Episode 21

A Small Wish (ささやかな祈り, Sasayaka na Inori) is the 8th episode of the 2nd season Uma Musume: Pretty Derby anime.

Summary
On a early morning jog, McQueen is approached by Rice and the two start to jog and talk together. After their brief talk, McQueen outruns Rice leaving her winded.

Daiwa, Vodka, McQueen and Tokai walk to school together as Tokai pulls out a newspaper article denoting Rice is aiming to take down McQueen in the Spring Tennoushou. Rice who was at an abandoned school's racetrack planned to camp there and practice. Because of this, she hasn't attended school for the next two days, which is learned by Tokai from Ikuno and Mati. Symboli does some detective work and after investigating Rice's desk, finds a map to someplace and after following it finds Rice diligently training. The two then have a heart to heart together and after it, Rice continues her training and Symboli notices the pile of muddy used shoes that she once used for her training. On the practice racetracks Trainer is informed about Rice's absence from school. McQueen then speeds past them and Trainer records the time noting how fast her time was. Wanting to keep the pace up, McQueen does another lap.

An interview of Team Canopus's trainer who is accompanied by Turbo is done on the practice field, another interview is also conducted about Palmer, by Helios.

The day of the Spring Tennoushou arrives and all eyes are on McQueen continuing her winning streak of the race cup. McQueen who was preparing herself in her dressing room, has a chat with Tokai, before walking down the tunnel way and runs into Rice, who emits a dark aura. The aura and the fiery look in Rice's eye shocks McQueen still. McQueen's anxiety is noted by her team and had to be lead inside her position of the race gate. Once every racer was in their proper spot within the race gate, the race begins and what was a close race, Rice wins and achieves a new race record. While she may have won, her victory may have been another pyrrhic one, this changes, when McQueen claps for Rice while smiling, causing the audience to follow suit. In the tunnel way, Bourbon congratulates and consoles the emotional Rice.

An after-party is held for McQueen at Team Spica's base, but McQueen is nowhere to be found. Therefore, Tokai sets out to find McQueen and when she does, eavesdrops on a conversation she has with Ikuno.

Characters

 * Mejiro McQueen
 * Rice Shower
 * Daiwa Scarlet
 * Vodka
 * Tokai Teio
 * Ikuno Dictus
 * Matikanetannhauser
 * Symboli Rudolf
 * Trainer
 * Gold Ship
 * Twin Turbo
 * Nice Nature
 * Mejiro Palmer
 * Daitaku Helios
 * Misato Akasaka
 * Junko Hosoe
 * Biwa Hayahide
 * Grass Wonder