We settled back in the spectator stands at Ankara Hippodrome three days before the Gazi Derby, listening to the commentators' predictions. Grand Ekinoks and I each had sandwiches in hand. I drank cola, while Grand Ekinoks drank lemon juice. We were basically on a date, as she had put it.
Normally I didn't have trouble focusing while watching races. But now I couldn't help thinking about the umamusume beside me.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in today's first race there are exactly nine Umamusume making their debuts."
Thanks to the host's announcement, I was finally able to focus on the races. The familiar sound of the doors opening signaled the start as the umamusume began to run. The distance was 1200 meters, run on the turf.
I wanted Grand Ekinoks to watch the races as if from my perspective, so she was closely following the race.
"I think the number 1 horse will win."
And the prediction came true. The umamusume named Dinyeper, number 1, won her first race and I couldn't help looking at Grand Ekinoks.
"How did you know she would win?"
"Let's see… she won by five lengths over her closest rival. It was clear she wasn't in the same class as the others."
"I didn't quite get a direct answer to my question but okay."
We watched the next three races as well. While watching, we had completely finished our sandwiches and drinks.
The next race was a G2 event, the Nene Hatun Stakes. Mary Ellen, had won Uma Trial Oak and chose to join this race instead. She was the heavy favorite. So there were only eight umamusume racing.
This race was quite interesting. Mary Ellen, who had been in second place until the final straight, moved ahead with a bold move. She led the race for the last 50 meters.
Then, from the inner rail, an umamusume no one expected overtook Mary Ellen. Mary Ellen herself didn't seem to expect it.
"And D'Articleshore won! A big upset, ladies and gentlemen. It seems Mary Ellen can't quite believe it either."
Before this, D'Articleshore had only won a G3 once and many people didn't expect her to win this race. I wondered what Grand Ekinoks was thinking. In the June heat she seemed to rub her hands together as if she were chilly.
"I never expected this, trainer. For some reason, when racing against Redneck, my feathers stand on end. It's like I'm a assassin."
Hearing Grand Ekinoks say this, I couldn't help but think of Redneck. In her career Redneck had run 11 times and won 5, with no major achievements besides a G2 win and she had chosen not to race in the Uma Trial Stakes.
Because Grand Ekinoks had described her as a "assassin" and she had skipped the Uma Trial Stakes, I noted Redneck in a corner of my mind.
Thus the day's feature race, the G1 Queen Cup, began. On the 2100-meter turf, the finish came down to Pergola and Dünya Güzeli, with Pergola launching a final surge to win by a length and deliver another surprise.
After all these wonderful races, in the final race of the day, 16 Umamusume who had officially retired competed. Among them were Bold Pilot, George Thomas, Johny Guitar, and Islambol.
When all the races were over and I watched Grand Ekinoks's calm performance as the Queen Cup crowd danced and sang, I realized she seemed unusually tranquil.
But I knew her. I could feel that a storm was raging inside her and that she had a lot of questions. She didn't hesitate to share one of them with me.
"Do you think I can meet people's expectations, trainer?"
As I continued watching the concert, I thought about an answer to this question. Perhaps the only thing I could say in that moment was this:
"You'll understand on race day."
We continued watching the concert together, and the day somehow passed.
Days went by, and finally the Gazi Derby time had arrived.