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 How Do You Play This Great Game 
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Handicapper

Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:03 am
Posts: 110
Post How Do You Play This Great Game
I'm enjoying the increased chatter in what has otherwise been a bit of a ghost town. Hoping to generate some additional discussion while satisfying my curiosity at how others approach this game by comparing playing styles. If you're so inclined, please weigh-in with how you play this great game. My approach is as follows:

Design: Create an immersive world in which I'm competitive without dominating.

Game of choice: US flats.

Mods: START IT and ratings bar.

Horse pool: 15,000.

Pace of play: Very deliberate. Started save in July 20 and currently two thirds of the way through season six.

Method of execution: Play out each racing day….no skip days. Watch every race in which I have an entry, every G1 regardless of whether I have an entry, every Derby prep, and an assortment of other races that catch my fancy or feature a horse I’m interested in, either because it’s a primary rival or it looks to have superstar potential. Review the results of nearly every race with the exception of claimers and low level handicaps, noting times, finishes, race comments, and winner pedigrees.

Racing: Never race at less than 90% fitness. Almost never enter a horse in a race if I'm not convinced they can hit the board. Race 3-5 year olds 6-8 times, 2 year olds 4-5 times. Never race a horse beyond age 5. Utilize the same five jockeys for every race, pairing the same horse and jockey when possible. Don't provide jockey instructions.

Stable composition: 45-55 horses. 5 year olds: 15%; 4 year olds: 35%; 3 year olds: 25 %; 2 year olds: 25%. Stakes winners (3-5 year olds): 60%. Handicap horses (3-5 year olds): 40%. Discards: 3-5 year olds that can’t compete at C2 handicap level or above.

Breeding Operation: Studs: 8; 5 G1 (3 raced by me, two purchased at auction), 2 G2 (both raced by me), 1 G3 (raced by me). Broodmares: 60; 7 G1 (3 raced by me, four purchased at auction), 7 G2 (4 raced by me, three purchased at auction), 9 G3 (8 raced by me).

Personal tweaks: Rechristen all AI yearlings with nonsensical, repetitive (i.e., Satwa X, Satwa Y, Satwa Z, etc.), or otherwise annoying names. Manually select Eclipse Award winners to mirror real life categories.

Results: #2 ranked trainer from year three thru current season. 53 G1 wins and 223 stake winners overall. Four Breeders Cup victories, 2 US Triple Crown classic wins, and 3 Kentucky Oaks crowns. Bred five G1 winners and bought 3 yearlings that achieved G1 status. Homebred won Eclipse award for 2 year old filly of the year, and another won 3 year old filly of the year. Current highest rated horse: 139. Highest rated horse at retirement: 135.

House rules to forestall domination: No purchases of any kind. No breeding with AI stallions (will relax if bloodlines get saturated). G1 stallions limited to four crops and then made available for public breeding only.


Last edited by marklaker on Sat Feb 26, 2022 4:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.



Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:55 am
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Handicapper

Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2022 5:13 pm
Posts: 124
Post Re: How Do You Play This Great Game
oh, this is a good topic!
I have to get my online league roster done before tomorrow night, but I will post my response after that!
Good stuff!

I will say for now I do a limited role playing role. I limit the size of my roster and breeding mares, so we still have personal connection with our horses etc. I keep my racing stable 20 or under after April, and my breeding mare barn has a limit of 30 mares. We aren't a foal factory at Hope's end Farms.


Thu Feb 24, 2022 6:02 am
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