Real-life inspiration for ‘Umamusume’ character, Haru Urara dies at 29

The legendary Japanese racehorse Haru Urara who is the symbol of determination and national icon of hope has passed away at the age of 29.

She was the inspiration behind the famous Japanese mobile game Umamusume: Pretty Derby.

As confirmed by Yahoo News, she died in the early hours of Tuesday, September 9, at Martha Farm at Onjuku, Chiba, as a result of complications arising from horse colic.

Her story gained popularity in 2003 when she was on a losing streak of 80 races and was labelled as the “shining star of losers.”

Instead of being fired, her determination to work despite continuous defeats made her a popular cultural icon.

Thousands of spectators used to join the Kochi Racetrack to watch her race. In 2004, she retired from the racing world.

In June 2024, her legacy was revived with the worldwide release of mobile game Umamusume: Pretty Derby where she appears as a character.

The popularity of the game resulted in the outpouring of international support with fans donating over 2,500 kilograms of ryegrass through the ‘Fresh Hay Bank’ in July which led to a site crash.

The developer of the game Cygames and the official Umamusume social media accounts sent condolence messages in recognition of the horse whose life story of persistence inspired millions of people.