The True Character of Your SIM Horse, Exposed

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF HORSES HERE

 

RACED AND UN-RACED

 

When we open our first stable in Derby Fever we are given five different horses that all may not have any similarities that the others may have. We are left to figure out who they are and the quicker we have an idea of the type of race they are suited for, the quicker we can sign them up to be entered in a race and start making our stables productive. With these already raced horses we are able to determine what kind of a racer they are by all the information given to us which if we are not familiar with the sport of horse racing can be very intimidating. We look at the Win-Place- Show (In The Money, ITM) the horse has, how much money the horse has won and on what Surface the horse acquired the money; Turf, Dirt, Poly. We can look at the horse’s Past Performances (PP’s) to try and understand the Class Level, Distance, Jockey, Odds, we might wonder what the numbers in bold might mean (Speed Figures) the fractional times of the races, at what Track they raced and when. The Jockey Assignment Box and how it might be used, on and on. Then we click on the Sires Pedigree make up link and discover there is another part of Derby Fever, a game within a game. Are you overwhelmed yet?

Very soon we realize that we can Breed our own race horse. It usually takes a few months to understand and use the various tools available to help you in deciphering the Pedigree Design of the horse and horses you can create. Aside from learning how to use the many different tools and how to Retire Mares from Auction and Claim to your own personal Breeding Stable that is aside from your Racing Stables you finally have collected enough ground work to Breed your first Home Bred Horse.

Many Owner/Trainer’s who play Derby Fever may spend hours or even days formulating in their minds and Designing the Pedigree of their new horse to be. I know I do but then after you become familiar with Sires and what other Sire Bloodlines are compatible and work well together there are times when you may only spend the time that it takes to mechanically, through the game, to Breed a new horse and have hat horse become a good running Stakes horse just from a few minutes work. The combination of Sires in a Pedigree design is endless. But if you think you have run out of new horse possibilities just wait till the beginning of the new year and hundreds more 1st year Sires are added to the game. When you are just starting out and may be unfamiliar with the many different Sires, Bloodlines, the best way to familiarize with them is too start with a Sire you may have seen and watched race and never think that you are that far away from breeding a good horse, you’re not. O/T’s that have been playing Derby Fever for ten years or more of course have a lot more means to experiment and acquire criteria from which they work from but it is pure fallacy that these veteran players turn out Stakes Winners and more Stakes Winners everyday. They don’t. They struggle with the Pedigree aspect of the game as we all do. There is no sure fire way of creating a top Stakes Winner. But the criteria gathered from their successful Pedigree designs gives them a greater consistent Breeding Shed advantage that through persistence you will also acquire.

 

THE EQUALIZER

It’s great fantasy, dreams are the basis of Pedigree Design. We lean toward to make a functional horse that will give us the quickest turn around on our Breeding Points because Breeding are the currency of Derby Fever. But for however much effort you put into the make up of your new Home Bred, all the dreams and fantasy poured into the Pedigree Design the day will come when your Home Bred is set to race. Once that gate is opened in your horse’s Maiden Debut be prepared to receive a whole different horse than what you thought you had bred. All that time, work and study. All the dreams and fantasy moments you may have had in Designing your new horse’s Pedigree may all be turned around completely once your horse’s hoofs hit the track.

You may have surely thought that you bred a horse to run on the Dirt Track. But the horse let’s you know throughout the race that he does not like the Dirt Track. You may have used the Dosage Index tools that suggested strongly that your horse will like racing at a mile or more (8.O f+) but the horse let’s you know fast that he only likes Sprint Distances.

Once your new horse hits the Track be prepared to learn about what your horse really is. Maybe you clicked and got from your horse exactly what you bred him for. But even then there may be a few nuances the horse will teach you about himself and by you paying attention to these nuances the better and possibly higher Class runner you might have.

 

THE HORSE TELLS YOU WHAT THEY LIKE

There is one practice that is learned. It is learned by all who appreciate the horse and horse racing. In Real Life; Owners, Trainers, Jockey’s, Handicappers, (Professional or casual) sports writers, broadcasters, mom and pop, and anyone looking to responsibly cast a bet, and us here in Derby Fever. To understand the character, likes, dislikes through the performance of the horse on the race track; We ALL read the “Racing Line” in the Past Performances. Reading the Racing Line is truly an art but is the greatest insight to who your horse is. (On the backside of the track, in the stables, real life Owners, Trainers, Grooms, stable hands may see yet an other side of the character of a TB in an “acting out” scenario that can happen in an instant, a Racing Line usually does not help there)

The window of; Calls, 1,2,3 and Finish, in all distances indicate what your horse liked and may not have liked in a race. Their racing position at each Call will tell you who they are. Get in the practice of first reading the Calls and what your horse is doing at each Call. Only read the Calls and establish in your mind what this horse liked and did not like. The better you get at reading the Calls the more success you will have with your horse’s. After forming the scenario Trip your horse had; Then …, then start adding the other factors into the Call reading. Add the Distance, add the Class, the type of race, (Allowance, Claiming, Stakes) the fractional times and beaten lengths at every Call, the Speed Rating, even the Odds will add supporting evidence to what your horse ran like at each Call. This goes for every horse, raced or unraced.

 

C1

C2

C3

Fin

 

2 1

2 1-1/4

1 hd

1 3

This Race Line shows a horse completely at ease and indicates that he is ready for a higher Class if not also a greater Distance.

 

C1

C2

C3

Fin

 

12 3-3/4

12 5-3/4

11 5-3/4

9 5

 

Here is a Race Line that shows the horse may be a late Closer and needs more distance to run his best but he only Closed 3/4 Length in the stretch so maybe a Surface change might also be good.

 

C1

C2

C3

Fin

1 nk

1 1/2

1 1-1/2

1 1-3/4

5 1

3 1-3/4

3 1-3/4

2 1-1/4

2 1

2 1-1/2

2 1-1/2

2 1/2

Here are multiple Race Lines of a horse’s performance probably run at all the same Distance. This horse was liking what he was doing in the first two races but was unable to Win. This horse is always gaining or running even with the winner at the Finish of races. But then the horse finally found a group of competitors that he could dominate. Usually this would occur in a Class Drop, Surface change or possibly an OFF Track (Wet)

 

Inside these Calls holds the Racing Character of your horse. Concentrating on these Race Lines will enhance your insight to the character of your horse greatly.