Umamusume: Pretty Derby might look like it’s just a simple gacha race game at first, but it’s much deeper than that. It’s actually a fun and detailed game about training to become a champion. Winning isn’t about luck; it’s about smart planning and knowing how to train your team over a long time. A simple list of the “best” characters might seem helpful, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. This guide is for every player, whether you’re just starting your first race or trying to win against the very best. So in our Umamusume Pretty Derby tier list, we’ll break down how the game works and show you the best way to win.
When you look for a list of the best Umamusume, you might see different websites with different answers. For example, one list might say Gold Ship is amazing, while another says she is just okay. This isn’t a mistake. It’s because there are two kinds of lists for two different kinds of players. One list is for new players who don’t have many cards yet. The other is for advanced players who have lots of cards and want to win special tournaments.
Umamusume Pretty Derby Tier List for New Players
This list is perfect for new trainers. It ranks characters based on how easy they are to train and how well they do without needing special cards. These are great choices for getting started, finishing career mode, and earning rewards. Our list brings together opinions from many players across different social media platforms and wiki lists, consolidated in one page for your convenience right here.
How to read this list, considering how different characters work better in different situations in this game:
- S+ Tier: Best of the best. Top choices for many game modes.
- S Tier: Elite. Strong for most teams and maps.
- A Tier: Solid picks. Great with the right build. Great with the right build.
- B Tier: Niche usage or less powerful. But usable for certain scenarios.
S+ Tier
These trainers are top-tier because they perform exceptionally well across various race types or possess unique skills that enable them to win real events.
- Maruzensky: Explosive speed and great for sprint metas. She is also a top pick because she is very strong and can be very helpful in many game modes.
- Oguri Cap: Very flexible; excels in several distances and race types. She’s a very strong character who can do well in many different types of races, like Mile, Medium, and Dirt. She’s a top pick because of this.
- Silence Suzuka: Elite speed and burst, great for front-runner strategies. She is one of the most common racers used for Mile races.
- Symboli Rudolf: Strong overall stats and a reliable finisher. A commonly used character in medium-distance races.
If you get one of these, you have a character who can win many races with fewer special cards. They’re beginner-friendly and still shine in advanced play.
S Tier
These are excellent racers. They often need a couple of the right support cards or a focused training plan to reach peak potential.
- Vodka: A very strong character in the Mile race. She has a high Power stat and a high Speed stat, so she can get to her fastest speed quickly.
- Mejiro McQueen: One of the most common racers used in Long-Distance races.
- Taiki Shuttle: She is a strong character who is flexible and powerful. She is a common and powerful choice for many players in Dirt races.
- Agnes Tachyon: She is the most-used racer in the competitive Medium race. She has very good skills, but her starting stats are not great. She needs a lot of training to get better.
- El Condor Pasa: The most popular choice for Dirt races. A great choice for players who want to get better at the winning mechanics.
- T.M. Opera O: She is great for longer races because she gets a big boost to her Stamina when you train her. This makes her easier to train for Medium and Long races.
- Gold Ship: She is hard to train for beginners, but becomes a very strong character for long races because of her high Stamina and Power.
- Sakura Bakushin O: Her training goals are mostly short and easy Sprint races, which makes her career story very fast to finish. The new version is a great Front Runner because her special skill is perfectly timed to work at the end of short races.
These characters from above have great base stats or game-valuable skills. With decent support cards, they help you easily reach the top ranks.
A Tier
A good all-round group. These Umamusume are useful for many players and shine in specific roles.
- Curren Chan: She is currently one of the top choices for the Sprint race. Even so, she is a great choice for new players to win in the said competitive Sprint races.
- Narita Brian: This card has strong skills that can be passed down to other characters.
- Mayano Top Gun: A very popular choice for Long-Distance races. Even new players will see that she wins well in this race mode.
- Daiwa Scarlet: She is good for new players and has potential, but her starting stats are lower than some others. Also, she is a commonly used racer in the medium-distance race.
- Tokai Teio: She is a dependable character for new players, and good for most parts of the game, but not for top-level competitions.
- Special Week: A strong character who has a good Unique skill in races.
- Grass Wonder: She is a good character for longer races, but she doesn’t have any special features that make her stand out for new players. But used very often by top players in Mile races.
- Mejiro Ryan: She is a good character, but is only at her best in certain weather and at a certain race length.
- Smart Falcon: She is a top choice for Dirt races.
- Nice Nature: She can be a bit tricky because her skills only work in certain situations. But her skills to slow down other racers are good for some competitive events.
- Narita Taishin: She is good at Long-distance races.
- Air Groove: A very common racer used in Sprint races. Even though she is a dependable character who is good for most parts of the game, but not good for top-level competitions.
- Super Creek: This is a good character who is more useful as a support, but not as strong as the top-tier characters.
- Matikane Fukukitaru: She has good stats, but her skills often rely on luck.
These characters are very playable and often cheaper to build (fewer premium cards needed). They’re great for learning how training and inheritance work.
B Tier
Not bad, but either have weak raw stats or are best used for a specific fun build.
- Biwa Hayahide: This character has special skills, including ones that can slow down other racers.
- Haru Urara: She is one of the only characters who are naturally good at Dirt races, but her stats are not very good.
- King Halo: Even though she looks easygoing, her mood can change quickly, which can make it hard to get her stats high.
- Mihono Bourbon: A dependable character who is good for most parts of the game but not for top-level competitions.
- Rice Shower: She can often get sad during her career, which makes her harder for new players to manage.
- Winning Ticket: A character with weak stats who is not a recommended choice for new players.
These can work if you have a strong support card setup or a special plan, but they’re not the easiest path to consistent wins.
Umamusume Pretty Derby Tier List for Competitive Racing (by Type)
This list is for players who have a strong collection of cards and want to win in special online races called Champion’s Meetings. Here, a character who seems bad in the beginner’s list can become a top star because of their special skills for a certain race type.
Sprint Races
- Sakura Bakushin O
- King Halo
- Air Groove
- Maruzensky
- Curren Chan
Mile Races
- Vodka
- Grass Wonder
- Silence Suzuka
- Daiwa Scarlet
Medium Races
- Agnes Tachyon
- Mihono Bourbon
- Symboli Rudolf
Long-Distance Races
- Gold Ship
- Mejiro McQueen
- Mayano Top Gun
- Rice Shower
Dirt Races
- El Condor Pasa
- Oguri Cap
- Haru Urara
- Taiki Shuttle
- Smart Falcon
The above list will give you an idea of who to focus on, even if you can climb easily for now; they will be very helpful in each race type for you in your future games.
Winning in Umamusume: Pretty Derby is about more than just luck from the gacha. As a new player, you can get wins by doing three things: building a strong set of Support Cards, understanding that a character’s true strength depends on the race, and, most importantly, mastering the family inheritance system. While some races can feel like they depend on luck, many new players can almost always win with a character who has very high stats and a good plan. You become a great trainer by not just training one winner character but building a family of champions.
That’s all for our Umamusume Pretty Derby Tier List. For more such helpful lists, check out our dedicated Tier List page right here at Gamer Tweak.