Holy shit, how can this series achieve peak every week and still surpass its own peak the week after?!

If you spoiled yourself by reading up on Oguri Cap's history IRL (like I did), you would have already known of the outcome. The way it was presented though was absolute cinema.

This is truly Oguri Peak.

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@rikka@ani.social

Can't wait for the next episode titled peak! They can't stop peaking

That was a clever misdirection. They make it looked like as if Oguri was racing in Nippon Derby. I genuinely thought the immovable Japanese would actually do an exception for Oguri, that's just how goated she is, but alas, reality is often disappointing. I guess there's only one thing that can stop Oguri Cap, and that is Japanese bureaucracy. Though the journalist effort wasn't in vain, they were able to make the organizers to change the rule to enter Nippon Derby, even though Oguri still wasn't allowed to enter in the name of fairness. Stand proud Oguri Cap, your presents actually change Japan.

Even with the misdirection, I was pretty invested with the race. They actually highlight Oguri's rival and classmates pretty well. Sucks for Dicta Striker not performing well because of her injury, she was my favorite (what can I say, I love tomboy).

There's actually several hints before the reveal. Like how Oguri rather than wearing a costume like the other horse she wears her gym clothes. When Rudolf reminiscing her racing age, we can see a newspaper just outside the focus with Sakura Chiyono O on the cover (probably covering her winning Nippon Derby). When they do a sweeping shot, Oguri Cap couldn't be seen in the pack. Also when they do a transition from Dicta Striker to Oguri Cap the transition time actually far longer than the others because it was on a different track.