Episode 8

For You (あなたの為に Anata no Tame ni) is the eighth episode of the Uma Musume: Pretty Derby anime.

Summary
Trainer finds Special Week sleeping by Silence Suzuka's bedside. As it so turns out, Special recently got 3rd place in the Japan Cup and the loss had her emotional and humiliated. She was intent on winning for Suzuka, however, to make up for it, Special visited her in the hospital everyday. Expressing her interest to run again, Special awakens proclaiming Suzuka will run again one day, however, Trainer then drags Special out of the room to lecture her about her recent loss.

An announcement on the Winter cup is made as is its grand prize, the Dream Trophy, a prize that is only given twice a year. Watching from the hospital break room, Suzuka is visited by Special who shows her the discharge slip she got. Later, the two meet with their Teammates and hold a New Year's party with Trainer paying and sets the entire party up. During the party, they watch the Winter Cup on the TV and in the end, Symboli Rudolf wins the race. Nearly all of the members want to race in the cup, but that's only possible unless you win multiple races in the Twinkle Series. Trainer then gives advice to all of the teammates and finishes off how they'll beat Team Rigil that year. They all then attend a night festival and pray for their individual wishes at a shrine.

Time goes on and Suzuka goes to rehab and Special attends with her every time. Gradually, Suzuka recovers and her team win plenty of races. Eventually, Suzuka does a practice lap with her team and keeps up the pace with them. It's detailed by Special that it took Suzuka 9 months and 3 days to recover from her injury to a curious Mejiro. Amid their training, Suzuka and Special are approached by Air Groove who hopes to race her again and is soon joined by Maruzensky. The following day, Grass Wonder does practice laps with her team trainer, Hana. It's stated by Hana to Grass that Special will race in the upcoming Takarazuka Kinen for Team Spica who is a rising star among Grass' generation. Although Grass recently won her last cup, she's still wary of not letting her win get to her head as she considers Special a tough rival.

At school, Special is engrossed in reading a book about rehab exercises at home, and is soon approached by Seiun Sky who places a bunch of books atop her head. During lunch, Special apologizes to Seiun and Grass that she can't eat with them and runs off passing by Haru. Late that afternoon, Grass details to Hana about Special's odd behavior as of late, which is, admonished by Hana to focus on trivial matters unrelated to her. That night in their dorm room, Special tends to Suzuka's leg and the two talk about how they can't wait for Suzuka's leg to recover so she can race again. Soon, Team Spica do more training on the practice track and during it, Special sees Suzuka fatigues and rushes to her aid. In Suzuka's words, she's alright and that Special should continue on without her. Just then Trainer enters the scene scolding Special for stopping and telling Suzuka that she shouldn't have stopped.

The next day at lunch, Suzuka joins Special, Grass, and Seiun at their table where they read a letter from El Condor from France. Reading the letter makes Suzuka recall her plan to go to America, but is sidelined by Grass who asks her about the condition of her leg. Suzuka details that it doesn't hurt any more and that the rehab has helped her considerably. She goes onto state her frustration about the Mainichi Okan and Special states her hope to race as great as Suzuka in her upcoming race that unnerves Grass a tad.

On the day of the Takarazuka Kinen, Grass wins the race and Special gets 2nd 3 horse lengths behind Grass. After the race, Grass approaches a winded Special and states that she gave it her all during that race and wonders if Special did the same. Suzuka watched the race from a tv and later that night Special is met by Trainer by the hollow tree stump. The two talk about her race earlier that day and Trainer imposing onto Special that she win all of her races that fall. Meanwhile, in her dorm, Suzuka takes off the bandage on her leg and goes outside to do some late night jogging.

Characters

 * Trainer
 * Silence Suzuka
 * Special Week
 * El Condor Pasa
 * Air Groove
 * Misato Akasaka
 * Junko Hosoe
 * Symboli Rudolf
 * Daiwa Scarlet
 * Gold Ship
 * Vodka
 * Tokai Teio
 * Mejiro McQueen
 * Narita Brian
 * Maruzensky
 * Fuji Kiseki
 * Oguri Cap
 * Grass Wonder
 * Hana Toujou
 * Seiun Sky
 * Haru Urara