A+ Thoroughbred Hypo

[Xander Zone]

I have a stake DR that is okay I guess

[Danny Derby]

I have a stake DR that is okay I guess

Stakes DR sucks. I'll buy from you for $300K you should take it.

[Durzo Blint]

I think everyone is right. There appears to be a wide range of outcomes for a DR horse that gallops stakes. I've had a few that have struggled to get to $50K in winnings - I'm assuming they are at the bottom of the stakes galloping spectrum - and you have others like Crayon who I assume is just barely shy of a freak that can compete on any given day with the best of the best.

[Nini Panini]

There are definitely multiple different outcomes for a TB stakes gallop. Some barely win claimers, others have even won Triple Crown races. I consider the latter to be an extreme exception to the rule, but I think there are other factors in the SIM that may explain this.

On an episode of The Morning Line, the Steward brought up a "heart" stat, something I didn't even know was a thing until she mentioned it. She said that these horses bring their A-game almost every single time, and I was fascinated by this. She cited Spe Chan as an example of a horse with a great heart stat. Then I got to thinking.

Dream All Day, Kindgom Come's little brother, bloomed to freak when he was 3. He remained freak after the gallop threshold change. On the podcast, the Steward said that Risen Today became a stakes gallop after the change. I think comparing horses like Dream All Day (I'm sure other players can cite their own underachieving freaks too) and Risen Today is fun. Since Dream All Day is a freak, shouldn't he numerically be better than Risen Today? If this is the case, why is Risen Today so much more successful? He's a Long Island Classic winner, and Dream All Day is a lifetime underachiever. After the podcast with the Steward, I thought the heart stat may be the reason why. I hypothesize that Risen Today's heart stat must be through the roof, while Dream All Day's might've been subpar. Is this the case for other overachieving stakes and underperforming freaks? Is it heart? Is it RNG and the randomness factor that's present in every race? Is it neither of those things? Is it something else we have no idea about? I think it's so cool that there are some elements of the game that are still mysteries to us.

Anyway, this was just some disorganized food for thought.

[Gigi Gofaster]

Pete’s mad spatula didn’t win the derby.

I read that as Pete's "Mad Spatula" and went to look up a horse named Mad Spatula.

[Mr. Lord Rich]

Pete’s mad spatula didn’t win the derby.

I read that as Pete's "Mad Spatula" and went to look up a horse named Mad Spatula.

[Nena Olson]

But would Crayola still be a stakes had the freak level not been raised? Like had it not raised, he could have easily jumped up to the old level freak but because the freak bar was raised, he just fell .1 below it.

[The Steward]

But would Crayola still be a stakes had the freak level not been raised? Like had it not raised, he could have easily jumped up to the old level freak but because the freak bar was raised, he just fell .1 below it.

He's definitely an "old freak" but my point was just to not throw away all your stakes because you don't know where they fall.

[Burgundy Hill Farms]

Nini,

Your post reminded me of Tiznow and his back-to-back Breeders' Cup Classic wins back in the day. In 2000, I mean, who could forget his EPIC final furlong when Giant's Causeway pulled next to him and they went eye to eye to the wire? ALL heart. Then, the next year he fought virtually the length of the stretch with Sakhee to, as the great Tom Durkin called, "Tiznow wins it for America!!" You talk about a horse with heart...I get chills just thinking about those gutsy finishes! He's one of my all time faves

[Burgundy Hill Farms]

Oh, and another heart race...the 2007 Belmont...When Rages to Riches moved outside and went with Curlin the whole stretch...she just did not want to lose...

[Erin Sanderson]

As someone who also frequently gets annoyed at stakes DR, I have to add that I've had several EXCEPTIONAL stakes gallopers recently. I always give them a chance on the track in at least a few races before I geld the colts or retire the fillies to the breeding shed, and a few in particular have made me very happy that I did.

For example, this mare made me convinced of the "heart" stat being a thing before I even heard about the podcast. If you want to talk about a filly who brought her A game basically every race, look no further than I Am the Storm. She was a freak on the old scale, however, but got bumped down to stakes. She was an incredibly fun mare to campaign.

There is a full spectrum inside every gallop category, so give those stakes runners a chance. Or just send them to me, especially the fillies!

[Laura Smith]

Is it heart? Is it RNG and the randomness factor that's present in every race? Is it neither of those things? Is it something else we have no idea about? I think it's so cool that there are some elements of the game that are still mysteries to us.

[Danny Derby]

And I just bred my first A+ foal. Meet https://www.simhorseracing.com//horse.p ... ID=1392847

[Eric Gray]

Nice looking filly, Danny.

[Danny Derby]

Retired Into The Unknown last night, and she's getting A+ hypos with at least half a dozen stallions. The game is evolving and the breeding is getting better - anyone else finding any new A+ thoroughbred hypos?