So, you’ve finally got your Uma Musume tuned up, her stats are looking decent, and then you hit March. The Yayoi Sho (Deep Impact Memorial) looms on the calendar. Most casual players just click through it, thinking it’s just another G2 stepping stone. They’re wrong.
In the world of Uma Musume Pretty Derby, the Yayoi Sho is basically the gatekeeper of the Satsuki Sho. It’s a 2000m turf race at Nakayama, and if you aren’t careful, it’s where your Classic year dreams go to die. It’s not just about winning a shiny trophy. It’s about the fact that Nakayama is a tricky, right-turning nightmare for girls with low Stamina or bad positioning.
Honestly, the Yayoi Sho in the game is a perfect reflection of why the real-life race matters so much. If you can’t handle the steep hill at the end of the Nakayama stretch, you aren't ready for the Triple Crown. Simple as that.
The Brutal Reality of the Yayoi Sho Uma Musume Experience
Let’s talk about the Nakayama track. It’s short. The final straight is only about 310 meters. If your girl is a Sashi (Betweener) or Oikomi (Chaser) and she gets stuck in the pack coming around that final bend, she's finished. There isn't enough road left to make up the ground.
I’ve seen countless players stack Speed and Power, thinking they’ll just blast past the NPC competition. Then, the Yayoi Sho hits. Because it’s a 2000m race—a Middle Distance—you can't just ignore Stamina. If you’re sitting under 300 Stamina by early March of your Junior/Classic transition, you’re gambling. A lot of the girls you’ll face, like Agnes Tachyon or even a buffed-up generic NPC, will capitalize on your fatigue the moment you hit that uphill slope toward the finish line.
The stats matter, obviously. But the "hidden" difficulty of the Yayoi Sho in Uma Musume is the timing. It sits right in the middle of that awkward period where you’re trying to balance training for the Satsuki Sho and the Tokyo Yushun (the Derby). If you overtrain to win the Yayoi Sho, you might hit a fatigue wall before the bigger G1s. If you undertrain, you lose the fans and the skill points you desperately need.
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Why the "Deep Impact Memorial" Tag Isn't Just for Show
Cygames loves their history. The race is officially the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Memorial. In the game, this legacy manifests in how the AI behaves. You'll notice that the "top tier" girls scheduled for this race often have high Guts or specific skills that trigger on the final corner.
Deep Impact, the legendary horse the race honors, was a beast at Nakayama. In the game, while you aren't racing the literal horse (yet, in his original form), the "vibe" of the race is all about that explosive final kick. If your Uma Musume doesn't have a recovery skill like Corner Recovery or a positioning skill like Trick: Front, you’re going to feel the pressure.
Many players ask: "Should I skip it?"
Probably not. If you’re aiming for the "Triple Crown" title or trying to max out your fan count for the end-of-year bonuses, the Yayoi Sho is a core part of the rotation. It gives you a massive chunk of fans compared to other G2s. Plus, winning it often triggers specific story events for girls like Special Week or Tokai Teiyo that boost their stats or give them unique hints.
Breaking Down the Strategy: How to Actually Win
Don't just hit "Auto-Run."
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Look at your strategy. If the track condition is "Heavy" (which happens more often than you'd think in the spring), your Stamina drain is going to skyrocket. This is where the Yayoi Sho catches people off guard.
- Speed is King, but Stamina is the Kingdom: Aim for at least 350 Speed and 300 Stamina. If you have a Gold recovery skill (like Maestro), you can get away with less, but don't push your luck.
- The Power Trap: Nakayama has a hill. A literal hill. If your Power is low, your acceleration up that incline will look like a turtle in peanut butter. You need enough Power to break out of the "clump" that inevitably forms at the 400m mark.
- Skill Choice: Right Turn and Spring Uma Musume are your best friends here. Since this race happens in March, those passive buffs are always active.
I’ve found that many people struggle because they treat the Yayoi Sho like a 1600m Mile race. It’s not. It’s the beginning of the long-haul season. If you treat it with respect, it’s an easy win. If you treat it like a chore, your training run is going to end with a "Consolation" screen and a lot of wasted TP.
Common Misconceptions About the Yayoi Sho in Uma Musume
One of the biggest lies players tell themselves is that they can "fix it later."
"I'll just lose the Yayoi Sho and win the Satsuki Sho," they say. While that's technically possible, losing here tanks your Motivation. If your Uma Musume drops from "Perfect" to "Good," you lose out on the 20% training bonus for the next few turns. That loss effectively cascades into a weaker performance in the Derby.
Another mistake? Ignoring the "Rival" system. In some scenarios, like Reach for the Stars (U.A.F.) or Grand Masters, the rivals in the Yayoi Sho are significantly buffed. You might be facing a version of Mihono Bourbon or Rice Shower that is way stronger than the typical G2 NPC. Always check the "Forecast" (the little colored circles) before the race. If you see a lot of triangles or Xs, change your strategy or use a "Clock" item if you have one.
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The Actionable Roadmap for Your Next Run
If you want to master the Yayoi Sho and use it as a springboard for a high-rank Uma Musume, stop guessing. Here is the specific path you should follow leading up to the race.
First, by the end of the Junior year (December), ensure you have participated in the Hopeful Stakes. It's the same track (Nakayama 2000m). If you win the Hopeful, you are almost guaranteed a win in the Yayoi Sho. If you struggle in the Hopeful, use the training turns in January and February to pump your Power and Stamina specifically.
Second, prioritize "Corner" skills over "Straight" skills for this specific race. Because the Nakayama straight is so short, a "Straight" speed boost often triggers too late to matter. You want your Uma Musume moving during the bend.
Third, monitor your Guts stat. While often called a "dead stat" by some parts of the community, Guts determines how much Stamina you preserve during a "Last Spurt" battle. In the Yayoi Sho, because of that final hill, a girl with 150 Guts will get overtaken by a girl with 250 Guts every single time, even if their Speed is the same. Aim for at least 200 Guts by March.
Finally, keep an eye on the weather. If it’s raining, your Stamina needs to be 10-15% higher than the baseline. If you find yourself consistently losing, it's time to stop blaming "bad RNG" and start looking at your support card deck. Are you bringing enough Stamina or Power cards to survive the Nakayama incline?
The Yayoi Sho isn't a hurdle; it's a diagnostic tool. Use it to see if your build is actually viable for the G1 gauntlet ahead. If you pass with flying colors, the Triple Crown is within reach. If you fail, it's a sign to pivot your training focus before the Tokyo Yushun tears your run apart.