Uma Musume: Pretty Derby - 1st Anniversary Special Animation

Yayoi Akikawa, the director of Tracen Academy, has been suspected of being an uma musume herself. Many of her characteristics are inspired by Northern Taste (1971-2004), a Canadian racehorse that never raced in Japan, but spent his final years there as a studhorse. The black cat on her hat is a reference to the stray cat that befriended Northern Taste.

Aston Machan makes appearances in the background during the school track scene. She also breaks the fourth wall by looking straight at the viewer; she goes further in the video game by telling the viewer to never forget her. This is because the real racehorse (2004-2008), who won five races in her 11-race career, was aiming to be a worthy rival to Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka, but died of Colitis X prior to the 2008 Takamatsunomiya Kinen.

After running away from Sakura Bakushin O, Kitasan Black tells Satono Diamond she sensed a kind of affinity between her and Sakura Bakushin O. In real life, Kitasan Black (foaled March 10, 2012) is a descendant of Sakura Bakushin O (1989-2011).

The uma musume who waves at Satono Diamond is Satono Crown. At the time of the release of this special, her identity had been kept a secret, with the only clue being her nickname "Kura-chan".