The Japan Umamusume Training Center, most commonly simply known as "Tracen Academy", is a series of educational and training facilities for Umamusume in Japan, with known courses ranging from Junior High to High School (although canon sources hint at a post-High School course), and with branch schools across Japan that train Umamusume for regional races. The central, Tokyo-based academy, however, is the largest and most well-furnished of the schools, offering the best of the best for the most elite Umamusume in Japan and even the world.So prestigious is Tracen Academy that some foreign Umamusume even transfer from other countries to attend instead of their home countries - even with the presence of Barton Academy, some American Umamusume, like El Condor Pasa and Taiki Shuttle, still transfer to Tracen Academy for one reason or another. However, unlike Barton Academy, the Umamusume in Tracen Academy are still predominantly Japanese born and raised, and fewer still manage to make their name in the Twinkle Series' more turf-dominated races.

El Condor Pasa

Mejiro McQueen

Nice Nature

Oguri Cap

Symboli Rudolf

Masami Katou

Air Groove

Daiwa Scarlet

Grass Wonder

Mejiro Dober

Seiun Sky

Deep Impact

Regaleira

War Admiral
(ウォーアドミラル)

Faceclaim: Tomoe Umari (V-Dere)
Birthday: May 2nd
Sex: Female
Height: 4'9" / 145 cm
Weight: Lighter than Seabiscuit
Occupation: Racing Umamusume
Career Status: Pre-debut
Record: None official, 8 (8-0-0) in practice
Barton Academy Dorm / Team: Ironsides Dorm, Team Columbia
Roommate: Pompoon
Nicknames: The Mighty Atom (強力な原子), The Admiral (提督)

Background: Born in Lexington, Kentucky, War Admiral is part of a prestigious line of Umamusume racers, with her cousin Man o’ War often considered the greatest American Umamusume racer ever. Like her year-older cousin Seabiscuit, War Admiral was closely watched from a young age to judge her potential, and while she was almost as small as her cousin in her youth, War Admiral was much more naturally-gifted and took to her training much more keenly. While many considered her sweet and even relaxed when away from the track, others would note that a competitive fire lit up in her even during training - so much so that she often even had trouble sitting still in the paddock.Taking to the family trainer’s methods much easier than her cousin, War Admiral - sometimes nicknamed “The Mighty Atom” due to her size, though also sometimes simply “The Admiral” - showcased a much more promising career from the start. In her training races, War Admiral’s natural speed out the gate often gave her such a demanding lead that even if she ran out of stamina near the end, she could still win on the last spurt due to the sheer distance between her and her chasers.This promise has left many eyes on War Admiral for her debut as a proper racer, completely overshadowing her cousin Seabiscuit despite her younger age. The hype, so far, has proven justified, but only time will tell if this promising Umamusume can maintain her glory, and whether or not her fate will lead her into a confrontation with her cousin…Personality: Due to her young age and natural talent, War Admiral has grown something of an egotistical side, truly believing herself to be Man o’ War’s second coming. Though the training fields are a far cry from the race course, proving herself time and again has made Admiral very confident in her skills. She detests anyone questioning her abilities, and sucks up praise like a sponge. Eager to take up any chance to prove herself, her confidence belies some concerns about living up to her family legacy and the expectations put upon her, tempering what would otherwise become an utterly inflated ego.And yet, War Admiral’s ego does not color the way she sees others; despite outclassing many of her fellow trainees, instead of lording it over them, she does her best to help them improve. War Admiral is also eager to meet others and is boundlessly friendly, especially towards those with expectations of her future and those who know of her family.

Omaha
(オマハ)

Faceclaim: Brown Thoroughbred (Kemono Friends)
Birthday: March 24th
Sex: Female
Height: 5'5" / 165 cm
Weight: No change
Occupation: Racing Umamusume
Career Status: Sophomore Year
Record: 10 (2-4-1)
Barton Academy Dorm / Team: Sovereign Dorm, Team Columbia
Roommate: Psychic Bid
Nicknames: Oma (オマ)

Background: Born in Paris, Kentucky, Omaha is the daughter of a previous American Triple Crown winner, placing high expectations upon her. When Omaha's natural racing talent was discovered at a young age, those expectations seemed to have been met, and in a truly rare occurrence, Omaha was chosen in to be trained by an otherwise-exclusive trainer who only otherwise worked with the family of the now-famous Man o' War. As a stranger among other Umamusume who knew each other as family, Omaha stood out despite her own prodigious lineage.Feeling ostracized, Omaha struck up a friendship with another Umamusume one year her younger by the name of Seabiscuit. Both Umamusume felt like they didn't belong, so it was relatively easy for them to connect, especially as Omaha understood the pressure that the young Seabiscuit felt to live up to her family name. However, where Omaha had inherited her mother's skills and talent, Seabiscuit clearly struggled, but the younger Umamusume didn't resent her older friend. In fact, it was Omaha who encouraged her, telling her that not being in the lead from the start of a race doesn't mean that someone's lost.Despite this encouragement, however, the gap between Omaha and Seabiscuit's talents only grew, and eventually, Omaha transferred to Barton Academy to further develop her talents as her debut grew nearer. Even as Seabiscuit struggled back home and grew even further handicapped with a blinded right eye, Omaha was left in the dark, her own struggles beginning as she only placed second during her debut race, with her second attempt finally succeeding. However, her races in her Freshman year continued the trend of her struggling in a professional racing scene for the first time, never once winning a race, though typically at least placing.Now, Omaha prepares to pull out the stops for her Sophomore year, and despite her poor performance thus far, she goes in fully intending to replicate her mother's feat - winning the Triple Crown, even as everybody's expectations of her slowly plummet...Personality: A sporty and spunky girl by nature, Omaha uses this natural disposition to hide her growing insecurities and the pressure her mother's reputation has given her. Guising her nerves and fears behind a charismatic, friendly mask, Omaha makes friends easily, but also tends to keep people at arm's length in order to avoid them realizing just how afraid she is of disappointing others. All of this is among worries that she peaked early and is already hitting a plateau, and that the analogy she gave Seabiscuit in their youth has begun turning its head on her - that in contrast to her best friend, Omaha had been a Front Runner that exhausted her stamina early and was about to plummet into dead last.Despite this, Omaha's desire to meet the expectations of others and, more importantly, make her mother proud have kept her going. In contrast to how worried she is about her own future, Omaha continues plodding forward, training in the hope that she may actually be able to overcome her slump and accomplish more than her Freshman year has given her thus far.

Man o' War
(マンノウォー)

Faceclaim: Narantuya (Arknights)
Birthday: March 29th
Sex: Female
Height: 6'0" / 183 cm
Weight: Surprisingly heavy
Occupation: Retired racing Umamusume, university student
Record: 21 (20-1-0)
Barton Academy Dorm: Sovereign Dorm
Roommate: Upset
Nicknames: Big Red (ビッグレッド), Mano (マノ)

Background: Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Man o' War is considered a legendary figure in American Umamusume racing. Though her family has long consisted of prodigal racing talents, even from a young age, Man o' War stood out. With a physique that seemed tailor-made for racing, from a perfect skeletal structure, denser bones than the average Umamusume, and to this day possessing the longest stride in the world, among other advantages, few could argue that, even as a child, Man o' War was destined for greatness.Even from her Freshman year at Barton Academy, Man o' War was consistently the favorite in every race she participated in, and rewarded that faith even during her singular loss - a race at the Sanford Memorial Stakes where, due to an error with the starting gates, Man o' War started a split second later than the rest of the racers, enough of a delay that the group were able to box her in to prevent her from taking the lead. And yet, despite that, Man o' War still managed second place, barely conceding a victory to Upset, the only Umamusume to have ever defeated her, even on a technicality.And yet, glory was not what drove Man o' War to race, as she refused to run the Kentucky Derby, the most prestigious race in America and the first leg of the American Triple Crown, simply due to having to help care for her ill mother who had moved to Maryland with her and not wishing to travel too far simply for a race. However, she still remained a Double Crown winner, as she won the Preakness Stakes which were held in Baltimore, and the Belmont Stakes after her mother recovered soon after.Those looking forward to a further career after Man o' War's Freshman and Sophomore years were to be disappointed, however, as she cut her racing career short to focus on her education in the Umamusume medical sciences; however, despite having a career not even half as long as most other Umamusume, the legend Man o' War left behind from her sheer ability, raw talent, and nearly-undefeated record in those short two years still stands as one of the greatest racing careers in American history, if not the world.Personality: Cool-tempered and standoffish by default, Man o' War is someone who doesn't go to many extremes. Unfriendly but not antagonistic, stern but not unfair, the legendary American Umamusume is a figure many can only admire from a distance, as she practically refuses to allow herself the luxury of growing close to others. After all, she is head and shoulders above nearly all others, with nobody she can consider a peer. To be a friend to someone, one must be able to relate to them, and as what could be conceivably considered a Super Umamusume, relating to others is a difficult task for Man o' War.And yet, deep beneath the surface, is someone who just wants to be understood, doted on, and treated like any other person. Man o' War's trainer, thus far, is the one person who has brought out this side of the otherwise-legendary racer, revealing an almost childish aspect to the living legend's personality, one who wishes to be spoiled and indulge in anything and everything orange-flavored.

Upset
(アプセット)

Faceclaim: Fang (Arknights)
Birthday: Unknown (celebrates every January 1st)
Sex: Female
Height: 5'7" / 171 cm
Weight: All muscle
Occupation: Retired racing Umamusume, university student
Record: 9 (3-5-1)
Barton Academy Dorm: Mayflower Dorm
Roommate: Man o' War
Nicknames: Ups (アップス), The Champion's Bane (チャンピオンの災い)

Background: The Umamusume that many would come to know as the only racer to ever defeat Man o' War, to contrast her rival's prestigious lineage, is a complete unknown from before she joined Barton Academy in the same year as Man o' War. Upset's earliest memories are of being raised and trained in the countryside of New Jersey by a human man whose name she doesn't even know, only knowing him as "Gramps". Though she had a tenuous grasp of the written word at best, Upset managed to squeak into Barton Academy through dominating the physical aptitude tests, coming in second only to her peer and future rival Man o' War.Though Upset is best known for her one-sided rivalry with Man o' War and her hotly-debated victory over the other Umamusume, she was nonetheless a talented racer in her own right, solidly coming in second place if she didn't win - even in races otherwise dominated by her longtime rival. However, despite her reputation, Upset is one of the people who contest her one victory over the legendary Umamusume, believing that winning by sheer luck as she did doesn't count, and that she has yet to best Man o' War through sheer ability, having tried multiple times throughout her career to best her rival, but never succeeding.As a result, when Man o' War retired early, Upset followed suit, leaving behind a short two-year career, having sharply increased her educational record during her racing career and now working towards an Umamusume medical sciences degree of her own, still competing with her longtime rival in her own way.Personality: Hot-blooded and quick of temper befitting her name, Upset is the polar opposite to her roommate and rival. Where Man o' War coolly keeps a distance from all those around her, Upset is quick to approach things from an emotional perspective and is surprisingly keyed in to others' feelings and how to handle an emotionally-charged situation. This, despite her temper, has managed to make Upset a surprisingly personable individual with a strange sort of charisma, as while she seems unfriendly on the surface, she is quick to understand someone and see things from their perspective.Surprisingly, despite Man o' War's belief to the contrary, this even seems to apply to her, as despite their rivalry and Upset's consistent frustration with her roommate, the more emotional Umamusume is still surprisingly attentive to the living legend, showcasing a kindness beneath her rough exterior. She may grouch and grumble, but Upset doesn't hesitate to lend a hand to those in need or defuse a difficult situation with her rather worldly knowledge.

Claire Martel
(クレア・マーテル)

Faceclaim: Arato Nagi (Ruri Rocks)
Sex: Female
Birthday: September 15th
Age: 24
Height: 5'8" / 173 cm
Weight: 148 lbs. / 67 kg
Occupation: Trainer at Barton Academy
Team: Team Orion
Nicknames: The Star That Refuses To Shine (輝かない星)

Background: Born and raised in Ocala, Florida, the Florida county that Ocala is situated in, Marion County, is known for its extremely dense Umamusume population, causing it to be known as the "Umamusume Capital of the World". As a result, Claire grew up knowing more Umamusume than humans, with her best friend in particular being an Umamusume of the same age by the name of Gold Century. The two did nearly everything together despite their vast differences in physical ability, with Claire's more reserved personality causing her to be easily swayed by Gold Century's more boisterous nature. Despite this, Claire eagerly followed her childhood friend's lead, up until just before Middle School.In a seemingly-random turn of events, Gold Century told Claire that she was going to be a student at a local but prestigious Umamusume academy, and that while they could still see each other, she was likely going to be too busy training for races. It was a decision Claire hadn't been expecting, and was blindsided by her friend's apparent whims - but, as reserved as she was, didn't argue, and instead simply accepted it for what it was.For the next two years, Claire's sixth and seventh grades went by in a rather lonely fashion, barely getting to see her best friend. However, in eighth grade, her last year of middle school, Gold Century suddenly re-entered standard schooling, the wind having been taken out of her sails, her boundless energy and confidence utterly stripped away. Claire learned why soon after - Gold Century had taken the difference between her and Claire's abilities as natural talent for races, and believed she would be a shoo-in for Umamusume races. However, two years of relentless training, education, and practice did not prepare her for true races between other Umamusume... and aside from her debut race, she was completely defeated, time and time again, lucky to even place most of the time. So, after two years of failure, Gold Century gave up, her confidence completely crushed, and decided to return to a "normal" life.However, this didn't just change Gold Century, but Claire herself, who was deeply hurt seeing her best friend so brutally beaten down by her failures. A fire was lit within the young woman, one that didn't want to stand idly by while her best friend languished with her self-esteem crumbling. For her final year in middle school, Claire balanced her typical education with studying Umamusume training methods, and devised a plan. For that summer vacation, this time it was Claire dragging Gold Century around, her activities a cleverly-designed training routine for her best friend. And, at the start of August, their last month of summer vacation, Claire managed to convince a fully-fledged regional racer to run a scrimmage with Gold Century - who reluctantly agreed to Claire's race, and the two made an agreement. If Gold Century lost, she'd never race again, but if she won, she and Claire would go back to the academy together - as trainee and an apprentice trainer.And in that scrimmage, Gold Century defeated her opponent by 4 entire lengths.Shocked by her own growth and briefly questioning if her opponent had held back, Gold Century realized that she did have potential - Claire had just known her for so long that she knew exactly how to train and advise her best friend to bring out her strengths and mitigate her weaknesses. And so, the two best friends started their high school year at Marion Umamusume Training Academy, with Gold Century returning to her training, and Claire taking her first steps onto becoming a trainer.Gold Century herself would go on to win a number of races within Florida, though she never quite broke out into the Stellar Series proper. However, the fact that Claire had managed to help an Umamusume with little to no natural talent - as proven by Gold Century's original foray into the racing scene - to become as skilled as she did as young as she was spoke leagues about her talent as a trainer. And so, when Claire was offered the chance to continue her education and apprenticeship at the United States' most prestigious Umamusume learning center, Barton Academy, Gold Century happily pushed her best friend to leave Florida behind and continue her efforts in Maryland. She may have gone as far as she could, but it was farther than she thought she'd ever make it, and with her confidence and old self restored, Gold Century just wanted to see her oldest and best friend become not just a great trainer... but the best in the United States.So it was that Claire found herself traveling from Florida to Maryland at the young age of 18, fresh from graduating from Marion Academy's high school course, and joining Barton Academy's university level course, as well as interning under a more veteran trainer. By the time she finished her education and apprenticeship, the now 22-year-old Claire began training Umamusume in earnest, as the head of Team Orion, and while still yet to truly make a name for herself as a master trainer, let alone the greatest in the U.S., her talent as fostering even the smallest spark of potential hasn't gone unnoticed.Personality: Formerly a shy and weak-willed girl in her youth, Claire found a strength of heart in a burning passion to forge Umamusume into their greatest selves they can be. A natural-born trainer in temperament, Claire's naturally-sweet disposition can be easily changed out for a firmer and more authoritative one if needed, but it's a sternness that she doesn't enjoy utilizing unless it's to defend her trainees in some way.But a phantom of Claire's former bashfulness is still present in how poorly she handles the spotlight being on her; for the few times she's been interviewed or her trainees have shifted the focus to her during conferences, Claire has shown an inability to remain calm and composed in the limelight, prone to stuttering and not fully thinking over her words - a flaw that has led to a series of embarrassing moments on camera that have led to her nickname, "The Star That Refuses To Shine".

Madelaine Walker Bedwell
(マデライン・ウォーカー・ベッドウェル)

Faceclaim: Brid (Silent Track) (Goddess of Victory: NIKKE)
Sex: Female
Birthday: February 20th
Age: 28
Height: 6'1" / 185 cm
Weight: ???
Occupation: Dean of Barton Academy
Nicknames: Maddie (マディ), Dean Maddie (マディ学部長), Ms. Bedwell (ベドウェルさん), BarTEC's Iron Maiden (バーテックの鉄の女)

Background:

El Condor Pasa
(エルコンドルパサー)

Birthday: March 17th
Height: 5'4" / 163 cm
Weight: Slight increase (due to muscle training)
Career Status: Classic Year
Record: 8 (7-1-0)
Dorm / Team: Miho Dorm, Team Regulus
Roommate: Grass Wonder
Nicknames: El (エル), The Phantom Bird (幻の鳥)

Background: An American-born Umamusume, El Condor Pasa moved to Japan when she was very young with her parents, as while her father is Latin American, her mother is Japanese, only gaining American citizenship after marrying her father. Growing up speaking Japanese, English, and Spanish all in one household, El gained a deep appreciation for the world's cultures - so varied and different from the Japanese culture she ultimately grew up in, El gained a desire to see the world and experience it. And to do that, she vowed to become the world's top Umamusume, a racer so dominant that she could effortlessly travel to any country she dreamed of and race in it.Encouraged by her parents, El Condor Pasa managed to gain entry into Tokyo Tracen Academy, bidding her parents farewell as they moved back to America. El's natural talent for racing quickly shone through, and while she didn't command the same regal presence as the Emperor herself, Symboli Rudolf, instead bearing a loud and bombastic personality, some did compare El's natural prowess to hers. This comparison was enough for El Condor Pasa to take note of Symboli Rudolf's trainer, Masami Katou, now watching the tryouts, and attempt to cajole her into training her.However, immediately, Masami refused, noting that Umamusume who wanted to be trained by the trainer responsible for the Emperor's famed career were a dime a dozen, and a brazen showing at tryouts wasn't what she looked for in a trainee. Walking away without choosing anyone, Masami left behind a frustrated El and whispers of now-doubtful trainers who considered the idea that Masami saw a flaw in El Condor Pasa that they didn't. However, El wasn't about to give up, and continuously dogged the veteran trainer day in and day out for a week straight to add her to her team.Eventually, Masami gave El a compromise - she would test the young racer, and if she passed, Masami would train her. But if she failed, she would give up on joining Team Regulus for good. El agreed, confident she could meet any challenge that Masami presented her with... and was immediately faced with a wall. The test was a simple one - race and try to beat Team Regulus's newest ace, Oguri Cap, on a short 800 meter dirt track. However, with many more years of training and experience both on a regional and national level, as well as possessing explosive running power that El simply couldn't hope to overcome, especially on dirt, Oguri Cap quickly proved too much of an obstacle. And yet, El didn't give up - she pointed out that Masami didn't put a limit on how many times she could challenge Oguri Cap, and quickly challenged the older racer again, a challenge both Masami and Oguri accepted.Time and time again, El raced Oguri in rapid succession and came up short, but noticeably, each time she raced, she came a little closer, closed the gap just a half second more. Even as El grew more and more exhausted, as her legs and chest burned from exertion, she was improving with each race. Eight races in, and while Oguri Cap was finally growing tired, El Condor Pasa could clearly barely stand. But again, she demanded another race... and Masami refused. The trainer pointed out that El Condor Pasa had pushed herself long past her limit three races ago, and was running on pure determination, now. El was pushing herself dangerously far, and one more race could prove the final push that cut her racing career short - not just with an injury, but with a potential end to her life.The shock of the declaration caused El to finally collapse, her lungs desperately gasping for air. Masami declared that this test was over, and that this recklessness that she had seen in El from the start was precisely why she had refused to train her in the first place. She had wanted to see if El Condor Pasa would understand her limits, push a little beyond them, but know when to call it quits, and she had failed. But just as Masami turned to leave, El stood back up with a desperate slam of her feet and a declaration of her own - that she didn't care if she risked her life to prove herself, to gain the training she needed to accomplish her dream of being the best in not just Japan, but the world. To her, if her dream wasn't worth risking her very life over, then it was a dream she didn't deserve to dream.The declaration caused Masami to pause, a realization forming within her. It wasn't blind recklessness that pushed El Condor Pasa to the very brink, but sheer dedication to her dream. El's reasons for dreaming such a wild dream were her own, but it was clear that they were so important to her that she would throw everything away to pursue it. And so, with a resigned sigh and an admittance that she was wrong about El, accepted the young trainee into Team Regulus, where El Condor Pasa trains to this day, proving herself worthy of dreaming her worldwide dream.

Mejiro McQueen
(メジロマックイーン)

Birthday: April 3rd
Height: 5'2" / 159 cm
Weight: Slight increase (desperately trying to lower it)
Career Status: Junior Year
Record: 3 (3-0-0)
Dorm / Team: Ritto Dorm, Team Regulus
Roommate: Ikuno Dictus
Nicknames: Mac (マック)

Background: The latest scion of the renowned Mejiro family of Umamusume racers, Mejiro McQueen was practically raised from birth with heavy expectations on her shoulders. Grace and charisma came to her naturally, and her inherent strengths when racing were quickly apparent, strengths that lent themselves well to proving herself among the best of the best, as much of Japanese Umamusume racing's greatest races lent themselves well to the strengths of a stayer - a racer who relied on longer distances and high stamina to gradually build up speed and overtake her rivals over a longer period of time than in shorter bursts.It was practically a given that, as a Mejiro, McQueen would find herself at Tracen Academy, and yet, raised as a prim and proper lady, as well as having the name of Mejiro to live up to, McQueen struggled to relate to her peers, with her only friend at times being her older sister Mejiro Ryan, who also attended the academy. And yet, Ryan clearly bonded with her peers far more easily than McQueen did, who found a rift between her and the other students - those who believed her to be a stuck-up snob, those who believed she was too good for them, those who resented the name of Mejiro for one reason or another. These reasons and more pushed McQueen away from her fellows, dampening her morale and causing a chink in the armor that her abilities had given her - a not-so-insignificant sliver of self-doubt that gnawed away at her.This self-doubt would go on to affect McQueen's performance, as well, as shown during a particularly disastrous scrimmage that she should have otherwise handled splendidly, but instead bombed spectacularly. The poor performance quickly led to McQueen's name being dragged through the mud as a disgrace to the name of Mejiro, a belief that McQueen herself quickly began to believe. However, fate would turn when another Umamusume by the name of Gold Ship approached her casually and, with her wild and unusual antics, suddenly and creatively broke McQueen out of her funk in a near-instant. Gold Ship's behavior quickly tipped McQueen into a boiling point, and she began to vent every little frustration she had - for a moment, at Gold Ship, but almost immediately changing to vent about herself, the expectations placed on her, and how people were judging her before they even got to know her. For several minutes, the otherwise-ladylike Umamusume ranted, until finally, out of breath and with her pent-up feelings expressed in an explosive manner, McQueen calmed down - and Gold Ship, having simply stood there and listened to the whole thing, had clearly poked the balloon to cause it to rupture, though she never admitted as much.From that point on, Gold Ship was practically attached to McQueen's hip, and while their relationship tended to be far from a typical one, it was clear that this was McQueen's first real friendship at Tracen. With someone who clearly wanted to spend time around her, and someone she could just be herself around, McQueen's performance returned to its usual level... at least, until tryouts that following Spring. For McQueen had grown almost dependent on the presence of her only friend to maintain her composure, and even during her scrimmages and training, Gold Ship would often be on the sidelines heckling and hollering, if not charging onto the field herself - whether she was scheduled to or not. But for the Spring tryouts, McQueen found herself... alone. Gold Ship was nowhere to be seen, and McQueen's confidence was shaken, but not yet altogether broken just yet.Taking the starting line for her scrimmage, McQueen felt the pressure without her friend's wild, yet paradoxically-comforting presence. And as she started, the effects were clear; already, McQueen was starting to crack under it, and began to falter almost immediately. However, halfway through, McQueen heard a familiar voice - Gold Ship yelling and shouting at her from the stands, having finally made it to observe tryouts after being delayed by her antics. Relieved, McQueen's composure returned, and she began to make up for lost ground, winning the scrimmage, if just barely.And observing the tryouts as well was Masami Katou, the trainer of Team Regulus, who noticed McQueen's unusual circumstances, and determined that this particular Umamusume needed her assistance to break out of that dependency on others for her confidence. McQueen herself saw no reason to refuse, and although this gave her less time with Gold Ship (although she'd claim that it's a relief), McQueen found new friends and supporters in Team Regulus, and with her debut out of the way and her Junior Year beginning, time will only tell if she's grown out of her weakness or not...

Nice Nature
(ナイスネイチャ)

Birthday: April 16th
Height: 5'1" / 157 cm
Weight: No changes
Career Status: Junior Year
Record: 2 (2-0-0)
Dorm / Team: Ritto Dorm, Team Regulus (and questioning why)
Roommate: Marvelous Sunday
Nicknames: Nature (ネイチャ), Natie / Na-chan (ネイちゃん)

Background: If you were to ask Nice Nature about herself, she'd describe herself simply - as a "side character" or "an NPC", someone destined to just sit on the sidelines and watch the protagonists win the glory. And yet, this description does little justice to a girl who has more talent than she seems willing to admit. Born to a single mother who ran her own bar, Nature grew up mostly around adults, without many friends her own age. As such, her temperament grew to match these older individuals, often causing her to act older than she actually is. And yet, Nature found herself dreaming a childlike dream befitting her youth at the time - to stand at the top of the racing world like the newly-debuted Symboli Rudolf. It was a dream that seemed plausible, as even compared to other Umamusume in the region, Nature seemed to possess no small degree of inborn talent, although she had an odd tendency to place 3rd in any contests she took part in - even ones based entirely on luck.And yet, it was these talents and her solo training in her youth, alongside her good grades, that eventually got Nature accepted into the most prestigious Umamusume training center in Japan, Tokyo Tracen Academy. Now attending the same school as the same Umamusume she aspired to be like, Nature strode through the front gates of Tracen Academy ready to work herself to the bone to accomplish her dream. Yet, Nature soon found out that she was a normal fish in a small pond, as Tracen Academy was home to hundreds of girls like her, who had some degree of talent, yet didn't immediately shine like the idols of the racing world seemed to. And worse still, Nice Nature's "third place curse" seemed to follow her even to Tracen, an eternal bronze medalist no matter her odds, good or bad.Nice Nature's consistent third place results was both a blessing and a curse; though her seemingly inability to actually win any races whittled her self-esteem and expectations down to nothing, she was still placing on the podium, so to speak, and didn't feel she had a good enough excuse to give up. And so, instead, Nature resigned herself to the life of the eternal third-placer, deciding that her role was simply to make others look better in comparison to herself - especially such shining stars as Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen who were in her same generation and whom she occasionally ran against in training scrimmages. Despite this, practically everyone seemed to agree that if Nature pushed herself harder, she could stand alongside such greats, as no matter who she faced off against, she never lost in a spectacular fashion - all of her races were close, and she showed such phenomenal potential that Nature herself seemed unable to see.One of those people was none other than Masami Katou, trainer of the famed Team Regulus, and while she had already scouted the notable Mejiro McQueen during that set of tryouts, she had her eye on Nice Nature, as well. The more self-conscious Umamusume's race was one of the last of the Spring tryouts, and though she once more placed third, also competing was a trainee who had previously beaten her in every scrimmage prior to this point - and Nice Nature had bested her by 3 entire lengths this time. While Nature herself was more focused on her placement than who she had just managed to beat, Masami saw that Nature had improved remarkably throughout her pre-tryout season.However, when the trainer approached her to offer her a spot on Team Regulus, Nature panicked and refused after a bout of confusion and stammering. After all, Team Regulus was renowned for training the best of the best - this was the trainer who trained Symboli Rudolf, Air Groove, Maruzensky, and so many other high-profile Umamusume. In Nature's mind, she didn't deserve a spot on that team that could go to someone more deserving, and she fled the field entirely.And yet, in a complete reversal of how El Condor Pasa had tried to coerce Masami into letting her join Team Regulus, this time it was Masami and the rest of the team continuously attempting to persuade Nice Nature to join them. For four days straight, everywhere Nature went, she continuously bumped into either Masami herself, Oguri Cap, El Condor Pasa, the newest member in one of the very "main characters" she envied - Mejiro McQueen - or one of the other members. By the end of the fourth day, Nature was ambushed by the team in its entirety. Both intimidated, confused, and admittedly more than a little irritated, Nice Nature snapped and demanded to know why they were being so insistent on recruiting a "side character" like her. She questioned if it was to make her a team mascot, to make the other members look better in comparison, or as a charity case - every excuse she could think of, she levied at Masami and the team in its entirety almost as accusations.And yet, Masami simply denied every possibility. Masami had chosen her because she saw a young woman with dreams long-buried beneath a mountain of bronze, who failed to see her own improvements in favor of only comparing herself to those ahead of her, not those at her side or behind her. As with all of the others, Masami wanted to give Nice Nature the chance to seize on the dreams she had long since given up on, and she would do everything in her power to do so, if only Nature would allow her to do so. Something in Masami's words stirred Nature's spirit, and while she still refused to fully believe in them, she eventually relented, figuring she may as well take that chance. And yet, much to her surprise, with Masami's guidance, Nice Nature would go on to claim her very first victory on the racetrack in her debut race, her first win serving as proof of the possibilities that she could very well make her dreams come true if she fought hard enough for them...

Oguri Cap
(オグリキャップ)

Birthday: March 27th
Height: 5'5" / 167 cm
Weight: Slight increase (she ate too much)
Career Status: Senior Year
Record: 18 (15-2-0)
Dorm / Team: Ritto Dorm, Team Regulus
Roommate: Tamamo Cross
Nicknames: Ogurin (オグリん), The Ashen Beast (灰色の怪物)

Background: The infamous "Ashen Beast" that would go on to dominate her generation wasn't always the monstrous powerhouse she is today. Born into poverty and with weak legs, Oguri Cap grew up barely even able to stand and walk, much less run. However, her loving mother gave her legs daily massages to strengthen them, and slowly, Oguri became able to stand, then walk, and eventually even run. Blessed by her mother's unending dedication and love, Oguri reveled in the miracle she had been given, and ran every chance she could get, strengthening herself to the point that she was easily accepted into a regional Umamusume training academy.However, her first practice race would go on to change Oguri Cap's life forever; visiting the regional academy was a famous national-level trainer, Masami Katou, famed for recently leading the Emperor, Symboli Rudolf, down a path of absolute domination in her generation. And so, the atmosphere in the academy was one that could be cut with a knife, with most of the students nervous and desperate to put on a good showing for the possibility of being recruited by a famed national-level trainer. And yet, this atmosphere didn't seem to affect Oguri Cap, who just simply wanted to run.As a result, in the scrimmage, Oguri Cap dominated her opposition, not just with her impressive natural talent and power, but with her unrattled mentality in the face of fame - admittedly due more to not realizing the magnitude of such observance than not caring. And while Masami was impressed by Oguri's power and gifts, she took more notice of the Umamusume's calm in a storm of unease that had overtaken the regional academy. So it was that Masami approached Oguri Cap and gave her the chance to join her at Tokyo Tracen Academy and train for races on a national level - an agreement that Oguri Cap ultimately agreed to.At Tokyo Tracen, Oguri Cap found herself surrounded by other Umamusume who were closer to her level, but even among them, the ashen-haired Umamusume shone like a diamond unearthed from the rough. With some polish and finesse, Oguri Cap's full potential could undoubtedly be unleashed, but before any of that, Masami needed to find Oguri a reason to race beyond just the joy of it - an ambition to fulfill. A dream. And while Oguri Cap completed her debut race just fine, Oguri's lack of ambition caused her to falter in her first Junior Year race, the G3 Sapporo Junior Stakes, only taking 2nd place.Oguri Cap found herself shaken and frustrated by this loss more than either her or Masami expected, and so the two resolved to find Oguri a dream of her own before her next race that year - a dream that would come in the form of a batch of letters from her home of Kasamatsu. In it were well-wishes, congratulations on her debut, and condolences on her race in Sapporo, all from the people she knew back home. But one thing they all shared was their desire to see Oguri return to form and win again, and in that moment, Oguri Cap found her dream - to stand at the top of Japan's racing world to make the people who watched her and cheered her on proud.From that point on, Oguri Cap ran and trained with unrelenting determination, fueled by the pride of her hometown, hopes of her fans, and the dreams they all shared with her of seeing her rise to the top. So it was that Oguri Cap dominated both the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes and Hopeful Stakes in December, even dominating the Classic Triple Crown to make herself the fourth Triple Crown winner from Team Regulus, and even winning the Mile Championships and Arima Kinen in her Classic Year. Her only loss since then has come at the hands of Tamamo Cross in her Classic Year Autumn Tenno Sho, a race that has kindled a firm rivalry between the two roommates ever since. Now Team Regulus's Ace, Oguri Cap serves as inspiration for her younger teammates, and while she remains unused to life as a guiding light for her underclassmen, she nonetheless takes well to the role.

Symboli Rudolf
(シンボリルドルフ)

Birthday: March 13th
Height: 5'5" / 165 cm
Weight: Pretty much ideal
Career Status: Retired to commit to the Student Council
Record: 18 (17-0-1)
Dorm / Team: Miho Dorm, Team Regulus (formerly, occasional advisor)
Roommate: N/A
Nicknames: President (会長), Emperor (皇帝), Rudolf (ルドルフ), Luna-chan (ルナちゃん, Masami only and only in private)

Background: Born to the prestigious Symboli family, Symboli Rudolf was taught and trained in many things so that she could forge herself a path of greatness no matter what she pursued. From politics and economics to multiple languages and even how to play the violin, no efforts were spared in giving Rudolf the greatest education money could buy in order to forge her into an Umamusume capable of influencing the newest generation in whatever way she chose. And with her ability, both natural and taught, Symboli Rudolf chose the path of leadership. For while she was given everything she could ever dream of, Rudolf saw how some Umamusume struggled to even survive. How some had their dreams crushed before they could even begin. And how some wallowed in suffering, unable to run as they were meant to. And she had decided that, if she had her way, this would continue no longer.Enrolling into Tracen Academy was a given for the teenaged Symboli, as she effortlessly aced the entrance exams, both on paper and in the physical portion. And in her earliest showings, Rudolf was already performing well enough to garner no small amount of attention, both inside school and out. Yet, any attention of this sort was a means to an end to accomplish her dream - a world where all Umamusume could live in happiness. It was a dream she didn't bother hiding, and while many considered it ambitious, others believed that if anyone could accomplish it, it was Symboli Rudolf - and so, they likened her to an Emperor of the racetrack, conquering her foes so that she may one day lead them to bliss. Yet, even an Umamusume of her caliber couldn't simply bypass the rules, and thus required a team and trainer to participate in races. But her trainer had to be someone not just of quality caliber, but someone dedicated enough to see a daring dream through, someone who cared deeply for Umamusume, and who wouldn't be a mere sycophant, but someone she could walk alongside. And it was in the most unlikely of people Rudolf would find these qualities in.Masami Katou, a newly-solo trainer at Tracen, who had spent two years apprenticing under a veteran trainer instead of one, and who had come to Tokyo from the countryside of the Saitama Prefecture originally as a regional level trainer, was her choice. The duo couldn't have been more different, as while Rudolf was taller, came from a distinguished pedigree, and had a natural charisma that commanded attention wherever she went, Masami was short, a relative nobody in the national racing scene, and had so little presence as to be nearly unnoticeable. And yet, Rudolf had recognized the traits she so desired in a trainer in Masami; during her short time at Tracen, the then-apprentice trainer had not only approached Rudolf on multiple occasions, but offered assistance with an unbiased, pure compassion that Rudolf had never felt from a stranger, before. It was only later that she learned that the apprentice trainer had almost single-handedly helped the team she apprenticed under go from struggling in mediocrity to bearing a handful of star racers in a mere two years.Finding in Masami a confidant and trainer both, Rudolf cajoled her fellow Student Council members Air Groove and Maruzensky into Masami's budding team, Team Regulus, and with a few other members, began her training in earnest. Little else needs to be said about Symboli Rudolf's racing career, only losing in her Classic Year's Japan Cup by placing in 3rd before returning in her Senior Year to take the trophy. Claiming eight "crowns" instead of the expected seven, including the ever-coveted Classic Triple Crown, as well as both the Senior Spring and Autumn Crowns, few Umamusume have had as illustrious a career as Symboli Rudolf, although her successor in Team Regulus's newest ace, Oguri Cap, certainly threatens to match it.And yet, as Symboli Rudolf prepared to enter her university-level courses at Tracen, Rudolf realized she would no longer be able to balance her upcoming, much-heavier workload with a fifth year of racing as well as her Student Council work, and so retired from the racecourse a legend among the Japanese Umamusume racing community. With a domineering history at her back and soon the studies and education to help further her goals, the Emperor intends to complete her ascension after graduating, and finally set about building her Umamusume paradise...

Air Groove
(エアグルーヴ)

Birthday: April 6th
Height: 5'5" / 165 cm
Weight: A stunning finish
Career Status: Retired to commit to the Student Council
Record: 18 (11-4-3)
Dorm / Team: Ritto Dorm, Team Regulus (formerly, occasional advisor)
Roommate: Fine Motion
Nicknames: Big Sis (Teio only) (お母さん), Empress (女帝)

Background: Eyes were on Air Groove ever since her youth, as her mother was a known winner of the Japanese Triple Tiara and a Tracen Academy alumnus, herself, who taught her daughters and instilled Tracen's ideals in them from a young age. As a result, Air Groove grew into a young woman with high standards, not just for those around her, but herself. Failure to live up to these standards, in her eyes, is a failure to oneself and one's own potential, and though at times it seems Air Groove's mother forged her into a harsh and cold young woman, Groove proves time and again that she is a firm practitioner of tough love, like her mother before her.So it was that, even from her early teens, Air Groove was inspiring other Umamusume around her by holding herself to these same lofty standards she placed upon others. Never looking down at others, but instead using harsh truths to demand better of them when she knew they were capable of more, this harsh but fair demeanor caused many to look up to her. And it was this demeanor that attracted the attention of her fellow classmate and future Emperor, Symboli Rudolf.Seeing in Rudolf incredible potential that she consistently strove to live up to, Air Groove saw in Rudolf an ideal and almost immediately decided then and there to follow the path her peer was blazing. Her own dreams, after all, would be realized with her own efforts, but for Symboli Rudolf's to come to fruition, she needed many hands - even if Rudolf herself didn't realize it at the time. And so it was that a partnership was struck, the future Emperor and Empress working together for a brighter future for all Umamusume.But first and foremost, the duo - along with their fellow peer and talented youth Maruzensky - needed a trainer. Following Rudolf's lead, the duo would soon find a trainer in fellow newcomer Masami Katou, and while Air Groove had misgivings about entrusting their futures to a new solo trainer in the nationals scene, she trusted Rudolf's judgment on the matter. Soon, however, she would find her distrust misplaced, as Masami's instruction and unorthodox training methods were precisely what the new Team Regulus needed to succeed - and her emotional intelligence precisely what the trio needed to grow as individuals.From rising star to Triple Tiara legend Air Groove was forged, following in her mother's footsteps as she had always dreamed, and finding even greater glory still in her Senior Year, Air Groove would continue to follow Symboli Rudolf regardless, and as the Emperor retired from racing to focus on her studies and the Student Council, the Empress would follow suit, intent on helping guide a new generation of Umamusume down their chosen paths - Rudolf with her hand gentle, Air Groove with hers firm.

Daiwa Scarlet
(ダイワスカーレット)

Birthday: May 13th
Height: 5'4" / 163 cm
Weight: Unknown (refused to be weighed)
Career Status: Junior Year
Record: 2 (2-0-0)
Dorm / Team: Ritto Dorm, Team Antares
Roommate: Vodka
Nicknames: Scarlet (スカーレット)

Background: At a first glance, Daiwa Scarlet seems like she'd be destined to be one of the many unfortunate Umamusume attending Tracen Academy who would find their racing careers left at the wayside. With an unremarkable background, a mother with no racing history of her own, and not even a regional racing record to her name, coming into the most prestigious Umamusume training academy in Japan, the apparent "nobody" soon made a name for herself as a racing talent to look for. However, while she was mostly agreeable and friendly with her peers, Daiwa Scarlet showed a stubborn, prideful, and acerbic nature when it came to racing that turned away many a potential trainer - until one Tatsumata Ai decided to add the prideful young woman to her team. Scarlet, partially out of a lack of options and partially due to being touched that someone would see her "real self" and still accept her, gratefully took her place within Team Antares.Scarlet's determination to become "number one", however, is no flight of fancy, but the result of a promise to her late father, whose dying words were to tell his daughter to become "the best Umamusume you can be". The young Daiwa Scarlet, from that moment on, dedicated herself to doing just that, a goal that now encompasses her racing career. For Scarlet, her desire to race is spurred not in a wish for personal glory, but to carry her father's dreams as the last memento she has of him; to fulfill his desire to be the best her that she can be, she drives herself to be "number one" in anything she can - to do any less, in her eyes, is a failure not just toward herself, but a failure to the family she's lost.It is this drive that causes her to admire those who keep themselves to higher standards, such as Air Groove, and dismiss those who seemingly do not, such as her new rival and roommate Vodka - whose obsession with being "cool" is, in an ironic twist, seen by her as vain and empty, unaware of just how similar their own drives are. Determined to win the Triple Tiara races and stand out in the hearts of fans across Japan, Daiwa Scarlet races so that, as her name is passed across the lips of people around the country, her father's influence does the same - his lasting legacy through hers, so that when she becomes Number One, he will look down from Heaven and see his own dreams fulfilled.

Grass Wonder
(グラスワンダー)

Birthday: February 18th
Height: 5'0" / 152 cm
Weight: No change
Career Status: Classic Year
Record: 8 (7-1-0)
Dorm / Team: Miho Dorm, Team Alberio
Roommate: El Condor Pasa
Nicknames: Grass (グラス), The Beast's Successor (怪物の後継者)

Background: Born in America to a Japanese mother and foreign father much like her roommate and rival El Condor Pasa, Grass Wonder likewise moved to Japan in her youth, as her mother longed for her homeland and her father was a man who adored Japanese culture. Raised to the classical standard of Japanese womanhood, Grass Wonder grew up not only embracing quiet femininity, but equally-quiet ferocity and strength - the silk hiding steel. Believing gentleness was merely weakness if it didn't have strength to back it, and strength was simple brutality if it didn't have gentleness to soften it, Grass Wonder eagerly began training from a young age alongside her various studies.It was then, as a given, that Grass would enroll in the country's most prestigious Umamusume training center, Tracen Academy, to further both her studies and training with the best she could manage. Making quick friends with her fellows in her generation - including her roommate El Condor Pasa, whom she discovered she had a surprising amount in common with - Grass would search for a trainer to further her efforts. However, she also sought strong rivals to compete against, believing in friendly competition spurring greater improvement, and so when El Condor Pasa offered to apply to the same team, Grass Wonder refused - instead, admitting her desire to join a separate team so that they could instead compete as friends and rivals.So it was that, when El managed to get accepted into Masami Katou's Team Regulus, Grass Wonder happily took the offer of a trainer by the name of Tachibana Amai to join Team Alberio, where Grass's talents finally began to flourish in their entirety. Since then, Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa have only faced off once, where Grass handed El her only loss in her Junior Year. And yet, another conflict between Grass and the others of her generation looms on the horizon, promising to make the upcoming year a highly-exciting one...

Mejiro Dober
(メジロドーベル)

Birthday: May 6th
Height: 5'2" / 157 cm
Weight: No change
Career Status: Senior Year
Record: 23 (13-4-1)
Dorm / Team: Miho Dorm, Team Polis
Roommate: Taiki Shuttle
Nicknames: Dober (ドーベル), Ber / Bel (ベル)

Background: Born into the prestigious Mejiro family, Dober was, unlike many of her sisters and cousins, a much more shy child growing up, and thus had a tendency to isolate herself away from anyone not a part of her family. Her family didn't pressure her to come out of her comfort zone, so long as her studies and training went well, which had the unfortunate side effect of limiting her social skills - especially around men, of whom she had an exceptionally limited exposure to, and what little exposure she had having a tendency to be negative. As a result, as she grew older, Dober gained an intense dislike of men, not helped by her own Sapphic desires coming to the forefront as she grew into her teens.This dislike would meet its greatest challenge when Dober applied to Tracen Academy, as while the student body was naturally entirely-female, a number of its staff and trainers were men - a fact that made finding a trainer for her incredibly challenging. However, hope came when tryouts began, as the end of that year was when Symboli Rudolf, Maruzensky, and Dober's idol in Air Groove were set to retire from racing, leaving openings in their newly-famous team, Team Regulus. And what was more, Team Regulus was headed by a woman, Katou Masami. Intent on trying to catch Masami's attention, Dober took to the field......Only to learn that Masami was not present. In fact, the trainer for Team Regulus wasn't even in Tokyo at the time, instead visiting the region of Kasamatsu when she heard whispers of an up-and-coming new talent she might be interested in. Disappointed that she wouldn't be able to join the team her idol spent three years in, Dober nonetheless focused on the reality, intent on avoiding joining a man's team, but with the medley of female trainers around, Dober wasn't too worried. In fact, when she was offered a position within Team Polis, Dober accepted without much fuss, as she was convinced it was lead by a woman.However, surprise would take her once more to learn that the trainer for Team Polis, a transferee from the Philippines by the name of Basileus "Basil" Racht, but due to his feminine appearance, had confused Dober until she had to be corrected by her new team. And yet, Dober's new trainer didn't set off her discomfort like so many, like a result of his feminine appearance, which actually had the inverse effect of making her strangely bold with him, happily teasing and messing with him, while other men would set off Dober's emotional alarm bells.Over the next two years, Dober would forget her initial desire to join Team Regulus, finding much of the success she'd been hoping for in Team Polis, and even replicating her idol's feat of winning the Triple Tiara races, and coming in second in that year's Arima Kinen to Team Regulus's Oguri Cap - a feat that, even if she didn't win, proved that Triple Tiara racers could compete with Triple Crown racers and even potentially win against them. It's a stereotype Dober intends to continue to defy into her Senior Year, intent on racing against her fellows now that her stint with the Triple Tiara races are over - and what's more, intent on winning.

Seiun Sky
(セイウンスカイ)

Birthday: April 26th
Height: 5'1" / 155 cm
Weight: Failed to report
Career Status: Classic Year
Record: 4 (3-1-0)
Dorm / Team: Miho Dorm, Team Iris (officially) / Unnamed Illegal Team
Roommate: Sakura Laurel
Nicknames: Sei (セイ), Trickster (トリックスター)

Background: Born as the eldest of three sisters, Seiun Sky's family owned a small family restaurant where the pace was rapid, and Sei and her sisters were expected to help out from a young age. Serving tables, helping in the kitchen, and taking customers' orders was a harried enough experience that, whenever she had time off, Sei often preferred to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and off to the local park to relax and laze about around a more natural locale. Gradually, however, business began to dry up, with mostly just a handful of daily regulars coming by barely keeping the restaurant afloat. The family's father learned to fish in his off time to provide an additional source of food for his family, a practice Seiun Sky would take up alongside him, as she found it as relaxing as helpful.And yet, times would grow harder for the family, and so Sei's mother and father made a difficult decision - having realized Sei's potential as a racer from her youth, but lacking the money to send her to a proper training academy, the two pooled their savings and with Sei's tests passing, managed to get their eldest daughter into the most prestigious training academy in Japan - Tokyo Tracen Academy. Though they could keep themselves afloat for now, it was clear that they were hoping Seiun Sky's latent talents could at least be a boon to their business.Grateful for her parents' sacrifice and understanding her responsibility to them, Sei leveraged her naturally-laidback demeanor as a means to guise her drive to win - an approach that, unfortunately, had an adverse effect on her trainer prospects, as none seemed to have any desire to train a girl who appeared to lack motivation. It was only by sheer chance that Seiun Sky would stumble across a woman by the name of Hanasaki Emilia, who ran a small bar that reminded her somewhat of her parents' little restaurant. And it was this fateful encounter that Sei learned that Emilia was an unlicensed trainer, training Umamusume through a proxy at Tracen after an incident lost her her reputation and license.Intrigued, Sei looked into Emilia, and eventually decided this could be her chance - as a girl who thrived in using deception and tactics over raw physical ability, hiding her training behind a proxy was just the sort of edge Sei was looking for, and soon cajoled the illegal trainer into letting her join her proxy's team. Now, Seiun Sky intends to use her medley of deceptive advantages to win and both earn money to support her family and boost awareness of their brand to reinvigorate business.

Deep Impact
(ディープインパクト)

Birthday: March 25th
Height: 4'9" / 145 cm
Weight: Utterly unchanged
Career Status: Senior Year (2nd)
Record: 19 (19-0-0)
Dorm / Team: Ritto Dorm, Team Regulus
Roommate: Heart's Cry
Nicknames: Deep (ディープ), Pui (プイ), Puipui (プイプイ), Hero (英雄)

Background: If Symboli Rudolf is the Umamusume that built the foundation of Team Regulus's fame, then Deep Impact is the girl who codified it into public memory. While all eyes were on Rudolf from the start, Deep seemed to come from almost nowhere - a completely normal Umamusume who tested well on Tracen Academy's entrance exams, she - and nearly everyone around her - saw herself as nobody special. Just another of the many normal fish from a small pond who had no chance of excelling despite the standards required to even enter Tracen Academy. Plain in appearance, unassuming in personality, nobody expected the fire that laid dormant within the otherwise "normal" Umamusume.Nobody except Masami Katou.The trainer who had since spent two years training some of the greatest Umamusume to grace Tracen's halls immediately spotted Deep Impact's potential where nobody else did, and instantly recruited her during tryouts. And soon, the young Umamusume would soon prove that, while her size and initial natural talent were diminutive, her upper limit and growth were sky-high. Deep Impact's ability rapidly skyrocketed within her Junior Year, winning races left and right, eventually culminating in her most famous feat to date - being the only other Umamusume after Symboli Rudolf to date to win the Classic Triple Crown completely undefeated.After that moment, Deep Impact was a household name across the Japanese racing circuit, earning herself the epithet of the "Hero". Even from that point forward, Deep Impact would continue to dominate her races, continuing to win even past the point where Symboli Rudolf had lost, making many others wonder if the legendary Hero would outclass even the Emperor's legacy by remaining completely undefeated. Following an injury in October of her first Senior Year during training, Deep Impact would go on a hiatus lasting until Spring of her second Senior Year, where she plans to make a comeback and resume her winning streak...Personality: While many expect the short-statured legend to be intimidating and perhaps even as regal as Symboli Rudolf, whose legacy many believe she is resuming, the simple truth of the matter is that Deep Impact is a relatively-normal girl in the chaotic sea of abnormal girls at Tracen Academy. Despite quickly growing almost freakishly strong and fast even compared to other Umamusume, Deep Impact still finds herself bewildered by the many odd and unusual girls roaming Tracen Academy's halls. Deep's grounded personality, however, has had the effect of making her rather tired of her fame and reputation, and the attention and expectations it brings.However, amidst this disillusionment with her fame, Deep Impact has forgotten that, once upon a time, she did dream of greatness. Dreaming of fame and glory, at the time, all she wanted was to escape her life of mundanity, and to become someone worthy of being remembered through history. But like many things, reality is rarely a replacement for fantasy, and though Deep has fulfilled her dream, she finds that the reality of it didn't match her fantasy. Losing sight of her road, Deep Impact now simply races for the moment, reveling in the rush of competing against those who would challenge the legendary Hero, even if every victory only contributes to her legacy even further...

Regaleira
(レガレイラ)

Faceclaim: Blemishine (Arknights)
Birthday: April 12th
Height: 5'4" / 163 cm
Weight: It's mostly muscle! Promise!
Career Status: Undebuted
Record: N/A
Dorm / Team: Miho Dorm, no team
Roommate: ???
Nicknames: Rega (レガ)

Background: An Umamusume from a humble family, having grown up in equally-humble circumstances. A hard-working dad, a homemaker Umamusume mom, and an older sister who was a natural talent at everything she tried. Regaleira looked up to her older sister as they grew up, even as she herself consistently had middling but adequate results. Though her own accomplishments paled in comparison to her sister's, and though she felt like a failure compared to her older sister, Regaleira still saw her sister as the pinnacle of everything she hoped she could be and instead directed her frustrations inward - chipping away at her self-esteem and replacing it with self-hatred.This self-hatred would manifest in a growing love for roleplaying games - very specifically, tabletop roleplaying games, with a local hobby shop offering space for people to play. It was here that Regaleira was introduced to "Catacombs & Creatures", a game she swiftly fell in love with - not least in part because it let her immerse herself in the role of someone far more competent than she saw herself. In particular, her favorite character to play was none other than "Caterina Valenco", a paladin and righteous knight who struck down the wicked and defended the weak while guiding the misled back to the path of virtue with words. It was a character Regaleira found herself the most immersed in, a savior and leader not totally unlike the person she idolized and believed her sister to be.And then her sister disappeared.Rumors abound that Regaleira's sister had eloped with a secret boyfriend, but her disappearance nonetheless shook the family to its core, especially as the police search turned up nothing. With her parents heartbroken and Regaleira herself bereft of her idol, the young Umamusume found herself comforted by an unlikely source - her ideal "self", the character of Caterina Valenco within her heart. Regaleira searched for even an ounce of the bravery that the character she played could display, and found it. In an act to bring some light of hope and joy back to her parents lives, Regaleira applied to Tracen Academy with her greatest efforts, and to her shock, was accepted. Her parents, equally surprised, saw their youngest daughter trying her hardest to move forward, and supported her by funding her tuition at Tracen.Now, Regaleira takes to the racetrack by borrowing Caterina Valenco's character, to race with a confidence and bravery she otherwise lacks, all in order to serve as a beacon of light to those important to her that have sunk to the deepest pits of despair - and, perhaps, one day, to serve as a cynosure that draws her sister back to her.Personality: Regaleira is a very different person on the racetrack compared to off of it. During a race and for some time after it, she is the Regaleira that the public knows - confident, honorable, and charismatic, with a natural draw to her that grabs people's attention. Eternally kind and patient, even when others antagonize her, Regaleira is often regarded as a moral saint to those who only know her racing persona. Even during simple scrimmages, this side of her comes to the forefront, making others wonder if Regaleira has some manner of split-personality disorder.The truth is much more simpler; in order to gain the confidence to race, Regaleira simply adopts a "roleplaying" mindset, acting as though she were playing Caterina Valenco in Catacombs & Creatures while racing and channeling as much of her favorite paladin as she can. The "real" Regaleira beneath the persona is shy, awkward, and lacking in self-esteem to a horrendous degree to the point of self-loathing. And yet, Regaleira hasn't given up on finding her older sister, hopeful that her future career will capture her sister's attention and finally reunite them...

Katou Masami
(加藤 正美)

Faceclaim: Sora (Orange Juice series)
Sex: Feminine Intersex
Birthday: January 20th
Age: 34
Height: 5'0" / 152 cm
Weight: 97 lbs. / 44 kg
Occupation: Senior Trainer at Tokyo Tracen Academy
Team: Team Regulus
Nicknames: Architect of Dreams (夢の建築家)

Background: Born the daughter of a regional level Umamusume trainer in the Saitama prefecture, Masami practically grew up alongside her father's trainees. She watched them train, watched them perform, and sometimes even trained alongside them as she grew older - though, as a normal human, obviously she could never keep up on the track. However, while it was her dream to follow in her father's footsteps, her talent for helping Umamusume grow was noticed by the wider country when her very first trainee as a rookie at the age of 22 managed to skyrocket her way to winning the Sakitama Hai, the highest-grade regional race in the Saitama prefecture.Almost immediately, Masami was approached by Tokyo Tracen Academy and asked if she'd be willing to apply for a national level training license to work with them, but she refused their offer, still believing she had more to learn from her father and from fostering smaller-name Umamusume. However, by the time she was 26, her father, believing she was wasting her talents as a regional trainer, pushed her to finally apply for her national license and see if Tokyo Tracen were still willing to accept her.So it was that Masami passed with a bit of a struggle (as her and her father's methods are relatively unconventional; she had difficulty even with her regional license), but was eventually accepted into Tokyo Tracen Academy as a rookie trainer, where she worked as an apprentice trainer for two years under a more veteran trainer to train a team. And then, finally, at 28 years old, Masami took her first steps as a solo trainer and, in a reversal of the usual process, found herself scouted by none other than the future Emperor, Symboli Rudolf, who was already making waves for her raw potential. Rudolf, who saw a similar potential in Masami (and had heard of and seen enough of her through the grapevine before attending Tracen), had seen in Masami not just someone with the same kind of potential as she, but a kindred spirit who only wanted to see Umamusume happy and able to dream.With Symboli Rudolf as the ace of her new and quickly-growing Team Regulus (featuring other soon-to-be famous powerhouses like fellow Student Council members Air Groove and Maruzensky, as well as Narita Brian), Masami quickly made a name for herself as one of the top trainers at Tracen for her team's regular results - if not the top trainer. And yet, as Team Regulus was soon to learn, Masami's training methods were far from normal, ranging from running on a soap-covered air mattress to build skills to run on wet turf, to moving furniture as a hired moving service to practice spatial awareness.Since then, as her trainees have gradually retired, Team Regulus has become known for fostering the best of the best, and has most notably included famous names such as Deep Impact, Oguri Cap as the team's newest ace, El Condor Pasa, Mejiro McQueen and (to her extreme confusion) Nice Nature as some of the newest members. And yet, despite this reputation, Masami's goal isn't to foster the best of the best, but rather, to find those who need her help the most, to find those who she needs to guide and watch over for one reason or another, and give them the best chance she can offer to their dreams.Personality: Having grown up in a rural part of Japan's Saitama Prefecture and primarily around men (mostly her father, his colleagues, and her younger brother), Masami has developed into a quiet, but strong-willed woman who, despite her small stature and lack of presence, can command deep respect from those around her. Bearing a quiet confidence that doesn't need to proclaim its presence, Masami is difficult to rattle, cool and composed in difficult circumstances and capable of thinking steadily even during a crisis. These qualities have helped her thrive as an Umamusume trainer, allowing her to not only command respect from her trainees on a universal level, but help them grow both as racers and as individuals in the prime of their youth, providing an emotional rock for these young talents to lean on in their times of need.And yet, Masami's dedication to those around her, especially her own charges, can come at a cost to herself, as she often pushes herself just as hard, if not harder, than her trainees to ensure the best for them. Late nights, exhaustive research, and supplementing her professional budget with her own funds often leaves her in difficult personal situations, the consequences of which she often tries to avoid burdening her trainees with. But for Masami, self-sacrifice is all part of the job, and if she isn't willing to give of herself so deeply to for her trainees' prosperity, she doesn't believe she can truly bring out their potential.

The various timelines that events will take place in are listed here, from blog-exclusive canons to ones that exist within other media in the franchise, they will be listed with brief details and which muses they concern.

Original
One of two effective "main verses" of the blog, concerning the girls of Tracen Academy and primarily the canon muses and the Japanese OC trainer, Masami Katou, who leads them within her personal team within Tracen Academy, Team Regulus. All events listed in the muses' biographies will be primarily canon to this verse, though some flexibility is allowed for the purpose of interacting with others.

Original
Less so a "timeline" in its own right and more of a branch off from Twinkling Dreams, and the other "main verse" of the blog concerning the girls of Barton Academy. Technically running adjacent to Twinkling Dreams, this verse is separated so as to facilitate easier transition of events in each timeline without having to wait for events in one to play out before continuing with another.

Original
A timeline taking place long after any other timeline, with the past being open-ended as to which timeline it branches off from. Many of Tracen's other racers have long since retired and even perhaps graduated from the Academy. Now, a new generation of racers runs in the Twinkle Series, aiming for the glory only previously captured by their forebears. Based on the events of current day Japanese horseracing, primarily centered around Regaleira.

Canon
A verse based in the timeline of Cinderella Gray, primarily concerning Oguri Cap and Symboli Rudolf. Masami is still considered the former trainer of Symboli Rudolf, but many other muses on this blog will not appear in this timeline due to a difference in canon.

Canon
A verse based in the timeline of the Pretty Derby anime, primarily concerning Symboli Rudolf, El Condor Pasa, Grass Wonder, Seiun Sky, Mejiro McQueen, and Nice Nature. Masami is entirely absent from this timeline, as Team Rigil's presence playing host to her original team makes her irrelevant.