Why was Haru Urara famous? All you need to know about the beloved Japanese racehorse 

Famous Japanese racehorse Haru Urara took her last breath at the age of 29 on September 9, 2025. During her final hours, Urara was surrounded by the staff members of Martha Farm, a stable in Onjuku, Chiba. She has lived there since 2013. It was Yahoo! Japan that first broke the news of Haru Urara's unfortunate death.

According to Gosu Gamers, Haru Urara, born on February 27, 1996, died due to Horse Colic, a condition in horses that slows down intestinal movement and occurs when gas builds up in the intestines because of indigestion. While the news of Haru Urara's death is doing the rounds on various social media platforms, netizens are curious to find out why she is so famous.

According to the Economic Times, the late Japanese racehorse Haru Urara is famous primarily because she lost all 113 races in her career between 1998 and 2004, after which she became a Japanese cultural icon and received global fame. Urara again came into public attention when she inspired the anime character in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, which is an international mobile game developed by Cygames and EXNOA LLC.

According to Gosu Gamers, a statement was released from the official Umamusume: Pretty Derby social media handle, in which Cygames took the opportunity to pay tribute and show their condolences over Urara's uncertain death. Check out the social media post below:

Let's take a closer look at Haru Urara's life and career

Born in Hokkaido, Japan, and sired by Nippo Teipo, Urara was a class apart racehorse. However, with a powerful and distinguished lineage, Urara did not manage to win any of the 113 races she participated in during her professional racing career. While her first-ever race was on November 17, 1998, at the Kōchi Racetrack in Kōchi, Japan, she kept participating in various races every month but never managed to win.

Urara's story caught the Japanese media's attention in June 2003 when she lost 80 consecutive races. She soon became immensely popular in Japan and was branded as "the shining star of losers everywhere," as she kept racing despite losing each time. Following Urara's unexpected fame, the Kōchi Prefecture Horse Racing Association began organizing different campaigns and also manufactured merchandise based on Haru.

Urara's last professional race was in August 2004, after which she retired without a single win. However, she did win a race, but that was after she retired from professional racing. Urara won a time trial race for older horses in 2019. Her name in Japanese means "Gentle Spring" or "Glorious Spring."

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