A real racehorse named after a fictional Umamusume character has kicked off 2026 with her first win since 2024.
Happy Meek, who takes her name from a character of the same name in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, claimed victory on January 1 at Nagoya Racecourse. The result marked her first win since 2024, ending a full year without a victory and giving fans a fitting start to the Year of the Horse.
The win came in a local dirt race on Japan’s regional racing circuit rather than the JRA’s top-tier tracks. While these meetings draw less international attention, they remain fiercely competitive, especially for horses trying to snap extended winless runs.
Horse named after Umamusume character wins 2026 race
Happy Meek is a rare case within the Umamusume universe, as most characters in the game are based on legendary real-world horses that raced years ago – like Haru Urara. However, Happy Meek is different.
Umamsume devs created her as a fully fictional underdog that has no historical horse attached to her. That changed in 2022, when a fan bought a real horse and registered her under the name Happy Meek, directly inspired by the Umamusume character.
With her winless run now over, fans will be hoping Happy Meek can carry that momentum into the rest of 2026, and is another example of how Umamusume continues to inspire real-world horse racing.
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