Why do foals exist?

[Danny Derby]

Breeding mares is great, but not being able to train them for 4+ months or race them for the better part of a year really sucks. Which got me wondering, why is it even necessary for horses to be born as foals that are useless for so long? Sure it makes sense from a real life perspective, but this is a game. Wouldn't it be more fun and from a game perspective if they hit the ground as yearlings, ready to start training right away and racing the following year? I'd gladly sacrifice a bit of realism to add that level of excitement to the game.

[Mr. Lord Rich]

No foals means no festivus

[Danny Derby]

No foals means no festivus

No, it would mean Festivus lasts all year long.

[Lily Wilkins]

I like this idea!

[The Steward]

Not gonna happen.

[Danny Derby]

Not gonna happen.

Not even something worth considering? Would make the game about 10000x more friendly to new players as well.

[Laura Ferguson]

Foals used to be born as yearlings. Then, we went to foals and also went to the two required works prior to starting as a 2yo. I don't see how you breed a sprinter at the end of the year, get it fit, and get the two required workouts all before Week 1. There'd be a huge ripple effect of going back to yearlings of having to address all those issues, otherwise, freshman sires in the sprint divisions would be at a huge disadvantage (and freshman thoroughbred sires are already somewhat at a disadvantage with the Steward breeding all of her mares at the beginning of the season, so there's no Steward-bred to improve their numbers, help advertising as Steward-approved etc). You'd also have to make one crop twice as big to implement this change, unless you're going to have no foals in Year 57, and then allow you to breed yearlings starting in Year 58.

I'll also note that many players, like myself, breed the vast majority of our foals in the last week or two of the year (or over the break), so there isn't a four month lag.

I don't see the Steward doing this, but it's her call. I'm not a fan of this idea, but I'll live with whatever.

[Danny Derby]

Foals used to be born as yearlings. Then, we went to foals and also went to the two required works prior to starting as a 2yo. I don't see how you breed a sprinter at the end of the year, get it fit, and get the two required workouts all before Week 1. There'd be a huge ripple effect of going back to yearlings of having to address all those issues, otherwise, freshman sires in the sprint divisions would be at a huge disadvantage (and freshman thoroughbred sires are already somewhat at a disadvantage with the Steward breeding all of her mares at the beginning of the season, so there's no Steward-bred to improve their numbers, help advertising as Steward-approved etc). You'd also have to make one crop twice as big to implement this change, unless you're going to have no foals in Year 57, and then allow you to breed yearlings starting in Year 58.

I'll also note that many players, like myself, breed the vast majority of our foals in the last week or two of the year (or over the break), so there isn't a four month lag.

I don't see the Steward doing this, but it's her call. I'm not a fan of this idea, but I'll live with whatever.

Not arguing the fact that the actually launching a change of this magnitude would be challenging. Right now I'm not discussing how the change would be implemented, just whether or not it's something people are interested in.

Steward bred horses are going away soon, so I'm not worried about that aspect of this.

Regarding breeding late in the year, is there any reason your sprinters have to start Week 1? If you don't get them fit and equipped until Week 6 or 7, then they debut Week 6 or 7. People would adjust and breed their mares earlier if they wanted something ready to go Week 1.

[Laura Ferguson]

Regarding breeding late in the year, is there any reason your sprinters have to start Week 1? If you don't get them fit and equipped until Week 6 or 7, then they debut Week 6 or 7. People would adjust and breed their mares earlier if they wanted something ready to go Week 1.

Well, the 2yo stakes schedule would need a complete overhaul. For example, for QH mids, the qualifiers for the first G1 are in Week 1, with the Grade 1 held Week 3.

I don't understand why it would be more fun to lose half of a horses 2yo season (for sprinters of all breeds) and mixer milers than to have a foal sit idle for a few weeks. I don't see how you adjust for your sprinter filly who is retiring after Week 16 - your choices will be to have a late yearling who loses a chunk of their 2yo season getting fit, absent other changes, or forego that late yearling entirely, and retire mid-year.

I noticed that the Steward has posted this isn't going to happen. So, while I think your poll is purely academic, put me in the no column

[Keith Maidlow]

I would be a "no" no matter what, but that week 16 retiring mare is a biggie. Sprinters may not run for half a year with equipment, works, etc. to figure out. Even milers/some routers would be hard pressed to get ready.

[Danny Derby]

Well, the 2yo stakes schedule would need a complete overhaul. For example, for QH mids, the qualifiers for the first G1 are in Week 1, with the Grade 1 held Week 3.

I don't understand why it would be more fun to lose half of a horses 2yo season (for sprinters of all breeds) and mixer milers than to have a foal sit idle for a few weeks. I don't see how you adjust for your sprinter filly who is retiring after Week 16 - your choices will be to have a late yearling who loses a chunk of their 2yo season getting fit, absent other changes, or forego that late yearling entirely, and retire mid-year.

I noticed that the Steward has posted this isn't going to happen. So, while I think your poll is purely academic, put me in the no column

Once again, I'm not saying that other changes wouldn't be necessary. The purpose of this thread isn't to point out every possible problem that would arise if the admin team implemented this type of change in the laziest possible way without accounting for how it would impact the wider game. It's to ask the fundamental question Is it a problem that I can breed a horse today and not be able to race it for nearly a year?

[The Steward]

It's to ask the fundamental question Is it a problem that I can breed a horse today and not be able to race it for nearly a year?

I guess if that's a problem, then people are playing the wrong game.

For instance, another very popular game is in real-time (just realized I have no idea what they did this year about everything moving around!) and that would drive me mad. I can't wait for a Breeders' Cup in November. But, I don't play that game. I did play Trophy Horse?? in the very beginning, where it was a new year every 6 days. That's something my attention span could get behind!

[Gwayne's World]

For what it's worth, I like the game as is!

Maybe there is something to patience coming with age?

[Nena Olson]

I remember when foals were born yearlings... I dont remember how the SIM worked at that point though LOL

[Dave Trainer]

The answer to your perceived problem is simple Danny. Stop running routers. Then you wouldn't have to wait so long to race them.

A definite no from me to this idea.