Haru Urara

Haru Urara[1]
Haru Urara in 2021
SireNippo Teio[1]
GrandsireLypheor[1]
DamHeroine[1]
DamsireLucky Sovereign[1]
SexMare[1]
Foaled (1996-02-27) February 27, 1996[2][1]
CountryJapan
ColourBay[1]
BreederNobuta Bokujo[1]
Owner
  • Nobuta Bokujo
  • Takao Yokoyama
  • M A Office
  • Haru Urara no Kai
TrainerDai Muneishi
Record113: 0-5-7[1]
Earnings¥1,129,000[1]
Major wins
None
Last updated on December 2, 2022

Haru Urara (Japanese: ハルウララ) is a Japanese retired racehorse. Haru Urara gained nationwide popularity in 2003, not due to her success but due to a long string of consecutive losses, then becoming a symbol of perseverance and spirit.

Haru Urara ran her last race in August 2004 and retired with a record of 0 wins and 113 losses.

Background

Haru Urara, a bay mare, was foaled on February 27, 1996, on Nobuta Bokujo,[3] Utafue, Mitsuishi, Hokkaido. She was sired by Nippo Teio, a top-class racehorse whose wins included the Tenno Sho and the Yasuda Kinen.[4] Unable to find a buyer, the farm began training her as a racehorse.

Racing career

At her debut, on November 17, 1998, at the Kōchi Racetrack, Haru Urara lost, placing fifth—and last. Over the next four-and-a-half years, she would compete once or twice every month, but was unable to obtain a single victory.

In June 2003, after garnering her 80th consecutive loss, the story was picked up by the national Japanese media, making "Haru Urara" a household name. She quickly became very popular in Japan, and was called "the shining star of losers everywhere" (負け組の星, makegumi no hoshi), for continuing to run with all her heart, despite her seemingly endless losing streak. This surge in popularity was dubbed "The Haru Urara Boom", and news about Haru Urara even reached the international community, being reported in the United States, Canada, Germany and elsewhere.[5]

During the boom, Haru Urara betting tickets began to be used as o-mamori, particularly for protection against traffic accidents: the word "ataranai" (当たらない) in Japanese can mean both "to lose a bet" and "to avoid being struck", so it was said that a Haru Urara betting ticket—a guaranteed loss—could protect the owner's car from being hit.[6] In September 2003, the Kōchi Prefecture Horse Racing Association introduced a service wherein they would stamp the word on any betting ticket related to Haru Urara. O-mamori were also created from mane and tail hairs that were said to have fallen out during brushing, but production was soon halted, due to concerns expressed by animal welfare groups.

At a race held on March 22, 2004, during the peak of her popularity, more than 13,000 spectators packed the Kochi Racetrack, 3,000 of whom had gathered outside before the gates opened, forcing the track to open 30 minutes earlier than scheduled. Some people waited in line for up to five hours to buy tickets at the "Haru Urara Commemorative Ticket Booth", which was established especially for the event. Fans bet a grand total of ¥121,751,200 on a Haru Urara victory, an impressive sum, particularly for a horse that had not won once in more than 100 attempts. The race ended in disappointment, but not surprise: despite being ridden by Japan's premier jockey, Yutaka Take, Haru Urara earned her 106th consecutive loss, placing 10th among 11 horses running.[7]

Her name means "Glorious Spring" or "Gentle Spring".[5][8] Numerous products using Haru Urara's name or image have been produced, including stuffed toys, key rings, mobile phone straps, stickers, stamps, train tickets, rice, shochu, hats, T-shirts and bras. A number of books and songs, as well as a film, were also written about Haru Urara during the boom period. The Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said "I'd like to see Haru Urara win, even just once. The horse is a good example of not giving up in the face of defeat."[5]

Haru Urara ran her last race in August 2004 and retired with a record of 0 wins and 113 losses.

Retirement

Originally, it was announced that Haru Urara would be returned from Tochigi where she was recuperating for a retirement race scheduled in March 2005.[9] However, her return was soon postponed[10] before officially being classified as retired by the NAR in October 2006, never returning to Kochi. [11][12]

Post retirement, there were plans to have her breed with Deep Impact as well as Stay Gold but those never materialized.[13][14][15] Once those plans fell through, she was transported by her owner at the time in 2013 to the Matha Farm in Onjuku, Chiba, where she has lived since.[16][17]

At Matha Farm, Haru Urara became a minor PR character in 2018 when she was featured in a traffic safety poster of the Kisarazu Police Station.[18][19][20][15]

An anthropomorphized version of Haru Urara appears as a character in both the anime and game of Uma Musume Pretty Derby,[21][22] and fans have since come to visit the real life Haru Urara at Matha Farm.[15][23]

Biffy Clyro's 2021 album The Myth of the Happily Ever After features a track inspired by Haru Urara, sharing her name, written about optimism and joy in the face of failure.[24]

After earning a reputation for losing fights, the sumo wrestler Morikawa Yūki was given the ring name "Moriurara" by his coach to connect him to the horse.[25][26]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Haru Urara (JPN), bay mare 1996[2]
Sire
Nippo Teio 		Lypheor Lyphard Northern Dancer
Goofed
Klaizia Sing Sing
Klainia
Chiyoda Masako Lover John Damascus
Evening Primrose
Miss O Hayabusa Partholon
World Hayabusa
Dam
Heroine 		Lucky Sovereign Nijinsky Northern Dancer
Flaming Page
Sovereign Pardao
Urshalim
Peerless Lady Tesco Boy Princely Gift
Suncourt
East Side Partholon
Miss Hakuryu (Family:12)[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Haru Urara(JPN)". Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Haru Urara pedigree". equineline.com. May 8, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  3. ^ "Haru Urara(JPN)". Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  4. ^ "Nippo Teio(JPN)". www.jbis.jp. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Losing Racehorse Charms Japan". CBS News. March 22, 2004. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  6. ^ Rogers, Mike (2005). Schizophrenic in Japan: An American Ex-pat's Guide to Japanese And American Society/politics & Humor. iUniverse. p. 223. ISBN 978-0-595-34662-2.
  7. ^ "Japanese cheer on no-hope horse". BBC News. April 22, 2004. Archived from the original on April 2, 2004. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  8. ^ "Horse that never wins has become the toast of Japan". The Scotsman. March 13, 2004. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  9. ^ "ハルウララ 引退レース予定通り 馬主ら会見". Kochi Shimbun (in Japanese). Kochi, Japan. January 5, 2005. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  10. ^ "ウララ引退レース延期 馬主「体調回復を優先」". Kochi Shimbun (in Japanese). Kochi, Japan. February 11, 2005. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "ハルウララ正式引退 競走馬登録抹消へ". Kochi Shimbun (in Japanese). Kochi, Japan. October 4, 2006. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  12. ^ "地方競馬 データ情報 ハルウララ". keiba.go.jp (in Japanese). National Association of Racing. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  13. ^ "ダメ馬ハルウララは「馬肉」にされてしまった!?" [Bad horse Haru Urara was turned in to "horse meat"!?]. Shukan Shincho (in Japanese). No. 53. Shinchosha. May 1, 2008. p. 73. Archived from the original on March 18, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  14. ^ "113連敗ハルウララにディープインパクト種付け計画" [The breeding plan with Deep Impact for Haru Urara, who has a 113 losing streak]. Shukan Shincho (in Japanese). Vol. 54. December 17, 2009. p. 49. Archived from the original on March 18, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  15. ^ a b c Kensaku, Wakui (October 29, 2018). "113連敗ハルウララに会いに行く。ほしよりこが描くワガママな素顔。". Number web. Bungeishunju. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  16. ^ "新サポートホース・ハルウララ「春うららの会」" (in Japanese). The Retired Horse Association. July 15, 2014. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  17. ^ "【復刻】負け組の星 ハルウララ千葉にいた｜極ウマ・プレミアム". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. March 1, 2022. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  18. ^ "元競走馬・ハルウララ起用 「一生クルマに当たらないで」 千葉県警木更津署の交通安全ポスターが話題". 産経ニュース (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. August 22, 2018. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  19. ^ "ハルウララに感謝状 戦績生かし交通安全貢献 ニンジン６００キロも 木更津署". www.chibanippo.co.jp (in Japanese). Chiba Nippo. August 25, 2018. Archived from the original on August 25, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  20. ^ "車に「当たらないで」 １１３連敗ハルウララ 交通安全に一役 木更津署、ポスター作製". www.chibanippo.co.jp (in Japanese). Chiba Nippo. July 27, 2018. Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  21. ^ "キャラクター一覧 | ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト｜Cygames". ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  22. ^ "TVアニメ『ウマ娘 プリティーダービー』公式サイト". TVアニメ『ウマ娘 プリティーダービー』公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  23. ^ Tatsunori, Tokushige (June 2, 2021). "「ウマ娘」大ヒットで20代の競馬ファン増加中 "ハルウララ"ファーム見学は予約でいっぱいに". Daily Shinchō (in Japanese). Shinchosha. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  24. ^ "Biffy Clyro on how life, death and a Japanese horse shaped their new album". NME. October 26, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  25. ^ Gunning, John (September 11, 2018). "Sumo 101: Ring names". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
  26. ^ "Moriurara Yuki - Rikishi Profile". Japan Sumo Association. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  27. ^ "Royal Mare - Family 12". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
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