Chapter 80. A Battle for Vindication; Famous in One Battle Part 1
Unlike the Arlington Million race day, the winning live performances at the Breeders' Cup Series were not accumulated and held consecutively at the end. Instead, each winning live was performed during the interval following its respective race.
"Speaking of which—" Watching the winning live playing on the television, Shuta An suddenly recalled something. "I mentioned before that both Oguri and Suzuka need songs prepared for winning lives. Has Berno already coordinated this with the URA Association?"
"Both Oguri and Suzuka have been practicing new songs for quite some time now," Berno Light pouted slightly. "It's just that Ann—you never go to the karaoke room, do you?"
"I really don't—" The young man's mouth twitched. "I don't like singing, so why would I go? Every time I do, Oguri forces me to sing, and then laughs until she can't breathe. Do I have no dignity at all?"
"That's only because Ann never practices," Berno Light covered her mouth, though the curve of her eyes betrayed her smile. "Your voice is actually quite good—but your singing technique is really—"
"If Oguri wins, she'll perform a new song, right?" Shuta An shifted his gaze back to the screen. "I just hope the song the URA Association prepared won't disappoint."
"It's a bit different from Oguri's usual image," Berno Light admitted, "but I think she looks really cool when she sings that song. And Ann—you'll hear it this afternoon."
Evidently, both of them held optimistic expectations regarding Oguri Cap's chances in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
—
At noon, Shuta An and Berno Light grabbed a quick lunch at a restaurant within Gulfstream Park Racecourse, then hurried back to their private box.
Berno Light opened another can of sparkling water for Shuta An and sat down beside him. "By the way, I didn't see Bamboo Memory's camp. I glanced around on the way back but didn't see her Trainer either."
"Nase Hideto Trainer didn't come," Shuta An replied casually. He had already asked about it. "He has many Uma Musume to oversee back in Japan, so Bamboo Memory came alone this time."
"Huh?!?" Berno Light's eyes widened. "Then all her training and adjustments—she has to manage them by herself?"
"She came here specifically to race against Oguri. Motivation isn't an issue for her," Shuta An said. He understood Nase Hideto's reasoning—though that didn't mean he agreed with it.
"Still, I'm worried she might overtrain and injure herself," he added. "But since she passed the physical examination organized by the Breeders' Cup committee this morning, there shouldn't be any immediate problems."
"After the Breeders' Cup Sprint finishes, Oguri's race will be in fifty minutes," Berno Light spoke again, breaking the brief silence.
Shuta An glanced at the clock. "That'll be four in the morning in Japan. I wonder how many people will stay up to watch."
"Probably quite a few," Berno Light replied. "My dad often gets up early—or stays awake until four or five—to watch football."
"That's true—" Shuta An nodded. He himself was the same type.
After the winning live for the Breeders' Cup Sprint concluded, Oguri Cap—wearing the first version of her racing attire, now modified with cooling patches—was the last to emerge from the tunnel.
At that moment, both Japanese photographers and American broadcast directors focused their cameras on the serious-faced gray Uma Musume.
"Today, Oguri Cap faces the strongest opponent of her career—Royal Academy, Europe's newly crowned Mile Queen. Since her debut just half a year ago, she has remained undefeated, including a dominant victory in the Sussex Stakes. She is undoubtedly the biggest favorite in this Breeders' Cup Mile."
"Oguri Cap does have a Mile victory in the French 2000 Guineas, but compared to Europe's top Mile races—such as the Sussex Stakes—that achievement may still fall slightly short."
"Returning to the Mile distance after a long absence, it remains unclear whether Oguri Cap, long accustomed to middle-distance races, can deliver a convincing performance."
Commentators from various countries voiced their opinions.
But none of that mattered to Oguri Cap.
The moment she stepped onto the Gulfstream Park turf, the first thing she felt was heat. Then, almost immediately, the cooling patches began to take effect, easing the discomfort.
Good thing Ann prepared this in advance, Oguri Cap thought quietly.
She glanced toward Royal Academy, standing several steps away, and noticed beads of sweat continuously forming on the chestnut-haired European Mile Queen's forehead.
She must be feeling the heat too—
Oguri Cap recalled her Trainer's earlier analysis.
"Looking at Royal Academy's racing history, the highest temperature she has ever raced in was only twenty-three degrees Celsius. The forecast for Hallandale this weekend exceeds thirty degrees. Royal Academy has never raced in such heat, and her Trainer likely didn't prepare any countermeasures. Without them, her condition will inevitably be affected—especially at two in the afternoon, when temperatures peak."
It looks like Ann's prediction was at least ninety percent correct, Oguri Cap thought. Now it depends on whether Royal Academy insists on taking the lead after the start.
If she doesn't, Oguri Cap concluded calmly, then it's clear—her condition has already been compromised.
Meanwhile, inside the private box, Shuta An simply clicked his tongue after hearing the commentators' remarks.
"Everyone thinks Oguri will struggle returning to the Mile after two years," Berno Light pouted. "But in terms of actual achievements, Oguri is the strongest competitor in this race."
"There's no need to concern ourselves with amateurs' opinions," Shuta An said flatly, taking a sip of sparkling water. "Winning the race is all that matters."
He smiled faintly.
"The undefeated European Mile Queen—there's no better jewel to set into the crown of achievement."
Just before entering the gate, the cooling patch in Oguri Cap's racing attire had finally lost its effect.
After adjusting her sleeves, the gray Uma Musume stepped calmly into Gate 8. Almost simultaneously, she exchanged a brief glance with Royal Academy in Gate 9. Their eyes met for an instant—then both turned away.
"So this is the French Two Crowns"
It was also Royal Academy's first time facing an opponent of Oguri Cap's caliber. Even without direct contact, she could clearly feel the oppressive aura of strength radiating from the gray Uma Musume.
"Completely different from everyone I've faced before—far beyond them all. If this were a middle-distance race, I would probably have conceded already."
Royal Academy clenched her jaw.
"But this is the Mile. My domain."
She shook her head, forcing herself to stay alert as a wave of dizziness—brought on by the oppressive heat—briefly washed over her.
"If I win this race, I can retire comfortably from the Twinkle Series and step onto the Dream Trophy stage.Then I'll be able to earn enough to support my family."
With her resolve set, Royal Academy lowered her center of gravity and assumed her starting posture, waiting intently for the gates to open.
Bamboo Memory, positioned in the outermost gate, was the last to enter. She turned her head slightly to the left, glancing toward Oguri Cap.
"Long time no see," she greeted her proactively. "After a year, we finally get to compete again in the Twinkle Series."
"Yes," Oguri Cap replied with a nod. "Let's give it our best."
Caught between them, Royal Academy felt a faint unease. She didn't understand Japanese.
Are they plotting to gang up on me? she muttered inwardly. Then I can't afford to hesitate—I'll have to seize the initiative.
Having made up her mind, Royal Academy narrowed her eyes. Her body trembled faintly.
She noticed it—but dismissed it as the result of extreme concentration.
"If the gates don't open soon, Royal Academy's condition will deteriorate further," Shuta An commented calmly as he watched the close-up broadcast. "Honestly, her Trainer disappoints me a little. If you're campaigning overseas, shouldn't climate be a basic consideration? They couldn't possibly think Florida's November weather is the same as England's, could they?"
Almost the instant he finished speaking, the commentator's voice surged with excitement.
"The Breeders' Cup Mile is underway!"
Ten of the eleven Uma Musume broke cleanly from the gates.
The sole exception—was Royal Academy.
Despite preparing early, she froze for a fraction of a second at the very moment the gates sprang open. That fleeting hesitation caused her to miss the optimal launch. Even with her explosive acceleration, she found herself positioned near the rear of the leading pack.
"What…happened?"
Royal Academy ran for over twenty meters on instinct before the question even fully formed in her mind. But her innate quality asserted itself quickly.
Forget it. Forcing my way to the front now would disrupt my rhythm. In a Mile race, there's no margin to readjust.
She steadied her breathing.
I'll switch to a forward-running tactic.I've done it before—during the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. This is just repeating that race.
—
Shot Gun Scott in Gate 3, and Go Dutch in Gate 4, were both startled when they realized Royal Academy—who normally contested the lead—was nowhere to be seen.
Temporarily setting aside whatever scheme Royal Academy might be planning, the two less-favored Uma Musume focused fully on seizing the front.
With Royal Academy out of the picture, you think you can challenge me for the lead?
Both thought the exact same thing.
As a result, the pace on the opening straight was blisteringly fast.
At the first pass of the finish line, Shot Gun Scott hugged the inside rail and successfully claimed the lead, forcing Go Dutch to concede and drop into second.
Starting from Gate 8, Oguri Cap immediately angled toward the inner rail after the break.
This was a 1600-meter race—running wide throughout would mean covering significantly more ground. In a Mile race, that disadvantage was not easily recovered.
Shuta An had emphasized this point repeatedly during the pre-race briefing: maintain a forward position while cutting inward as efficiently as possible.
"Don't worry about being boxed in on the final straight," his words echoed in her mind. "The Gulfstream turf is 51 meters wide. On a track like this, it's extremely difficult for the runners ahead to block those behind. Oguri—believe in your ability. It surpasses this field."
That's right.I am the strongest Uma Musume in this race!
Encouraging herself, Oguri Cap boldly threaded through the leading group. Before the initial 210-meter straight had even ended, she committed decisively to the innermost lane.
Bamboo Memory, starting from the far outside, shared similar intentions—but her approach was noticeably more restrained.
She only managed to draw up to Oguri Cap's right-rear flank just before entering the first turn, with Jalajeel from Gate 6 still separating them.
Good. Just one horse between us, Bamboo Memory thought with quiet relief. I can still execute my marking tactic.
—
Across the Pacific, in a Tokyo living room, Nase Hideto watched the live broadcast intently. When he noticed that Bamboo Memory hadn't chosen her usual late-closing approach and had instead advanced aggressively toward the front, a flicker of relief crossed his face—gone almost instantly, replaced by his habitual poker expression.
"Bamboo Memory—" he murmured, eyes never leaving the screen. "This must be the stage you've been longing for."
"It doesn't matter whether you win this race or not." "As long as you rediscover that feeling—of running the way you once did—that's enough."
His gaze sharpened.
"My real objective for you this year was never this race—"
"It's the Short Distance Uma Musume Championship at the end of the year."
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