Chapter 25: Target Race - Fillies’ Revue

As the Three Goddesses gazed down upon the world, their eyes caught sight of a single horse girl shining with extraordinary brilliance. She was the meteor they had sent forth.

That girl was once again on the verge of growth—driven by powerful emotion.

She had yet to overcome her fear of high-speed objects approaching from behind—the lingering trauma born from the cause of her death in her previous life—but she had, at long last, managed to conquer part of her weakness in head-to-head battles.

Combined with her gift for observing and analyzing other horse girls, she was beginning to approach a domain that could only be called “Unique.”

To possess a “Unique” was proof of a horse girl whose will burned stronger than any other.

Once, she had been human. The fact that she had now become a horse girl capable of such unwavering determination filled the Three Goddesses with joy.

And if she were to win this day—then, at that moment—

Hanshin Racecourse, 11th Race: The Fillies’ Revue.
The first graded sprint of the new year, and a trial for the Oka Sho—the Japanese 1000 Guineas. The top three finishers would earn priority entry into that prestigious race. Naturally, it was one that drew considerable attention.

But for me, this race held an entirely different meaning.

"Mithialx? You okay, Mithialx?"

"—Huh? Oh. Yeah, I’m fine."

"That’s good. You looked kind of spaced out for a second there."

It wasn’t the crowd’s energy getting to me. Nor was I losing focus or zoning out.

I wasn’t sure how to describe it.

I opened my hand, clenched it again, and slowly exhaled. The motion helped calm me down.

"Yeah, I’m good. Sorry for making you worry."

"Alright then… doesn’t seem like it’s nerves."

"I mean, I’m definitely nervous—but it’s something else. Hard to put into words."

Still, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

I wasn’t wearing my racing silks today—it wasn’t a GⅠ—but my determination burned even hotter than at the Asahi Hai.

If I couldn’t beat Mihono Bourbon here, I’d never break free from her shadow. That much, I knew for certain.

"My specialty is the short distance… This time, I’ll beat Bourbon."

"Do your best out there. You’ll be fine, Mithialx. After all, we’ve got our secret weapon ready for this one."

"Yeah… though whether I can actually use it might depend on luck."

And whether that luck was with me or not—I was about to find out.

Leaving the waiting room, I headed toward the paddock.

I tilted my head upward to check the sky. The clouds had started to clear—it looked like we’d been spared the rain.

"Man, it’s packed today…"

Attendance varied from race to race, even for GⅡs. The Fillies’ Revue was technically a trial race, sure—but this crowd went well beyond what that alone could explain.

The cheers filled the air, the energy so intense it hardly felt like a GⅡ at all.

At first, I was taken aback—but as soon as I spotted Mihono Bourbon, my focus snapped back.

"So, what do you think?"

"What, all of a sudden? You mean the ones to watch?"

"No, idiot. Who’s gonna win—Bourbon or Mithialx?"

"That’s… a tough one."

I listened in on the nearby spectators’ chatter.

The talk of the stands was all about Bourbon and me—how our rematch would unfold. Naturally so. One was a GⅠ champion; the other, a challenger who had faced her head-on.

The heat of the crowd sent a shiver through my whole body.

"Oh, there’s Mithialx!"

"She looks… huh? Kinda different today."

"Yeah… I can’t quite put my finger on it, though…"

I stepped into the paddock and spun lightly once atop the stage, showing off my form for the audience. I struck a pose. This little showcase—honestly, I’d come to enjoy it. Not quite as thrilling as being in racing silks, but satisfying in its own way.

And as all those eyes turned toward me, I could feel the switch flipping inside. From my everyday self—to my racing self.

Cheers, murmurs of admiration, and even a few puzzled remarks rose from the crowd as I twirled gracefully.

"What do you think?"

"There’s definitely something different, but she looks in good shape. She might pull something off today."

"‘Something’?"

"No idea. But she’s a short-distance closer. She could surprise us with a run none of us expect."

All in all, not bad reactions. I bowed once and stepped back. Bit by bit, my focus aligned completely with the coming race.

One by one, the other entrants finished their walkouts—until finally, it was Mihono Bourbon’s turn.

At a glance, she looked flawless—as usual. Come to think of it, I’d never seen Bourbon in bad form before. The nickname “Cyborg” really did suit her.

"Bourbon’s as solid as ever. Great condition, steady rhythm."

"Consistency like that is priceless in racing. Mihono Bourbon’s every bit the GⅠ-class horse girl she’s said to be."

Her stock had skyrocketed since winning the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes. The recognition, the acclaim—it all showed.

Even as I admired her, I tried to glean whatever I could. Her center of gravity was firm, her muscle tone evenly balanced and ideal.

"Think Bourbon’s gonna use her signature front-running style again today?"

"It’s a sprint. No doubt she’ll bolt from start to finish at high pace."

"Yeah. The question is—can Mithialx catch her? That’s what everyone’s watching for today."

Once Bourbon’s presentation ended, she stepped back.

At that moment, our eyes met. Mihono Bourbon rarely showed emotion, but in that instant, her gaze burned with fierce determination.

I grinned back, curling one corner of my mouth.

Wait for me at the front, Mihono Bourbon. Today—I’ll beat you.

Click.
Another switch flipped inside me.

I turned back toward the underground tunnel, walking slowly down the long, dim corridor. Every time I took this path, it hit me—the race was about to begin.

Halfway through, I found my trainer waiting.

"Hey, Mithialx. Judging by that look, I’d say your paddock walk went well?"

"Yeah. But Mihono Bourbon’s in incredible shape. She’s definitely a tough opponent."

"True—but not without openings."

Even with Bourbon’s strength, I couldn’t say she was unbeatable. If I gave everything I had—used every bit of my skill and instinct—I still had a chance.

"So, got the course memorized?"

"Of course. I’m not the type to just run on instinct. Every detail’s locked in."

The stage for the Fillies’ Revue was the Hanshin Turf Inner 1400m.

The key features: a long straight before the first corner, and a sharp uphill climb just before the goal. The total elevation difference was about two meters—not unusual—but packed into just 100 meters, making for a steep gradient.

And Hanshin’s turf tended to get rough, especially in winter—and this was the 11th race of the day. Power would be crucial here.

"So, that’s why we’re going with that strategy this time."

"I don’t think it’s bad. That said, it’s still not perfect... If you ever feel like it’s getting dangerous, stop right away, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Well, if I’m gonna beat Mihono Bourbon, a little risk counts as a necessary expense, right?"

Walking through the underground passage, I went over the plan in my head once more.
The data I’d gotten from Agnes Tachyon was incredibly useful—without a doubt, it would be the key to this race.

At the end of the passage, light spilled in through the exit. Once I stepped through there, there’d be no turning back.

"Alright—time to win."

Leaving just those words to my trainer, I stepped out onto the racetrack.

The stands were roaring with energy far greater than what you’d expect from a GⅡ race. The crowd’s excitement was boiling over—they were here for one reason: our showdown.

"And here we are at last! Hanshin Race 11R, the Fillies’ Revue! Looks like we’ve got more spectators than usual this year!"

"Indeed. There must be quite a few who came just to see Mihono Bourbon and Mithialx settle things."

"A fierce rivalry that began right from their debut races in the short-distance and mile divisions... No wonder the spotlight’s on them!"

Stepping onto the course for the warm-up, I pressed my hooves firmly into the ground, checking the track conditions.
The outer rail was fairly stable, but the inner rail was a real mess. Officially it might still count as ‘Good,’ but it was right on the edge.

That meant most horse girls would avoid the inside lane. Which meant... this was very convenient for me.

"With the track this rough, it’s still within acceptable limits... Guess I’ll have to do it—that."

After relentless training with my trainer, we had finally shaped a new kind of running style.
But to use it, I first had to overcome a serious weakness.
And though only slightly, I’d managed to conquer it.

My weakness was dueling—head-to-head battles.
That was the flaw I needed to overcome.

I hadn’t completely mastered it yet.
But under the right conditions... I could make it work.

"...Alright, let’s do this."

I steeled my resolve. If it meant increasing my chances of beating Mihono Bourbon, I’d do anything. No matter how thorny the path, I’d run straight through it.

The warm-up ended, and everyone gathered in front of the gates.
I loosened up my tense body and gradually shifted my focus.

"The warm-ups are done—now it’s time for the gate-in! What’s the key point to watch in today’s race?"

"Well, it’s hard to say, but... probably the condition of the track. There’s already a steep incline before the finish that demands a lot of power. Officially the track’s listed as Good, but you can clearly see several rough patches here and there..."

"So, if they lack the power, the final stretch could be a nightmare?"

"Exactly."

No one had noticed what I was planning to do.
That’s why—I’d strike in that blind spot.

"And now the fanfare rings out across Hanshin Racecourse!"

"This is it! This race will likely determine the shape of the Classic generation’s short-distance division this year!"

I slowly stepped into the gate. No matter how many times I did this, the moment never failed to make me nervous.
Click—another switch flipped inside me.

The cramped space of the gate, oddly enough, helped me focus.
I exhaled slowly, centering myself again.
It’s fine. I can do this.

"Our top favorite, Mithialx, will be starting from post 3 in gate 2—an inside position!"

"Normally, the inside is considered advantageous at Hanshin’s 1400 meters, but for her, that edge might not mean much."

"Right. She doesn’t tend to push to the front early in the race."

There were fifteen horse girls in the lineup today—three short of a full gate.
That meant the innermost slot, post 1, was assigned to only one runner.
Not having a full field worked in my favor; with fewer competitors, there’d be fewer duels—and more gaps in the pack.

"Meanwhile, our second favorite, Mihono Bourbon, starts from post 11 in gate 6!"

"As a front-runner, she’d prefer an inner draw, but... looks like luck wasn’t on her side this time."

"Would you say that puts her at a disadvantage in her duel with Mithialx?"

"That depends on whether she can seize the lead. Mihono Bourbon’s starts are always clean and fast. If she nails another one today, she still has a solid shot at taking the front."

In a front-running strategy, taking the lead means everything.
If you can control the pace behind you, the advantage is enormous.

In that sense, Mihono Bourbon was exceptional.
There hadn’t been a single race where she failed to take the lead.
She was still—as infuriatingly perfect as ever.

"All runners are now in the gates!"

"And here we go. It’s a short-distance race, so don’t even blink—you might miss everything!"

The stadium fell silent.
The roaring cheers from moments ago vanished like an illusion.

Then the race began.
With a clang! the gates burst open.

Alright, Mihono Bourbon—let’s do this!