Umamusume: Pretty Derby Special Week Build Guide

Special Week is often the first Uma Musume players train, and her versatility makes her a strong contender in any race. To unlock her true potential as a front-runner, the right build is key. This guide will walk you through the perfect Special Week build for 2025, from reaching ideal stat thresholds to choosing the best support cards and skills. Let's get into it!

Special Week Overview

Special Week, the cheerful and determined protagonist of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, is one of the most beloved and beginner-friendly characters in the game. Born in Hokkaido, she was raised by her mother's friend after losing her birth mother. Special Week is driven by the desire to make both her mothers proud by becoming Japan’s top racer, and her relentless spirit keeps her moving forward, even through challenges.

Her balanced stat growth and versatility make her an excellent choice for both new and experienced trainers. Whether you're racing in PvE or PvP modes, Special Week’s ability to perform consistently as a front-runner ensures she excels in every race. With her light purple eyes and idol-like race outfit, she embodies both energy and grace, making her a standout character on and off the track.

Special Week Best Stats

Special Week Uma Musume is perfect for a front-runner in sprint to medium-distance races. Based on Game8’s recommended build, aim for 900 Speed, 700 Stamina, and 600 Power. Don’t worry too much about Guts and Wit, as she’s strongest in Long and Medium distances. Speed lets her take the lead early, Stamina keeps her going through the homestretch, and Power helps her pull away when other horses start to catch up.

Invest a little in Wit to make sure her skills activate consistently, but you can keep Guts low unless you’re focusing on stamina-heavy races. The key is balance—don’t over-focus on one stat!

Special Week Best Skills

Speed-focused races require skills that either boost acceleration or help maintain a steady pace throughout. Key skills for Special Week include Straightaway Acceleration, Homestretch Haste, and Go with the Flow to ensure a powerful finish. Her SSR card unlocks Gourmand to aid in stamina recovery and Shake It Out to maintain endurance during the late stages of the race, giving her an edge when the race intensity increases.

For smaller fields or slower starts, consider adding Late Surger Savvy or Outer Swell. These skills help her efficiently pass rivals, especially when starting from behind or when racing in fields with fewer competitors. Late Surger Savvy offers better timing and positioning for overtaking in the final stretch, while Outer Swell ensures smoother outside passes when the pack is bunched up.

These skills, combined with the right stats and support cards, make Special Week a formidable front-runner in sprint and medium-distance races.

Special Week Best Support Cards

Support cards play a crucial role in how quickly Special Week grows and the skills she acquires. The standout card for her build is the SSR card “Setting Sun and Rising Stars”, a Special Week-exclusive release from the June–July 2025 event. Specializing in Speed, this card provides valuable benefits such as: Race bonuses, Increased fan yield and Mood boosts.

It also grants access to powerful skills like Gourmand and Shake It Out. By building friendship with this card early, you’ll unlock Rainbow Training, which greatly accelerates her stat growth.

To further strengthen her build, include other SSR Speed support cards like Tokai Teio, Super Creek, or Nishino Flower. These cards synergize well and trigger friendship-based acceleration events, helping Special Week reach her full potential.

Additionally, adding a Power or Stamina card will round out your deck, ensuring balance. If needed, borrow high-tier friends' cards, such as Super Creek, for extra gains during career runs. This will help maximize her performance and give her an edge in key races.

How to Train Special Week

Prioritize Speed

Focus on Speed drills as much as possible early on. Try to unlock Level 5 Speed training before reaching the final races.

Maintain Steady Stamina

If she struggles in the latter half of races, it’s a sign that Stamina needs more attention in training.

Train Power and Wit Simultaneously

Use Power and Wit drills as secondary options when Speed drills are unavailable. These stats help with recovery and improving acceleration.

Utilize Bond Drills

Multi-character drills are an efficient way to boost stats quickly. Aim for double or triple support cards on the same tile whenever possible.

Watch Her Mood

Her mood directly influences training effectiveness and skill success. If she’s not in a Good or Great mood, use Recreation or Wit drills to recover.

Race Style Tips for Special Week

Uma Musume Special Week performs best as a Leader, so focus on boosting her Leader aptitude to A through inheritance. While her Betweener style can work, it’s harder to control and may be less consistent, especially for newer players.

Good legacy parent picks for her include: TM Opera O, Rice Shower, Mejiro Ryan

Avoid parents that focus on Chaser or Sprinter styles, as they don’t align with her preferred pace or race distance.

Conclusion

To sum up, Special Week shines with a balanced build that emphasizes Speed, Stamina, and Power. By focusing on the Leader style and maintaining her mood, she’ll excel in Medium and Long races without losing momentum. With the right support cards and skills, she becomes a dependable front-runner capable of dominating the competition. For the ultimate experience and smoother gameplay, play Umamusume: Pretty Derby on PC via LDPlayer—step up your game and take your racing skills to the next level!

FAQs

What stat totals are optimal for Special Week?

Focus on reaching 900 Speed, 700 Stamina, and 600 Power. Keep Guts investment minimal and allocate a moderate amount to Wit for balance.

Which skills are crucial for Special Week?

Key skills include Straightaway Acceleration, Homestretch Haste, Go with the Flow, Gourmand, and Shake It Out. You can also consider adding Late Surger Savvy or Outer Swell as optional skills.