Uma Musume Pretty Derby Season 3 (TV)

The storyline of season 3 is based on the career of racehorse Kitasan Black (foaled March 10, 2012), who won 12 out of 20 races from 2015 to 2017, as well as the Japanese Horse of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017.

Former baseball player and racehorse investor Masahiro Yamamoto plays a fictional version of himself as a racing commentator, replacing Junko Hosoe from the previous anime installments. He currently owns shares of championship racehorses Al Ain and Shahryar.

In real life, Kitasan Black is a descendant of Sakura Bakushin O (1989-2011).

Kitasan Black's father being a singer is a reference to Enka singer Saburo Kitajima, whose company Kitajima Music Office owns the real racehorse.

The real Duramente (2012-2021) won five of his nine races from 2015 to 2016, but was prone to injuries, having fractured his front legs in June 2015 and suffering extensive injuries to his left foreleg from a fall after the 2016 Takarazuka Kinen. Following the latter injury, the racehorse was retired and lived the rest of his life as a stud horse until his death on August 31, 2021.

In real life, Cheval Grand (foaled March 14, 2012), Verxina (foaled March 5, 2009), and Vivlos (foaled April 9, 2013) are siblings, with Haiwa Sweet being their dam (mother). Cheval Grand's sire (father) was Heart's Cry (2001-2023), while Verxina and Vivlos' sire was Deep Impact (2002-2019).

In real life, Satono Diamond (foaled January 30, 2013), Verxina, and Vivlos are related from their sire Deep Impact.

In several episodes, Aston Machan makes sporadic appearances in the background or beside characters. 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.

During the Arima Kinen in episode 3, Takatoshi Imanami, who groomed the real Gold Ship, is seen among the crowd. He makes another appearance during the school festival in episode 10.

All Haiyu, who defeats Kitasan Black and Gold Ship at the Arima Kinen in episode 3, is a fictional stand-in for the racehorse Gold Actor (foaled May 18, 2011), who won nine races in his 20-race career, including the 2015 Arima Kinen.

In episode 3, when Gold Ship brings a starting gate to the front of Team Spica's office to work on her late starts, Trainer references the 2015 Takarazuka Kinen. At the start of that race, the real Gold Ship panicked and reared to one side before the starting gate opened, resulting in him finishing second-last. This has become known as the "12 Billion Yen Incident", as Gold Ship's actions resulted in an estimated ¥12 billion in lost bets. The incident was re-enacted during the Osaka Hai in the last episode of the season 1 OAV "BNW no Chikai".

River Light, who defeats Duramente and Kitasan Black at the Takarazuka Kinen in episode 5, is based on the racehorse Marialite (foaled February 19, 2011), who won six races in her 20-race career, including the 2016 Takarazuka Kinen.

It's Calling, who finishes second to Kitasan Black in episode 13, is a fictional stand-in for the racehorse Queen's Ring, who finished second at the 2017 Arima Kinen.