Two-time Japanese Horse of the Year and much-loved Umamusume: Pretty Derby character Gentildonna has died. The Umamusume official Facebook page report that the 16-year-old mare passed away on November 25.
On Gentildonna’s passing, Sei Ishizaka (her trainer) told Japanese horse racing outlet NetKeiba, “It’s the fate of a racehorse, but I believe she gave everything; she really ran her heart out. That’s why I hoped she could enjoy a long life afterwards. It hurts whenever any horse I trained passes away, but she was truly one of the special ones.”
Gentildonna’s stable had reported that the mare had been in declining health since early 2025. In July, she was retired from broodmare duties, but her official cause of death has yet to be revealed.
Owned by Sunday Racing Co. Ltd., Gentildonna was born on the 20 of February 2009 and boasts an impressive record of 10 wins over 19 races. Some of her most notable victories include the 2012 Oka Sho, the 2012 & 2013 Japan Cup, and the 2014 Dubai Sheema Classic and Arima Kinen (Japan). Apart from winning the prestigious title of Horse of the Year on two different occasions, Gentildonna also won the 2021 JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Filly and the 2014 JRA Award for Best Older Filly or Mare. To the surprise of no one, she was inducted into the JRA Hall of Fame on September 12, 2016.
Gentildonna is the third Umamusume: Pretty Derby horse to pass away this year; she was preceded by Grass Wonder and fan favorite Haru Urara. Her character, while popular in the Japanese version of the Umamusume mobile game, has yet to be released on the global server.
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Source: Umamusume: Pretty Derby Official X
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