You probably think of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby as a purely Japanese phenomenon. It's easy to see why. The game is a juggernaut in Japan, the anime dominates the charts, and the voice actors sell out arenas. But look closer at the roster of horse girls. You’ll find a surprising amount of DNA from the Southern Hemisphere. Specifically, the Uma Musume New Zealand connection is one of the most underrated parts of the franchise's lore.
It isn't just a coincidence.
New Zealand has been a powerhouse in the Thoroughbred world for decades. The "Kiwi" influence on Japanese racing is massive. When Cygames develops these characters, they aren't just making cute designs; they are translating the rugged, high-stamina reputation of New Zealand-bred horses into the game's mechanics and personalities.
The Kiwi Legends in the Uma Musume Roster
If you’ve played the game, you’ve definitely used or seen horses with New Zealand roots. Let's talk about Oguri Cap. She is arguably the most famous horse in Japanese history. While she was born in Japan, her sire (father), Dancing Cap, was an imported stallion. This pattern of importing overseas bloodlines to "toughen up" the local stock is exactly where the New Zealand connection starts to get interesting.
The most direct link? Maruzensky.
Maruzensky is a legend in the game and in real life. While he was born in Japan, he was "in-utero" when his mother was imported. His pedigree is a map of international greatness, and many of the horses he influenced have ties to the breeding programs that New Zealand famously shares with Australia and Japan.
Then there’s the matter of the New Zealand Trophy.
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In the game, this is a GII race. It’s a crucial stepping stone for trainers looking to get their girls into the NHK Mile Cup. In the real world, this race exists because of the deep diplomatic and sporting ties between the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and the Japan Racing Association (JRA). It started back in 1983. It wasn't just a name. It was a formal acknowledgment that New Zealand horses were the ones to beat in the Pacific.
Why New Zealand Bred Horses Changed Japanese Racing
New Zealand's climate is perfect for horses.
The grass is lush. The air is clean. But more importantly, the horses are raised on hilly terrain. This creates "stayers"—horses with incredible lung capacity and bone density. In the early days of the Japanese racing boom, owners realized that if they wanted to win the long-distance races like the Arima Kinen or the Tenno Sho (Spring), they needed that Southern Hemisphere grit.
The "Iron" Reputation
In Uma Musume, you'll notice some characters have much higher "Stamina" or "Power" growth rates than others. This is a direct nod to their real-life counterparts. New Zealand-bred horses were often called "Iron Horses." They could run every week and not get tired.
Honestly, the way Cygames handles this is pretty brilliant. They don't shout it at you. They just bake it into the stats. If a horse has a New Zealand lineage or was sired by a Kiwi-based stallion like the legendary Sir Tristram, their character in the game usually reflects that "never say die" attitude. Sir Tristram never stood in Japan, but his descendants flooded the market, and you can see his influence in the pedigrees of several Uma Musume characters if you dig into the 5-generation charts.
The Cultural Impact: From the Paddock to the Pixels
People in Japan have a massive amount of respect for New Zealand's breeding industry. It's seen as boutique but high-quality. When you see the New Zealand Trophy mentioned in the game's schedule, it carries a certain prestige. It’s not just another GII. It represents a history of trade and mutual respect.
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Think about the character Super Creek.
Her real-life counterpart was a masterpiece of endurance. While Japanese-bred, the training philosophies used to get her to that level were heavily influenced by the stamina-based training methods popularized in New Zealand and Australia. The game reflects this by making her one of the best "Maestros" in the game—a character focused on recovery and staying the course.
What Most People Miss About the NZ Connection
Most fans focus on the "Moe" aspects or the rhythm games. They miss the deep-seated respect for the "Southern Cross" bloodlines.
There's a specific "feel" to New Zealand racing—it's gritty, it's often rainy, and it's about the bond between the land and the animal. When you play the "URA Finals" or the "Grand Masters" scenarios, the importance of the "Green Grass" is always emphasized. This is a subtle nod to the "Emerald Isle of the South."
I’ve spent hours looking through the JRA archives compared to the Uma Musume database. The overlap is nearly 90%. If a horse did something significant in the New Zealand Trophy, they are almost guaranteed a spot in the game or at least a mention in the support cards.
The Future: Will We See More Kiwi-Specific Content?
There is a growing demand for "World" content in Uma Musume. We've already seen characters like Rice Shower and Gold Ship become global icons. It is only a matter of time before Cygames leans harder into the international breeding hubs.
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Imagine a "New Zealand Farm" training scenario.
It would focus on outdoor training, hilly tracks, and stamina-building. This would be a game-changer for the "Long Distance" meta. Given that the game is expanding into English-speaking territories and the "Global" version is always a hot topic of conversation, highlighting the New Zealand roots is a smart move for Cygames. It bridges the gap between the hyper-stylized anime world and the very real, very lucrative world of international horse racing.
How to Spot the New Zealand Influence Yourself
If you want to find the "Kiwi" in your favorite horse girl, do this:
- Check the Sire: Look up the real-life father of the horse. Was he a New Zealand stallion? Or did he spend time "shuttling" between Japan and the NZ breeding season?
- The Race History: Did the horse win the New Zealand Trophy (GII)? If so, their in-game story usually has a specific beat around the "Spring Mile" season.
- Stat Weighting: Horses with New Zealand DNA almost always favor "Power" and "Stamina" over pure "Speed."
Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Trainer
If you’re looking to maximize your performance in the game while honoring this history, start by prioritizing the New Zealand Trophy in your Junior years.
- Target the Mile: If you have a horse with B or A rank in Miles, the NZ Trophy is a goldmine for skill points. Don't skip it just because it's a GII.
- Stamina Meta: Use support cards that reflect the "stayer" lifestyle. Look for cards featuring horses like Super Creek or Mejiro McQueen, who embody the endurance traits that New Zealand breeding perfected.
- Deep Dive the Pedigree: Spend ten minutes on a site like NetKeiba. Look at the "Country of Origin" for the ancestors. You’ll be shocked how often "NZ" pops up in the third or fourth generation of Japan's greatest champions.
The reality is that Uma Musume isn't just about Japan. It's a love letter to the global history of the Thoroughbred. New Zealand might be a small country, but in the world of horse racing—and by extension, the world of Uma Musume—it's a giant. Understanding that history doesn't just make you a better fan; it makes the game feel a lot more grounded in reality.
Next time you see that New Zealand Trophy banner pop up in your training schedule, don't just click through it. Take a second to appreciate the decades of breeding, the thousands of miles of travel, and the "Iron Horse" legacy that made that race possible. It's a small piece of a much larger puzzle that connects a pixelated girl with a dream to a rugged pasture in the South Pacific.