The Japanese videogame publisher and developer Cygames will be sponsoring the upcoming 151st Kentucky Derby, one of America’s most prestigious and most-watched horse races. From May 2 to 3, Cygames will have an on-site activation where visitors can play video game demos and take photos.
In addition to the on-site activation, Cygames will also sponsor the Unbridled Sidney Stakes, a 1,100-meter race for fillies and mares aged three and older, which features a $400,000 prize pool. During the event, Cygames’ logo will be featured on the starting gate, the saddle towels of the contending horses, and the signage at the finish line.
Cygames is best known for developing mobile games such as Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond and Granblue Fantasy, as well as Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, a gacha game which features characters inspired by famous racehorses from around the world. Since the game’s release in 2021, the Uma Musume franchise has expanded to include manga, anime and music projects based around these characters.
This is also not the first time Cygames has partnered with a horse racing competition – in 2024, Cygames became the name-in-title partner of the Breeders’ Club World Championships, a massive two-day event that featured more than $34 million in awards and prize money. The partnership was launched to promote the then-upcoming 2024 English release of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby.
“The Kentucky Derby has a long and prestigious history as the first of the races that make up the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, and I consider it a great joy for Cygames to be a sponsor,” said Koichi Watanabe, President of Cygames. “My hope is that, through our partnership, we can provide an opportunity for potential fans to get to know Cygames and its content.”
For more information, visit the official Kentucky Derby website.
