Oguri Cap

"Mrrgh… Sorry, my stomach’s empty. When’s lunch?"

- Oguri Cap

Oguri Cap (オグリキャップ, Oguri Kyappu) is a supporting character in the Uma Musume: Pretty Derby  anime and the main protagonist of the Cinderella Gray manga.

Personality
A country horse girl, she is a gourmand as she is always seen eating large proportions of food. Despite her serious nature, she is quite naive, honest and not often paying much attention to the atmosphere around her. Her dedication is strong when it comes to food and races.

Appearance
She is a horse girl that always has a serious expression on her face. She has long silver hair that ends on her thigh and darker shades of gray on the top of her head. She has long ears and an ahoge. She wears a black and yellow diamond shaped headband and a blue ring with yellow stripe on her right ear.

Songs

 * unbreakable (Solo song)
 * UNLIMITED IMPACT
 * Make Debut!
 * Grow Up Shine!
 * Special Record!
 * GIRLS' LEGEND U
 * Honnou Speed
 * winning the soul
 * Never Looking Back
 * We are DREAMERS!!
 * Umapyoi Densetsu

Trivia

 * The title of her character song unbreakable is the name of real-life Oguri's great-great-grandfather.
 * Her glutton comes from real-life. His team said he does nothing but eating and sleeping after races.



Real Life
Oguri Cap is a racehorse in early Heisei era. He was called "The Idol Horse" following Haiseiko, and caused the second horseracing boom in Japan.

Oguri Cap, Inari One, and Super Creek were called "Heisei Top Three"

In 1987 (2 years old)
At first, Oguri Cap entered Kasamatsu horseracing in Gifu Prefecture.

At the maiden race, He lost to March Tosho and placed 2nd. At his fourth race, he ran with March again and lost.

Except those races, Cap won all races in Kasamatsu. Including next year's Gold Junior, March Tosho was only one horse that defeat Oguri Cap there.

In 1988 (3 years old)
After Cap won Gold Junior (G), his owner had changed to Isoo Sahashi and announced his transfer to JRA. First owner Koichi Oguri didn't have JRA license of owner at the time, so he couldn't transfer Cap there.

After transfer, he won two G3s. Fans were surprised at his strength, and hoped him to win the Triple Crown.

However, Cap didn't register with Classic races in the previous year, so he couldn't run Satsuki Sho, Japanese Derby, or Kikka Sho. Many fans and critics protested to JRA, but the rule didn't be changed until 1992, after Cap's retirement.

Insted of them, he won New Zealand Trophy 4-year-old Stakes, the "Unfortunate Derby ". He overwhelmed by 7 length, and kept winning until Mainichi Okan (G2). In JRA, Oguri Cap won 6 grade races in a row.

At Autumn Tenno Sho, another gray horse, Tamamo Cross "The White Lightening" entered. At the stretch, Tamamo Cross leaded and Oguri followed. The "gray Match" winner was Tamamo Cross. Oguri finished in 2nd place, and lost for the first time in JRA.

At Japan Cup, Both Tamamo and Oguri lost to Pay the Butler from US.

At Arima Kinen, Oguri Cap defeated Tamamo Cross. Tamamo retired after Arima, and Oguri succeeded "The Gray Monster".

In 1989 (4 years old)
At Febrary 22, Sahashi sold Oguri Cap to Toshinori Kondo.

Moreover, He twisted his fetlock and a desmitis was found. He rest during spring.

In the Autumn, Oguri Cap restarted from Sankei Sho All-comers (G3 ). In the year, He ran 6 grade races and fought against many G1 horses.

At Mainichi Okan (G2), he defeated Inari One.

At Autumn Tenno Sho (G1), he couldn't reach Super Creek and finished in 2nd.

At Mile Championship (G1), Bamboo Memory ran away and Oguri followed. At the last moment, Oguri overtook Bamboo and won by nose.

At Japan Cup, New Zealand-bred horse Horlicks won with the world record of turf 2400m. Oguri desperately followed her, but couldn't reach.

At Arima Kinen, he finally tired. at the last stretch he couldn't accelarate, and lost to Inari One and Super Creek. He finished in 5th.

In 1990 (5 years old)
At Yasuda Kinen (G1), Oguri Cap defeated Yaeno Muteki by 2 length.

But then he lost all races, Takarazuka Kinen, Autumn Tenno Sho, and Japan Cup (G1).

Fans thought he reached his limits, and should be retired. Oguri Cap's team decided his last run was Arima Kinen.

At Arima Kinen (G1), Oguri Cap overtook all at the fourth corner and ran at the top. Mejiro Ryan follows him but he ran away. finally, he finished in the first.

After retirement
He became a broodsire. There are no grade-race winners in his children.

He died in 2010, because of breaking his leg.

His granddaughter Lady Aiko made a debut in 2021. Now she runs in Kasamatsu, where Oguri Cap ran.


 * In Kasamatsu, his katakana name was オグリキヤツプ, no small letters. At that time, small letters are not allowed in local horseracing. He changed his name to オグリキャップ when he moved to JRA.
 * In Kasamatsu, racing silks are depend on horse's jockey. In Oguri Cap's case, most of them were Katsumi Ando's.
 * Ando moved to JRA in 2003, After that, he rode on Daiwa Scarlet.
 * Koichi Oguri got a JRA license of owner in 1989. However, that was after he sold Cap. In 1994, Cap's sister and Koichi's own horse Oguri Roman also moved to JRA and won Oka Sho.
 * Oguri Cap is one of the first horses that stuffed dolls were sold in racecouses. At the same time of Oguri Boom, claw crane became so. His and other star horse's dolls were there as prizes. As it happens, it continues to a horse girl Satono Diamond's episode.