Uma Musume - Pretty Derby S2 - Episode 8 - Rice Shower Tapes McQueen Picture

Rice Shower's "inspirational" picture for Mejiro McQueen was hilariously aggressive.

Rice Shower started trailing Mejiro McQueen on her training runs like she did for Mihono Bourbon, except McQueen welcomed her presence to train against. Unfortunately for Rice Shower, she became demoralized because she could never catch up to the repeat champion of the Tennoushou Spring race. She needed to do something different than shadow the strong horse girl.

Rice Shower went on a solo training camp to toughen her mindset, which meant skipping school. Mihono Bourbon worried about her and followed her there to make sure she was okay. Rice Shower wore out a lot of horseshoes, but otherwise appeared healthy. She dedicated herself to her goal of winning her next race against the most probable winner.

McQueen felt confident as she walked to the racetrack. Daitaku Helios cheered for her BFF Mejiro Palmer. But then Mejiro McQueen felt the black aura of the Assassin in Black, Rice Shower. Her confidence took a hit.

The lovely and stylish Mihono Bourbon takes her turn in the eye catch.

A sign of McQueen's nervousness was her skittishness to enter the starting gate. These are horse girls after all, so sometimes we see their horsey nature in this show. The long distance race started like last year, with Palmer taking the early lead, with McQueen staying comfortably near the front, but with Rice Shower marking the defending champions every move. At the right moment, McQueen shifted into her finishing gear with only Rice Shower able to respond. And then, the Assassin in Black shook off the negative crowd noises which pronounced her a heel and proclaimed she was a hero. She had a higher gear than McQueen had and ruined another chance at history for a fellow horse girl. Rice Shower made her own history by setting a new track record. Who couldn't cheer for that?

The racetrack crowd wasn't very happy that Rice Shower, who had ruined a Triple Crown winner last year, had just ruined a Mejiro McQueen's chance to make a historical three-peat of the Tennoushou Spring race. However, all the horse girls were happy for her because they knew she put in the work and she set a new speed record. The fastest racehorse girl for long distances won the race. Period. Mihono Bourbon was also there to congratulate her own personal hero.