If you’ve spent any significant time grinding in Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, you know the dread. It’s that moment in the Senior year of a training run where the calendar hits late March. The Hanshin Daishoten. It’s not just another race; it’s a 3000-meter gauntlet that has ruined more "A-rank" runs than almost any other GII in the game. Honestly, it’s kind of brutal how a non-G1 race can feel like the final boss of the spring season.
The Uma Musume Hanshin Daishoten race is a faithful recreation of the real-life Grade II stayers' race held at Hanshin Racecourse. In the world of Cygames' hit media franchise, this race serves as the primary stepping stone for the Tenno Sho (Spring). It’s long. It’s grueling. And if your stamina stat is even a point lower than it needs to be, your girl is going to "hit the wall" (kakari) or simply run out of gas at the 2600m mark, leaving you watching in horror as the rest of the pack sails past.
The Reality of 3000 Meters in Uma Musume
Distance matters. In most training scenarios, you're prepping for 2000m or 2400m. Then the Hanshin Daishoten arrives. It demands a specific kind of build that many players neglect early on. Basically, you're looking at a right-handed, inner track layout. The 3000m distance classifies it as a "Long" (Chouryoku) race.
Why does this matter so much? Because the stamina requirement jumps exponentially. You aren't just running; you're surviving. Real-life legends like Gold Ship and Mejiro McQueen made this race their playground, and in the game, their counterparts are equally terrifying here. Gold Ship, specifically, has a penchant for winning this race three times in a row in actual history (2013-2015), a feat the game reflects through her high base stamina and "Gate" frustrations.
If you’re running a character with a "Between" (Saishi) or "Long" (Oikomi) strategy, the final straight at Hanshin is notoriously short compared to Tokyo. You have to start your move early. If you wait until the final 400 meters to trigger your ultimate skill, you’ve already lost. The curve is where the magic—or the tragedy—happens.
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Stats You Actually Need to Survive
Let’s talk numbers. To comfortably clear the Uma Musume Hanshin Daishoten race during the URA Finals or even the newer L'Arc or Masters Challenge scenarios, you need to aim for at least 550 to 600 Stamina. That’s the bare minimum. If you have "Maestro of the Depths" (Enko no Maestro), you can get away with slightly less, but relying on skill procs is a dangerous game.
The stamina burn is real. The game calculates energy consumption based on distance and speed, and 3000m is the threshold where the "Spurt" phase can be cut short if your blue skills don't fire. Most veterans recommend at least two gold recovery skills for any girl entering this race. Kinda overkill for a GII? Maybe. But losing the fans and the stat boost right before the Tenno Sho is a massive setback you can’t afford.
The Rival Problem
You're not just racing against the clock. Depending on who you are training, the NPC rivals in the Hanshin Daishoten are surprisingly tuned. You’ll often run into heavy hitters like Rice Shower or Super Creek. These girls are stamina monsters. Super Creek, in particular, has her "Pure Heart" skill which basically guarantees she won't tire out. If you're trailing her going into the third corner, the odds of overtaking are slim unless your Power stat is pushing 700+.
Why This Race is a Training Turning Point
Strategy shifts here. In the early game (Junior and early Classic), you can brute force wins with Speed alone. The "Speed Meta" is a lie when it comes to the Hanshin Daishoten. You could have 1200 Speed, but if your Stamina is 300, you will finish 12th. It’s a reality check.
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- Check the weather: Hanshin in late March is often "Heavy" or "Yielding" in the game’s RNG. This increases stamina drain even further.
- Proper Positioning: Being "blocked" (kakari) in a long race is a death sentence. It drains your stamina bar faster than a leak in a bucket.
- The GII Trap: Because it isn't a GI, some players skip it to rest or train. Big mistake. The Hanshin Daishoten provides a unique "Stayers" buff in some scenarios and is essential for completing the "Spring Senior Triple Crown" (Osaka Hai, Tenno Sho Spring, Takarazuka Kinen is the usual route, but the Daishoten is the best prep).
Decoding the Hanshin Track Layout
The inner track at Hanshin is tight. Unlike the outer track used for the Mile Championship, the inner track forces the girls into a sharp turn. This favors those with high Agility (Guts) and Power. The "Guts" (Konjou) stat determines how well they hold their position and how much stamina they save when rubbing shoulders with other runners. In a 3000m race, that "shoulder rubbing" happens for a long time.
If your girl has the "Right Turn" or "Hanshin Racecourse" green skills, activate them. They are cheap on Skill Points (Pt) and provide a flat percentage boost to stats that don't scale with the 1200 cap. It's the "secret sauce" for high-level PVP (Champions Meeting) builds that involve the Hanshin long-distance layouts.
Historical Weight and the "Gold Ship" Factor
You can't mention this race without talking about the "Ship." In the game, Gold Ship's AI is programmed to be erratic, just like her real-life counterpart. In the Hanshin Daishoten, she has a higher probability of starting late. However, her "Long Distance" aptitude is so high that she often teleports to the front by the end of the second lap.
Real-world fans remember the 2012-2015 era where the Hanshin Daishoten was basically the "Gold Ship Invitational." When you're racing against her in Uma Musume, you’re feeling a bit of that history. It’s one of the few times where the game’s difficulty spikes to match the prestige of the real-world athlete.
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Winning Strategies for the Hanshin Daishoten
Don't panic. If you're staring at the race screen and realizing your stamina is low, switch your strategy to "Leader" (Senkou) instead of "Runner" (逃げ). Runners consume the most stamina because they have to maintain a lead. Leaders can draft behind others, saving a bit of energy for that final hill.
- Prioritize "Arc Maestro" or "Recovery" skills at least two turns before the race.
- Ignore the "Expert Advice" if it tells you to focus on Speed; look at the Stamina triangle. If it’s yellow or red, you’re in trouble.
- Watch the "Motivation" (Kibun). A "Low" motivation stat cuts your stamina by a significant percentage. Use a Cup of Tea or go to the Shrine if you're not at "Best" condition.
The Uma Musume Hanshin Daishoten race is a gatekeeper. It separates the casual trainers from those who actually understand the mechanics of distance racing. It’s a beautiful, frustrating, 3000-meter lesson in why balance matters more than raw power.
To truly master this race, start your training by looking at the "End Goal." If your girl’s objective includes the Tenno Sho Spring, the Hanshin Daishoten is your dress rehearsal. Use it to test if your stamina recovery skills are firing correctly. If they aren't, you have exactly one month of in-game time to fix it before the real challenge begins.
Next Steps for Trainers:
- Audit your support card deck; ensure you have at least one high-tier Stamina card (like SSR Super Creek or SSR Manhattan Cafe) for any long-distance build.
- Practice the "Manual" trigger of recovery skills in the Room Match mode using the Hanshin 3000m setting to see exactly where your runner runs out of steam.
- Focus on inheritance; bring in Blue Stamina factors (9-star if possible) to pad your base stats without having to waste training turns on the Stamina tile.