Episode 17

**TM Showdown!** (ＴＭ対決！, *Tī Emu Taiketsu!*) is the 4th episode of the 2nd season Uma Musume: Pretty Derby anime.

## Summary

The day of the Osaka Hai race arrives and Tokai easily wins the race, much to Ikuno's dismay who later states to her Team at lunch that Tokai is on a different level. Ikuno's teammates concur with her and at another table, Tokai does a photo shoot with her adoring fans, as McQueen can't eat her lunch because of her own doting fans. Sitting at another table, Spe, Grass, and Condor sit at a table and talk about an upcoming race featuring a rising star girl horse named Mihono Bourbon. The girl in question was eating her lunch with another girl named Sakura Bakushin O who tries to convince her to join her, but she flatly refuses.

Later a horse girl named Mejiro Palmer has her fortune told by Matikanefukukitaru who suggests she get a partner. Outside of the fortune tent, Palmer starts a conversation with Daitaku Helios who screamed her woes into a hallow tree stump. The two get along well and when Matikanefukukitaru leaves the tent, spots the two talking gleefully together, notes that it didn't take her long to find someone. Elsewhere, Bourbon practices with her team under the supervision of her trainer and on another track, Team Spica do some stretches and get a lecture from Trainer. Her also gives Tokai some jogging shoes and McQueen heavy horse shoes for training purposes. Meanwhile, Team Canopus hold a strategy meeting at their base, which easily falls apart in less than a minute thanks to Twin's demonstration. As that went on, Tokai and McQueen both diligently train following Trainer's advice.

An announcement by race commentator Misato Akasaka notes that the favorite to win the Satsukishou race is rising star Bourbon, who was doing some jogging in a park. During this a stalker tries to tail her, but Bourbon easily out runs her. Back at the academy, Gold, Vodka, Daiwa, and Spe plan to set off on a day out together and invite Tokai along as well. She, however, declines in favor for training for the Spring Tennoushou. McQueen also appears and tacitly declines the offer to join them showing her jumpsuit as proof to want to train that day. This inspires the team to instead of having a day out with each other help train Tokai and McQueen. While Team Spica help Tokai and McQueen with their respective training, the Satsukishou race is held and she easily wins the race out doing Mati who also raced in it as well.

Eventually, a joint press conference between Tokai and McQueen is held and during it, McQueen is frustrated that the press states that the world favors Tokai more than her. This is heavily accentuated on by the press favoring Tokai over McQueen. Around dusk, Symboli meets with Tokai by the academy gates, and they talk on the bleacher stands of the race track about her trainer's training routine for her. At her mansion, McQueen vents her frustration over Tokai's publicity to her grandmother. In response, her grandmother reminds McQueen of the story of the tortoise and the hare. To that, McQueen understands how she's hopefully focusing her attention far too much on Tokai than her goal.

## Characters

* Tokai Teio
* Symboli Rudolf
* Maruzensky
* Ikuno Dictus
* Twin Turbo
* Nice Nature
* Matikanetannhauser
* Misato Akasaka
* Junko Hosoe
* Mejiro McQueen
* Vodka
* Daiwa Scarlet
* Special Week
* Grass Wonder
* El Condor Pasa
* Mihono Bourbon
* Sakura Bakushin O
* Mejiro Palmer
* Meisho Doto
* Matikanefukukitaru
* Daitaku Helios
* Gold Ship
* Daiwa Scarlet
* Vodka
* Trainer
* Misato Akasaka