An Overview of SIM Divisions

Original article written by Regina Moore posted 4 years 3 weeks ago

The following questions are common from newer players in SIM:

“My yearling galloped ‘stakes’! So, is he going to be a stakes winner?”

“My “formidable” mare nicks B+ with three stallions. Should I choose one of those three, or look for a higher grade?”

“A player has put a whole bunch of ‘productive’ gallopers on the sales list for $5,000 each. Are they worth buying?”

“What level of horse do I need to win a few allowance races?”

My answer to all the above, and similar types of questions, is exactly the same: It depends on the division. Tell me what division you’re talking about, and I’ll have a better chance of giving a helpful answer.

There are 23 breed/distance/surface divisions, or categories, in SIM, if one counts steeplechasing as a single division (which is arguable). Having so many divisions makes for a tremendous, wonderful variety to SIM. But all those categories also makes it very difficult to speak of SIM in generalizations that apply to all situations. For example, in All Weather milers, I usually have to make due with a B breeding nick, and sometimes breed B- and I am happy if I can get a B+. In Paint sprinters, a B is an automatic reject, and a B+ not very encouraging, since A and A- are fairly easy to come by. If my yearling turf miler gallops “stakes”, I’m very happy because the horse is sure to be a stakes winner. But my Quarter Horse sprinter that gallops “stakes” is fortunate to break its maiden by the end of its 2yo season, because there’s so many “freak” gallopers in the division.

To be able to think in terms of divisions, one needs to know what the divisions are. So, let’s run through them, and I’ll add some thoughts.


THOROUGHBREDS
There are nine divisions for Thoroughbreds, created from three distance categories and three surface categories.

Turf Sprinters - race under one mile on the turf (aka grass)

Turf Milers - race only at a mile on the turf

Turf Routers - race over a mile on the turf


Dirt Sprinters - race under one mile on the dirt

Dirt Milers - race only at a mile on the dirt

Dirt Routers - race over a mile on the dirt


All Weather Sprinters - race under one mile on All Weather

All Weather Milers - race only at a mile on All Weather

All Weather Routers - race over a mile on All Weather

North America has, by far, the biggest concentration of dirt races. Turf racing can be found on most continents. In fact, Africa and the South Pacific only have turf races.

All Weather is a synthetic surface that isn’t affected by weather. (Therefore, I don’t bother paying the horse whisperer to tell me what track condition my All Weather horses prefer.) The frustrating thing about All Weather is that there’s so few tracks with AW races. There’s often not many options to choose from.

The most competitive division of the nine (and probably the entire SIM) is dirt routers. That’s the division that includes the most prestigious and lucrative races — the American Triple Crown, the Desert World Cup, and the Steward’s Cup Classic. So, if you come into the SIM wanting to someday dominate dirt routers, know that you’ve got a steep hill to climb.

As broad generalizations, turf horses tend to last longer than dirt horses, and routers tend to last longer than sprinters. So, don’t feel that you must be doing something wrong when your 3yo dirt sprinter, who placed in a few stakes, is suddenly finishing far back in allowance races. He might simply be “done”, as far as being a competitive racehorse. Whereas, a turf router can sometimes still be a hard knocker at the age of six and beyond. Again, these are generalizations, not absolutes. You can always find exceptions.

The Steward has indicated that all horses have a different ability number for various distances, and that all horses have a favorite distance within their division. So, your dirt sprinter might be best at six furlongs, and he’ll be more successful if you race him mostly at six furlongs. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t win other races at other sprint distances. Likewise, the route divisions cover races as short as 1-1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) up to two miles (16 furlongs) and beyond. So, players sometimes speak of “short routers” and “marathoners”, to distinguish which distances, within the route division, the horse is best at. From the standpoint of trying to identify a favorite distance, milers are easy, since they only race at a mile.


STEEPLECHASERS
This is a unique division, from a variety of standpoints.

The horses are Thoroughbreds that have been turned into steeplechasers at the age of 2 or later. (I strongly recommend using the “Teach Horse to Jump” training tool, to see the comment, before turning the horse into a chaser. For starters, if the horse is not bred for steeplechasing, it’s highly unlikely that it’ll be anything other than “a hazard on the course” and not a good chasing prospect.) Once the horse is retired, it goes back to being a “Thoroughbred” and, if a breeding animal, can be bred to any other Thoroughbred.

Please note that the “Teach Horse to Jump” training tool doesn’t actually teach the horse to jump — in other words, no matter how many times you use it, it’s not going to make the horse into a better steeplechaser. It’s merely the steeplechase equivalent of the gallop comment.

Steeplechase races over fences don’t start being carded until Week 6 of their 3yo season. For earlier weeks in the year, there are “bumper” races for three year olds — where steeplechasers race over the flat. Whether bumper or actual steeplechase races, opportunities are limited throughout the year for three year olds. Most races are 4yo+, though there are some that are 5yo+. While there are more female races than there used to be, it’s still not uncommon for females to compete against males. Steeplechasers are more likely to be competitive at later ages than their flat counterparts.

There’s three circuits — South Pacific (Australia/NZ), eastern North America, and Europe.

Steeplechasers usually race from two miles to four miles, always on turf, though there are some races under two miles. When I was new in SIM, around Year 23, which is also when chasers were still fairly new in the game, I specifically recall The Steward saying that steeplechasing has three distance categories. But if that was the original intent, I don’t think it panned out, as I’ve never been able prove it to myself. I’ve had a horse that *seemed* to do best at around two and two-and-a-half miles, but when I threw him into a four-mile race because nothing else was available, he won. So, while each individual horse surely has a different ability number for each distance, I’m skeptical that it’s impossible for a horse to win at any particular distance for reasons of distance alone. Therefore, unless and until the Steward clarifies the issue, I consider steeplechasing to be a single distance category.


APPALOOSAS/PAINTS
Though they don’t race together in SIM (like they often do in real life), I’m discussing these breeds together, because they’re structured the same. There’s three distance categories, all on dirt:

Sprinters - 300yds and 350yds

Mids - 400yds

Routers - 870yds

Most races are in the western U.S.

In my experience, between the six divisions, it’s the Appy mids that are the easiest, in that I’ve occasionally won stakes races with “allowance” gallopers.

As with real life, Paint and Appaloosa mares can be bred to Quarter Horse stallions that have been made available for cross-breeding. The foals will be the same breed as the mare.


QUARTER HORSES
The most lucrative and intensely competitive of the mixers, which is in line with real life. All races are on dirt:

Sprinters — 100yds to 350yds

Mids — 400yds to 650yds

Routers — 870yds

Quarter Horses race mostly in the western U.S.

Originally, The Steward intended for 550yd/650yd horses to be part of the route division. But players didn’t breed them that way, and after a few game years, The Steward relented to reality and included those distances in the mid division.

In my experience, the QH sprinters are one of the toughest divisions in the entire SIM. (Most of my homebreds are still maidens at the age of 4yo). The mid division is very tough, but the route division is not particularly interesting to very many players. Therefore, I’ve had “allowance” level horses occasionally win stakes in the latter. Likewise, the routers don’t have the high quantity of lucrative races that the sprinters and mids have.

As with real life, Quarter Horse mares can be bred to Thoroughbred stallions that have been made available for cross-breeding (dirt stallions only recommended). The foals will be Quarter Horses.


ARABIANS
They don’t start racing until age three, which I think has a lot to do with their lack of popularity. Plus, on the back end, there aren’t 5yo+ races. There are six distances, all on dirt:

Sprinters - 4 furlongs, 5 furlongs, and 6 furlongs

Routers - 1-1/4 miles, 1-1/2 miles, and 2 miles

Arabians race mostly in the western U.S., but there are a couple of lucrative stakes in the Mid East for routers.

While Arabians are intensely competitive at the stakes level, the sprint division for ordinary horses is the easiest in the entire SIM, in my experience. There are so few horses racing, that it’s a rare horse that can’t break its maiden at the age of three.


STANDARDBRED TROTTERS AND PACERS
Though both are Standardbreds, trotters and pacers are treated as completely separate breeds in SIM. (In real life, a rare horse can change gaits for racing purposes.) While in real life there’s an odd race here or there at a different distance, such as 1-1/4 miles, the SIM has only the one traditional distance category on dirt for both trotters and pacers:

Mids - 1 mile

Both breeds race primarily in the eastern half of North America. However, there is a track in California, with an odd stakes here or there. On Saturdays, there’s a track in Australia that hosts claiming races. For additional circuits, which include graded stakes races, there are two trotter tracks in Europe (one is player-owned) and a pacer track in Australia.


OTHER NOTES
Most all horses in SIM are bred for one specific category, so you should only race the horse in that category. There are a few occasional exceptions where a horse can successfully cross distances and/or surfaces, or be able to be breed successful runners in multiple categories. (For example, thoroughbred dirt routers with a lot of speed are often successful at also siring dirt milers.) When you’re new at SIM and trying to learn things, I suggest sticking to narrow category definitions and avoid buying horses that have “confused distance breeding”, and instead choose horses where both parents raced in the same distance/surface category.

As a rare player who breeds and competes in all 23 breed/distance/surface categories, I have pointed out certain divisions that I feel are the easiest to be successful with. However, today’s “easy” division might be one that is very tough the next game year. Many divisions that I felt were easy ten game years ago, are now super tough. Likewise, some that I used to find extremely frustrating, are now ones that I find it easy to be successful with. So, there’s cycles — within the SIM, as top players come and go, and within one’s own breeding program. Therefore, I wouldn’t suggest having a strategy of trying to chase after the newest “easy” fad, and changing the entire makeup of one’s barn, in trying to anticipate where success can be most easily found. You’re likely better off choosing some divisions to focus on, and sticking with them the best you can.

Another factor that can confuse the “easy” application of a particular division is that as of Year 49, players can buy their own racetrack and schedule races for a specific breed or division. As such, it’s all the more difficult to predict which divisions will have the most opportunities in the near future, let alone the distant future.

Most of us in SIM use the term “mixers” to refer collectively to the breeds other than Thoroughbreds. However, in the most proper definition, mixers don’t include Standardbreds. So, if you’re using the Search page or Circuits page to look for races via the Circuit filter, your “Mixed Breed” filter won’t included trotters and pacers; for those, you need to use the “Harness” filter.

While not an official SIM term, one I find convenient to use for Appaloosas, Paints, and Quarter Horses collectively (those that race at 870 yds and under) is “stock breeds”. In other words, those breeds that have been traditionally associated with use on ranches that raise livestock.

Finally, please note that a SIMperior subscription includes the ability to set your horse’s category. If, for example you have a Thoroughbred turf router, you can set its category to “turf router”, and only turf route races will show up as potential races to enter. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about accidentally entering it in a dirt race, or a sprint race, etc. This ability alone — along with many other valuable perks — can make it worthwhile to pay for a SIMperior subscription.

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