Best Starter to Pick with Free SSR Ticket in Uma Musume: Pretty Derby

Uma Musume: Pretty Derby is currently offering a free SSR ticket that you can claim right now, allowing you to unlock one of the base game horse girls such as Special Week, Tokai Teio, Oguri Cap, or Rice Shower. Choosing the right Uma Musume to start with can be confusing for new players, so this guide from Gamer Choice will help you decide which one to pick first.

Best Starter in Uma Musume: Pretty Derby

While the specific character you select isn’t the biggest factor early on—since Support Cards have a much greater impact on your performance—some SSR horses do stand out a bit more than others. At the moment, the top picks for your SSRs are between Oguri Cap, Taiki Shuttle, and Maruzensky.

Oguri Cap is widely regarded as the best option for beginners. She has strong aptitudes across most race types, excelling in mile, medium, and long-distance races. On top of that, she performs well with both pace and late-running strategies, making her one of the most balanced and reliable racers in the game.

Taiki Shuttle is another excellent choice, being one of the few SSRs that specialize in Dirt track racing. She’s perfect for filling the Dirt category in Team Races and also performs well in short to mid-distance races. However, her strength lies mainly in chase-style racing, so she’s more specialized than Oguri Cap.

Maruzensky is also a solid all-around performer, capable of covering nearly every distance range from sprints to long-distance races. She’s flexible, dependable, and great for players who want a versatile runner early on.

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Which Is More Important: Trainees or Support Cards?

In the grand scheme of things, your SSR trainee isn’t nearly as important as your Support Cards. You can win the URA Finals even with a single strong trainee, but your training success in Career mode is mostly determined by the quality of your Support Cards. Low-level cards can make it extremely hard to progress, regardless of how strong your trainee may be.

If you already have a personal favorite like Tokai Teio or Special Week, it’s completely fine to use your free SSR ticket on them for collection or preference reasons. However, if your goal is to optimize performance and progress faster, it’s highly recommended to invest your Carats into pulling more Support Cards instead. These cards will ultimately decide how well your Uma Musume develops throughout training and races.

Whether you’re picking your first SSR or planning your future team compositions, remember that balance is key. While trainees like Oguri Cap give you a strong start, it’s your Support Cards that will truly define your success in Uma Musume: Pretty Derby. Choose wisely, and make sure to claim your free SSR ticket before it expires to give yourself the best possible beginning in the game.