Everyone's favourite real-life inspiration for Umamusume: Pretty Derby did hoist 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 racehorse that 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.
One anime horse girl has already won the hearts of thousands: Haru Urara.
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...
