#10. Make a plan! It seems like breeding always opens up in the middle of the night in the US or in the middle of work overseas. Either call in sick for that work day or call in sick the next day after being up all night trying to win your horse! When calling off, you might not want to mention the fact that you were up all night “breeding”!

#9. Choose the right Sires! Using dosage indexes, past results, breeding websites, and player experience get all the info you can on sires and their correct breeding partners. Take all of this info and input into databases and spreadsheets and then at the very last minute, throw it all out the window because A.P.Indy is available.

#8. Invent the right name! VERY important. First of all, don’t forget to remove that XXXX that you put in to check on the price, availability and pedigree! There are enough horses already out there with “X” name by mistake! A name is all important. What self respecting colt will win races with a cute name like Little Puppy? A great horse needs a name with power and majesty. Of course it always helps if you incorporate the sire or mare into the name so that the trainer looks more intelligent as well. There are other things to think about as well. How aboutthoserunon names that look so cute but actually say something different that what you had hoped for such as JOHNSHITHORSE?!? Is John’s Horse a Big Hit?

#7. Check Your Work! Even with all of your preparation, mistakes can happen! Just by entering 6274 instead of 6275 you could end up with a Sire of STORM BREWING instead of STORM CAT! There is nothing worse than staying up all night and spending 2550 credits for a horse sired by STORM BREWING that will probably have a hard time running out of his shadow! Check and recheck before hitting that submit button the first time!

#6. Practice Hand Eye Coordination! In these days of high speed video games that may not seem like a problem but being able to click that mouse on the breeding button then the back button time after time can really get tough without practice. It is suggested that you play a few games of “Virtural Whack A Mole” to get warmed up before tackling the breeding shed.

#5. Concentration is Key! All it takes is one slip of the Back Button or a mis-hit on the Breeding Button or Credit Box to knock you out of your planned breeding. There is little more frustrating than to be clicking along for 50 minutes after time given and to screw up right at the moment of “highest fertility”! Drugs to aid in concentration are highly recommended! There are some over the counter and black market uppers that can really keep you alert for the time allowed. Some folks have tried coffee but how terrible is it to have to go to the bathroom right before conception of your new horse begins? Of course if it IS the middle of the night and you are taking things to keep you awake, you will naturally need something to help you sleep after the thrill of conceiving your new pony. Alcoholic beverages are not recommended either before, during or especially after the encounter It is certainly a bad idea to mix them with pharmaceutical products!

#4. Have a Good Trash Can Available! This is a multi use item that can be indispensable. You can use it to discard any charts and notes that you don’t need as you go through the process, thus leaving your desk neat and ready for good hand and wrist action. It is also great if you screw up and someone else gets your sire and the combination of that and the “alertness aids” can really make you nauseas as well. Not to mention if you disregarded the previous instructions and added adult beverages to the mix!

#3. Use Ergonomics! This cannot be stressed enough. Believe me, an hours worth of mouse clicking can really wear on your wrist, back, neck and shoulders. That can lead to lack of concentration and a loss of your preferred sire. There can also be permanent damage with continued credit buying. A good chair and wrist raising mouse pad can be worth their weight in gold. Remember Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is not a laughing matter! There are a variety of ergonomic products available but keep in mind that several are pretty silly looking!

#2. Remove Distractions! Get rid of anything that could possibly distract you during this time of monk-like concentration. Spouses or significant others can think it quite humorous to see if now would be a good time to entice you. Just tell them to warm up for an hour! Food can not only gum up the computer but also can take your hands away from the keyboard or make fingers slippery which can scream out for a mishit on buttons or mouse clicks. Crying children can break your concentration as well. Don’t have anything in the room that could prove to be a distraction at any time!

#1. Get Ready to Celebrate! I know that parts of this instructional Top 10 can be a bit daunting at best. Don’t let that dissuade you from breeding that perfect horse with credits. When you finally hit that screen that says, “If you have enough points at breeding time, your horse will be bred.” get ready to celebrate! Perhaps one glass of champagne won’t hurt. Maybe even a couple. But don’t stop there, get your speech ready for after your Derby or Breeders Bowl championship! Let the world know that you traveled through the Valley of Death and emerged victorious on the other end upon your mighty steed. The steed that is ready to carry you to new heights in your Sim Career!

Good luck to all runners!