Graded Stakes Victory

With Shan Yao urging her on, Shadow Hunter swiftly caught up to the front-running pack. Just after passing the third turn, Shadow Hunter had already entered the pack, while the other stalkers remained a length behind her.

"What incredible speed! Shadow Hunter accelerated through the turn and caught the front-running pack in just a few seconds! She's now gradually pulling clear within the pack! Treading Forward, who had been running alongside Shadow Hunter in the stalking group, is already a length behind her!"

The commentator's cry rang out, and the stands erupted in an uproar.

Σ(°△°|||)︴

Σ(｀д′*ノ)ノ

Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

Zhang Jun gripped the binoculars pressed to his nose, his heart rising unconsciously. Luo Fei, standing beside him, noticed his tension and spoke to reassure him.

"Don't be nervous. Shadow Hunter is overwhelmingly stronger than the rest of this field. Look."

He pointed toward the pack.

"Number Three, who had been on Shadow Hunter's inside, accelerated alongside her and has already been left a length behind. The front-running pack is accelerating too, but Shadow Hunter is still climbing through the positions at an incredible pace."

Luo Heng, who had come along with them, also said, "That's right, Brother Jun. Shadow Hunter will definitely be fine."

Zhang Jun lowered his binoculars, and the fingers gripping them relaxed slightly. "She'll definitely be fine..."

Horse racing was cruel. It would not show mercy based on how hard a racehorse had tried.

After Shadow Hunter moved into the front-running pack from the outside, the jockeys on the original front-runners all increased their urging, hoping to hold their positions.

But it was all futile. Though she was running on the outside path and covering more ground, Shadow Hunter still passed the front-runners with effortless ease, steadily climbing up from eighth place.

Seventh, sixth, fifth. By the time Goo Goo Ga Ga entered Mindu Racecourse's 428-meter final turn in the lead by two lengths, Shadow Hunter had already caught up to fourth.

Chen Wei, jockey of Pleasant Surprise in second place and one of Min Province's three great local jockeys alongside Du Wei, looked back and felt his heart tighten. I have to accelerate early. Otherwise, Shadow Hunter will pass me the moment we enter the final stretch.

Chen Wei immediately increased the force of his urging, his body rising and falling more sharply with each motion.

However, the gleam in Chen Wei's eyes had only just appeared before it abruptly froze.

(⊙ˍ⊙)

A figure even faster than Pleasant Surprise charged fiercely out from the inside: Guan Meng, the last of the three great jockeys! He had already used his whip through the turn, unleashing his closing burst early.

The commentator's previously calm tone abruptly soared. "The first to pull clear from the pack is still Number Seven, Goo Goo Ga Ga! Two lengths behind is Number Nine, Pleasant Surprise, closing the gap—but Number Four, Ideal Realm, is rapidly catching up!"

"Goo Goo Ga Ga still leads! Ideal Realm has closed the gap to just one length! Pleasant Surprise is half a length behind! And another half-length farther outside is Shadow Hunter!"

"Can Goo Goo Ga Ga hold on? Ideal Realm is rapidly closing in! Just half a length remains! But Shadow Hunter has already moved up to third! Three hundred and fifty meters to go!"

A sharp gleam flashed through Shan Yao's eyes. "Now!"

She lowered her body once more. After two warning flicks, her whip lightly touched Shadow Hunter's right hindquarter. Then she clenched the reins with both hands, her body rising and falling in rhythm with her urging.

Shadow Hunter saw two whip shadows flash past her right eye, then felt the slight pain from her hindquarters. Her ears, which had been pricked high, flattened, and her four hooves drove forcefully into the dirt as she unleashed every bit of strength she had stored!

It was as though a switch had been flipped. The chestnut racehorse, whose stride had already been enormous, widened it once more in a manner that defied reason. Her body lowered close to the ground, her neck stretched forward, and she flew low like a crimson sword!

The commentator's voice rose again, nearly becoming a hoarse roar. "Shadow Hunter is making her move! Shadow Hunter is making her move! She instantly catches Ideal Realm and takes second!"

"One stride! Two strides! Three strides! In only three strides, she passes Goo Goo Ga Ga again and takes the lead! Shadow Hunter is now in front! There's no contest at all! The gap is still widening!"

Seeing Shadow Hunter seize the lead without suspense, Zhang Jun's heart settled, and he thought to himself:

Shadow Hunter's D-rank ability is already enough to compete with strong older horses for a CN2 victory. She's running in a CN3 for newly debuted horses—unless they're early-maturing horses, they haven't even reached their peaks yet. What was I worrying about?

The stands erupted with frenzied cheers, and the fans supporting Shadow Hunter began shouting encouragement.

"She's so fast! Why is she this fast?! She can already compare to older racehorses like Frenzied Lion!"

Guan Meng, who had passed Pleasant Surprise and was rapidly overtaking Goo Goo Ga Ga after launching his final sprint early, saw his pupils constrict.

Before accelerating, Shadow Hunter had already been fast enough, but she was still within Guan Meng's understanding. He had studied her debut race. She was the type to make a long acceleration through the turn, and her closing burst needed time to build.

Though Ideal Realm, whom he rode, lacked Shadow Hunter's raw speed, she had stronger acceleration. As long as he accelerated early and opened a gap, even if she could not beat Shadow Hunter, she would not lose by too much. But he had never imagined that Shadow Hunter could accelerate again after entering the stretch—and gain speed this quickly!

"Shadow Hunter isn't the long-acceleration type after all? Damn it, why wasn't a horse like this sent to the central circuit to compete with those freak racehorses? What's she doing in the local circuit?!"

o(≧口≦)o

A trace of helplessness flashed through Guan Meng's eyes. He could only watch as Shadow Hunter pulled farther and farther away from Ideal Realm, who was already giving her all.

Guan Meng gritted his teeth and used a windmill whip on Ideal Realm's rump.

"Even if we can't take first, we have to take second at least! Push to our limit! Keep charging, Ideal Realm!"

"Two hundred meters to go! Shadow Hunter has opened up a gap of two and a half lengths! The gap is still expanding! It's already three lengths now! Wait! Jockey Shan Yao has loosened the reins? Why isn't she continuing to accelerate?"

A note of astonishment entered the commentator's voice, and the crowd began buzzing with speculation.

After reaching the 200-meter mark, Shan Yao straightened and glanced back. Seeing that the gap had reached four lengths, with no racehorse on either side about to suddenly surge through, she let out a breath.

She tugged the reins, signaling Shadow Hunter that she did not need to accelerate any further. She only needed to maintain her current speed, or gradually slow down, until the finish line.

After his surprise, the commentator continued. "Although Shadow Hunter is no longer accelerating, the pack behind still has no chance of catching her! They are closing the gap incredibly slowly!"

"Across the line! Shadow Hunter takes first! An unquestionable victory! Ideal Realm comes in a length and a half behind! Pleasant Surprise is another length back!"

The race ended, and a smile appeared on Shan Yao's face as she jogged slowly toward the exit lane.

Guan Meng drew close to Shadow Hunter, envy on his face. "Congratulations. To have come across such an exceptional horse."

"(≧∇≦)/ Thanks." Shan Yao waved to the fans and replied with a wide grin.