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Hall of Fame - Money Honey
Original article written by Gigi Gofaster posted 12 years 2 weeks agoShow Me the Money Honey!
Sometimes the Sim throws up a few little surprises. The Steward conjures up horses from her magic books, and sends them galloping – or in this case, trotting – out into the world of the SIM. They have no history, no parentage, no childhoods. They just appear, and some change the Sim forever.
Appearing in such mysterious circumstances, one jet black colt entered trotting history with the first wave of Standradbreds. With no background, no precocious two year old campaign, no classic winning three year old season, he was a complete unknown. Steph Lonhro must have seen something in this tiny little colt, and he was snapped him up for a bargain $5000, and Money Honey was on his way. As an untried four year old, he probably had only one season to make his mark - and make his mark he did. Blasting out in his first start to break his maiden by over four lengths in a worthwhile 1.54.76 – enough to earn a 75 SF – he certainly looked like a champion. Some might question him – lots of horses break their maidens convincingly in their first start, but it’s only because they didn’t really beat much. This was not the case for Money Honey – behind him was Marty B, who came out next time to pick up his first win by over ten lengths, and who continued to win by considerable margins until he met Money Honey again in the Meadowfields Cup.
To silence any doubters, Money Honey’s next start was a stakes race, and he went even faster, winning in 1.54.62, and picking up a SF of 77. This time he had consistent performer Flyingaroundthebend behind him, along with Challenge Hanover, another impressive debut winner who would go on to be a stakes winner and Steward’s contender. These three would begin a season-long rivalry here, one which would put Money Honey to the test over and over.
After only two starts, Money Honey was the horse to beat. Next time out, it was Flyingaroundthebend’s turn to be on form, wining an epic duel with Money Honey to hold him off by just ¼ of length. Challenge Hanover joined the mix next time in the New World Mile, but Money Honey had a score to settle and left Flyingaroundthebend and Challenge Hanover to fight it out for the placings while he rolled in for the win. Marty B returned for his shot at Money Honey in the Meadowfields Cup, joining Flyingaroundthebend to see if someone could take down this speedy little colt. An oddly slow race, no one wanted to take control, so Money Honey took the opportunity to thrash a collection of rivals, stringing the four-horse field out over 5 lengths.
Money Honey lined up for the Mr. Muscleman trot next, and once again Challenge Hanover and Flyingaroundthebend lined up with him, looking for an opportunity to defeat the wonder colt. Both were on form, and Money Honey was not. The little black colt was tired, and never found his rhythm. Struggling to cope with the turns on tired little legs, and with no quarter given from either Flyingaroundthebend or Challenge Hanover, this would not be Money Honey’s day. With a four week rest, Challenge Hanover was the fresh horse and took the win.
You can’t keep a good horse down, and as the season came to a close, there was only the Steward’s Crown Trot left for the big boys. They’d all be there – Money Honey would face Flyingaroundthebend, Challenge Hanover, and Marty B, as well as a few others who had been in the mix in prior races. Money Honey trotted for the race of his life, tying his all-time best for a mile, picking up a 77 speed figure, and firmly putting each and every one of his rivals in their place. His convincing 1 ½ length win left the Sim world in no doubt – this would be The Sim’s very first Trotter of the Year.
Money Honey could have continued his campaign as a five year old, but he had nothing to prove. As an inaugural Trotter Simmy winner, it made sense to get him off to the stud farm to help get the trotters going. Of course, with the pool of trotter stallions still small, he got some great mares in his first season, including first time Simmy female trotting winner Soft Music (the foal, a colt named Money and Music, would go on to win over $400,000). That year he also produced the very useful gelding Yachtsman, the stakes winning mares Chocolate Kisses and Now I Know, and four Simmy winners in current sire Goldigga, and mares Dreamnabouthoney, Moni Money Moni and My One Honey. Not bad for a freshman sire!
At the time of writing, Money Honey is the leading trotting sire. With 475 foals on the ground, and 191 winners (for a winners to runners ration of 56.3%), offspring of Money Honey have won over $12 million with only five crops to race, and he’s at the top of the trotter leaderboards as a sire of winners. Add that 24 are stakes winners and five have won Simmies – and Money Honey has sired a Simmy winner each year since his first two year old winner from his first crop!
Money Honey is off to a great start as a broodmare sire too. When his daughters are crossed with Cash Call, they set the world alight – Cash Money Honey has three Simmies to her name, Dreams of Cash has two, and filly Veiled Secret is an Oaks winner. With other stallions, Money Honey’s daughters have produced some good trotters too – overall as a broodmare sire he’s got nine stakes winners so far from a crop that is five at their oldest.
Money Honey’s legacy lives on at the track this year, and arguably his fillies are where it’s at. His three year old Bank is in contention for top honors, facing his granddaughter (through Goldigga) Devil In A Dress; daughter Hookah Honey still has more to give too. Colts racing for Money Honey are headlined by Money Obsessed, already a Simmy winner and certainly the trotter colt to beat in year 30. His top earning sons Goldigga and young stallion Will Be are preparing to receive his mantle as sires, and other track performers like Money and Muscles and Money and Music are already at stud.
So, what we have here is a Simmy winner, who sires Simmy winners, and is the dam sire of Simmy winners. And he’s only eleven. There is no doubt that Money Honey puts his money where his mouth is, honey!