Chapter 65
With Special Week's encouragement, the faint nervousness in Kitasan Black's heart completely vanished the moment she excitedly turned and ran toward the gate.
When she arrived at the academy branch in Chiba Prefecture yesterday, she had thought that after two race victories she wouldn't feel nervous about the Spring Stakes.
But the moment she set foot on Nakayama Racecourse, she realized the same unknown tension about the race outcome had crept back into her heart, just like at Tokyo Racecourse.
Having experience helped, so she didn't become as lost as she had been during the first two races.
At the very least, she didn't make any embarrassing mistakes like putting her shoes on the wrong feet or failing to take off her jacket.
Even so, that small remaining bit of nervousness had nowhere to go.
She had worked extremely hard in training and studies.
She had seriously asked the seniors for advice, reviewed her lessons, and practiced running on the lawn at home every weekend.
She had also thoroughly prepared for the race and understood Trainer Yasui's instructions.
At this point, she really didn't know what else she could do to step into the gate without feeling any tension at all.
That was why she had to thank Special Week-senpai so much, and of course everyone else, and Trainer Yasui too.
Thanks to their support and encouragement, she had been able to make it this far step by step.
Alright! Then in this Spring Stakes, I'm definitely going to win!
With that determined thought in mind, Kitasan Black stood inside the gate as the first horse girl to enter and quietly fired herself up.
The other horses should be entering the gates soon, and then the race would begin…
Thinking this, she couldn't help turning to look back the way she had come.
At that moment, a huge cheer erupted from the stands, making her turn to look with a slightly confused expression.
Eh? Has Duramente already come out? No, she's in gate 6, so why is it getting so lively right now…
As far as Kitasan Black was concerned, she was only the 5th favorite in this race. There had been cheers when she entered the parade ring, but they clearly weren't as loud as the ones for the top favorite, Duramente.
She wasn't bothered by that.
She had realized long ago that in the music world, musicians who could produce good songs and perform them well were the ones who became popular and filled every concert hall.
What Trainer Yasui had told her yesterday made her realize the horse girl world worked the same way, something she hadn't been aware of before.
She was working hard. Trainer Yasui was working hard. Her classmates, her opponents, and their trainers were all working just as hard.
So it was only natural that others with better past results, more accomplished seniors in their families, or more famous trainers would have higher popularity.
Instead of worrying about that, she should focus on the race ahead.
In the end, as a horse girl, popularity and results were things she had to earn step by step with her own two feet.
Just as she was about to turn back and check the track once more, her ears twitched.
The cheers from the stands grew clearer, and the voices echoing across the racecourse unified into a single name.
The opponents behind her also cried out in surprise, all shouting the same thing.
Or rather, the same name.
The announcer, clearly excited, also shouted the name.
"Gold Ship!
Attention all spectators! We have breaking news from Hanshin Racecourse! G2 Hanshin Daishoten, 3,000 meters on turf, the winner is…
Gold Ship!!"
Gold Ship-senpai…!
Kitasan Black stood stunned for a moment before her face lit up with joy as she looked toward the announcer and then the crowd.
That's wonderful! Trainer Yasui was right. Gold Ship-senpai really won the Hanshin Daishoten! I'm so happy for her!
I'm so envious of Daiwa-senpai and Vodka-senpai. They get to see Gold Ship-senpai in person…
After the initial excitement and joy, she felt a twinge of regret.
Just then, as if she were hearing things, a voice she knew all too well echoed across the Nakayama Racecourse from the giant screen.
"Yeehaw! Are you all shocked by the majestic sight of Gold Ship-sama? Hohohoho, of course you are!"
Eh? Why is Gold Ship-senpai here…? Wait, it's a broadcast!
The moment she realized the voice was coming from the giant screen, Kitasan Black turned her head in surprise.
The next second, the massive screen dozens of meters wide and over ten meters tall showed a tall horse girl with silver-gray hair, brown ear covers, and a powerful build.
It was Gold Ship.
On the screen, the horse girl had her arms spread wide, making scissor hands with both hands like a giant crab.
She was even moving like a crab, legs bent, "claws" raised, scuttling left and right in front of the camera.
At the same time, loud laughter erupted from the broadcast and from the stands at Nakayama Racecourse.
The announcer's next comment was clearly holding back laughter.
"Gold Ship-sama is as lively as ever! Her performance was also outstanding, completely silencing all the pessimistic rumors that had been going around."
The analyst followed up.
"That's right. Ever since last year's Takarazuka Kinen, public opinion about Gold Ship's condition and ability has not been optimistic.
Especially after the Sapporo Kinen, her performances were disappointing, and the Arc de Triomphe clearly showed the effects of unsuitable track conditions, so the doubts only grew stronger.
But with this beautiful one-and-a-quarter length victory in the Hanshin Daishoten, those doubts should finally disappear.
Next she will run in the Tenno Sho (Spring). We have every reason to believe she will…"
The analyst clearly wanted to give Gold Ship some praise.
However, Gold Ship on the giant screen interrupted him.
"Hey hey! Can you all hear me?"
At some point Gold Ship had stopped her crab walk. She planted her hands on her hips, leaned forward, and glared straight into the camera.
"I don't know if this will reach you, but whatever!
Kita-chan, I'll just assume you can hear me!
I already heard from Daiwa and Vodka that you're racing today too, and it's also the 11th race.
I won my race first, so you'd better put on a great show!
Go for it! I'll throw a victory party for you!"
Through the broadcast from the giant screen, those words reached every corner of Nakayama Racecourse clearly.
Hearing this, Kitasan Black, who was already full of fighting spirit, became even more fired up. Not caring that Gold Ship couldn't hear her, she raised her arm and shouted at the screen.
"Got it! I'm definitely going to win this race! You can count on me, Gold Ship-senpai!"
Meanwhile, the announcer sounded slightly surprised.
"'Kita-chan'… that must be Kitasan Black, the horse girl running in this Spring Stakes. It seems she has a good relationship with Gold Ship.
We hope Kitasan Black can live up to her senior's expectations and give us a wonderful race."
The broadcast quickly returned to the Spring Stakes.
"Now that the Hanshin Daishoten has concluded spectacularly, all participants in the Spring Stakes, please prepare to enter the gates in an orderly manner under the guidance of the staff.
And then, let us add another brilliant chapter to today's Nakayama Racecourse."