Viral horse racing anime girl mobile game Umamusume: Pretty Derby sponsors the Grand Prix de Paris, marking a major real-world partnership between anime and elite European horse racing.
The anime-inspired mobile game Umamusume: Pretty Derby is galloping into the real world in a big way. Fresh off the hype from its global launch, Umamusume is now the official sponsor of one of Europe’s most prestigious horse racing events, the Grand Prix de Paris.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a unique mobile game where players train and bond with anthropomorphized anime girls based on real world racehorses, such as Silence Suzuka and Haru Urara. Originally released in Japan in 2021, the game recently launched worldwide on June 26th, sending fans into a frenzy.
The global version has gone viral, spawning memes, Twitch streams, and real-world pilgrimages to ranches that inspired characters in the game. Notably, streamers like Ludwig and Northernlion have showcased the game to massive audiences.
Now, developer Cygames is leveraging that momentum by bringing the franchise full circle sponsoring a real-life horse race.
The 𝗖𝘆𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 #𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘅𝗱𝗲𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀 will be run on 13th July! And that’s not all: the ᴄʏɢᴀᴍᴇꜱ ʜᴀɴᴅɪᴄᴀᴘ ᴅᴇ ʟᴀ ꜰᴇᴛᴇ ɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟᴇ, and the ᴄʏɢᴀᴍᴇꜱ ᴘʀɪx ᴅᴇ ᴍᴀʟʟᴇʀᴇᴛ, will also have #𝗖𝘆𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 as their main sponsor 🌟 See you on… pic.twitter.com/divW2QlWXT
— France Galop (@francegalop) July 10, 2025
Taking place at the ParisLongchamp Racecourse, the historic Grand Prix de Paris will officially be renamed the Cygames Grand Prix de Paris for this year’s event. The race, dating back to 1863, is one of Europe’s elite equestrian competitions and now boasts a massive €600,000 / $700,000 cash prize for the winner.
“It is a great honor to partner with France Galop, organizers of such prestigious French horse racing events as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe,” said Cygames President Koichi Watanabe. “We put our deepest appreciation for the history and culture of racing into Umamusume, and we hope our passion reaches countless fans around the world.”
This partnership also marks the first time a Japanese company has been appointed as the main sponsor of the event by France Galop, a monumental achievement that highlights how far the Umamusume phenomenon has galloped.
This isn’t Umamusume’s first foray into real-world racing. Back in April, Cygames also sponsored the 151st Kentucky Derby, proving their commitment to blending anime culture with authentic racing traditions.
The sponsorship signals a growing global fusion between gaming, anime, and sports. As Umamusume continues to dominate both the mobile charts and fan discussions, its real-world collaborations are redefining what cross-media success looks like.
Fans can learn more about the Cygames Grand Prix de Paris and other upcoming Umamusume collaborations by visiting the official site or tuning into coverage from France Galop.
Whether you’re rolling for your favorite horse girl or watching the real ones blaze down the track, one thing’s clear: Umamusume is here to stay both in-game and in the real world. Stay tuned for more updates as we receive them!
