7 best S-tier characters in Umamusume: Pretty Derby

There are numerous characters to choose from in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, but only a few are truly speedsters on the Turf and Dirt. While Speed plays an important role, it's not the only contributing factor that can or will guarantee a win. These racers bring their "S" game to the track and are, in their own right, unstoppable forces of nature.

They have solid growth rates, skills that are complete game-changers, and incredible aptitudes. When combined with support cards, they become nigh unstoppable. Here are seven of the best S-Tier characters in Umamusume: Pretty Derby.

Gold Ship and six other S-tier characters in Umamusume: Pretty Derby

Gold Ship

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Gold Ship is sheer chaos on the track. With a wild personality, she's one of her kind when it comes to Long-Distance Turf Races, which makes her a top contender in Umamusume: Pretty Derby. Endowed with Power +10% and Stamina +20% bonus, and when combined with her ability, she's perfect for marathon events like Tenno Sho (Spring).

Her unique skill, Anchors Aweigh!, will trigger halfway through the race, propelling her with her lightning speed, which just so happens to be a sustained speed boost. You'll have to be careful balancing her stats, but once you perfect that, she becomes an unstoppable force on the track.

Special Week

Special Week is the embodiment of consistency and reliability in Umamusume: Pretty Derby. She's perhaps the best choice if you're looking for adaptability on the go. Excelling at Medium-Distance, she has Speed +20% and Power +10% bonus. This makes her suitable for 2000 m events. An A rank in Pace-Chaser and Late-Surger strategies gives exceptional flexibility on the track.

Her skill, Shooting Star, activates during the back half of the race as soon as she overtakes an opponent. This provides a reliable speed boost that should let you get ahead of the pack.

Tokai Teio

Tokai Teio excels at Medium and Long-Distance races as a Pace-Chaser. With Speed +20% and Stamina +10% bonus, she's efficient and flexible on the racetrack. Her skill, Certain Victory, is perhaps one of the, if not the strongest one in available in Umamusume: Pretty Derby. It triggers when overtaking an opponent near the front and allows her to deliver a home run, quite literally.

Her kit is also packed with stamina conservation, a lot of lateral movement, and recovery skills. This gives her massive potential to finish and win races that would normally seem impossible.

Daiwa Scarlet

Daiwa Scarlet can only be described as a relentless Front-Runner in Umamusume: Pretty Derby. Once control is seized and she's in the lead, best of luck to whoever's behind her. This makes her a formidable Front-Runner and Pace-Chaser, combining that with Guts +20% and +10% Speed bonus, she's not just leading the pack, she's ahead of it.

Her skill, Resplendent Red Ace, provides a velocity and acceleration boost in the second half of the race. It triggers when she either holds the lead or overtakes an opponent in a head-to-head manner.

Maruzensky

Maruzensky has a Speed +10% and a Wit +20% bonus, which gives her a solid skill activation rate, which lets her dominate as a Front-Runner. She's magnificent on Turf, but pretty solid on Dirt as well, which gives you the best of both worlds. When combining this with skill, Red Shift/LP1211-M, she's able to deliver an eyewatering boost on the final corner, ensuring a smooth finish.

Mejiro McQueen

Mejiro McQueen is an endearing long-distance runner with Speed +10%, Stamina +10%, and Guts +10% which makes her incredible for even 3,200 m events. Being a Pace-Chaser lets her go toe-to-toe with the pack leader(s) and ovetake them when the opportunity arises using her skill, Legacy of the Strong.

This is a defensive and offensive skill, which is a speed boost that triggers when challenged late in the race. This gives her the edge when it comes to fending off rivals and breaking ahead of the pack in Umamusume: Pretty Derby.

Oguri Cap

Oguri Cap truly earns her S-tier status due to being powerful and extremely versatile. She is perhaps the most adaptable character in Umamusume: Pretty Derby because she can excel on both Turf and Dirt surfaces, and compete effectively in Short, Mile, and Medium distances. With Speed +15% and Power +15%, she's a powerhouse in the truest sense.

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About the author

Matthew Wilkins is one of the top writers at Sportskeeda Gaming, having crossed 16 million views in just over three years. Matthew currently writes for Fortnite, MMO, and other sections as well. Speaking with developers of the Total War franchise and reviewing numerous AAA games have been key milestones in his career so far.

Matthew is a Communicative English Major, and his skills and experience have helped him dig deep in the world of esports and gaming journalism. He prioritizes accuracy and ensures nothing is second-guessed. Being connected to the community is an important aspect of his life, as it helps him keep track of credible insiders and leakers to be among the first to report on breaking news.

Matthew grew up playing video games, with Age of Empires serving as his gateway into the world. Currently, he leans towards real-time as well as turn-based strategy games, 4x, and similar genres, and frequently binge-plays solo or multiplayer titles on PC. His love for Red Dead Redemption 2 and Stellaris are unparalleled, matched perhaps only by Fortnite. Matthew is also a vocalist and performs a variety of genres like Glam Rock, Pop, Heavy Metal, and Rock when not writing.

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Edited by Angad Sharma