Chapter 310: Kitasan Black, Show Me Something Special
With a faint sense of déjà vu, along with excitement and anticipation filling her heart, Kitasan Black stepped into the starting gate alongside California Chrome and the group of Umamusume who had joined at the last minute.
The moment she entered the gate, memories of past training and races surfaced. She took several deep breaths, suppressing her excitement.
As her breathing gradually became steady and deep, her mind also calmed.
At the same time, she keenly sensed that this seemingly ordinary practice race was completely different from any race she had experienced before.
The track beneath her feet was unfamiliar—and unusually soft dirt. Just standing on it, her cleat-fitted running shoes sank several centimeters into the ground.
Even before starting, she could already predict that every step would require far more strength just to maintain normal speed.
This sensation made her calf muscles tense instinctively, preparing for the challenge ahead.
Looking up, the track before her was no longer a lush green stretch of turf, but a vast brown carpet of dirt.
The air carried no familiar scent of fresh grass—only the raw smell of earth.
It wasn't unpleasant, lacking any harsh or foul odor, but the unfamiliarity still made her slightly uncomfortable. She even had the illusion of dust entering her nose and throat, causing a faint itch.
Beside her, she could hear faint murmurs from other Umamusume.
Back in Japan, she could also hear murmurs inside the starting gates—words of encouragement and self-motivation.
Those were in Japanese, which she understood. They even gave her a bit of strength and confidence before a race.
But now, the whispers around her were in English and other languages she couldn't identify—none of which she understood.
The same was true of the commentary coming through the speakers. She could tell it was English, but aside from hearing "Kitasan Black," she couldn't make sense of anything.
Because of this, she felt a faint sense of irritation and unease.
Sensing this change in herself, she took several more deep breaths, calming down once again.
…As expected, both the track and the environment are so different from Japan. But…
Thinking this, she assumed her starting stance, holding her breath for a moment and closing her eyes briefly.
Then she opened them sharply, exhaled, and fixed her gaze forward.
This is exactly why I came here!
While Kitasan Black immersed herself in this unprecedented experience, two gates away, California Chrome had already taken her starting position, quietly glancing over.
Although she had debuted a year earlier and was more internationally renowned, she didn't think Kitasan Black was inferior to her.
On the contrary, from the moment she saw this black-haired foreign Umamusume, she sensed the immense strength hidden beneath her warm and cheerful smile.
It was a feeling she rarely experienced with other Umamusume.
Setting aside the past, now… there was perhaps only that one somewhat irritating rival who gave her a similar impression.
Strong—and possessing a personality that didn't repel others, but instead made them likable at first glance.
Because of that, she was truly looking forward to seeing what kind of surprise this foreign Umamusume would bring in this impromptu practice race.
With that anticipation, the corners of her lips lifted unconsciously as she murmured:
"Kitasan Black, show me your gift… please."
At that moment, the commentator's voice rose through the speakers:
"…Ladies and gentlemen, this 3000-meter dirt practice race will now—
Start!"
The starting call and the opening of the gates happened simultaneously.
In an instant, bursts of dirt exploded behind the gates.
Among them, two sprays of dirt stood out the most.
If the others resembled a light spring drizzle, these two were like torrential summer rain.
Amid the storm-like spray of dirt, two figures shot forward from the gates.
One was black—like a long-charged cannonball unleashed.
It seemed to gain recoil from the pouring "rain" of dirt, surging forward with unstoppable force, cutting straight toward the inner lane.
Her figure was incredibly agile, her legs like flashes of lightning. Each stride kicked up large splashes of mud.
The mud scattered quickly—but her short black hair flew even faster, whipping through the wind like burning flames, leaving the spray far behind.
The other figure was gold.
Like a streak of golden wind—like a slanted waterfall of gold pouring forward—the golden figure also kicked up a spray of mud, only to leave it far behind in an instant.
She didn't cut toward the inner lane. Instead, her entire body radiated unstoppable momentum as she charged straight ahead.
The commentator's voice from the speakers rose even higher:
"What a beautiful start from our runners!"
"Taking the lead are Kitasan Black and California Chrome! Living up to their reputations, they've instantly widened the gap from the rest of the field and are charging toward the first corner!"
The entire training ground erupted into applause and cheers. Unlike in Japan, the noise here was mixed with whistles, shouts in various languages, and people tossing hats, scarves, and handkerchiefs high into the air.
Ignoring the unfamiliar race atmosphere, Almond Eye stood at the edge of the field, gripping the railing tightly. Her eyes were wide open, filled with disbelief.
Her mouth hung slightly open, and after a moment, she finally stammered:
"California-senpai… she's a front runner too? And… she can actually keep up with Kita-senpai?!"
Almond Eye wasn't very familiar with California Chrome, but she knew Kitasan Black well.
In her mind, setting aside all other aspects, her senpai's skill in front running was among the very best in Japan. There were only a handful of Umamusume who could surpass her.
In fact, even across the entire history of racing, she believed her senpai would rank among the top.
And yet now, even without cutting into the inner lane, California Chrome was like a golden shadow—closely matching her senpai's pace.
Though there was a gap of three to four meters between them, California Chrome's strides were as precise as if measured with a ruler, always maintaining a perfect parallel line with Kitasan Black.
"Th-this… trainer, this…?" Almond Eye stammered, unable to find the words, instinctively turning to Makoto for help.
Makoto had already fully entered his trainer mindset. While focusing on the performance on the track, he still heard Almond Eye's shock.
He hesitated for a moment, unsure how to explain a certain fact to her.
It wasn't that California Chrome was keeping up with Kitasan Black—it was that Kitasan Black was keeping up with California Chrome.
The difference between turf and dirt was enormous. To put it bluntly, an Umamusume who could win a G1 on turf might not even win a G3 race if she suddenly switched to dirt.
Because of this, he had originally prepared himself for the possibility that Kitasan Black would be left behind right from the start.
But now, it seemed that his trainee explosive power and adaptability far exceeded his expectations. Relying on extraordinary strength alone, she had managed to keep pace with California Chrome, who was highly experienced on dirt tracks.
However, in his eyes, it was quite clear—
Kitasan Black was struggling to keep up.