Haru Urara (ハル ウララ, lit. "graceful spring". short: Urara, Urara-san, affectionate: Uu-chan) was a Japanese racehorse beloved by many. Her birthday is February 28th, 1996. Through her six year long career in racing, Haru Urara lost all 113 races she entered. But every time she was on track, she gave it her best; this tenacity, along with her docile and friendly personality aspects and the name-related particularily pink garments, earned her a fame of a precious horse who never gives up. Towards her career's end, her most frequented Kouchi racetrack would set up an "Urara gallery" with her photos, size models and other merch flying off the shelves. Haru Urara betting tickets were taken home as collectibles, and some put them in their cars as a safe-travels omamori.

The RHA of Japan assisted in taking care of Uu-chan in her post-racing years, most of which she spent peacefully at Martha Farms, south of Chiba. She was being consistently visited by her fans there. Martha workers describe her as cute and affectionate - yet sometimes bratty and demanding; she would nuzzle people and be silk gentle, but absolutely refuse neck pats and always expect carrots~. During that period she ran retired racehorse timed races and did, in fact, win her first ever race in 2018! At about the same time, Urara started getting popular internationally; i remember learning about her sometime in 2022/3. Haru Urara fans donated so much rye grass to her that it was enough to feed the entire farm's horses! Towards 2024, Haru Urara's international fame entered its peak after the international release of umamusume: pretty derby, a game with a character based on her. Uu-chan (and the farm) enjoyed many more visitors and donations, and she became hot topic for the second time in her life! Her sudden passing on September 9, 2025, was a sharp and painful strike to both her caretakers and the fans, myself included. Haru Urara lived a long and fulfilling life. Her tenacity, persistence and kind gentle nature won the hearts of thousands, to whom she is a shining star and proof that you don't have to be the champion to be loved and have fun. We love you, Haru Urara!

Haru Urara is an inspirator who will live on forever in our hearts. It is crushing that she left us so suddenly. But if one had to point out her true luck - it's that even after her 113 consecutive losses, she was not abandoned and lived a long happy life, outliving the median by at least half a decade. Many Japanese racehorses who are not winners (and even more so across the globe, especially in the USA) face fates more grim. In my eyes, the idea of "horses racing" itself is not to blame, but the poor regulation and safety net absence, as well as the maximalisation of profit under capitalism by racing associations. All horses deserve a long and fulfilling life! I encourage you to learn about and support the cause if you can.