—another 10 milliseconds quicker.
A few percentage points might sound trivial, but in high-speed competition, those small margins stacked up. Even from a spectator's viewpoint, the difference was starkly visible.
Reaching Sakura Bakushin O's level quickly was clearly impossible.
And besides, for middle and long-distance races, there was no need to mimic everything exactly.
But if they kept their current tactical framework for the Kikuka Sho, using next week's final push to reduce that gap even slightly, their race plan would be significantly enhanced.
As he explained these thoughts to Bamboo Memory, Yasui quietly hoped this senior from the track could offer some insight.
Yet as soon as he finished, he noticed the Umamusume across from him looked utterly lost, her expression practically screaming, What did you just say and why don't I understand any of it?
Amused, he quickly wrapped things up.
"…Anyway, they're just simple ideas. If it was confusing, Memory-san, I'm sorry."
"Uh, yeah, I didn't really understand…" Bamboo Memory scratched her head awkwardly, then quickly laughed. "But don't worry about it. I was never good at that stuff anyway."
"When I raced, usually the trainer told me how to run, and I just ran. If you're asking about the times I raced totally by my own ideas…"
With her chin resting in her hand, nostalgia—and guilt—flickered in her eyes as she glanced toward the claw machines.
"Probably only the Mile Championship… and then the Japan Cup right after."
Hearing that, Yasui felt his breath catch.
He knew exactly what those two races meant.
The Mile Championship and the Japan Cup—both G1 races.
And due to the Association's scheduling back then, the two were only one week apart.
G1 races placed a tremendous burden on an Umamusume. Put simply, even with Kitasan Black's current physical condition, Yasui would never let her attempt two G1s in a single week.
Maybe she could win the first one. But under extreme fatigue, victory in the second would be almost impossible—and that wasn't even the main issue.
Exhaustion sharply decreased body control. Combine that with the intense pace of a race, and even a minor error could lead to injury—or worse.
If things went badly enough… leaving the track for good was entirely possible.
That was why he felt suffocated just thinking about it.
Back then, Bamboo Memory ran the Mile Championship, and seven days later, she competed in the Japan Cup.
She had placed second in the Mile Championship, and though she didn't reach the top five in the Japan Cup, finishing that race at all was nothing short of miraculous. She hadn't even dropped to dead last.
"In other races, I listened to the trainer. But those two…"
At that moment, Bamboo Memory continued, her voice heavy with emotion.
"I guess you could say I was selfish back then. All I could think about was facing Oguri-senpai…"
"I didn't care why there had to be two G1s in a single week… I didn't care about the price senpai had to pay… Maybe if I hadn't pushed, and senpai hadn't agreed… the Japan Cup champion…"
She lowered her gaze.
"There's no doubt—it should've been Oguri-senpai's."
Yasui's breathlessness deepened.
Bamboo Memory wasn't the only monster crazy enough to attempt two G1s in a week—Oguri Cap was another.
And more than that, Oguri Cap had won that Mile Championship.
Then, in the Japan Cup that followed, despite racing back-to-back G1s, Oguri Cap still secured second place.
Not just second place—the finishing time was identical to that of the winner, Horlicks. Victory had come down to an impossibly thin margin.
"…You're all monsters. Though Oguri-san… is even more of a monster," Yasui murmured before he could stop himself.
He didn't think calling an Umamusume a "monster" was inappropriate.
After all, racing two G1s in a week—there really was no better word for it.
Besides, even in reports from then until now, Oguri Cap's nickname had always been "the Gray Monster." Supposedly, she even liked the nickname.
"I'm nothing special. Oguri-senpai's the real monster."
Completely unfazed by being called a monster, Bamboo Memory smiled at him.
"Anyway, yeah, I did feel sorry for my trainer—and for Oguri-senpai. But if it happened again, I'd probably choose the same thing. Because…"
She suddenly clenched her fist, her eyes flashing.
"Due to distance suitability and talent, I couldn't run the Classic Triple Crown. Oguri-senpai couldn't either."
"We didn't have many opportunities to race each other… oh, right, the Arima Kinen. I can't run the Arima Kinen. If I could, I'd have had more chances against her."
Scratching her head in frustration, she abruptly changed the subject.
"So—given Kita-chan's results, after she runs the Kikuka Sho… she should be able to race the Arima Kinen, right?"
"Yeah, she can," Yasui replied after a moment. "Her fan count is basically there already. A good result at the Kikuka Sho would seal the deal."
"Don't worry—Kita-chan will be fine!"
Bamboo Memory sprang to her feet, grinning, and extended a hand toward Yasui.
"I'm telling you, she's absolutely going to shine at the Kikuka Sho, then head to the Arima Kinen just like everyone expects! Who knows—maybe she'll follow in Oguri-senpai's footsteps and win the Arima Kinen as a Classic-year runner, becoming a legend!"
"So, Yasui-kun—you brought everyone out to have fun. Loosen up and enjoy yourself, too!"
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