Umamusume’s Haru Urara’s real-life horse counterpart receives love from fans despite her "loser" reputation. Read on to learn more about fans’ appreciation of the real versions of the horses and developer Cygames’ fan-content guidelines.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby Real-Life Horse Counterparts Gets Love From Fans
Haru Urara’s Caretaker Shocked By Sudden Attention
Umamusume: Pretty Derby’s global release gave the horse girls’ real-life horse counterparts attention and love, much to the surprise of their caretakers. The pink-haired, spirited Haru Urara’s real-life version suddenly became popular, which prompted her caretaker from Matha Farm to respond.
In February 2025, the caretaker posted a photo of Haru Urara wearing a tiara as she celebrated her birthday. Following the game’s release, fans went back and showed their appreciation to the milk chocolate mare, as the post now has over 25k likes and 2.2 million views.
This was noticed by her caretaker, who posted on July 3 to acknowledge fans’ appreciation. He was shocked to suddenly receive notifications from his birthday post for Haru Urara, as well as gaining 400 followers. He thanked his horse’s supporters and stated, "I don’t know if this will reach the overseas bros and sis, but Haru Urara is doing super well, and honestly, she’s probably healthier and more energetic than I am!"
Meanwhile, Haru Urara’s in-game and real-life counterparts share the same thing –losing at every race they participated in. Over at Matha Farm’s official website, the sensational steed is described as (machine-translated) "a loser ‘star’ with 113 consecutive losses in the Kochi horse race."
Despite her losing streak, her Japanese fans adored and supported her, even though everyone expected her to lose. In 2004, the Los Angeles Times reported her undeniable charisma as she racked up her losses. Fans rallied behind her, going on "Haru tours," buying merchandise, and even using betting tickets on her as a talisman to prevent traffic accidents.
Her fame also piqued the interest of Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who wished for her to win even once. He stated, "The horse is a good example of not giving up in the face of defeat." In 2019, Haru Urara "won" her first race in the Soft Keiba event, which is participated in by retired racehorses. Although it was not an official and graded victory, fans rejoiced with her victory and celebrated online.
Over 20 years later, Haru Urara is still kicking and as popular as ever, in part due to her inclusion in the game. A fan even visited her at a small farm in Chiba, Japan, and shared on Twitter (X) on July 6 that she is "still living a happy and healthy life." The farm is open for reservations only, and the fan noted that it is quite difficult to secure a spot.
Gold Ship’s Lore is Even Crazier in Real-Life
Another horse further popularized by Umamusume is Gold Ship, in part due to its brilliance and powerful races. The silver-haired troublemaker is one of the most popular characters in-game because of her mischievous personality. However, her real-life counterpart also mirrors this and might even be crazier.
One of the highlights (or lowlights to the bettors) was during the 2015 Takarazuka Kinen, where bettors lost around 12 billion yen, or roughly $83 million. Gold Ship was viewed as one of the best racehorses at the time, which is why his underperformance shocked many.
His tendency to take it slow at the beginning of races and then surge to the front is a personality shared by both in-game and real-life versions. In a Twitter (X) post on July 6, user Esen shared a clip of streamer Premier Two’s Gold Ship run, and compared it to the real-life counterpart’s race during Arima Kiren 2012.
Both runs saw Gold Ship start at the back of the race, then at the last minute, showed off their amazing speed to win it all. Fans were hyped and expressed their joy in the comments –even non-players enjoyed watching Umamusume races.
Some clips have also surfaced online, showing Gold Ship enjoying life, chasing butterflies, and being energetic post-retirement. Others wondered if Gold Ship even raced at full power during his heyday, as he always goofed around during racing events.
Fan-Created Content Guidelines
As the game continues to gain popularity, developer Cygames posted guidelines on Umamusume’s official website to protect their characters and the real horses they were inspired by. According to Cygames, this was done with the permission of their respective owners, and they asked fans to avoid sharing or using works of the game that may harm or cause discomfort to the real horses and owners.
Activities that fall under this criterion include works made with the intent to injure the reputation of this franchise or other third parties, works of a violent, sexual, or otherwise obscene nature, infringement upon the rights of a third party, and more. Furthermore, Cygames may pursue legal action against violators if necessary.
The studio stated that these guidelines are not intended to prohibit fan-created content or activities, but to uphold an environment that is enjoyable for everyone. Cygames wishes the continued support of fans for the real-life racehorses and to honor their legacies.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is available on iOS, Android, and PC. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below!
Source:
Haru Urara’s Caretaker Twitter (X) post on her birthday
Haru Urara’s Caretaker Twitter (X) post oh her sudden fame
Loser Races Into Record Book, Public’s Heart
Matha Farm Official Website
Haru Urara “Win” in Soft Keiba 2019
Fan Visited Haru Urara Twitter (X) post
Fan Compared Gold Ship In-Game and Real-Life Twitter (X) post
Fan-Created Content Guidelines
