If you’ve spent any significant time grinding in Uma Musume Pretty Derby, you know the crushing feeling of a failed Triple Crown run. It usually starts with high hopes in the Hopeful Stakes and ends in a mess of tears at Satsuki Sho. But there’s a specific gatekeeper standing in your way. It’s the Yayoi Sho (Deep Impact Kinen). Honestly, if you aren't prepping for this G2 specifically, your Satsuki Sho ambitions are basically dead on arrival.
The Yayoi Sho isn't just another race on the calendar. In the real world of Japanese horse racing, it's a designated trial race for the Satsuki Sho, the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown. In the game, it serves the exact same purpose, but with the added layer of being a mechanical nightmare if your stats aren't balanced. You’re hitting this in March of your Senior year (or Junior year depending on the scenario timeline), and it’s the ultimate litmus test for whether your girl actually has the stamina to survive 2000 meters at Nakayama.
Why the Uma Musume Yayoi Sho Is the Real Mid-Game Boss
Most players focus on the G1s. That makes sense, right? More fans, better rewards, higher skill point payouts. But skipping the Uma Musume Yayoi Sho is a rookie mistake for several reasons. First, the Nakayama track layout is a beast.
Nakayama is notorious for its tight corners and that brutal uphill climb right before the finish line. If you haven't tested your runner's "Power" and "Stamina" here before the Satsuki Sho, you’re essentially gambling with your training items. The Yayoi Sho gives you a lower-stakes environment to see if your build can handle the 2000m distance. It’s a G2, sure, but the competition—especially if you're facing off against historical rivals like Agnes Tachyon or Manhattan Cafe—is no joke.
The race takes place in Early March. This is a critical junction. You’ve just finished your winter training. Your stats are starting to bloom. You’re looking at your Stamina and thinking, "Yeah, 400 is plenty." Then you hit the Yayoi Sho. You see your girl gasping for air at the 1600m mark because the Nakayama incline sucked her dry. That's the value of this race. It's a wake-up call. It tells you exactly what you need to fix before the April G1 peak.
Breaking Down the Nakayama 2000m Layout
You've got to understand the physics here. The race starts on the homestretch, which is unusual. You go past the grandstands immediately, which means the "Excitement" (Kakaritai) mechanic can trigger early if your Intelligence is low. Then you hit the first turn. It’s sharp. If your "Power" stat is lagging, you’ll get pushed to the outside, losing precious distance.
The middle leg is a deceptive downhill. This is where AI-controlled rivals love to make their move. If you’re running a "Between" (Sashi) or "Long" (Oikomi) strategy, you need enough "Wisdom" (Kashikosa) to ensure your girl doesn't get boxed in. I’ve seen countless runs end because a high-stat Gold Ship got stuck behind a wall of 1-star mobs. It's frustrating. It's painful. It's avoidable.
Then comes the final 200 meters. The hill.
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Nakayama’s slope is one of the steepest in Japan. In Uma Musume, this translates to a massive drain on remaining Stamina. If you haven't invested in recovery skills—think "Maestros" or "Corner Recovery"—you will watch your lead evaporate. The Yayoi Sho is the perfect place to test if your "Guts" (Konjo) stat is high enough to push through that final wall.
Historical Context and Why It Matters for Your Build
Cygames loves history. The fact that this race was renamed the "Deep Impact Kinen" in real life should tell you everything. Deep Impact won this in 2005 before going on to be a legend. In the game, the rivals you face in the Uma Musume Yayoi Sho are often reflections of those who historically dominated this trial.
Take a look at your opponents. You’ll often see names like Seiun Sky or Special Week popping up depending on your character’s specific story mode. These aren't just random NPCs. Their AI is programmed to run specific strategies that mimic their real-life counterparts. Seiun Sky will try to bolt (逃げ - Nige). If you don't have the speed to keep up, she’ll create a gap that is mathematically impossible to close on the Nakayama short straight.
Strategy matters. A lot.
If you are training a "Leader" (先行 - Senkou) type, you need to be wary of the "Accel" timing. Because the final straight at Nakayama is short (only about 310 meters), you don't have the luxury of a long wind-up like you do at Tokyo Racecourse. You need explosive acceleration. Skills like "Non-Stop Girl" or specific character unique skills that trigger on the final corner are gold here.
The Fan Count Trap
Another reason people mess up the Yayoi Sho is the fan requirement. To get into the top-tier G1s later in the year, you need fans. Many players try to "farm" fans by running every G1 available in the winter. This leads to fatigue. It leads to low motivation.
By the time the Uma Musume Yayoi Sho rolls around, their girl is at "Normal" or "Low" motivation and the failure rate for training is 20%. Don't do this. It’s better to skip a late-December G1, keep your health high, and use the Yayoi Sho to secure your Satsuki Sho berth. Winning a G2 with a "Great" motivation bonus provides more long-term value than scraping a 5th place in a G1 because you were tired.
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Practical Training Benchmarks for Success
Look, I can't give you a "one size fits all" number because it depends on your support cards and the specific scenario you're playing (URA, Grand Live, Project L'Arc, etc.). However, for a standard run aimed at clearing the Yayoi Sho comfortably, you should aim for these rough targets by Early March:
- Speed: 450 - 550. You need enough raw velocity to stay in the pack.
- Stamina: 350 - 400. This is the "danger zone." If you're below 300, you better have a gold recovery skill.
- Power: 400+. This helps with that Nakayama hill and prevents getting bullied in the corners.
- Guts: 250+. Often ignored, but crucial for the final stretch duel.
- Intelligence: 300+. This ensures your skills actually trigger.
Honestly, if your Intelligence is below 250, you're playing Russian Roulette with your skills. You can have the best build in the world, but if "Arc Maestro" doesn't proc, you’re done.
Skill Selection: What Actually Works?
Don't just slap on every "Green" skill you see. "Nakayama Racecourse" (中山レース場) is obviously great, but it’s situational. "Right Turns" (右回り) is better because it applies to more races in the Triple Crown circuit.
Focus on positioning skills. "Position Sense" or "Look Ahead" helps you navigate the crowded field of the Yayoi Sho. Because the field size is usually large (10-16 runners), getting trapped in the "inner lane" is a very real death sentence. If your girl has a high Power stat, she can shove her way out, but it's better to just have the positioning skills to avoid the mess entirely.
Also, consider the "Vertical" skills. Since Nakayama has that hill, anything that boosts "Upward Slope" performance is a massive hidden buff. Most players ignore these because they seem too niche, but for the Yayoi Sho and the subsequent Satsuki Sho, they are game-changers.
The "Deep Impact" Legacy in Game
Since the race is a memorial to Deep Impact, the difficulty can sometimes feel "spiked." You’ll notice that the AI runners often have slightly higher "Endurance" than they do in other G2s. This is an intentional nod to the stamina required for the classic distance.
If you're playing a character whose "distance aptitude" (Kyori Tekisei) for Medium is only a B, you must use an inheritance factor to bump it to an A. Trying to win the Yayoi Sho with a B in Medium distance is a recipe for a 4th place finish. You’ll lose about 10% of your effective Speed, and at this level, that’s the difference between a trophy and a "better luck next time" screen.
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Avoiding the "Late Senior" Slump
A common mistake is treating the Uma Musume Yayoi Sho as the end of a training block. It’s actually the beginning. Winning here gives you a "High" motivation boost (if you weren't already at Top) and provides a significant chunk of Skill Points (Pt).
Use those points immediately.
Don't hoard your Skill Points until the end of the year. The Satsuki Sho is only three turns away after the Yayoi Sho. If you won the Yayoi Sho, you likely unlocked some hints from the race itself. Check your skill list. Did you get a discount on "Leading Star"? Buy it. Did you get "Cornering Specialist"? Grab it. The stat boost you get from the race is nice, but the ability to evolve your run strategy based on the race results is how you actually win the Triple Crown.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Run
Stop treating the Yayoi Sho as a "filler" race. Start your prep in January. Ensure your health is at 100% going into February. Use February for "Wisdom" training to recover stamina while still gaining stats. This ensures you hit the March 1st deadline with a full health bar and maximum motivation.
Check your rivals before the race. Click on the "List of Runners." If you see a rival with a "Speed" stat 100 points higher than yours, change your strategy. If you were going to run "Leader," maybe switch to "Between" to save stamina for a late-game burst. The Uma Musume Yayoi Sho is flexible enough to allow for tactical shifts.
Focus on the Nakayama-specific skills during your inheritance phase. If you can grab a "Nakayama" or "Right Turn" factor from your parents, the Yayoi Sho goes from a stressful hurdle to a guaranteed victory lap. Success here isn't just about the trophy; it's about the momentum. A win in March sets the tone for the Satsuki Sho in April and the Tokyo Derby in May. Do not underestimate the hill. Do not underestimate the corners. Most importantly, do not underestimate the stamina drain of a 2000m Nakayama sprint.
If you can master this specific race, the rest of the Classic season starts to look a lot less intimidating. You’ll have the fans, you’ll have the skills, and you’ll have the confidence to take on the best of the best. Check your stats, fix your Stamina, and go get that trophy.