Over the course of researching these horses, a common thread that pops up is laminitis, and how it’s basically a death sentence for horses once it gets bad enough. So imagine my surprise when, in the process of researching American Pharoah, I learned about Paynter, also owned by Zayat Stables, who was diagnosed with laminitis and survived. I thought that was neat, and that would make an interesting Umamusume story. Since laminitis is a leg/hoof injury, and Umamusume leg injuries don’t mean death the same way they do for horses, I think Paynter’s disease would be some terminal illness, like cancer. I’m not going to confirm the specific illness, since I don’t want to trigger anyone, but the character’s hair is short because of the treatment process, so interpret that as you will.
The Paynter at the beginning of her career was very different to the Paynter of today. She was energetic and opinionated, with a combative streak when it came to training. She did well in her first year of racing, winning the Haskell Invitational, and with all the other Triple Crown race-winning Umamusume scheduled to retire, Paynter had a real shot at Umamusume of the Year if she kept on winning
Then the diagnosis came.
From that moment onward, Paynter believed that her career and her life were over. The illness was terminal, and she was prepared to give up and wait for the end. But her roommate, American Pharoah, didn’t want to lose her friend so easily. Pharoah approached her childhood friend and heir to Zayat Holdings, Littleprincessemma, who in turn begged her grandfather to fund experimental treatments Paynter and her family couldn’t afford. Moved by Paynter’s plight, her grandfather agreed, and Paynter's treatment began. It was an arduous process, and over its course Paynter would lose a lot of weight and all of her hair. Meanwhile, Zayat Holdings’s commitment to the health and well-being of its sponsored racers made national news, and racing fans young and old across the United States made posters, wrote get-well cards, and otherwise kept their eyes on Paynter’s recovery. Moved by all the support she was getting, Paynter resolved to endure and come out of the treatments stronger, and slowly but surely she recovered. After a period of remission, the doctors officially declared Paynter disease-free, to the joy of her family, friends, and fans. After she was discharged, Paynter was at a loss for what to do, now that she could experience the tomorrows she thought she’d never see. No one would blame her for retiring, but Paynter wanted to give back to the fans who had supported her at her lowest point. As a result, she and her trainer announced a return to the sport, to the shock and delight of the racing world. Paynter is, of course, anxious about running again. Gone is the Umamusume from before, and in her place now stands a quiet yet fiercely determined racer. While Paynter fears she won’t be able to match her pre-diagnosis results, her perseverance far outstrips any worries she may have about running once again.
I had the idea of Paynter in my head ever since I worked on American Pharoah. The glasses, beret, and sclera-less eyes were all elements I wanted to include from the get-go, and I was heavily inspired by Lotte from Little Witch Academia, a show I saw my younger sibling watch. This does mean that her racewear has less of an overall theme than others. I wanted to evoke a stereotypical artist outfit, with added elements to indicate she wears this while running. Like American Pharoah, Paynter wears the neon-yellow and blue Zayat branding, and the bandana is tied to different legs depending on what direction the race she’s running turns. In universe, Paynter’s old racewear was a lot flashier, but since it no longer fits her, she simply requested ‘something comfortable’ for her return.
I’m honestly surprised at how quickly I finished the drawing this time. I wonder if that means I’m finally refining my process. I definitely need to work on thinner lineart, though. Next up is another Umamusume with a troubled medical history, Ruffian, along with one of her new friends from across the sea.
