The real-life racehorse behind one of Umamusume: Pretty Derby‘s most beloved characters has passed away. Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi died on 2 August 2026 at the age of 31, at Yoshino Farm in Japan, where he had been living in retirement since November 2017. He was found lying in his pasture and was unable to rise; despite veterinary care, he could not be saved.
The Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi fan association confirmed that the horse had eaten fresh grass in the pasture until the day before his death and, in the words of caretaker Shigeo Nakanishi, “quietly fell asleep” surrounded by the people who cared for him. He was 31 years old — a remarkably long life for a thoroughbred who dealt with health complications throughout his career.
From the Turf to the Phone Screen: Who Was Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi?
Born on 6 April 1995, Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi raced from 1998 to 2000, winning 5 of his 11 starts despite a constitution that saw him in and out of training. His finest moment came in the 1999 Grade 2 Kyoto Daishoten, where he outran established Grade 1 champions to take the win. He also claimed the Grade 3 Asahi Challenge Cup that same year. His career ended in 2000 after a serious leg injury during the Arima Kinen, and he spent the rest of his long life at Yoshino Farm.
For much of the Umamusume fandom, Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi was always defined less by his race record than by his spirit. He kept trying despite his body’s limits — a quality that Cygames translated directly into the game character that shares his name.
The Umamusume Character: Fighting Spirit in Every Race
In Umamusume: Pretty Derby, the Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi character — voiced by Yoshino Aoyama — is portrayed as energetic, positive, and fiercely determined to win a Triple Crown despite a delicate constitution that mirrors the real horse’s struggles. Her in-game story leans into that parallel explicitly: she pushes her limits every day, gets back up after every setback, and chases her dream at full speed.
That mirroring of real-life frailty and real-life heart is what makes Umamusume resonate so deeply with players — and it is why the horse’s passing hit the community as hard as it did.
Official Tributes from Cygames and the Umamusume Team
The official Umamusume: Pretty Derby English account posted a tribute shortly after the news broke: “It is with heavy hearts that we share that Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi passed away on August 2. The legendary racehorse’s legacy serves as the inspiration for the character of the same name in Umamusume: Pretty Derby. We share our condolences to all the staff involved in Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi’s care.”
Developer Cygames added its own statement: “Along with offering our condolences to all those involved, we sincerely pray for the eternal peace of this great racehorse.”
The Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi Association has set up a memorial area at Yoshino Farm where fans may leave flowers, though they have asked people not to contact the farm directly. Both the Japanese and English Umamusume social accounts paid tribute online.
The Fourth Horse This Year — and a Broader Community Loss
Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi is the fourth real-life racehorse who served as the basis for an Umamusume character to pass away since August 2025, following Grass Wonder, Haru Urara, and Gentildonna. Each passing has been marked by tributes from both the game’s developer and a global fanbase that includes many Singapore players who access the title through the Japanese App Store.
At 31, Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi outlived most of his 1998 racing generation; as of this writing, only Air Jihad remains from that cohort. He ate fresh grass until his last full day and, by all accounts, lived his retirement in peace at Yoshino Farm — much like the character named after him, who always ran with everything she had.
Rest well, Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi.
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