Everyone’s favourite real-life inspiration forUmamusume: Pretty Derbydidhoist the victory flag, just not in the way fans expected.
For the uninitiated, Haru Urara is a real-life racehorse that embodied Japanese perseverance in the early 2000s. The horse was (and is) famous, but not in the same vein as other famous horses like Seabiscuit. Haru Urara was not known for her victories, rather, her 113 career loss record. Since the horse’s anime-girl appearance in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, she has stolen the heart of the internet once again.
In the real world,Urara is a 29-year-old Japanese racehorsethat never won a race but continued competing thanks to her owners in Mitsuishi, Hokkaido. Since her 1998 debut, she ran regularly for four years—always finishing off the podium, but first in fans' hearts. Umemusume: Pretty Derby makes sure to embody the inspiration for each tail-wagging contestant, translating each famous horse on the roster faithfully into their anime counterparts.
This equestrian history lesson unfortunately doubles as a nerf to Haru Urara’s stats, as she’s abysmal when compared to most of the other cast members, but her infectious optimism can steal the show. Today, a report has broken (courtesyof Dexterto) that reveals Haru Urara’s perfect loss streak might not be as ironclad as advertised.
Haru Urara Won A Race, But Not Really
While fans can indeed take a trip to go see the retired Haru Urara, it appears that on her retired tour, she has won a race! It’s not the triple crown or anything, but it’s a shining example of what perseverance can do for all. Haru Urara was said to have won a “soft horse racing” event back in 2019. Soft horse racing (better known as Soft Keiba) is an event where retired horses race against each other for fun, instead of podium placement. Think a casual game instead of ranked. While the win doesn’t count on her “official” record, the victory follows Umamusume’s mantra of ‘there’s no such thing as a bad horse.’
In Umamusume: Pretty Derby, Haru Uraradoesn’t have the worst stats on the roster,but she is put in scenarios that would see the horse-girl likely lose. AsTheGamer’s Jade Kingsays, “It’s a long shot, but if Haru Urara couldn’t win in reality, she can here.” In real life, maybe the scenarios that would see Haru Urara lose are under bright lights and on horse racing’s biggest stage. Maybe all Haru Urara needed was a less serious situation to succeed, like her carefree in-game counterpart. All-in-all, Haru Urara may not be known for winning, but she’s a winner in the fandom’s eyes.
