Haru Urara dead: Racehorse inspired ‘Uma Musume’ character
Haru Urara, the mare who conquered the lovers of horse racing in Japan and abroad with her sequence of perpetual losses, died. She was 29 years old.
Yuko Miyahara, a representative of the Urara longtime care care farm, Matha Farm, in the southeast prefecture of Japan chiba, confirmed Japanese Friday Digital that the animal athlete died early on Tuesday from Colic. She was surrounded by staff.
“Urara was 29 years old. During the human years, it’s almost 90, but really, until yesterday, she managed very well,” said Miyahara in the article, which was translated into English. “It was so sudden … Lately Uhara obtained visitors even from outside Japan. It’s really unhappy.”
The horse, whose name translates into a glorious spring, made its debut in 1998 at the Kochi racecourse. The song announced the losses of its resilient star as part of its efforts to stay in business. The reputation of Urara – reinforced by its signature pink racing accessories and its fan goods – violated the perimeters of the Kochi racetrack and has made it a global phenomenon. In 2004, former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi even expressed his support for the mare.
“I would like to see Haru Urara win, even once,” said Koizumi. “The horse is a good example of not giving up in the face of defeat.”
Trained by her longtime coach Dai Muneishi, Urara continued to run – she lost a total of 113 races and finished second in only four of them – until her retirement in August 2004. Her owner at the time separated from the Kochi and Urara race disappeared for several years after her retirement. Since 2014, she has received care in Matha Farms.
His unexpected career and renowned world have been the subject of the 2016 ESPN documentary “The Shining Star for Losers Everywhere”.
“At the time, Haru Urara was to be a star of hope for losers,” said coach Muneishi in the documentary.
The interest in Urara’s inheritance of losing and resilience rekindled earlier this year with the world release of the mobile game “Uma Musume: Pretty Derby” in June. “Uma Musume”, initially released in Japan in 2021, is a racing simulator that reimagine real racing horses as a hugs anime. Players are “coaches” who support runners, leveling them to climb the ranks. In video games, Haru Urara is a HorseGirl whose characteristics are various shades of rose. His character is also presented in the animated series “Uma Musume: Pretty Derby”.
Official account X (formerly Twitter) of the game shared the news of the death of the racing horse “with Heavy Hearts” and cried the “legendary” athlete.
“We share our condolences to all the staff involved in Haru Urara’s care,” said the position.
The staff editor, Tracy Brown, contributed to this report.
