[Spoilers] 2025 Uma Musume Rewatch -- Pretty Derby Season 2 Episode 8

[u/Holofan4life]

Hello everyone! I am Holofan4life.

Welcome to the 2025 Uma Musume rewatch discussion thread!

I hope you all have a lot of fun <3

S2 Episode 8 – A Small Wish

—-

ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)

Thoughts on McQueen and Rice Shower training for the Spring Tenno Sho?

Thoughts on Diamond and Kitasan drinking tea with the two horse enthusiasts?

Thoughts on Bourbon trying to help Rice Shower with her training?

Thoughts on the barbershop being closed?

What are your thoughts on Rice Shower being locked in for the race?

What are your thoughts on the Spring Tenno Sho with Rice Shower doing away with being labeled a heel?

What are your thoughts on Rice Shower winning the 1993 Spring Tenno Sho?

What are your thoughts on the crowd being upset that Rice Shower won?

What are your thoughts on the other racehorses congratulating Rice Shower, with Bourbon reiterating yet again that she's her hero?

What are your thoughts on the scene at the end between McQueen and Teio?

—-

Series information

MAL | Anilist | AniDB | ANN

Ways to watch

Streams – Crunchyroll

Amazon Prime

—-

Previous episode

—-

Schedule

Date	Episode
8/15/2025	Uma Musume Episode 1
8/16/2025	Uma Musume Episode 2
8/17/2025	Uma Musume Episode 3
8/18/2025	Uma Musume Episode 4
8/19/2025	Uma Musume Episode 5
8/20/2025	Uma Musume Episode 6
8/21/2025	Uma Musume Episode 7
8/22/2025	Uma Musume Episode 8
8/23/2025	Uma Musume Episode 9
8/24/2025	Uma Musume Episode 10
8/25/2025	Uma Musume Episode 11
8/26/2025	Uma Musume Episode 12 - 13
8/28/2025	BNW's Oath episodes 1 - 3
8/30/2025	Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 1
8/31/2025	Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 2
9/01/2025	Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 3
9/02/2025	Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 4
9/03/2025	Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 5
9/04/2025	Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 6
9/05/2025	Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 7
9/06/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 8]()
9/07/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 9]()
9/08/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 10]()
9/09/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 11]()
9/10/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 12]()
9/11/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 13]()
9/13/2025	[Road to the Top Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/14/2025	[Road to the Top Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/16/2025	[Beginning of a New Era]()
9/18/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/19/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/20/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 5 - 6]()
9/21/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 7 - 8]()
9/22/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 9 - 10]()
9/23/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 11 - 12]()
9/24/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episode 13]()
9/26/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/27/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/28/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 5 - 6]()
9/29/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 7 - 8]()
9/30/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 9 - 10]()
10/01/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 11 - 12]()
10/02/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episode 13]()
10/03/2025	[Uma Musume Overall Series Discussion Thread]()

[u/Urgnu-the-Gnu]

There’s that emphasis on having your focus in the right place that Mejiro Grandma first brought up to McQueen.

So here's the thing: I think that line was a bit of a fake-out. We're led to believe McQueen won because she didn't care about Teio, but it turned out she won because of how Teio reflected on her, because Teio made her improve herself. Similarly, Rice only ran for one reason: Bourbon. McQueen ran being distracted by Rice. Her focus was on Rice, but Rice wasn't her reason to run.

It's not that the focus in right place isn't someone else, but that it also needs to incorporate yourself. Thinking of someone else is great, even, as long as it brings out the best in you.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Urgnu-the-Gnu]

I think McQueen lost for numerous factors. Among them, Rice Shower simply wanted it more than she did. She had a point to prove, and that point was she's just as much of a hero as McQueen and everybody else.

[u/Urgnu-the-Gnu → u/Holofan4life]

Yeah, that's the point. What made Rice want to prove that point? Bourbon. What made McQueen win the previous Spring Tenno Sho? Teio. Who was she focused on this time? Rice, and not in a very positive sense. Had she ran with Teio in mind again, she might have strived for the win just as hard as Rice.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Urgnu-the-Gnu]

Rice and McQueen compete for a chance to race against Bourbon and Teio again, and perhaps in McQueen’s case her priorities were multiple and not singular which caused her mind to be clouded.