Umamusume Fans Devastated: Champion Racehorse Grass Wonder Dies

Grass Wonder, a real-life racehorse who became the basis for a character in the anime and game series Umamusume: Pretty Derby, died on August 8 at the age of 30. His death has drawn a wave of sympathies from the followers of the Cygames’ anime series where horse-girls are central characters.

Grass Wonder, originally a celebrated Japanese racehorse, was reimagined as a character for Cygames’ Umamusume: Pretty Derby series. In this series, all characters are depicted as anthropomorphic horse girls, complete with horse ears and tails. The character based on Grass Wonder is portrayed as a good-natured yet tenacious girl who, while born in America and embodying a deep appreciation for Japanese culture, mirrors the horse’s own life journey of being bred in America and trained in Japan. Her character is distinctively marked by light brown hair with a notable white spot at the front, a nod to Grass Wonder’s own chestnut coat and white star.

The real Grass Wonder was celebrated for his victories in the Arima Kinen, a top-tier Grade 1 race in Japan, winning it twice. His racing career spanned four years, from 1997 to 2000, during which he won nine out of his 15 races. One of his most memorable races was a close photo finish in 1999 against another racehorse, Special Week. This rivalry was later featured in the Umamusume: Pretty Derby anime series. After retiring in 2000, Grass Wonder sired several champions, including notable names like Screen Hero and Earnestly.

According to his obituary released by Big Red Farm, where he spent his later years, Grass Wonder was in robust health until the last evening of his life. He succumbed to multiple organ failure due to old age. Living up to 30 years is considered remarkable for a racehorse.

Following the announcement of Grass Wonder’s passing, the official X account for Umamusume posted a message expressing sorrow and extending condolences to everyone connected with the legendary horse. They also offered prayers for the peaceful rest of his soul.

Many fans shared their condolences online, reminiscing about Grass Wonder and wishing him an afterlife filled with his favorite snack, dandelions. One fan remarked, “The last horse from the strongest generation has embarked on his final journey… Thank you, Grass Wonder.” Another noted the bittersweet nature of losing the real-life inspirations behind their favorite characters, though they acknowledged that these horses would forever live on in the Umamusume universe.

In a related note, Rena Maeda, the voice actress for Grass Wonder in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, shared her thoughts on social media about her visit to see the real Grass Wonder. She expressed a wish to visit him again, a wish that sadly will remain unfulfilled.

International trainers have found and appreciated this post from 2018! Thank you!

This photo was taken in 2018 when I went to see Grass Wonder in person as the voice actor for his character.

He was eating lots of… https://t.co/aOFOZThVHu

— 前田玲奈(◜‧̮◝ )ﾏｴﾚﾅ (@renamaeda07) August 7, 2025

Verity Townsend is a freelance writer based in Japan, previously working as an editor, contributor, and translator for the gaming news site Automaton West. She has also contributed to various publications on Japanese culture and cinema.