Autoselect in Umamusume lets the game choose your horse's actions during races, but it often makes poor decisions that cost you wins

Autoselect is a feature that automatically picks which move your horse performs during a race without you making the choice. When you turn it on, the game decides when to use speed boosts, when to change lanes, and when to push hard — all on its own. For new players, this sounds convenient. In practice, the game's AI makes choices that lose races you could have won, especially once you move past the easiest difficulty levels.

Whether to use autoselect depends on what you are trying to do. If you are learning the game or running a horse through a race you do not care much about, autoselect is fine. If you are training a horse for an important race or trying to win consistently, you should turn it off and make your own choices.

Key Takeaways

  • Autoselect makes the game choose your horse's actions during races, but it often picks the wrong move at the wrong time and causes you to lose.
  • The AI does not understand race strategy the way a human player does, so it wastes speed boosts and fails to respond to what other horses are doing.
  • Turning autoselect off takes practice but becomes faster once you learn which buttons do what, and you will win more races as a result.
  • You can turn autoselect on or off before each race, so you can use it for low-stakes training runs and turn it off when it matters.

Why the AI makes bad race decisions

The autoselect AI does not think about race position the way you do. It does not look ahead to see where other horses are going or plan a sequence of moves. Instead, it reacts to what is happening right now — and often reacts too late or too early.

A common mistake: the AI uses your horse's strongest speed boost when you are already winning by a wide margin, wasting it when you actually need it later. Another mistake: it fails to switch lanes when a rival horse is blocking you, costing you seconds. It also does not understand pacing — when to hold back and when to go all out — so it either burns your horse out early or does not push hard enough at the finish line.

The further you progress in Umamusume, the more these mistakes hurt. Races against stronger opponents require timing and strategy. Autoselect cannot provide that.

When autoselect is actually useful

Autoselect works fine for races where the outcome does not matter much to you. If you are running a horse through a training race just to build stats, or running a horse you know is much weaker than the competition, autoselect saves you the effort of paying attention.

It is also useful if you are new to the game and still learning which buttons do what. You can turn it on, watch what happens, and learn the race mechanics without feeling rushed to make decisions. Once you understand the timing and the buttons, turn it off.

Some players also use autoselect when they are grinding the same race over and over and just want to get through it quickly. That is a valid choice if you are willing to accept a lower win rate in exchange for less attention.

How to turn autoselect on and off

Before you start a race, the game shows you a menu with race settings. One of those settings is autoselect, usually labeled as "Auto" or "Autoselect" depending on your game language. You can toggle it on or off right there — it does not require restarting the race or changing any permanent settings.

The toggle is straightforward to miss if you are rushing through the menu, so take a moment to look for it each time. You can change it as many times as you want, so there is no penalty for experimenting.

What you need to learn to play without autoselect

Playing without autoselect means learning which button does what during a race. Most versions of Umamusume use straightforward controls: one button for speed boost, one for lane change, one for pushing hard. The timing matters — you want to use your strongest moves when they will actually help you win, not when the AI thinks it is a good time.

The learning curve is not steep. After a few races without autoselect, you will start to recognize the patterns: when rivals are catching up, when you have room to make a move, when you should save your boost for the final stretch. You do not need to be perfect. You just need to be better than the AI, which is a low bar.

Practice on races that do not matter first — training races, lower-difficulty events, horses you are not invested in. Once you feel comfortable, use manual control on the races where winning actually counts.

The difference in win rates between autoselect and manual control

Players who turn off autoselect report winning significantly more races, especially against opponents of similar strength. The exact difference depends on the race difficulty and your horse's stats, but the pattern is consistent: manual control wins more often.

This is not because manual control is overpowered. It is because autoselect is underpowered. The AI is not trying to win — it is just making moves. A human player who understands the race and thinks about strategy will beat that AI most of the time.

If you are working toward a specific goal in Umamusume — winning a particular race, reaching a rank, or training a horse to its potential — turning off autoselect is one of the fastest ways to get there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does using autoselect affect my horse's stats or training?

No. Autoselect only changes how the race plays out, not what your horse learns from it. Your horse gains the same stats and experience whether you win or lose, whether you use autoselect or not. The only thing that changes is whether you win the race itself.

Can I use autoselect on some races and manual control on others?

Yes. You can toggle autoselect on or off before each individual race. There is no penalty for switching back and forth, so you can use autoselect for training runs and manual control for important races.

What if I keep losing races even without autoselect?

Losing races usually means your horse's stats are too low for that race, not that you are making bad decisions. Check your horse's speed, stamina, and power compared to the opponents. If they are much lower, focus on training before trying again. If stats are close, practice a few more races to get comfortable with the controls.

Is there a way to improve autoselect, or is it always bad?

Autoselect does not have settings you can adjust. It works the same way every time. If you want better race results, manual control is the only real option. The good news is that manual control becomes automatic after a few races — you stop thinking about it and just play.