Race Placement

[LA Pepper]

I'm entering into the original steward's comment late here, but one of my personal pet peeves in the Sim are people who protect their horses from the competition. 'Race Placement' to win once in awhile is understandable, but I have seen most of the good horses in a division avoid each other like the plague. I know we're looking for good stats and all for our stallions, but what good is an undefeated career if the horse never faced the best? ONE race ie the stewards cup, does NOT do it for me. There is always racing luck where horses fall to their knees , get a bad post position, or have a training problem. Where are all the good rivalries? I have ONE good horse in my barn, and I must admit I kept him in a small circuit later last year because he seemed to be falling off in ability, but prior to that I tried to find the competition only to have them scratch into another race. So I cannot agree with the 'race placement' argument because I believe it reduces my experience in the Sim.

[Polk Buffalo]

Interesting post!
Racing placement is tricky. Especially with really good horses. I guess we all try to outsmart each other. Leading to taking the same decisions?


https://www.simhorseracing.com/horse.ph ... ID=1004352

Productive galloper. Two times stakes winner.
He just did his best races while running stakes. I have no real good answer to why I decided to enter him in stakes at all...

[Louise Bayou]

Vetting isn't everything, though. Even "very unsound" horses might vet okay W12 after running 2-4-6-8-10, but in my experience, the performance of a majority of horses (even sound and very sound) often starts to tail off after four to six starts on a two-week schedule...

THIS! I saw someone (Not Rochelle btw) running a horse into the ground IMO. And I mean both schedule wise and class wise. I mentioned that maybe a 3 week break and a drop in class to allowance might be just the thing to turn the horse around. Person insisted that the horse was vetting fine so all should be well. As far as I know the horse is still losing...

[Darcy McBride]

Vetting isn't everything, though. Even "very unsound" horses might vet okay W12 after running 2-4-6-8-10, but in my experience, the performance of a majority of horses (even sound and very sound) often starts to tail off after four to six starts on a two-week schedule...

THIS! I saw someone (Not Rochelle btw) running a horse into the ground IMO. And I mean both schedule wise and class wise. I mentioned that maybe a 3 week break and a drop in class to allowance might be just the thing to turn the horse around. Person insisted that the horse was vetting fine so all should be well. As far as I know the horse is still losing...

I agree with both of the above. No matter what the soundness level is, I think every horse needs a 3 week break at least once a year; and be aware of where you are placing them. A horse that is constantly beat, no matter what there gallop is, loses their confidence. Dropping down a class or two for a confidence winning boost can help immeasurably.

[Rochelle Bos]

Vetting isn't everything, though. Even "very unsound" horses might vet okay W12 after running 2-4-6-8-10, but in my experience, the performance of a majority of horses (even sound and very sound) often starts to tail off after four to six starts on a two-week schedule...

THIS! I saw someone (Not Rochelle btw) running a horse into the ground IMO. And I mean both schedule wise and class wise. I mentioned that maybe a 3 week break and a drop in class to allowance might be just the thing to turn the horse around. Person insisted that the horse was vetting fine so all should be well. As far as I know the horse is still losing...

I agree with both of the above. No matter what the soundness level is, I think every horse needs a 3 week break at least once a year; and be aware of where you are placing them. A horse that is constantly beat, no matter what there gallop is, loses their confidence. Dropping down a class or two for a confidence winning boost can help immeasurably.

Which is why I drop Cheer down into condition races every few stakes attempts. But I also am confused now, if she isn’t okay on 2 weeks rest how is she running similar speed figures as soon as I drop her down from stakes races?

MSW - 66 (5)
MSW - 88 (3)
MSW - 88 (1)
G2 - 65 (5)
WEIRD BREAK REST
G3 - 88 (2)
L - 77 (4)
NW3 - 89 (1)
G2 - 75 (5)
NW3 - 81 (2)
THREE WEEKS REST
NW3 - 87 (1)
G3 - 70 (4)
ALW - 87 (1)

[Darcy McBride]

THIS! I saw someone (Not Rochelle btw) running a horse into the ground IMO. And I mean both schedule wise and class wise. I mentioned that maybe a 3 week break and a drop in class to allowance might be just the thing to turn the horse around. Person insisted that the horse was vetting fine so all should be well. As far as I know the horse is still losing...

I agree with both of the above. No matter what the soundness level is, I think every horse needs a 3 week break at least once a year; and be aware of where you are placing them. A horse that is constantly beat, no matter what there gallop is, loses their confidence. Dropping down a class or two for a confidence winning boost can help immeasurably.

Which is why I drop Cheer down into condition races every few stakes attempts. But I also am confused now, if she isn’t okay on 2 weeks rest how is she running similar speed figures as soon as I drop her down from stakes races?

MSW - 66 (5)
MSW - 88 (3)
MSW - 88 (1)
G2 - 65 (5)
WEIRD BREAK REST
G3 - 88 (2)
L - 77 (4)
NW3 - 89 (1)
G2 - 75 (5)
NW3 - 81 (2)
THREE WEEKS REST
NW3 - 87 (1)
G3 - 70 (4)
ALW - 87 (1)

Well, I'm no expert, but off the top of my head, I'd say the Graded stakes competition is too much for her? I don't know "Cheer's" whole name, but maybe trying a softer Listed Stakes? I know I have some Stakes that can win, and some Stakes that can't do well in any stakes race. And since this thread is about Race Placement, I'll add I do work hard to find the best spots for any of my horses to run.

[Rochelle Bos]

Well, I'm no expert, but off the top of my head, I'd say the Graded stakes competition is too much for her? I don't know "Cheer's" whole name, but maybe trying a softer Listed Stakes? I know I have some Stakes that can win, and some Stakes that can't do well in any stakes race. And since this thread is about Race Placement, I'll add I do work hard to find the best spots for any of my horses to run.

sorry, I mentioned her earlier in the thread lol Cheer This Way. Her being a Stakes DR I’m not expecting her to win all the big things, but I have to try Stakes, especially since she’s been in the top three, also I’m stubborn lol

[Darcy McBride]

Well, I'm no expert, but off the top of my head, I'd say the Graded stakes competition is too much for her? I don't know "Cheer's" whole name, but maybe trying a softer Listed Stakes? I know I have some Stakes that can win, and some Stakes that can't do well in any stakes race. And since this thread is about Race Placement, I'll add I do work hard to find the best spots for any of my horses to run.

sorry, I mentioned her earlier in the thread lol Cheer This Way. Her being a Stakes DR I’m not expecting her to win all the big things, but I have to try Stakes, especially since she’s been in the top three, also I’m stubborn lol

We're all a bit stubborn, or we wouldn't keep on in this game! lol

[Kaine Saracen]

The problem with gallop comments as a guide from a players perspective is the division within the division. Stakes doesn't translate to future star, especially in the ultra competitive route divisions. I have in fact heard of stakes gallopers described as at least three levels, being low level, mid range and high stakes. The obvious being, low level is a sneeze above allowance and therefore would explain the issue with Rochelle's colt I believe. I also own two TR's, one was described as a mid range stakes and the other just below a freak.
I believe the situation to be true of all gallop levels with an interesting connection to breeding ability based of the same 3 levels within a level scenario when it comes to hypo's.

... not even sure I wrote that in english today.