Game:New Player Guide
Welcome to Umamusume: Pretty Derby, Trainer! This guide is intended for the English version of the game. Get acquainted with the basics and start your career strong!
What is Umamusume: Pretty Derby?
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a raising and racing simulation game. The player takes up the role of Trainer, with the goal of helping Umamusume become stronger to achieve victory.
The Umamusume of Tracen Academy all have different goals that must be achieved to become a successful Trainer. It’s essential that trainers learn how to best lead their team to success!
Where to Play
The game is available to download on iOS, Android, and Steam. The game requires 11 gigabytes of storage space on Steam and 6 gigabytes of storage space on iOS and Android. Note that the English version is not available in certain countries, such as the Netherlands and Japan (which has it's own client). If you want to install the Japanese version of the game, please refer to the JP Server Setup here.
Once the game is downloaded, you may be prompted to download game data. The game will ask you to agree to the Terms and Services and to enter for your country of residence, your birth year and month. Once this process is finished, you are ready to begin the tutorial!
While not required, it is recommended that you create a Cygames iD. It can be used to connect an account to another client, to buy Carats through the Cygames WebStore, and to view game news and information.
Gameplay
Career Mode
Career Mode is the primary mode of play in Umamusume. Gameplay revolves around raising an Umamusume's stats and completing their career objectives. Players select one trainee Umamusume, two legacy Umamusume for Inspiration, and six support cards. Inspiration allows veteran Umamusume to act as Legacies with the ability to pass down Sparks correlating to aptitudes, stat bonuses, and skill hints to the trainee. Support cards dictate additional stat bonuses, ingame events, and the additional skills that can be acquired.
Tazuna's Tip
Tazuna's TipThis is unofficial advice!
A clever arrangement of support cards can make any Umamusume a winner!
Career Mode consists of different scenarios that provide different training and story experiences. The scenario available in the game at launch is URA Finale.
In order to participate in other game modes such as Team Trials or Daily Races, you will need to train an Umamusume in Career Mode. After a run in Career Mode is complete, you will acquire a veteran Umamusume to use in the other game modes and to use in future Career Mode runs as legacy for Inspiration.
Team Trials
Team Trials is a PvP game mode in which you create teams of Umamusume and race against other players' teams. A Team Trials team consists of 15 Umamusume, with 3 Umamusume designated for each race type. These race types are Sprint, Mile, Medium, Long, and Dirt. Sprint, Mile, Medium, and Long are turf surface races. The Dirt race type in Team Trials is always a mile distance race on the dirt surface.
Tazuna's Tip
Tazuna's TipThis is unofficial advice!
The racecourse, ground condition, season, weather, and track of each race are randomized in every Team Trials match. Keep this in mind when training Umamusume for your team!
Players are matched against other teams close to their team rank. Each match is made up of 5 races, one of each race type.
Each Umamusume has a unique set of aptitudes that make them more or less effective by default on certain surfaces and distances. Building a team that plays to each Umamusume's strengths is a consistent way to find success.
When you begin Team Trials mode, you are placed in Class 1, the lowest Team Trials class. Achieve a team score higher than the average class score by the end of the week, and you will be promoted to a higher Class. Higher classes provide better awards at the end of the week. The highest possible class is Class 6!
Daily Races
Every day, you can participate in 3 races that provide Monies or Support Points. There are two races with three difficulty levels each: easy, normal, hard, and extra hard.
| Race | Distance | Reward |
|---|---|---|
 |
Mile (1600m) | Monies
|
 |
Medium (2000m) | Support Points
|
Higher difficulties provide better rewards, so make sure to compete in the highest difficulty you can win to maximize your currencies!
Room Match
Room Matches allow players to race against other trainers, with players being able to set their own track, participants and race settings.
There are 4 options when entering Room Match:
Host - Create and customize races for players to join. These races can be shared in the Club chat or on social media.
Join - Join either a public or private room matches using a Race ID.
Spectate - Enter a Race ID to spectate other players room matches.
Sign-Ups and Saved Races - Recruit players to participate in signed up races, or view saved races to look back at. Only 5 races can be signed up and saved at one time.
Story Events
Story Events are large events that feature a new, unique story. These events come with several rewards and an exclusive Support Card.
During the event, players will earn points either by finishing Career Mode, or by completing Event Missions. Points earned will go towards Point Rewards, with reward milestones going to a maximum of 1,450,000 points. To view all Event Story chapters, Trainers must earn 400,000 points, unlocking the final chapter as well as the Event Support Card.
Tazuna's Tip
Tazuna's TipThis is unofficial advice!
During story events, certain support cards and Umamusume will award bonus event points. Make sure to check which characters give a bonus in the Career Mode menu and Event page!
After finishing Career Mode or completing missions, you may receive Roulette Tokens. This currency is used to spin the Roulette wheel that gives rewards for completing a Bingo card. After completing a Bingo card, you will be rewarded a copy of the Event support card. The first 3 Bingo cards will reward the Event support card, with subsequent Bingos providing lesser rewards.
Items and Currencies
Items and currencies in the game have different effects and uses, and can be acquired in many different ways. Some of the most common ways to acquire items include playing Career Mode and participating in events.
| Item | Most Often Used For | Common Ways to Obtain |
|---|---|---|
 Carats |
|
|
Monies |
|
|
Support Points |
|
|
 Friend Point |
|
|
 Clover |
|
|
 Cleats |
|
|
 Trainer Medal |
|
|
 Toughness 30 |
|
|
 Carrot Jelly Mini |
|
|
 Alarm Clock |
|
|
 Goddess Statues |
|
|
 Dream Glitter |
|
|
 Shoes |
|
|
 Garland |
|
|
A full list of the ways to use and acquire items is available on the items page.
Scout
Umamusume and Support Cards are obtained in Umamusume through the Scout system. Scouting is split between 'Pretty Derby' scouting, which provides Trainee Umamusume, and Support Card scouting. The specific Scouts available in the game at a given time rotate, with each Scout having slightly increased odds of obtaining highlighted Umamusume and cards. Generally, the release of a new Scout will add one or more new Umamusume or Support Cards to the pool, making them accessible to obtain in the in the following Scouts.
Players spend the game's premium currency, Carats, on scouts. A scout provides a single random Umamusume or Support Card. A random scout costs 150 Carats, and a 10x scout costs 1500 Carats. 200 scouts, or 30000 Carats spent on a single rotating Scout allows the player to select and receive a Trainee Umamusume or card from the highlighted selection of Trainee Umamusume or Support Cards.
Both Umamusume and Support Cards have different rarity ratings that impact their likelihood to be scouted.
| Umamusume | Support Card | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| ☆ | R | 79% |
| ☆☆ | SR | 18% |
| ☆☆☆ | SSR | 3% |
For suggestions on what to look out for in the Scouts at launch, check the Goals section of this guide!
Goals
Train strong Umamusume! Use your Umamusume and support cards in Career Mode. There are lots of stories to read, and plenty of strategies to experiment with in the various scenarios currently available in-game.
Tazuna's Tip: What are the best support cards to get from the gacha at launch? [toggle]
Tazuna's Tip: What are the best support cards to get from the gacha at launch?This is unofficial advice! [toggle]
The game launches with 23 SSR support cards. Two of them in particular are stand-outs. If you don't get either of these cards, don't worry: strong characters can be built without them. SR cards are strong and flexible at launch.
|
|
  SSR [Piece of Mind] Super Creek
|
  SSR [Wave of Gratitude] Fine Motion
|
|---|---|
|
|
Join a club! Team up with your friends and work together to climb the ranks for monthly rewards, earn Friend Points, and trade items.
Complete the Release Celebration Missions! There are lots of missions to complete that will provide rewards and help you get acquainted with the game!
Complete Story Event Goals! Every once in a while, an event with both a storyline and rewards occurs. The rewards are large and oftentimes helpful, so this can really up your game!
Tazuna's Tip: What character should I use my pick ticket on? [toggle]
Tazuna's Tip: What character should I use my pick ticket on?This is unofficial advice! [toggle]
First, wait to use your pick ticket until you've earned the Make Debut ticket from Release Celebration Missions Part 1. This ticket will award you a random 3* Umamusume from the launch Scout. Afterwards, if you haven't gotten the Umamusume you want, you can use the pick ticket on that character.
Two great choices for the pick ticket are 
[Formula R] Maruzensky and 
[Starlight Beat] Oguri Cap. Maruzensky is a strong Front Runner and a great Umamusume to use for inspiration. Oguri Cap is a strong all-rounder usable on almost any track. Both characters have strong Dirt aptitudes, which is uncommon! The only other characters with strong Dirt aptitudes at launch are 
[Bestest Prize ♪] Haru Urara, 
[El☆Número 1] El Condor Pasa, and 
[Wild Frontier] Taiki Shuttle.
Plan ahead! The English version of the game follows the release order of the Japanese version. Use this knowledge to your advantage! Do take note that the English version has an accelerated release schedule to catch up with the Japanese version. Be wise on your carats and properly save for your target Trainees and Support Cards.
Tazuna's Tip: What cards and characters should I save for? [toggle]
Tazuna's Tip: What cards and characters should I save for?This is unofficial advice! [toggle]
Support Cards
While there are many useful Support Cards released following the game's launch, 
SSR [Fire at My Heels] Kitasan Black is by far the most iconic. The card is catered to Front Runners, which historically perform very well during its heyday, and is notable for having a long lifespan, building its reputation as a long-term investment. The card is so consistently powerful it is routinely used with Umamusume specializing in other strategies despite its Front Runner specialization. It is released with the game's fifth set of scouts, and rereleased with its 26th set, making it a common target for Carat spending and saving following launch.
SSR [Happiness Just around the Bend] Rice Shower is expected to be a powerful and popular choice following the release of the second scenario, Aoharu Hai (Unity Cup).
Note that SR cards are powerful and flexible at launch and that the stated SSR cards, while important, are not the end-all be-all.
Umamusume
Every Umamusume can be built into a champion with time and effort. Of the Umamusume released prior to the game's first anniversary in Japan, the following characters were stand-outs.
|
|
|
 [Reeling in the Big One] Seiun Sky
|
 [Ashen Miracle] Oguri Cap
|
 [CODE: ICING] Mihono Bourbon
|
|---|---|---|
|
An excellent Legacy Umamusume owed to her powerful unique skill useful as a Spark of Inspiration for Front Runners. |
An Umamusume with an infamously powerful set of skills that can be trained for many different tracks and strategies. |
A strong Front Runner for Middle and Long distances with a historically long-lasting and consistent performance in PvP. |
Other notable characters of this time period include 
[Hot☆Summer Night] Maruzensky, a powerful Front Runner with different distance aptitudes than Seiun Sky and Mihono Bourbon, and 
[Full-Color Fangirling] Agnes Digital, notable for having 'A' aptitude on both Turf and Dirt.
Frequently Asked Questions
How free to play friendly is Umamusume?
- Umamusume offers plenty of experiences for free to play players. However, the game is part of the "gacha" genre, which means the game will always try to incentivize you to purchase Carats. The very best performance in PvP events is by design linked to having lots of carats to spend on powerful characters and niche support cards. This doesn’t mean you can’t do well and even rack up significant rewards without spending money!
I just scouted an Umamusume. Why can’t I use them in races?
- Before an Umamusume can be used in PvP and daily races, you must first select them as trainee in Career Mode and complete a run. Note that you don't need to complete all the career goals to be able to use them!
I was given an Umamusume Pick Ticket. Which character should I choose?
- Check out Goals for an in-depth discussion, and make sure to complete Release Celebration Missions Part 1 first. In general, the best Umamusume is the one you like.
[Formula R] Maruzensky and 
[Starlight Beat] Oguri Cap are great options.
I keep failing race objectives in Career Mode. What do I do?
- Never give up! Career Mode is difficult to complete when beginning as there are often swings of RNG that can fail your run. As you continue playing and upgrading your support cards, it will get easier to have successful runs. Feel free to ask for help in either the Fan-made Umamusume Discord or the Official Umamusume Discord!