Simvivor Season 3 official!

[Mike Eaton]

So After long discussion the judges have picked Garrets submission to take over whoever gets eliminated spot! Great job! For the others that submitted thanks for trying and we wish you the best.

For the others we are starting discussions now regarding the bottom and top teams

[Mike Eaton]

So the judges had each put the teams in order from best to worst and we took the average score to create the order and this was a close one all around! I liked this team thing and you all should not forget to tell me if your teams struggled or had any difficulties. This task I wanted to get to know you guys more since most have reported they are enjoying this because they are getting to know each other and I was jealous. That being said one team will be broken up this week because one person will go home and garret will take their spot. Next week a whole team will go =(.

The team that took the top spot this week and I am happy they score averaged this way was Team 3! Nini and Lori! Congrats!!! I personally enjoyed this one because I felt it stayed on task, showed personality, and I got to know Nini more! You both will now have to discuss one of the two bottom teams to make safe. Send this ASAP.

The team that finished Second is Team 1! Scott and Randell. Personality was there. And a funner read. One judge loved it compared to the others. And the other judges thought it was good but in the middle the focus was gone and turned wild. Lucky for you both you can relax this week no big decision and you both are safe!

Team 2 + 4 we wont give you an order here just know you both are in the bottom. The winning team can save one whole team so start bribing asap! One of the four of you will be leaving the game. Both the teams interesting enough had the same comments. You did fine. Got the job done. This point in the game that is not enough.

[Scott Eiland]

Congratulations to Nini and Lori! And to Randell and ME! I know how rough a week nini had so mad ups to both of you for pulling through. Sorry that there has to be a bottom two but i'd love to see the submissions if possible. if not possible, that's ok too.

[Mike Eaton]

will post later tonight

[Mike Eaton]

Into the Starting Gate with Randall Allen

Amy: What did you struggle with most starting out? Is there anything you wish you had done differently?

Randall: When I first started I was as stubborn as a horse who won’t go into the starting gate! I never asked for help, didn’t check the forum, never raced at Trial Park and never picked up any great AJ finds. So all of the above, I wish I had done different.

Amy: Was there anything or any person that made the SIM easier starting out?

Randall: When I finally got into the groove of the Sim (or as I like to say the starting gate), Regina Hagert gave me some great horses and Regina Moore gave me some great advice. They are also known to me as the “Regina’s.”

Amy: What horse has been most successful in your barn? Do you have favorites in addition to that horse?

Randall: Mr. Many, I claimed this guy for $1,500 bucks and made $76,500 in earnings. I am also optimistic about racing my first Steward bred that I kept and didn’t pinhook, named Jurassic World.

Amy: Did you have any goals this year, and do you have any for next year?

Randall: My goal this year is to win this next contest! My goal next year is to be a better trainer than Scott Eiland and Rebecca Rose Hepburn.

Amy: If you could tell a new player to do one thing, what would that advice be?

Randall: Don’t listen to the Hold all Tickets podcast, lol I am just kidding I love the show. I would say to a new player to try to stay afloat and not buy too many expensive horses. Buy thoroughbreds who haven’t broke their maiden and race them at trial park until you make some real money to buy some better ones.

Amy: What do you define as being a successful trainer? What strategies do you use to reach that success?

Randall: Being a successful trainer is mostly about just having a great horse! I do implement some strategies that others don’t. Most players just gallop their yearlings 20 times in a row, but I like to work them out with the different features of the Sim.

Amy: What part of the SIM is the most fun for you and why?

Randall: The most fun for me right now is seeing my name in the most wins category almost each day. It is really easy to get 7-10 wins when you race 100 per day! It is also fun to see some of the first horses that I bred finally hitting the track two Sim years later.

Amy: Do you have anything in your training barn that you’re excited about for next year?

Randall: My $500 claimers!! No I am just kidding, I am really excited about Haytham Kenway my first ever stakes tb horse, maybe he will be able to break his maiden in the tough dirt route division lol.

Amy : What hobbies do you enjoy?

Randall: Messaging the Steward with stupid questions, later finding out the answer and then messaging her again saying to disregard the message. I also enjoy writing sentences and seeing how many times that I can write message in a single sentence!

Amy: Anything you want to share that wasn’t covered in this interview?

Randall: That Simvivor is the greatest thing since sliced bread, well almost.

[Mike Eaton]

Hall of Famer Scott Eiland: 6 Cups, No Pants."

While there are many more prominent trainers in the SIM, Scott Eiland has always been unique. Forget about marching to the beat of one’s own drum; Scott has his own band and music, too. The 24-season SIM veteran, six time Steward Cup winner, and all around great guy initially rose to prominence with his weekly columns on the Feature Race. In 2012 he then branched out and started a podcast covering the league. His irreverent communication style and unorthodox training style make him one of the more fascinating people in the game, and I, Randell Johnson, was given the task of interviewing him. The following exchange took place immediately following Halloween Town’s upset win at the Midsummer Classic in Saratoga Springs, New York,

Q: “Hi, Scott. Tough day for Thunder Road today. Assess your horse’s performance and his plans going forward.”

A: “This is the winter of our discontent. Made glorious summer by this son of York. New York. Graveyard of champions became graveyard of my hopes and dreams. Hold me, Randell. Hold me!”

Q: “Are you okay?”

A: “Of course I’m not OK! Of the list of potential outcomes, ‘getting edged out by Sherwood for fourth place’ wasn’t anywhere on the list! This was a debacle, a cataclysmic failure in every respect, and the poor horse gave his all and it wasn’t enough. I will now walk into oncoming traffic.”

Q: “But he ran well, just two lengths off the leader. It was just a bad day, that’s all!”

A: “He would have gotten to the same place if he ran backwards. I’m shipping him back to my farm [in Maryland] giving him a break, and going overseas to finish out the season.”

Q: “You clearly expected a better result from Thunder Road here, but he’s had a really good sophomore campaign, right? You have to be happy about that.”

A: “Sure I am. Nobody believed in this guy except me. I set a goal to win two derby preps and win the big one. I didn’t hit either goal but he did better than anyone expected. Finishing third in the Louisville Derby is a great achievement, and to do it with a homebred makes it special.”

Q: “Where does Thunder Road rank among your favorite horses? I’d assume he’d fall below Ball of Fire.”

A: “Yes, Ball of Fire and Lucrezia Borgia were crowning achievements. I think I was the first person to ever train a SC winner and watch from general admission. But I was a rookie when Lucy won her Steward’s Cup in Year 18. Very few people even knew who I was. But I made a good purchase (for only $10000) and rode that to my first SC. I didn’t have to sit in general admission after that. Thunder Road is in the next group, along with my three SC Marathon winners Worth The Effort, Sun and the Stars, and Scorpio Races. Homebreds are special, though, so I’ll put Thunder Road and (filly miler) Meshach above them.

Q: “You don’t seem to care much about aggregate stats.”

A: “I don’t. Everything is about building the stable for major wins. Nothing else really matters. Profits matter, so I’ll KEEP claimers and allowance types that earn good profits, but i don’t care much about my percentages. Percentages are great as an indicator of race placement skills but big racehorses are what make news and make history and breeding and buying big winners is what I’m always trying to do.”

Q: “You often refer to the New Scotty movement. What does that entail?”

A: “It means I am trying to change the way I think and get better results, all the time, everywhere. Every aspect of life requires evaluation from time to time. So I like to contemplate the deeper meanings of everyday life. Also, I’m not wearing any pants. That’s right. I’m sitting behind a desk and you have no idea that i’m wearing my bloomers and no pants. Because pants are overrated. The #NewScotty movement? Underrated. Hey, don’t look uncomfortable. You should be comfortable. I know *I* am!”

Q: “Should *I* go pants optional?”

A: “Yes. Everyone should.”

Q: *pause* *unzip* “I feel so….so….so FREE”

A: “Isn’t it wonderful? It’s like your legs have a license to breathe.”

Q: “Totally. The SIM should be pants-optional.”

A: “I concur. It’s fair to say you’re preaching to the choir on that score.”

Q: “So...are you optimistic as we approach the finish of the year?”

A: “Always optimistic. I just need to make good decisions and place my horses correctly. When I’m at my best, my best is usually good enough. I shall do my best, and let the chips fall where they may.”

Q: “Without pants.”

A: “We understand each other.”

Interviewing Scott Eiland helped me understand the SIM in a whole new way.

[Mike Eaton]

RRH - The Panicked First Lady of Turf Milers


My favorite sim memory
Can’t Live in Fear winning the International Oaks. I wanted to win that race so badly and I was the only one who believed she could do it. I remember the Steward being shocked because she thought there was no chance Can’t Live in Fear could pull it off. I might remind her about that every now and then...

What I love the most about the sim
The community. I’ve made so many friends through the Sim. Before I joined the only person I could talk about racing with was my Dad, and that was mostly him putting up with my ramblings. It’s wonderful to be friends with awesome people who share my passion.

My favorite horse
Can’t Live in Fear. Her lines are the backbone of my stable and she was my first big winner. It will never not be her.

If I have any hidden talents
It’s not really a ‘talent’ but I have a large chunk of the turf miler schedule memorized.

What's the hardest part of the sim for me
Money management. I rarely if ever have over a million dollars and breeding season always leaves me in a panic trying to afford all the stud fees. I’m bad about saving up money instead of spending it right away. I’m working hard to change that.

Greatest achievement in the SIM thus far
Rilian winning back to back SC Turf Miles. I can’t think about it without smiling.

Biggest Disappointment in the SIM
I really, really wanted to win the English Triple Crown with Something Wild. He didn’t win any of the three races. It was really disheartening.

Most/least favorite surface/breed
Easy. Turf Miles as my favorite. Least favorite I’d go with All Weather anything just because I know nothing about those divisions.

Breed/division you wish you could break into
Tough one. I don’t think I want to add any more breeds/divisions but I’d like to be doing better in the router ones.

person who most impacted you at the start
That’s a long list. Sarah Case was wonderful, she answered a lot of my questions and sent me some nice horses. Laura Ferguson sent me a horse that ended up being my first stakes winner. Michelle Calderoni and Jolene Danner both answered my questions and were some of the first friends I made in the Sim. Dave Shields was a huge source of information for me. Jolene is responsible for my getting a mare named Day Job, and I sent her to Dave’s stud King of Jesters because I got a discount. The resulting foal, Much Like Falling, was one of my best horses and my first big dirt horse.

advice for new players
Find the easier divisions. A lot of the mixer breeds have wide open races. Especially the routers. Save up money for a big purchase, but make sure that you buy a filly with that money. It’s a safer bet. Don’t be discouraged when you don’t get big winners early on. I joined year 17 week 3 and didn’t get an open stakes win until year 18 week 11. Just keep at it.

advice for burnt out players
The advice you always hear for burnt out players is to take a step back. That’s because it works. I’ve done it before and it really was a lifesaver. There are wonderful people out there who will help enter your horses for a few weeks while you regain your sanity. Spending some time focusing on only the horses that you really love goes a long way to recharging your batteries.

what would you do with 10 million SIM dollars
Blow it on stud fees/random horse purchases. I am AWFUL with money in this game. Atrocious. I’m in the middle of a large downsizing effort to try and stop my money bleed. I’d like to say I’d buy one or two big horses with 10 million dollars but realistically I should save it for years where I finish in the red

any SIM superstitions or rituals?
If it’s a big day I’ll set myself up with some good food and drink and spend all day hanging out in chat. And of course I have to yell at the broadcast when one of my horses is running. It makes them run faster right?

major goals left to accomplish
So many things. I’d like to win one of the signature dirt router races. And there’s a lot of turf router races I’d like to win too. There are some turf mile races that have eluded me, those are high on my list.

[Mike Eaton]

SHE DOES IT ALL!

Today I'm interviewing young up and coming Trainer Nini Hunter. Despite juggling a full time schedule at school involving lots of study she manages to run one of the most succesful stables in the SIM. She currently has three top 3 year olds, two of which run in the most competitive divisions in the game.

Q: Nini, how long have you been playing the SIM and what brought you here?

A: I've been here since I was a wee scrub. Since 2011 when I was in my cringe-worthy days. I was only 13 and was seriously the stupidest person on the face of the earth. (In fact, I probably still am!)

Q:If you could start all over again, would you do anything differently?

A:Yes! I would be a hoe for Trial Park!

Q: If you could sing one song on American Idol or The Voice, what would it be?

A:I'm a Mess by Ed Sheeran because that is exactly what I am

Q:What do you attribute your success in the SIM?

A:Literally nothing I have no idea how this happened

Q:You've had quite a bit of luck with your Steward-bred purchases including Sometime Anywhere, Hunt, Source of Magic, Unearthly Child and Am I A Good Man.

A:When bidding in a Trial By Summer Auction, what are you looking for and do you set a top dollar amount?

Q:You're campaigning three of the top 3 year olds in the game in Am I A Good Man, Unearthly Child and Bow Ties Are Cool, a dirt router, a turf router and a turf miler. Do you find it difficult to keep track of the different divisions and who your main competitors are?

A:Not really, actually. I'm always on top of who the main competitors are. After Bow Ties got beat in his maiden by Timing, I ran away, because I wasn't the most confident in his abilities at the time. On the other hand, I'm more confident in Unearthly Child, and it payed off when he got his revenge on Frank Footer.

Q:Are there any particular challenges you face when scouting out races for top horses with different needs?

A:Yes. I often scout races when it's half past 2 am and I'm taking a break from homework. Often, I enter, and then never look again. This backfired on my for Am I A Good Man's last race. He can be a pansy so I should've been paying attention to who was entering.

Q:How exciting is it for you to discover you have a really nice horse? Do you get a feeling for how good they will be when they are still yearlings or do you wait until they actually race?

Q:SO EXCITING. I even tell my real-life friends about it, and they'll go "Alina * are you even talking about? They're fake right?" and then I say "shut up you don't know my life." I usually get the feel when they're yearlings. I've never had a horse surprise me.

Q:Do you have a favorite horse in your stable? Is there one you liked campaigning more than any other?

A:Oh man. My current favorite is undoubtedly Bow Ties Are Cool. Fez has a special place in my heart too. Although those have been my favorites, Unearthly Child, despite his blunder in the SC last year, has been my favorite to campaign!


Q:You also have some very nice homebred's with Bow Ties Are Cool, Fez and Chasing The Light. How do you go about matching mare and stallion for the best results?

A:I feel like I value hypomating more than the average player, but I'm still fully aware that it isn't the most reliable indicator. Bow Ties was my first flat A, and Chasing the Light was an A- when A-'s weren't super common. I look up pedigrees and see if the crosses have worked in the past, and if it's new, I try because, why not?

Q:What do you feel is your biggest achievement in the SIM? Your biggest disappointment?

A:My biggest achievement is Fez. I bred him myself, campaigned him well (maybe????), and he won me my very first TB Steward's Cup! I have a VERY special place in my heart for him. He is the coolest!

My biggest disappointment is EASILY spending $10 million going for broke on Source of Magic and him not turning out to be HALF as good as his brothers. I'm still *. That's why he only eats twice a week.

[Mike Eaton]

The winning team had decided to save Rebecca and Jon. That means either Amy or Randell A will be evicted and Garret will take their place. The rest of you please send me who to EVICT ASAP so we can get the next week rolling! Amy and Randell good luck bribe away! Dont forget this is your last chance to make a big impact for the 500k prize dont be afraid to leave with a bang.

[Scott Eiland]

mike Randell is on my team and is thus safe. You mean Randall, right?

[Tim Matthews]

Randall Randell Randel Randal Randle Randelle Randello Rand Paul

[Garret Folsom]

You forgot Randingo

[Nini Panini]

Awaiting clarification on what will happen.

[Mike Eaton]

Just got the final vote. On a vote of 5 to 1 Randall has been eliminated. Garret will now be on a team with Amy.

Just a note for the 500k we want you to rat people out. Cause some drama like real reality, but sending me a message of hatred toward someone is a bit much. Keep it more game appropriate nasty.

Challenge still being determined will be up by late tomorrow night. This week 1 whole partnership will be leaving.

[Mike Eaton]

So judges were thinking how hard can we make you guys work. We are getting down to the end faster then you think so we are forcing you to step it up. This week two things.

1. Create a Halloween horse character that we will have to visually see. This character will be the star in your next part.

2. create a Halloween children story or cartoon that your horse character you created in part 1 is the star of. This can be spooky, funny, or whatever. Just be creative.

Judges will be looking for creativity. Make us laugh your good.

With 4 teams we are going to work it like this.... The team with the best character will be safe. The team with the best story will be safe. The other two teams will be up for elimination. If the same team wins both parts 1+2 they will pick a team to be safe. Those bottom 2 teams will then be voted on for eviction meaning we will have 4 voters. If the votes are split 2 vs 2 the judges will eliminate a team based on who did worse in both parts.

Questions let me know but be creative wing it have fun! Dont be scared to rat out the slackers and fill me in on the behind the scenes stuff that could reward you 500k in the end! Again my post before this one says as much as i like the reality drama feel dont send me a hatred message toward another even though I secretly love it!

Due:Sunday midnight est.