It is basically impossible to talk about the meta in Uma Musume Pretty Derby without eventually running into the Support Card that changed how we look at "Guts" training. I’m talking about Anchors Aweigh Uma Musume—specifically the SSR Gold Ship card that dropped during the 2.5 Anniversary peak. Most players saw Gold Ship on the cover and assumed it would just be another meme card because, well, it’s Gold Ship. They were wrong.
The card is a powerhouse. Honestly, if you aren't running a Guts-centric build in the current L'Arc or Project L'Arc scenarios, you're leaving stats on the table. But it isn't just about the raw numbers. It is about the specific skill "Anchors Aweigh!" and how it interacts with the mid-leg positioning of long-distance runners. It changed the game.
What Actually Makes Anchors Aweigh Uma Musume So Good?
When people talk about the "Anchors Aweigh" card, they are usually referencing the SSR Guts Gold Ship (Power of Sea). Let's be real: Guts (根性) used to be a dump stat. In the early days of the game, you ignored it. Then the balance patches hit. Suddenly, Guts affected your "Last Spurt" speed and your ability to resist being blocked by other girls.
This specific Gold Ship card provides a massive boost to the training efficiency of the Guts stat. But the real kicker? The gold skill: Anchors Aweigh! (ウマ娘 錨を上げよ！).
It is a stamina-recovery and acceleration hybrid skill that triggers during the middle leg of a race. For long-distance tracks like the Tenno Sho (Spring) or the Arima Kinen, this is massive. Most recovery skills are just... flat. They give you a bit of blue bar back. This one has flavor. It represents Gold Ship’s chaotic energy—it pushes the girl forward while making sure she doesn't gas out before the final straight.
The Training Multipliers are Ridiculous
I’ve seen a lot of people sleep on the friendship bonus here. We are looking at a 30% Friendship Bonus and a 15% Training Effect boost when fully uncapped (MLB). That is high. Really high.
Compare that to the older SSR Guts cards like Haru Urara. Urara is great because she’s free and has high HP recovery, but she offers zero specialty rate. Gold Ship? She has a Specialty Rate of 50. She actually shows up in the Guts training folder when you need her to.
The Confusion Between the Card and the Character
There is a bit of a naming muddle in the community. Sometimes "Anchors Aweigh" is used to describe the card, and sometimes people use it to describe the specific "Ships Log" costume for Gold Ship herself. You’ve got to stay sharp here.
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If you are pulling on a banner, you are looking for the SSR Support Card.
If you are looking at the 3D model in a race, you’re looking at the costume. The costume is iconic—it’s the naval officer aesthetic that fits Gold Ship's "Captain" persona. But in terms of winning races? The Support Card is what carries the weight. It’s the engine under the hood.
Why the Guts Meta Shifted
For a long time, Speed and Stamina were the only things that mattered. Then the developers realized that races felt too predictable. They buffed the "Guts" interaction. Now, if two Uma Musume have the same Speed but one has 400 Guts and the other has 1100, the one with 1100 will absolutely destroy the other in the final 200 meters.
Anchors Aweigh Uma Musume fits into this because it allows you to hit that 1100+ Guts cap without sacrificing your Power or Speed training. It provides "Power Bonus +1" as a sub-stat. This means every time you click that Guts button, your Power stat is creeping up too. It’s efficiency at its finest.
How to Actually Use the Card Without Messing Up Your Run
I see this mistake constantly: players slap the Gold Ship SSR into a deck for a Short or Mile runner. Don't do that. Just... don't.
The gold skill "Anchors Aweigh!" is specifically geared toward Long Distance. If you use it on a Mile runner, the skill might not even trigger, or if it does, it triggers at a point where the stamina recovery is totally wasted. You’re paying a premium in Skill Points for a gold skill you can’t use.
Instead, pair this card with:
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- Mejiro McQueen (Long Distance Focus): She needs the stamina sustain and the guts for the final stretch.
- Rice Shower: Because Rice always struggles with the Guts/Power balance.
- Manhattan Cafe: To double down on the long-distance dominance.
It’s about synergy. You wouldn't wear hiking boots to a ballroom dance, right? Same logic applies here.
The "Gold Ship" Tax
One thing to keep in mind is that Gold Ship cards always come with a "randomness" factor. Her events in the training simulation can be a bit chaotic. You might get a huge stat boost, or you might get a "Lazy" status effect if the RNG gods are angry.
Is it worth the risk?
Personally, I think so. The upside of the "Anchors Aweigh" events usually results in a massive chunk of Skill Points (Pt). In the current meta, Skill Points are the bottleneck. You can have 1500 Speed, but if you only have three skills, you’re going to lose to an A+ rank girl with a better skill kit.
Deep-Tier Strategy: The "Specialty Rate" Secret
Let's talk about something most casual guides skip: Specialty Rate 50.
In Uma Musume, the Specialty Rate determines how likely a card is to appear in its designated training slot. A rate of 50 is the "Golden Zone." It’s high enough that she’s consistently in the Guts folder, but not so high that she becomes a nuisance when you desperately need to train Speed during a Summer Camp.
When you are in the "L'Arc" scenario, you are looking for "Successive Training" bonuses. Having Gold Ship show up consistently allows you to chain Guts training, which spikes your "Star Gauge" faster. This is how the top players are hitting those insane SS+ and U-rank evaluations.
Does it work for F2P players?
Honestly, this is where it gets tricky. An SSR Gold Ship card at Level 30 (0 Uncaps) is... okay. It’s fine. But it isn't "Anchors Aweigh" in its true form. To really see the power of the training bonuses, you need at least two uncaps (Level 40).
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If you are a Free-to-Play player, you might be better off borrowing a Max Level (Level 50) Gold Ship from a friend and using your own gems on a more "universal" card like SSR Kitasan Black or SSR El Condor Pasa.
Common Misconceptions About the Anchors Aweigh Skill
I’ve heard people say that "Anchors Aweigh!" is a "trap skill" because it costs too much. This comes from the early days when people valued "Straight Line" skills over "Corner" or "Mid-Leg" skills.
Here is the nuance: "Anchors Aweigh!" is a Positioning skill disguised as a recovery skill.
By giving your Uma Musume a burst of acceleration in the middle of the race, she moves up in the pack. This prevents her from getting "boxed in" (the dreaded "Kakoi" state) by the AI. If you are stuck behind a wall of slower girls when the final spurt starts, it doesn't matter if your Speed is 1600. You're going to lose. Gold Ship’s skill ensures you have the clear air needed to actually use your stats.
A Quick Word on the Visuals
We have to mention the "Anchors Aweigh" animation. It’s iconic. Seeing the anchor drop and the sudden surge of water effects on the track—it’s one of the best-looking skills in the game. Cygames really put the "Pretty Derby" in the title with this one.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Training Run
If you want to maximize the Anchors Aweigh Uma Musume card, here is exactly what you should do:
- Check your Track: Only use the Gold Skill for races 2400m or longer. For anything shorter, just take the raw stats from the card and skip the gold skill to save Pt.
- Prioritize Friendship: In the first two years of training (Junior and Classic), follow Gold Ship whenever she appears. You want that rainbow training "Friendship" bar filled before the third year starts.
- Balance your Deck: Since this is a Guts card, don't bring more than two Guts cards total. Usually, a 2-Speed, 1-Stamina, 2-Guts, 1-Friend setup is the sweet spot for the current meta.
- Watch the Events: If the "Gold Ship" random event pops up and offers you a choice between "Safety" and "Risk," look at your current motivation. if you’re already at "Top Form," take the risk. The reward for the Anchors Aweigh event chain is too good to pass up.
This card isn't just a piece of digital art; it’s a tool. If you use it correctly, your long-distance runners will stop being "okay" and start being dominant. Just remember that Guts is no longer a joke—it's the difference between a podium finish and a "Better Luck Next Time" screen.