As Kitasan Black headed toward the Starting Gate, the cheers from the stands suddenly reached a small crescendo.
Amid the shouts of encouragement and the excited, joyful atmosphere, some gazes remained especially calm.
With her arms folded, Satono Crown stared intently at the black haired girl drawing ever closer to the Starting Gate, then tilted her head toward her sister.
"To be honest, Diamond, I'm a little jealous of Little Kita. She gets to race against so many famous seniors all at once..."
Standing beside Satono Crown, Satono Diamond nodded. "Little Kita has always been enthusiastic. She's popular wherever she goes, and she's been on good terms with these seniors for a long time."
Then, she looked at her elder sister somewhat hesitantly.
"But when you say jealous... are you feeling some pressure, elder sister?"
"Pressure... I'm fine. Actually, compared to Little Kita..."
As she spoke and was about to continue, Satono Crown's gaze shifted toward the other side.
In her line of sight, a Horse Girl with short light-brown hair and red-and-white ear covers was looking their way.
Noticing Satono Crown's gaze, the brown-haired Horse Girl smiled and waved before turning to look toward the track.
"Compared to Little Kita, I suppose I care more about Futanari Shingang..."
When she spoke again, Satono Crown lowered her voice slightly.
Amid the uproar in the stands, Satono Diamond had to lean closer to hear what her elder sister was saying.
"Futanari Shingang..."
"Mm... In the 2000 meters of the Satsuki Sho, compared to the Japanese Derby and the Kikuka Sho, speed is crucial—especially the Final Burst at the finish."
Satono Crown said quietly:
"The family's Trainers have already analyzed it. Little Kita's Running Style is a rather unusual kind of front-running. It places extremely high demands on pacing, distance, and stamina