[Next into the gates—No. 8, the top pick today… O! Gu! Ri! Cap!]
As the call echoed, Nakayama exploded.
The venue holds 150,000 at most; 170,000 had squeezed in—almost all for her.
The horsegirl who led an era—Oguri Cap.
December 23, Nakayama Racecourse.
Today, Stardust Phantom sat in the front row beside a sunglasses-wearing Rokuhei Ginjiro.
She'd dashed here overnight after the interview to watch Oguri's retirement.
"You didn't have to rush," Rokuhei said, eyes hidden as they tracked Oguri. He didn't turn his head.
"How could I not? I've lost to Oguri over eight hundred times. With a bond that iron, how could I miss her race?"
Stardust Phantom laid it on thick to ease him.
"Haha… you."
He shook his head, tension easing a touch.
On course, one horsegirl had some trouble loading.
"By the way—how's it feel? Did they call you a fool after that speech?" Rokuhei asked lightly.
"Let them. As long as what I wanted to say gets through."
She pouted.
After the interview, outlets scrambled to push stories, painting her as a clueless country girl—even comparing her to Oguri to make her look foolish.
She worried about her sister seeing it and fretting.
Worst of all, a local paper twisted her speech into "boldly confessing to Tokai Teio." Anything for clicks.
"You do care," Rokuhei said. He could see through a horsegirl's heart at a glance.
"Relax—it's not as bad as you think.
"When Oguri first joined Central, everyone thought she was just a country bumpkin. Even with the Emperor's backing, they doubted her. Aside from her hometown Kasamatsu, she had few voices of support."
"How did she do it, do you know?"
"She beat the then-hot Lag Black Beer head-to-head," Stardust Phantom replied.
Rokuhei wasn't surprised she knew—he figured she'd watched all of Oguri's races to craft that similar form.
"Exactly. For a horsegirl, talk is cheap. How you run is everything.
"That's what Oguri did. She doesn't say pretty words and she doesn't do social games. She knows one thing—how to run.
"Race after race, miracle after miracle—she made everyone who watched her into her supporters."
Watching the racecourse full of horse girls, old man Rokuhira rattled off the names as if counting family treasures:
"Yaeno Muteki, valuation 500 million!
Mejiro Ryan, valuation 400 million!
Chōichi George, valuation 400 million!
Mejiro Ardan, valuation 200 million!
Shiraishi, valuation 200 million! (I couldn't find specific data for this one. Based on some prize money I could locate, I estimate 200 million. If any reader knows the exact figure, leave a comment and I'll revise it as soon as I can.)
Lady of the Sands, valuation 100 million!
Every runner on the track today is worth tens of millions, even over a hundred million—top-tier competitors. But there's no question that the star today is just one—Oguri!"
Saying this, Rokuhira Ginjiro turned to look at the sea of people behind him. On that elderly, timeworn face shone boundless pride.
It wasn't self-satisfaction at his own achievements, but a genuine expression of pride for Oguri Cap.
The old man spread his arms as if embracing the entire venue's crowd, then said to Stardust Mirage:
"Take a look. Right now, in this racetrack, more than 170,000 people are shouting for Oguri. Outside the track, there are millions more supporters waiting to see just what kind of performance Oguri will deliver."
"And that is the charm of racing! In this world, there's no one who won't marvel at an excellent runner, and no one who won't be awed by a brilliant race!"
"So, do you understand?" Rokuhira steadied himself on his cane and asked Stardust Mirage earnestly.
"I understand," Stardust Mirage replied.
"Haha, good. You really don't need to worry too much. It's just some third-rate media—they can't kick up much of a storm… ah, the race is about to start!"
[First place prize money 110 million. The final chapter of this year's racing—Arima Kinen—is also Oguri Cap's retirement race: the last race!]
With the announcer's declaration, all the spectators roared in unison once more.
It was as if everyone present were Oguri Cap's die-hard fan: whenever they heard her name, they would spontaneously cheer.
Yet in the front of the stands, Rokuhira Ginjiro and Stardust Mirage had already held their breath, because the race was about to begin—
BEEEEEP—!!!
Bang!
Along with the starting horn, all sixteen gates opened at once.
[The gates are open—race start! All 16 horse girls take a beautiful break from the line!]
[No one chooses to go for a particularly hard lead. First, Yaeno Muteki—Yaeno Muteki is gradually moving toward the pacemaking spot, then Chōichi George—Chōichi George moves up as well!]
[Oguri Cap drops from the 3 slot back to 4, and Mejiro Ryan is hugging the rail right inside her!]
"They want to box Oguri Cap in." Rokuhira stared unblinking at the course, hands gripping his cane handle tight, muttering, "But… we expected all this long ago!"
"Float through this front part, Oguri…"
[All right, we're into the first lap's fourth turn. Right now Chōichi George is just in front, closely followed by Yaeno Muteki; Mejiro Ardan is taking the outside and turning…]
The shouts around the track never ceased; countless people were cheering with all their might for their favorite horse girl.
Facing this frenzy, the host had to strain to raise his voice and continue calling the tense, seesawing action.
[The pack is on the homestretch by the stands. Still Chōichi George in front, and Oguri Cap is in mid-pack, roughly fifth or sixth.]
Fifth or sixth?
Stardust Mirage also studied the race situation carefully. In her eyes, each person on the course exuded an indescribable aura.
As they thundered past the grandstand, it felt like a thousand troops were charging straight by—not just a simple race.
[Oguri Cap! Oguri Cap remains in sixth. The formation is now entering the second backstretch. Still Chōichi George leads, with Yaeno Muteki right behind. Mejiro Ardan is third outside; Shiraishi is a half-length back on the inside in fourth…]
Second lap, second backstretch—Stardust Mirage recalled the course map she had studied.
The second lap's second backstretch is around 1300–1800 meters into the race—leaving perhaps 700–1200 meters to go… and that distance is exactly the territory Stardust Mirage knows best!
Oguri Cap seemed to sense it too. On the course, she quietly began changing her stride; each planted foot burst with tremendous force as she started reeling in the group ahead—
1000 meters remaining.
900 meters remaining.
800 meters remaining.
And… 777 meters remaining!
ROAR!!!
In that instant, it was as if a deafening, earthshaking bellow rang over the track.
Oguri Cap stamped down hard, lifted her head slowly, and in those eyes—now wild with a beast's frenzy—she looked toward the front.
She curled her lips to bare a row of chalk-white teeth and declared to every horse girl around her:
"The messing around… ends here."
The Miracle Runner of the Holy Night—activates!
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