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Haru Urara (ハルウララ) is a Japanese racehorse. The horse gained nationwide popularity in 2003, not due to her success, but rather, due to a long string of consecutive losses.
Haru Urara[1] | |
---|---|
Sire | Nippo Teio[1] |
Grandsire | Lypheor[1] |
Dam | Heroine[1] |
Damsire | Lucky Sovereign[1] |
Sex | Mare[1] |
Foaled | [2][1] | 27 February 1996
Country | Japan |
Colour | Bay[1] |
Breeder | Nobuta Bokujo[1] |
Owner | Nobuta Bokujo Takao Yokoyama M A Office Haru Urara no Kai |
Trainer | Dai Muneishi |
Record | 113: 0-5-7[1] |
Earnings | 1,129,000 Yen[1] |
Major wins | |
None | |
Last updated on December 2, 2022 |
Background
editHaru 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 for their filly, the farm began training Haru Urara as a racehorse, under their own ownership.
Racing career
editAt 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" (
During the boom, Haru Urara betting tickets began to be used as o-mamori, particularly for protection against traffic accidents: the word "ataranai" (
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]
"Haru Urara" means beauty of spring in English, and it is also an idiom of the warm climate of spring in Japan, and its beautiful name is also said to be one of the reasons why Haru Urara became popular. 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
editOriginally, it was announced that Haru Urara would be returned from Tochigi where she was recuperating for a retirement race scheduled on March 2005.[8] However, her return was soon postponed[9] before officially being classified as retired by the NAR on October 2006, never returning to Kochi. [10][11]
Post retirement, there were plans to have her breed with Deep Impact as well as Stay Gold but never materialized.[12][13][14] Once those plans fell through, she was transported by her owner at the time in 2013 to the Martha Farm in Onjuku, Chiba where she has lived since.[15][16]
At Martha Farm, Haru Urara became a minor PR character in 2018 when she was featured in a traffic safety poster of the Kisarazu Police Station.[17][18][19][14]
In popular culture
editAn anthromorphized version of Haru Urara appears as a character in both the anime and game of Uma Musume Pretty Derby,[20][21] and fans have since come to visit the real life Haru Urara at Martha Farm.[14][22]
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.[23]
Pedigree
editSire 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)[24] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Haru Urara(JPN)". Retrieved 2022-12-02.
- ^ a b "Haru Urara pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
- ^ "Haru Urara(JPN)". Retrieved 2022-05-18.
- ^ "Nippo Teio(JPN)". www.jbis.jp. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
- ^ a b "Losing Racehorse Charms Japan". CBS News. 2004-03-22. Archived from the original on 2020-02-25. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Japanese cheer on no-hope horse". BBC News. 2004-04-22. Archived from the original on 2004-04-02. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- ^ "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. 2005-01-05. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2022-05-18. - ^ "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. 2005-02-11. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "ハルウララ
正式 引退 競走 馬 登録 抹消 へ". Kochi Shimbun (in Japanese). Kochi, Japan. 2006-10-04. Archived from the original on 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "
地方 競馬 データ情報 ハルウララ". keiba.go.jp (in Japanese). National Association of Racing. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "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. 2008-05-01. p. 73. - ^ "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. 2009-12-17. p. 49. - ^ a b c Kensaku, Wakui (2018-10-29). "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 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "
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. 2014-07-15. Archived from the original on 2014-07-19. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "【
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. 2022-03-01. Archived from the original on 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "
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. 2018-08-22. Archived from the original on 2021-07-30. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "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. 2018-08-25. Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "
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. 2018-07-27. Archived from the original on 2018-07-27. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "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). Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "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 2022-12-02. - ^ Tatsunori, Tokushige (2021-06-02). "「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 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2022-12-02. - ^ "Biffy Clyro on how life, death and a Japanese horse shaped their new album". NME. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
- ^ "Royal Mare - Family 12". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.