Best beginner guide for Umamusume: Pretty Derby

Umamusume: Pretty Derby's English version was released on June 25, 2025, for Android, iOS, and Steam. The title is an anime gacha sports simulation title that focuses on horse racing. However, you won't be working with actual steeds but anthropomorphic hybrids of women and horses. Umamusume is a game with many elements connecting each other. Thus, a newcomer might get overwhelmed by it all.

This article provides a beginner's guide to the sports sim title.

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A newcomer's guide to Umamusume: Pretty Derby

A still from Umamusume: Pretty Derby (Image via Cygames)

I've already explained the basic premise of Umamusume in the introduction. Hence, let's explore other aspects of the title:

Stamina system

Umamusume, like other gacha titles, includes a stamina system. It is typically used to keep the day-to-day gameplay in check and increase the longevity of player engagement.

However, the title's rendition of the same system is more lenient. It allows you to get 2-3 runs. Furthermore, you can recharge the Stamina bar by spending some premium currency (earned in-game or by spending real money). Thus, there is no hard limit.

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The Gacha system

You'll spend the premium currency to pull for random new characters and support cards. Umamusume: Pretty Derby also has a sparking mechanic, where you'll get the featured card/character for free after 200 rolls under a single banner.

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Career Mode

Main menu in Umamusume: Pretty Derby (Image via Cygames)

While a PvP mode is present, Career mode is the main focus of the game. It is a raising simulator with roguelike elements. Each Career is short, but its progress affects the next playthrough. The first decision you'll make when starting a run is choosing a horsegirl. If this is your first time, choose Sakura Bakushin O since she's considered the most beginner-friendly.

After choosing your focus character, you'll choose an inheritance. They can be chosen from two groups: Characters from your previous Career runs or characters from your friends in the Follow List (but only three times a day).

Next up, you'll choose Support Cards. These act as your horsegirl's allies that provide different bonuses when you train them together. You'll choose five Supports, with a sixth one from the Follow List. Support Cards are extremely important for your run.

Your main horsegirl character will have a set of Career goals. You need to complete them to proceed with the campaign. If you fail any of them, the run will come to an end, and you'll need to start over.

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Turns

A Career will usually be divided into around 70 turns. You can spend them in various ways. Resting will restore your Energy by a random amount. If you acquire a negative status effect, using the Infirmary has a high chance (yes, it isn't guaranteed) of healing it. There are other ways in which you can spend turns:

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Training

Training is used to improve your horsegirl's stats. Here are all of them:

Stat	Description
Guts	Lowers your stamina consumption when racing.
Power	Affects acceleration (how quickly your character can build up speed). It also improves your horsegirl’s speed when going uphill.
Speed	Affects how fast your trainee will run. It is one of the most important stats, considering this is a racing game.
Stamina	Affects how long you can run. Particular race modes and types deplete Stamina faster.
Wits	Increases the probability of your Skills activating while racing.

When you train in a facility, you might observe some icons on the top right of the screen. These are allies from the Support Cards you own. Training with one or more of these characters will provide you with stat buffs depending on their "effect."

Each ally will also have its own friendship meter, which will increase the more they train with your horsegirl. When it turns orange, you'll unlock a bonus. When you train in a facility that matches their stat type, the training will yield more effective results.

Sometimes, an ally will have an exclamation mark over them. These are known as Hints. They'll usually unlock purchasable Skills (and also offer a discount). Other times, they'll provide stat boosts.

Often, a story-related character can also appear in training. They work the same as allies.

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Skills

Skills are unique abilities that your horsegirl can activate when racing. You can purchase them from the Skills menu. However, many need to be unlocked before they appear on sale. They can become accessible through Sparks, Hints, random events, or races. Note that buying Skills doesn't consume turns.

All the playable characters in the game come with a list of Skills already unlocked. However, players can "awaken" more of them by increasing their Potential Level. Skills unlocked through the same process will be made available for purchase in all further Careers.

Skills can be bought by spending Skill Points.

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Recreation

Talking to characters in Umamusume: Pretty Derby (Image via Cygames)

Players can also go on recreational activities with the horsegirls. Each outing will increase the character's mood and provide particular bonuses.

• Walks can recharge your energy.
• Karaoke can increase the horsegirl's mood more effectively.
• Visiting a Shrine can either recharge your energy or heal a negative status effect.

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Racing

The racing in Umamusume: Pretty Derby is fully automated. There is no player input required. Thus, these races act as glorified cutscenes that you have the ability to skip to go directly to the results.

Participating in extra racing will consume energy but provide you with a lot of Skill Points. Just before starting the race, you'll decide the horsegirl's running strategy. There are four of them in total:

• End Closers initially hang back but try to push to the first position during the final phase of the race.
• Late Surgers are similar to the previous strategy, but instead of being the last, try to hand in the middle.
• Pace Chasers tend to be at the front of the racing group.
• Front Runners aim to start strong and get an early lead.

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Other game modes

There are three other game modes in Umamusume: Pretty Derby. They are:

• Daily Races: As the name suggests, these are races that refresh each day. You can participate in one race three times. There are two types of races: one will reward you with "monies," while others will provide support card upgrading materials. Both race types will have three difficulty settings, with tougher races yielding better rewards.
• Legend Races: Legend Races are available for a limited period and only appear a few times in a month. You can participate three times in one race. While you'll race against a group of opponents, you'll have one main rival for the entirety of the event. These are the best way to obtain star pieces (used to raise the star rating of a character permanently).
• Team Trials: This is the PvP mode. You'll face off against other players near your level. Every match will consist of five different types of races: sprint, mile, medium distance, long distance, and dirt. One match costs one RP, and the latter recharges at a rate of one point per two hours. There are a total of six classes in Team Trials. Higher classes will give out better rewards.

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Some beginner tips

• As a beginner, use your Carats (premium currency) for rolling Support Cards, as these will help you get new Skills and stat buffs.
• Learn about the Career goals of each racer before selecting them to learn what stats to increase.
• Any remaining Skill Points will be destroyed when you complete your Career. Thus, make sure to keep investing in them to buy Skills.
• If you're entering any race with the objective of garnering fans, make sure to check the predictions tab. If you're predicted to win or are at least one of the top contenders, it will help you realize whether to proceed with the race.

That concludes the beginner's guide to Umamusume: Pretty Derby.