Chapter 47: Toward the Sprinters Stakes

The training camp had ended, and peaceful days had returned.

One afternoon, we were watching a video together.

"Taiki Shuttle is surging forward! Could she actually pull off the incredible feat of winning a G1 on foreign soil!?"

"Amazing. No wonder they said she was unbeatable at the mile back home."

Taiki Shuttle galloped across the turf of Deauville Racecourse in France.

Her stride was smooth and steady—every step brimming with confidence—as she closed in on the lead.

And sure enough, Taiki Shuttle burst ahead, as if to say it was only natural. The race was decided.

"The Queen of the Mile proves her strength abroad as well! Taiki Shuttle takes first! Taiki Shuttle takes first place!"

Victory in the Prix Jacques le Marois.

No Japanese Uma Musume had ever won this G1 before. It was truly an accomplishment worthy of the title Pioneer.

I knew she’d done it in reality too, but seeing her win here as well… seriously, Taiki Shuttle’s just too strong.

"The winner’s interview with Taiki Shuttle will be aired on this channel shortly. Please stay tuned."

"I’d heard she won, but I didn’t realize it was that overwhelming."

"Foreign turf requires more power than Japan’s grass. For someone like Taiki Shuttle—whose strength lies in her raw power—it must’ve been the perfect battlefield."

Taiki Shuttle was an Uma Musume equally adept on both turf and dirt.

Generally, dirt tracks demand more physical strength than turf, and Taiki Shuttle’s abundant power was exactly what made her a dual-type runner.

This race was a perfect example of how that power directly translated to victory.

"So, what about the interview?"

"Hold on, I’m fast-forwarding… there, it should be coming up now."

Taiki Shuttle’s next-race announcement came as both expected and shocking.

"Taiki Shuttle-san, what are your plans for your next race? Fans are hoping to see you in the Sprinters Stakes or the Mile Championship."

"Hmm, next I go back to France! And after that, I go home to America~!"

The reporter’s face froze in disbelief, and the entire press hall buzzed with confusion.

And of course it would. France next, then America—

That was effectively a declaration that she intended to challenge two of the world’s premier G1 titles.

"In other words… you plan to take on the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and the Breeders’ Cup Mile?"

"Yes! I want to show my racing to the whole world! I want to run with many, many more girls!"

"Well, that’s…"

When someone says something like that so casually, you can’t blame the reporter for doubting his ears. His pen just hovered midair, as if he didn’t even know what to write anymore.

But at the same time, a certain feeling filled the room: If it’s Taiki Shuttle… maybe she really could.

After all, it’s Taiki Shuttle. In reality too, I’d heard she’d once been slated to race overseas before plans fell through due to quarantine issues.

"…Can’t believe it turned out just like Lux said. Taiki Shuttle’s sticking to the international route—skipping not only the Sprinters Stakes but also the Mile Championship."

"I didn’t think you’d actually be right, but here we are. Can’t decide whether to feel happy or disappointed."

Most likely, we wouldn’t get the chance to face Taiki Shuttle head-on until the Dream Trophy Series.

I’d heard she was considering entering the U.R.A. Finals once she returned home.

"The U.R.A. Finals, huh? The one race an Uma Musume can enter only once in her lifetime—the gateway to the Dream Trophy Series…"

Just like Trainer said, an Uma Musume can only run in the U.R.A. Finals once in her career.

The Twinkle Series doesn’t have a time limit—you can keep running as long as your stamina holds out.

But once you’ve run in the U.R.A. Finals, you can never return to the Twinkle Series.

"If I remember right, that’s the one where they split everyone by distance and go all-out. The big U.R.A. showcase during the break after the Arima Kinen. Even the track changes every time—wild stuff."

"It’s one of the few races that really tests overall ability. Most girls enter after two years in the senior class, but still…"

Uma Musume who compete in the U.R.A. Finals are automatically withdrawn from the Twinkle Series, and a select few advance to the Dream Trophy Series.

"Wait, what were the entry requirements for the U.R.A. Finals again?"

"At least one graded race victory. You’ll qualify next year, Lux."

"I see… oh, right, and to advance to the Dream Trophy Series—"

"You need at least one G1 win, so you’re fine there too."

That’s right—to move on to the Dream Trophy Series, you need to have at least one G1 victory under your belt.

If you perform exceptionally well in the U.R.A. Finals—basically defeating G1-class Uma Musume—you can earn a special qualification, but that’s rare.

The U.R.A. Finals serve as both a retirement race and a new beginning—a narrow gate to another battlefield. No wonder so many girls challenge it each year and shed so many tears.

"Next year… it’s already that time, huh."

Even in the best-case scenario, the Dream Trophy Series takes over three years to complete.

Because of that, I’d never really thought about it before… but now that I realized I could be running there too, I couldn’t help but feel a bit reluctant to return to the other world.

Not that I didn’t plan to go back, of course.

"The Dream Trophy Series is something everyone aspires to. The twice-a-year clash of champions for the ultimate crown… Symboli Rudolf and Maruzensky are always media favorites, and for sprinters, Sakura Bakushin O holds that same spotlight."

"Yeah, looking at the list of past winners by distance, it’s packed with legends…"

Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross, Mr. C.B., Gold Ship…

Seriously, it’s an all-star lineup. With names like that, of course it’s a dream stage.

Incidentally, the current Dream Series Sprint champion in the Summer Dream Trophy is Sakura Bakushin O. Figures.

"I hope someday you can stand among them too, Lux."

"Ah—yeah, right… that’s true…"

I can’t tell him.
Can’t just say, ‘After three years in the Twinkle Series, I’ll be gone.’

Well, it’s not like I have to. Worrying him wouldn’t change anything anyway. This was the Three Goddesses’ command—there’s nothing I can do about it.
…Sorry, Trainer.

"Alright then, let’s move on to prep for the Sprinters Stakes. First of all, every single plan we made for Taiki Shuttle? Throw them out."

"Got it. Just… keep them stored away, will you? Never know when they might come in handy."

"Fair point. Besides, you’ve got some juniors now, Lux. Maybe those strategies will help when you start coaching them."

Most of the ideas we’d come up with to counter Taiki Shuttle were… well, less than reasonable.

They might have worked. But the odds of failure were high—very high.

Still, unless we were willing to gamble that hard, we’d never even get close to her. That’s the kind of monster Taiki Shuttle is.

"So, what’s left on the table?"

"These. This one’s for Bridge Comp, this one’s for King Halo, and this one here’s for Mihono Bourbon."

"Grass Wonder’s almost certainly not entering, so we can skip that. Which means the ones we really need to focus on are these three."

"Right. They’re the only G1-level Uma Musume in the lineup. I’ve summarized what little info we have on the other strong contenders in this folder, though it’s not much…"

"That’s fine. As long as I’ve got their running styles, race entries, placements, and times, I can work something out."

I went through the materials again, mentally simulating how the race might unfold on the day itself.

The biggest obstacle, without question, was Mihono Bourbon. Whether or not I could catch up to her—that was the key to everything.

But seriously, how do you catch up to a fully awakened Mihono Bourbon?
Maybe I could adapt Sakura Bakushin O’s “Groundwork” skill… or Teio’s “Teio Step”…?

"Mmmmmm…"

"Pretty tricky, huh? The Sprinters Stakes is held at Nakayama Racecourse, and it uses the outer track, so… here, look."

Trainer pinned a course map up on the whiteboard.

Ugh. What a peculiar layout…

"The Nakayama straight is about 310 meters. If you don’t start your sprint until the final stretch, you won’t make it in time. You’ll need to watch the others carefully and choose the exact right moment to go for it."

"So it’s curve after curve, huh…? Sounds like a nightmare for anyone with poor cornering."

"And another key feature is… here."

Next up was a diagram showing the track’s elevation changes.

Yikes. Yeah, that explains why people say ‘a monster lives in Nakayama.’

Two things stood out right away.

"First, it’s a downhill run all the way through the middle section. That’s bound to make it a high-paced race."

"Exactly. Because of all the curves and that downhill stretch, it’s generally said the inside lanes have an advantage."

"And then there’s… that hill right before the finish line. You’ve gotta climb over two meters within a hundred-meter span. For most Uma Musume, that’s brutal."

"But Mihono Bourbon probably won’t even slow down, huh."

"Yeah… exactly."

I flipped through the past race records.

Hmm… Nakayama’s track tends to get rough pretty easily. Wonder how it’ll be this time.

"The turf condition? Right, Nakayama does tend to get torn up, but not so much for races held in September. That’s because there aren’t any major events there between the Satsuki Sho in spring and the end of summer."

"Ah, I see… so when we race, it’ll be during the period when the track’s in the best shape."

"Exactly. So don’t count on the field being rough."

"So that means front-runners have the advantage again, huh."

Still, it’s not all bad news. A clean surface means better traction—easier acceleration. My bursts should hit harder too.

But man… most of this info’s not in our favor.
There’s gotta be something positive here somewhere.

I glanced at the weather forecast. Late September…

"Huh, looks like there’ll be a few rainy days. Come to think of it, I’ve never actually raced in the rain before…"

"Want to try it? We’ve trained on wet turf before, but it might be good to get your body reacquainted with the feel before the big day."

We’d done plenty of rainy training back in the monsoon season. Wet turf really worked my legs and core.

For some reason, though, Trainer always avoided eye contact whenever I ran in the rain…
And he always left the room whenever I tried to shower in the trainer’s office afterward…

"Yeah, good idea. Redo the training menu with rain conditions in mind. From here on out, it’s a race against time."

"It all comes down to how much we can fine-tune you before the real thing. For now, keep following this plan—I’ll probably adjust the schedule depending on the forecast and daily conditions."

"Mm, thanks."

Now that we’d taken a short breather, I decided to make some coffee with the coffee maker in the trainer’s office.

Let’s see… Trainer likes it with one spoon of milk and one of sugar.

As for me—yeah, this should do. Mm, just right.

"Here you go. Good work today—my special blend, just for you."

"You’ve really gotten into this lately. What beans did you use today? They smell different from the last batch."

"Oh, you can tell? Knew you would, Trainer. Remember that shopping mall near the training camp? There’s a specialty coffee shop there—this is their original blend. It’s got a rich flavor—good on its own, but even better with sweets."

"Now that you mention it, I think we still have some snacks someone gave us. I’ll bring them out."

Nibbling on the gifted sweets, I let my thoughts drift toward the upcoming Sprinters Stakes.

It’s definitely going to be a tough race—but not one without a chance.

If anything, after all the work we’ve put in this summer, the gap between us and Mihono Bourbon should’ve narrowed.

We’re both Classic-class Uma Musume. The odds of victory are more than fair—and I’ve come to understand her unique skill to a considerable extent.

"Ah, Trainer, lemme have a bite of that! Mmm, sweet—and perfect with coffee."

"Lux, it’s not polite to bite into something someone else is eating…"

"Come on, it’s just you. I wouldn’t do it to anyone else, so it’s fine."

"…You really are… sigh…"

Once we’ve recharged a bit, we’ll get back to training.

As the two of us enjoyed our quiet little tea break, that’s what I found myself thinking.

[Column: Sprinters Stakes Forecast]
The Deciding Factor — Front-Runners vs. Closers in a Fierce Showdown

September ○×, 21:35 JST — 181 views

After narrowly losing to Taiki Shuttle in the previous Yasuda Kinen, two of her fiercest rivals are back for another clash.

This year’s Sprinters Stakes promises a high-stakes battle between power and precision. Below, we break down the race outlook and the latest updates from each team’s camp.

Mihono Bourbon — The Overwhelming Favorite

Having spent the summer strengthening her legs and core, Mihono Bourbon enters the race in peak condition. The Nakayama course—with its complex mix of slopes and turns—plays directly to her strengths. Her lap times have improved significantly since the Yasuda Kinen, suggesting her rivals face an uphill battle in more ways than one.

King Halo — The Consistent Challenger

Winner of this year’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen, King Halo is widely recognized as a short-distance specialist whose explosive finishing burst shines over sprint distances. However, her performances have fluctuated, leaving her slightly behind Mihono Bourbon in public favor. Observers have noted that her summer training heavily incorporated hill courses, likely aimed at improving endurance and late-race stamina.

Mithialx — The Dark Horse

Mithialx’s most notable triumph remains her Grade 1 victory in the Oka Sho (Cherry Blossom Stakes), where she famously defeated Mihono Bourbon. She’s also bested King Halo before—clear proof of her formidable talent. However, her late-closing running style doesn’t naturally suit shorter races, leading many analysts to view the Sprinters Stakes as a challenging test for her. Interestingly, during summer training, she was often spotted running alongside other Uma Musume—as if studying or testing something.

Bridge Comp — The Defending Champion

Last year’s Sprinters Stakes champion, Bridge Comp, has also been drawing attention as she aims to defend her title.

This year’s race will be held without Taiki Shuttle, but the lineup remains stacked enough that her absence will hardly be felt. With so many top-tier sprinters assembled, fans are already bracing for an electrifying showdown.

Given the recent surge in popularity for short-distance events, the U.R.A. anticipates record-breaking attendance on race day.

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