"It's not the horses that are real, it's the emotions."

So begins your career as a trainer, owner, breeder, and bloodstock agent in the great sport of horse racing. This game was first opened in 1998 by an inspired twelve year old who was determined to make friends in an industry that is often misunderstood. The game grew to have nearly 16,000 horses and 500 players before its completion in October of 2003.

The game, fondly called "The SIM" with the full understanding that SIM is not an acronym for anything, is unique in its attempt to make each horse and each race real. All over the world, game players sat glued to their computer monitors during live auctions and live Steward's Cup race calls.

Some guidelines to keep in mind:

1. Real horses come into the game with their real race records, but this does not necessarily mean that horses sired by Point Given will run best going long on the dirt. It does mean that Point Given comes in as the winner of the Belmont, Travers, and Santa Anita Derby, and is a son of Thunder Gulch.

2. It is not random. ALL horses have a formula - it's your job to figure them out.

3. Talk to your fellow players. There is a wealth of information to be gained by discussing events with the "pros," especially on the forum.

4. Pedigree is key.

The SIM is a model of real life heroes and real life events sped up and woven together to create a dynamic racing world. Our Secretariat was a noble chestnut named Priceless Forever, our Ruffian came in the form of "the Freak," Forever Risk. Event of the Year came into the game with his real life record as the winner of the Jim Beam Stakes and left as our model of Man o War, and has been consistently voted the best all-around horse in the game.

You should find the sense of community here to be inviting. Few will forget waiting for the live call of the epic match race between The Scarlet Nite and Satelite, and the SIM was alive when after a year of waiting the titans Loki Masterpiece, Walkover, Gaze Unwavering and Conduit finally clashed. Team games dot the intense competition, and contests, prizes, and even real life gatherings are regular.

Above all, keep in mind that it's just a game. While that may seem like obvious advice, one day you may find yourself swallowed up in the dream, joining hundreds of players worldwide who log on for hours every day to experience the thrill of Thoroughbred racing.