Thoughts on gallops, etc.

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Andrea Bouwkamp
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Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Andrea Bouwkamp »

Since the SIM changes, this is the first year in ages that I had no freak Arabians. In the past, all my freaks won stakes, etc. They have been my bread and butter. I am confused. Is this happening to everyone else or did the SIM decide to poop on my parade? Are Stakes gallopers truly stakes competitors now? Are freaks becoming rare occurrences, like TBs? I used to race all my stakes gallopers in Arab and Standardbred pacers in high priced claimers to win races because they couldn’t compete in anything higher. Speaking of Stb pacers, I had one freak. In the past, I took this with a grain of salt because there were so many freaks. Are the mixers becoming more like the TBs now?
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Mr. Lord Rich
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Mr. Lord Rich »

I don’t race Arabians or trotters so can’t comment on those, but QH, Appy, Paint are more inline with TBs with the freak ratio. Freaks are very rare.

For pacers, I noticed I’m still getting the same high % of freaks so even though they may have been adjusted, another adjustment would not hurt.
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Regina Moore
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Regina Moore »

I don't currently have any Arabian freaks in my racing barn, but one of my 3yo stakes gallopers is 3-for-3 in stakes competition. That's a sprinter. My 3yo stakes router hasn't won in three starts.

I have a freak 2yo router.
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Rochelle Bos
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Rochelle Bos »

I have 2 Arabians: this girl is a Y50 Stakes 😒 and this guy was a Y49 stakes turned Allowance, so who knows what’s up with Arabians lol

As for pacers I only have 3 that I race, all freaks: Cthulhu, Ambro Fran, and Ambro Kara...so yeah haha I think when the mixer gallop adjustment happened pacers still needed a little bit more, because even getting a freak is a toss up if they can win Allowance races or not
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Jo Ferris
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Jo Ferris »

I know they moved the scale a few years back so freaks are much less common and because of that are usually more freakish. When regalloping the then 2yo crop I found it was roughly a full gallop level the scale was moved. I went from getting roughly 10-15 Paint freaks a year to getting less than 3 a year. That being said, my freaks these past few years are worse than my stakes, lol!
Arabian:
Money Run Low - 7.5k
Cass Ole - 5k
Mugello - 5k
All I'll Praise - 5k
Zandvoort - 10k

Paint:
Toby Flenderson - 15k
One In The Woods - 5k
We Can Be Heros - 5k
FLD Eclipse - 3.5k
Scooter - 3.5k
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Te Akau Downs
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Te Akau Downs »

i have 2 arabian freak yearlings but most are stakes since the gallop changes, stakes paints but no freaks, i have noticed my stakes are more competitive and win more stakes races now as before a stakes mixer just didn't cut it with all the freaks
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Dennis Peterson
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Dennis Peterson »

I've been in SIM about a year and a half and still consider myself a relative newbie. One thing I can't seem to figure out is the value of the gallop. Everyone seems to think a freak is amazing, but I have a trotter who bumped from stakes to freak between Y52 and Y53. In Y53, I started him in some low-level stakes - out of the money. I went to allowance - out of the money. I went to $15,000 claimer - out of the money. But wait, I moved him to an $8,000 claimer and he finished second! So I moved him up back to a $15,000 claimer - out of the money. I dunno, I was kinda expecting more out a freak gallop, especially since prior to the new freak gallop he had a string of 14 consecutive races in the money, including five wins. What am I missing? All thoughts will be appreciated. By the way, I just checked again - he's still a freak.
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Mr. Lord Rich
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Mr. Lord Rich »

Dennis Peterson wrote: 4 years ago I've been in SIM about a year and a half and still consider myself a relative newbie. One thing I can't seem to figure out is the value of the gallop. Everyone seems to think a freak is amazing, but I have a trotter who bumped from stakes to freak between Y52 and Y53. In Y53, I started him in some low-level stakes - out of the money. I went to allowance - out of the money. I went to $15,000 claimer - out of the money. But wait, I moved him to an $8,000 claimer and he finished second! So I moved him up back to a $15,000 claimer - out of the money. I dunno, I was kinda expecting more out a freak gallop, especially since prior to the new freak gallop he had a string of 14 consecutive races in the money, including five wins. What am I missing? All thoughts will be appreciated. By the way, I just checked again - he's still a freak.
Freak trotters/pacers were fixed with the rest of mixed breeds, but it wasn’t enough. There are still way too many freak trotter/pacers.

If you race a freak against a freak, one of the freaks will lose. If you race 10 freaks in a race, 5 of the 10 will finish out of the money.

Totter/Pacer freaks are a dime a dozen and only way to determine how good they really are is workout times and race results.
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Steve Leavitt
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Steve Leavitt »

Gallop/harness comments are only the beginning of your horse's ability. Fitness, conditioning, farm rest (are you giving your horse too much or too little farm rest, or is it "just right"?), confidence, race conditions, etc. all play a role. Dennis, let's guess your Trotter is a 3 year old. Is he racing against other 3 year olds, or in 3 year old and up races? Keep him with his age mates if you can. Does he like muddy conditions? Give him "good" to "sloppy" conditions if you can. Is he getting proper farm rest between his races and being shipped to the racetrack early enough that he's not tired from the shipping when race time comes? Keep him in the lower levels until he gets a win. A win will boost confidence much more than a second place finish, then bump him up again. I too, have freaks who seem to have lead in their shoes in timed workouts and on the track. Or they work out pretty quick, but are slow on the track. Or they work out slow, but are quick on the track. In all of these cases, it just might be that they need to develop as they age and, unfortunately, some might never hit their stride, but others could have lackluster careers until they're five and then...boom! There's that freak you've been expecting all along. Good luck with your Trotter! I imagine he'll show you what he's got eventually!
Dennis Peterson
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Dennis Peterson »

Thanks for the insights, Steve and Pete. It wouldn't be such a head-scratcher for me if Rino Shield hadn't already run successfully on a consistent basis at the lower gallop. If you look him up, you'll see he was competitive after breaking his maiden as I ran him through the NW levels. Now as a freak at five he can't win an $8,000 claimer. Pete's comment about freaks being a dime a dozen among trotters seems to ring true, and I'm lowering my expectations accordingly : ) Thanks for taking time to respond.
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Andrea Bouwkamp
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Andrea Bouwkamp »

Pete is right on the money about competition level. I also have freak Standardbreds that I run in low conditions so they have a chance at winning, well, except females from good families. I geld every single one of my colts. This new adjustment to the SIM has made my stable crap-all across the board. Worst year ever in earnings, stats, etc. I really am on the verge of quitting. I am a very competitive person so this is no longer fun for me. Need any Pacers for free? I am slowly trying to get rid of my stock. I am not going to pay game points to have a sale.
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Amy Bahama
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Amy Bahama »

I'll take any Freaks that you want to part ways with.
Iron City Louisiana

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Steve Leavitt
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Steve Leavitt »

Same here, Andrea, if you're serious about getting rid of Pacers. I'll happily snap up any nice BH or Star broodmares you have! ;) I'd prefer you set goals for yourself that help you find a way to make it fun again, though!
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Tom Lin
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Tom Lin »

Andrea Bouwkamp wrote: 4 years ago This new adjustment to the SIM has made my stable crap-all across the board. Worst year ever in earnings, stats, etc.
How did this happen? Any adjustment to the SIM affected all players equally. Your horses' relative ability to others didn't change. Complaining about lack of success is unproductive.
Andrea, I agree with Steve, hopefully you can find something in the SIM to make it fun for you again.
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Brad Fabman
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Re: Thoughts on gallops, etc.

Post by Brad Fabman »

I am finding that gallops really don't mean anything. I have two freaks I have somehow purchased along the way. They are nothing special by any means. I have a pretty good amount of stakes gallopers that can't win claimers, even at the lowest levels. I don't get too excited at gallops anymore. It only matter what they do on the track. And in my barn, that's not much. Sadly...
Fabman Farms - Simmy Awards Won: Y54-Quarter Horse Champion Three Year Old Female - Beena's Gold
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