You know that feeling when you're looking at a character design and you just know they're going to be a handful? That's Seeking the Pearl. She isn't just another horse girl in the massive Cygames roster; she’s a hurricane of "American Spirit" wrapped in a purple outfit. If you’ve been playing Uma Musume: Pretty Derby for a while, you've probably noticed that some characters just blend into the background of the G1 winners' circle. Not her. Uma Musume Seeking the Pearl is a loud, proud, and genuinely fascinating addition to the game that reflects a very specific era of Japanese horse racing history.
Honestly, she’s kind of a lot.
Most players first encounter her and wonder why she’s constantly talking about being a "global star" or why her energy levels seem to be permanently set to 150%. It isn't just a quirk for the sake of anime tropes. It’s a direct nod to the real-life Seeking the Pearl, a horse that literally went across the ocean to prove she was the best. She was the first Japanese-trained horse to win a Group 1 race in Europe. That’s a huge deal. It changed the way the Japan Racing Association (JRA) looked at the world. In the game, this translates to a character who is obsessed with the "world stage," and if you aren't prepared for her personality, she’ll leave your ears ringing.
The Real History Behind Seeking the Pearl
Let's look at the facts because the real-life story is arguably more dramatic than the game script. Born in 1994, Seeking the Pearl was a daughter of Seeking the Gold. She was fast. Like, scary fast. Her victory in the 1997 NHK Mile Cup was a statement, but her real legacy was cemented in 18th August 1998. She went to France. She ran the Prix Maurice de Gheest. She won.
Think about the logistics of that in the late 90s.
Transporting a high-strung athlete across time zones wasn't as streamlined as it is now. She paved the way for legends like El Condor Pasa and eventually Equinox. When you're training Uma Musume Seeking the Pearl in the game, you're essentially managing the ego of a pioneer. She has every right to be that confident.
In the game’s narrative, Cygames leans heavily into this "overseas" persona. She sprinkles English into her dialogue—often incorrectly or with hilariously high energy—which makes her stand out during the training scenarios. But there’s a nuance there. She isn't just arrogant. She’s burdened by the need to be a bridge between Japan and the rest of the world. It’s a lot of pressure for a girl who just wants to run really fast.
Training Seeking the Pearl: What Actually Works?
If you’re trying to build a winning Seeking the Pearl, you have to lean into her strengths: Mile and Short distances. She’s a speed demon. Trying to make her run a Long distance race is a recipe for heartbreak and a very frustrated horse girl. Her base stats heavily favor Speed and Power.
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Here is the thing about her skills. Her unique skill, "Excellent! This is the World-Class!" (yes, that’s really the name), triggers when you're in the final stages of the race. It’s a positioning-based skill. If you’re in the middle of the pack on a straightaway, she gets a massive surge. You want to run her as a Between (Sashi) or Leader (Precede) runner.
Don't ignore her "Guts" stat though.
Because she often runs in high-density Short and Mile races, she gets bumped around a lot. High Guts helps her maintain her composure when the pack gets tight. I’ve seen so many players max out Speed only to have her crumble in the last 200 meters because she ran out of gas or got boxed in by a sneaky Taiki Shuttle or Sakura Bakushin O.
Support Card Synergy
You need cards that compliment her "Global Star" energy.
- SSR Taiki Shuttle is almost a mandatory partner for her because of the Mile-specific gold skills.
- SSR Daiwa Scarlet (the Intelligence version) helps with her positioning.
- SSR Kitasan Black (Speed) is obviously the gold standard for any Speed-focused build, but for Pearl, it's about the "Cornering" buffs.
Training her is a balancing act. You’ll get these random events where she wants to do something "world-class," and if you fail the RNG check, your motivation drops. It’s frustrating. It’s chaotic. It’s Seeking the Pearl.
Why the Community Loves (and Struggles with) Her
There is a segment of the Uma Musume fanbase that finds her exhausting. I get it. The constant "OH YEAH!" and "WORLD-CLASS!" can be a bit much during a 30-minute training session. But if you look at the fan art and the community discussions on platforms like 2chan or specialized Discord servers, she’s a cult favorite.
Why? Because she represents an era of ambition.
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She isn't "moe" in the traditional, soft sense. She’s a powerhouse. In a game filled with characters who are shy, or stoic, or overly serious, Pearl is a breath of loud, chaotic fresh air. She’s the person at the party who talks too loud but also brings the best snacks and makes sure everyone is having a good time.
There’s also the "Taiki Shuttle connection." These two are often paired together in fan works and game events because they represent that "Western" influence on Japanese racing. Their interactions are some of the funniest in the game. They basically share one brain cell, and that brain cell is dedicated entirely to winning and being loud.
Common Misconceptions About Her Performance
People think she’s a "brain dead" Speed bot. She isn't.
If you just click the Speed button, you will lose in the Champions Meeting. The current meta (as of 2024 and heading into 2025/2026 updates) demands more from Milers than just raw velocity. You need "Accel" skills. Without acceleration skills like Girls' Legend U or specific inheritance traits from characters like Oguri Cap (Christmas version), Seeking the Pearl will hit her top speed too late.
Another mistake? Ignoring her Intelligence.
Her skills need to trigger. If her Intelligence is sitting at 400 while your opponents are at 800, she won't use her "World-Class" boost until the race is already over. Aim for at least 800 Intelligence in your final build if you want to be competitive in Grade league.
The Cultural Impact of the "Global" Horse
Seeking the Pearl’s inclusion in the game was a major nod to the international fans as well. While the game took forever to get a global release (and we all remember the years of speculating about that), Pearl felt like a character designed to acknowledge that horse racing is a global sport.
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In Japan, the real Seeking the Pearl is remembered as a pioneer. When she passed away in 2005 due to a freak accident (lightning strike), the racing community was devastated. She was a legend. By bringing her into Uma Musume, Cygames gave a new generation of fans a chance to learn about her 1998 victory in France. It turned a historical footnote into a living, breathing (and very loud) character.
How to Maximize Your Seeking the Pearl Runs
If you're serious about getting that Rank UF or UE, you have to be tactical.
- Focus on Mile/Short Inheritance: Ensure your parents have 3-star Blue stats in Power or Stamina so you can focus your training turns on Speed and Intelligence.
- The "Summer Camp" Strategy: Do not waste your Summer Camp turns on anything other than what she’s lacking. If your Speed is already high, use those turns to fix her abysmal Guts or Stamina.
- Event Choices: Always pick the options that give "Succession" or "Skill Points." She needs a lot of points to afford her high-cost gold skills.
- Watch the Debuffs: She is prone to some nasty mood swings in her scenario. Keep a "Cup of Tea" or a specialized support card that can heal motivation.
The beauty of Uma Musume Seeking the Pearl is that she rewards players who embrace the chaos. She isn't a "safe" pick like Silence Suzuka or Tokai Teio. She’s a gamble. But when that gamble pays off and you see her screaming across the finish line in a global G1 race, it feels better than almost any other win in the game.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Build
Stop treating her like a secondary character. If you want her to shine, you have to build a team around her.
- Step 1: Look at your inheritance factors. If you don't have at least 9 stars in Power from your parents, don't start the run. She needs that raw strength to push through the final turn.
- Step 2: Equip her with the Gold Accel skills. Look for "Let's Anabolic!" or "Coyote" if you can get them through inheritance.
- Step 3: During the training, prioritize her unique events. They provide some of the best stat boosts in the game if you hit the "Success" roll.
- Step 4: In the final leg of the URA or Grand Masters (or whatever current scenario you are running), make sure her motivation is "Perfect." Her unique skill depends on her being in the right headspace.
She’s a world-class talent. Treat her like one, and she’ll bring home the trophies. Just maybe wear some earplugs while she’s doing it.
Actionable Insight: To truly master Seeking the Pearl, focus on her "Lane Movement" skills. Because her unique skill triggers based on positioning, cards like SSR Nakayama Festa can provide the necessary agility to ensure she isn't trapped behind a wall of slower runners when the final straight begins. Check your current Support library for "Positioning Sense" or "Emerging Strategy" to give her the tactical edge she needs.