Picking The Brain Of Our Beloved Steward: Dirt Route Edition

Original article written by Jack Meyer posted 9 years 0 weeks ago

We have come to the end, barreling down the stretch and it’s been fun. Our last stop is of course with the Dirt Routers, you have to save the division with the Derby, Crown, Classic, and Steward’s Cup Classic until the very end, it’s only right. Em agreed to sit down with me one last time to give her thoughts on the most coveted division in the SIM, the one division that everyone strives to have the best..And away we go!

With legendary horses like Conduit, Awake As I Am, and Maelstrom having stolen the hearts of the SIM so many years back, I figured this division was stacked full of history. I asked The Steward where the division began, what were the roots of this prestigious part of the SIM. “Back when the SIM very first started in 1998, full on Year 1 we’re talking here - dirt routers was basically all there was. Turf milers and dirt sprinters was also a thing, but everyone knew the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and that’s what imaginative 11-year-old me was going for when I created it. The mighty dirt routers of years 1 - 3, like Event of the Year, Serena’s Song and Manistique, would happily have held their own, numbers wise, against any of the big runners today. Rating wise, the division hasn’t really progressed, it just churns out the same 25 monsters every year, over and over, and that’s what makes it so very difficult to break into, and succeed in.”

What about the more modern division of the SIM, say from year 32 on, how does it stack up and who are among the greats? I remember how good Vortex was and his showdowns with Ball of Fire and Ice and Fire, and the rivalry between Harry Potter and Voldemort. I remember Castle Keep’s thrilling run at the Triple Crown and You Are I Am’s astounding run in the Classic. There are so many great memories in my short time in the SIM, I wanted to know what Em thought of the more modern era. “It’s cruel to say Year 32 on, because then you purposely cut me off from saying Maelstrom. Messiah definitely fits the bill as a great one, though, and then you have to go with Harry Potter and probably one of the best of all time, You Are I Am.”

Though I didn’t purposely leave out Maelstrom’s year from the more modern version of the SIM, I did want a level playing field as far as horses that haven’t achieved what he achieved, so I guess it worked out….Sorry Em!

Just Victory, Harkness, Joust, Spartan, My Soul To Take, and Minions have all had success with crossover divisions, some on the track and some in the shed, I asked The Steward if this was the “new thing” in the SIM and if there are any others I missed that crossed divisions like these.

“It’s definitely not new; it was done with tons of success in the old SIM. When the SIM came back, you saw old-school trainers (I’m looking at you, Nalbone) who tried to continue this on by debuting their routers going short, and even recently, Messiah and Maelstrom both won at a mile. But now, people are sooooo averse to losing that they don’t dare try, and because breeding is so specialized, a lot of horses have lost that cross over ability. That’s why, in the SIMperior Edge, I make a big deal when I find a horse that can produce multiple distances or surfaces - think flashing neon signs and bright arrows and cheerleaders and a band. I would love to see it done again.”

Those of you who don’t have SIMperior really are missing out on this key component that could make the game more lucrative, The Edge has really valuable information in it that only The Steward can talk about. I am one who looks very closely at this type of information coming from Em, I used the information in The Edge to try a few of these breeding’s, it’s a shame those who don’t have SIMperior will never know what that is.

The 2YO colts last year were amazing, Oncoming Storm's performance in the Steward's Cup Juvenile was amazing, and he beat some talented colts there in the likes of Mazer Rackham, Crusader, and Torchwood. Looking at the now 3YO division as a whole, I wanted to know if Em thought he was the Derby favorite and who she sees coming forward this year to try an dethrone the king. “Oncoming Storm is definitely the favorite, no question, but remember that Sword was the last horse to do the Juvenile - Derby double and that was back in Y30/31, and overall only FOUR horses have done it in SIM history. Oncoming Storm is so good that he could definitely be number five, but logistically you have to look at horses that ran behind him, or even better, skipped the Derby. I see a lot of people leaving out Excelsior, Sovereign, etc. from their Triple Crown Trail stables. Do so at your own risk!”

The young ladies division is equally stunning to watch, Paha Sapa is a force to be reckoned with, she chewed up and spit out two very talented fillies in the Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies in Memories and Sabbith. I looked back at last year and saw what Skyfall did and wanted to know if Em thought Paha Sapa could follow in her shadow.

“Coming a year after Skyfall, her owner can’t NOT be thinking about it. She’s bred to love the 1 1/4 mile distance and frankly she might like it better than the Oaks distance. It seems unlikely fillies would win in back to back years, but in reality, no filly has entered the Derby a year after a filly won, so it’s never even been tried.” I don’t see why Paha Sapa shouldn’t give the Derby a try if she can stay on top of her game, she is just that talented and I’d love to see a possible back-to-back filly Derby champion run.

The older ladies took a hit when Wish Upon A Star retired, Danny Derby wanted maximum time in the shed with his prized mare. We will get to see the likes of Skyfall, Gorgeous, and Hallowed Halls on the track again this year so there is still plenty of talent to go around. With the additions of the aforementioned Paha Sapa, Memories, and Sabbith I asked Em where she saw this division going heading into Year 41.

“I know the decision on whether or not to retire Wish Upon a Star was eating Danny Derby alive, but I think it was the right decision. With her pedigree, she’s just so valuable as a broodmare, you have to get that extra foal in because I really think an extra foal is worth more than what he could have made with her on the track this year. She would have had to guarantee him wins in either the Dubai World Cup or the Steward’s Cup Classic to make it worth it, and when Skyfall and most of the boys (DOCTOR grrr) didn’t retire, it didn’t seem likely. Then again, I feel that way about Skyfall, too, which causes consternation to this day. That said, I genuinely think Skyfall is one of the great ones. What she has been doing against boys over and over, with crazy speed figures that refuse to bounce - she’s really good. Enjoy her while you can.” Art Vandalay is one lucky dude to have such a strong stable, and Skyfall is the one leading the way…great filly.

Unlike the ladies, the boys have plenty of heavy hitters returning Year 41. Doctor is returning, I don't know what else he has to prove, but he is back again. Dobra, Iverson, and Ace are back again for the Nalbone barn making Eric's barn as dangerous as always. Through the Ghost, Mint, Honest Talk, Coronation, Excalibur, and Tightrope have also decided to keep the ball rolling in Year 41. The division still looks destined to be great once again, and add in Oncoming Storm and company and you have another solid group preparing for battle.

I asked The Steward her thoughts on the older male’s dirt route division and if she sees any surprises popping up along the way to the Steward’s Cup this year. “It’s hard to know what to make of the older boys, because last year the girls were so clearly superior. Doomsday almost winning the Steward’s Cup would have made it back-to-back surprises, but he’s no fluke now that he’s finally in the right barn going the right distance. Four-year-old Through the Ghost and Coronation should scare people, and when does Eric Nalbone not just jump up and win major dirt races, usually right when you think he doesn’t have a superstar in the wings? The real question will be, are they finally better than Skyfall or not!” Is this a banner year for Skyfall or will Doctor and company hold her at bay and steal the show?

And with every new year there is a fresh batch of monster 2YO’s that the rest of the SIM fears, so I didn’t want to leave them out since they will be taking up a lot of our time through the first 9 weeks of the year. I asked Em who she thinks are the best of the best out there, who she thinks will be ravaging the track when week 10 comes around. “Oh man. They are a sick, sick group this year. I know they are every year, so that’s no surprise. You have to start the conversation with Heart of the Storm, who was meant to be a 'secret surprise' in the Trial by Summer Sale. All he’s done since then is bust out absurd workout times over and over. Art Vandalay will be back with nothing short of an army of good babies - just get resigned to the fact that they’re coming, cause they are. And of course much has been made about Laura Ferguson trying to win the Derby again - if it doesn’t happen this year, she’s just going to keep breeding scary looking colts until it does.”

I have been hearing a lot of rumblings about Man of Mystery and the host of Ferguson babies that are prepping for their Week 10 debuts, anyone who hasn’t seen Art’s secret weapon and Laura’s duo of Sovereign and Crusader better look them up right now, they are amazing fake animals that will be making some serious noise in the coming year.

This was a very fun series to write, I wanted to thank Em for her time and patience with some of my questioning and understanding that I wanted to bring you, the SIM universe, all the juicy details on all corners of the SIM. We got history lessons as well as warnings as to who were, are, and will be the shining stars of the past, present, and future of the SIM…Thank you so much for reading..

Jack Meyer

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