Daiwa Scarlet's sudden burst of speed caught Kitasan Black by surprise.
In that instant she understood. Even though she herself had been running an excellent race, her senior was treating this training race with complete seriousness. Or perhaps her senpai had never relaxed at all. From the very first stride she had approached it with total commitment.
What her senior was showing right now was exactly the kind of acceleration a leading Uma Musume needs when someone is chasing her down. Kitasan Black knew the technique well. It was something her senpai had taught her in past training sessions, and she had used it many times in actual races. Yet her senior's version was clearly far more polished and practiced.
In the blink of an eye Daiwa Scarlet broke free from their side-by-side duel and reclaimed the lead once again.
It was not only Daiwa Scarlet. The other seniors did the same.
The swift footsteps coming from behind and to the left belonged to Vodka and Special Week. As soon as the leader accelerated, those two seniors smoothly increased their pace as well. They timed it perfectly for the straight after the bend, a controlled surge that would not waste too much stamina yet still kept them from falling too far back.
The steady rhythm from the very rear came, as expected, from Gold Ship. This senior maintained an even pace from start to finish, her strides calm and confident, as if the entire race remained completely under her control.
As expected from the seniors… Winning right now is still too difficult.
After a quiet sigh Kitasan Black's eyes grew resolute.
However, precisely because of that, I have to give everything I have to win this training race!
Because…
My dream is to become an outstanding and dazzling Uma Musume, just like my seniors!
She took a deep breath, eased the strain from her earlier sprint, and adjusted her breathing, stride, and rhythm. Then Kitasan Black locked her gaze on Daiwa Scarlet ahead.
There was no need to worry about position right now. Running at the front was also one of her strengths.
The rest of the track, just like in a real race, would test every aspect of stamina, speed, and willpower. She had trained hard for exactly these moments. Even against these powerful seniors she would not give up easily.
From the commentators' booth Tokai Teio's voice rang out again.
"The situation has grown extremely tense! After Kitasan Black made her move, Daiwa Scarlet refused to yield. She completed the overtake in a flash and reclaimed the lead!
"Kitasan Black did not back down at all. She kept up an incredibly high pace, staying right on Daiwa Scarlet's heels.
"Vodka and Special Week are following closely, both clearly waiting for the right moment.
"Gold Ship is also biding her time. She has avoided too many early clashes, so her stamina should still be plentiful. Her late charge is sure to be fierce."
Mejiro McQueen continued.
"The field is flying down the straight in front of the grandstands at high speed, and the positions remain very stable. The key to this training race will likely come in the final sprint down the home straight."
Standing beside the two presidents who were serving as commentators, Yasui Makoto kept shifting his gaze between the track and the drone broadcast screen. He nodded quietly to himself.
When he had watched the early stages of the training race he had worried that Kitasan Black would end up getting suppressed later on. Now it seemed his Uma Musume was far more agile than he had expected, even surpassing the level she had shown in regular training.
Most of the competitors in the Classic division had debuted the previous year. Only a handful, like Kitasan Black, had begun this path right after their debut. That meant their experience in training races was still limited compared to veterans such as Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka.
The top Uma Musume who had already run in more major events, even G1 races, were completely used to battles that started from the gate. Those early-race fundamentals were second nature to them.
Simply handling those basics already demanded everything Kitasan Black had. From that perspective it would have been understandable if she ended up on the defensive later.
Yet even in this situation the black-haired girl had managed to seize the initiative for a moment, and she had succeeded. To some extent Yasui Makoto was already very satisfied with this performance alone.
At the same time he looked forward to seeing what other brilliant moments she could produce while facing the pressure from these experienced and powerful seniors.
On the track, feeling Kitasan Black's relentless pursuit, Daiwa Scarlet felt a flicker of surprise.
She had retired from racing for quite some time, but as a Uma Musume she had never stopped training. She dedicated time every day to keeping herself in shape. Combined with her rich racing experience, she was confident that even in a training race her performance would not fall far short of her prime.
She knew Vodka and the others felt the same way.
For Kitasan Black to show this much fighting spirit and strength in a race of this intensity and difficulty, Daiwa Scarlet could not help but look at her junior with fresh admiration.
In that case…
Come on, Kita-chan!
Let me see your limits!
As those words echoed in her mind, her eyes fixed on the entrance to the third bend. Daiwa Scarlet suddenly pushed harder. Her hooves swept across the track like a fierce wind.
Feeling the acceleration, Kitasan Black's eyes narrowed sharply.
As a fellow front-runner, even if her experience was not yet as deep as her senior's, instinct alone told her that her senpai's timing for the surge was far more precise than her own.
Only when she heard the heavy, rapid footsteps ahead did she realize it was time to accelerate for the final straight. Only by doing so could she create enough distance before the home stretch.
Indeed… I still have so much to learn. But…
This training race is not over yet!
I won't give up!
Without the slightest hesitation and with resolute light shining in her eyes, Kitasan Black pounded the ground with powerful strides like war drums. Like a black storm she surged forward, chasing directly after Daiwa Scarlet.
In an instant cheers and shouts rose from the stands, wave after wave. Everyone was swept up by the sudden intensity of the training race, completely forgetting that it was only a practice event.
"Kita-chan! Go! Catch up!" Satono Crown waved her arms wildly from the stands, her voice almost breaking through the noise.
"Go, Kita-chan! You can do it!" Satono Diamond stared intently at the track, fists clenched tight, as if she herself were running out there.
At the very front of the stands Duramente stayed silent, but she was pressed right against the railing, leaning forward. Her eyes never left the black figure in second place, a faint spark of excitement shining in them.
Compared to the Uma Musume who knew Kitasan Black well, the rest of the audience focused more on the more famous runners like Daiwa Scarlet.
"Daiwa Scarlet! Don't let her catch up!"
"The final straight is almost here. Is Vodka still waiting for her chance…?"
"Go, Special Week!"
"Is Gold Ship still holding back? Could she be… No, no, Gold Ship will definitely win!"
And as if answering those cheers, the remaining three Uma Musume on the track, besides Daiwa Scarlet and Kitasan Black, also began to make their move.