{"id":4594,"date":"2007-08-17T20:24:40","date_gmt":"2007-08-17T20:24:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=4594"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","slug":"oldbtb_1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=4594","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating the Sim Tipsters: DrFager & Rock63 Tipsheet Pioneers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arkansas<\/STRONG>–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We pay tribute to the game’s Tipsheet Writers in the $75,000 Simhistory Day\u00a0DrFager & Rock63 Tipsheet Pioneers<\/EM>.\u00a0 First, some (LOL!) background info……………<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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DrFager ran the Maryland Analysis<\/EM> site back in ’99 to ’00 or so.\u00a0\u00a0 DrFager (Joe)\u00a0not only provided a tipsheet for Maryland, but also ran his website like a “track,” posting a weekly recap of each race.\u00a0\u00a0Additionally, Joe also covered the Maryland stakes in the old SimRacing Form<\/EM> in conjunction with his site.\u00a0 You can still see some of Joe’s work nowadays on the Racing Terms page linked in the game.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Rock’s Texas Cookin’<\/EM> tipsheet existed for\u00a0a very long time — 1999 to about ’02.\u00a0\u00a0 Rock63 (Bryan) also revived his site\u00a0from time to time afterwards.\u00a0\u00a0 He handicapped the full racecard for the most part with his top 3 picks, but sometimes tackled each horse in the race.\u00a0\u00a0 Today, the game cards\u00a0a series of Rock’s Texas Cooking Stakes that take place every year in the\u00a0spring.\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Tipsheet History (and blarney!):\u00a0 \u00a0Back in the old, old days, betting was a big part of gameplay.\u00a0\u00a0 Players could make Sim millions at a time — it was like the Wild, Wild West and of course Sim gamers looked for help in order to get in on the action.\u00a0\u00a0They looked to the game’s Tipsters who handicapped full or abbreviated race cards and posted them on web pages.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Some tipsheet writers wrote about each horse in the race, while others gave only their top three.\u00a0 Some published complicated, fancy sites, while others were as plain jane as can be.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The game\u00a0had less than 30 or so tracks and, believe it or not, near each track had a tipsheet.\u00a0\u00a0 Also, the game’s racecards only numbered about 10 races (and even less early on), so complete tipsheets were possible to manage week-to-week.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Eventually, the game had to overhaul betting, and, unfortunately, it was pared down so much that tipsheets weren’t useful anymore.\u00a0\u00a0 Additonally, the SimRacing Form (forerunner\u00a0of the Black Type Bugler) grew in popularity and participation — folks could find their “Sim writing” fix by looking up their stakes horses in the SRF’s coverage.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Tipsheet visitors tired of\u00a0pop-up ads and screen-crashing banners on the tipster’s free webhost pages.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And they tired of tipsters missing weeks and not updating their sites.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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But, most of all, the Sim just kept growing and growing.\u00a0\u00a0 The racecards ballooned, making a tipsters workload too much to handle\u00a0each week.\u00a0\u00a0Some tried to team\u00a0up as partners for one track, and that worked for a spell.\u00a0\u00a0 But the game kept adding more and more tracks and visitors grew discouraged when their horses raced at a track without a tipsheet.\u00a0\u00a0 After so many letdowns, eventually they quit searching the sites all together.\u00a0\u00a0 Besides, it just took so much time for a gamer to play the Sim — fancy-dancy shortcuts like\u00a0Rafi and stuff just didn’t exist or were only accessible as third-party downloads\u00a0back then.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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So, tipsheets were pretty much kaputt by ’02 or ’03.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0There were some attempts to revive them like the old Kentucky Tipsters<\/EM> page run by Mano, but they didn’t last.\u00a0\u00a0Like it or not, Monk’s Bets From Above<\/EM> pretty much finalized the tipsheet movement.\u00a0\u00a0 Here was one “anonymous” player (Monksfield who later revealed himself to be Brundlefly!) who simply posted his picks on the game’s Betting Message Board.\u00a0\u00a0 Monk was free of webpages and webwork.\u00a0\u00a0 He was free of writing up\u00a0traditional\u00a0racecards and\u00a0meeting visitors’ expectations.\u00a0\u00a0 Instead, Monk just posted some good Sim bets each week.\u00a0\u00a0 Developing a Sim-wide reputation for major success, Monk’s Bets From Above<\/EM> became a Sim phenom.\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Again, the overhaul to Sim betting ended even Monk’s sim bets.\u00a0\u00a0 Some\u00a0tipsters kept going for fun.\u00a0\u00a0Others moved on to greater participate\u00a0in residencies or\u00a0became writers in the SRF (like Monk aka Brundlefly himself!).<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Will tipsheets ever return to the Sim?\u00a0\u00a0 It could be that they’ve been missing from the game\u00a0for so long, that they’d be welvcome again in some sort of capacity.\u00a0\u00a0 Perhaps if Billgulch revises betting more favorably in the\u00a0rewrite?\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Zzzzzzz………. anyone\u00a0out there?<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Whewey, I’m rather rusty-dusty after an 8-week writing layoff.\u00a0\u00a0There is a race somewhere in this article… oh yeah!\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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OK, seven furlongs for main track distaffers.\u00a0\u00a0 A beautiful mare named Cheyenne Gold<\/STRONG> gets the slight oddsmaker’s nod at 9\/2.\u00a0\u00a0 She’s a graded competitive 4yo by Seeking The Gold.\u00a0\u00a0 Trainer ozioziozi saw her spit out the bit on Smackdown day, but didn’t send her to the farm afterwards.\u00a0 Instead, Cheyenne Gold rumbled in a listed stakes speed duel a\u00a0two weeks ago, finishing an honest 3rd.\u00a0\u00a0 Cheyenne Gold runs tough on two weeks rest though and 7\/8ths is her ticket.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Freeky stable brings Fu Fu Mascus(IRE)<\/STRONG> (5\/1) who just sizzled with a gorgeous ALW number.\u00a0\u00a0 With a 106 SP#, the 4yo Giant’s Causeway(IRE) daughter\u00a0picked up her 9th career score.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She’s been in and out of the stakes raks for the most part of her 20-something career.\u00a0\u00a0 Hard luck royal bred needs to toughen up and show some consistency.\u00a0\u00a0 Great shot as a stalker in this spot though.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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We got a trio at 7\/1 a piece:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
  • Year Of The Buda<\/STRONG> (lacostra) grabbed a show spot in a Grade 3 two back.\u00a0\u00a0 The veteran 5yo event Of The year mare lacks consistency and enters all top class levels.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hmmm… she’s much better suited to the listed ranks so let’s toss out her other graded debacles as well as the injury-prone race over the late springtime.\u00a0 Instead, I like this midpacker in this spot.\u00a0\u00a0 She’s gonna be right there at the wire.<\/FONT><\/LI>
  • Exbourne’s Globe<\/STRONG> from 73059 stable (what an unimaginative stablename, Boo!)\u00a0 steps up to the black type after a 103 SP# ALW palcing.\u00a0\u00a0 She can win off and on stalking the lead.\u00a0\u00a0 Spinning World lassie worth a shot if she can overcome the 12-hole.\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/LI>
  • Awesome Again gal Dry Spell <\/STRONG>won over this distance in a late rally three back.\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a05yo mare from capitanio2 stable was\u00a0in a bit of a groove there for a spell\u00a0before getting cold LTO in a puzzler.\u00a0 Certainly facotrs into this group, but will the closer get some fair speed to run at up front?<\/FONT><\/LI><\/UL>
    And our 8\/1 duo:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
    • K’s By The Way<\/STRONG> picked up a short field stakes\u00a0sprint a few back.\u00a0\u00a0 She’s been rounding into\u00a0class well for vertigo2.\u00a0\u00a0 The Forty Niner 5yo had a good ’07 win streak going\u00a0before climbing the ladder to black type company.\u00a0\u00a0Has had a\u00a0bit of a breather, so should be fresh.\u00a0\u00a0 An honest threat from midpack or so.\u00a0\u00a0Well-spotted.<\/FONT><\/LI>
    • The Supers check in with Fusaichi Fury<\/STRONG>, a 3-for-21 lifetime 4yo by FuPeg.\u00a0 \u00a0Encouraging numbers of late from the filly see a test again around 7 panels.\u00a0\u00a0 Honest type, but can go either way.\u00a0\u00a0 Punching above her weight class?<\/FONT><\/LI><\/UL>
      Our sophomore fillies testing their elders:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
      • Satan’s Delight(KY)<\/STRONG> (10\/1) already has a sweet 7-for-19 lifetime record.\u00a0 She’s a Distorted Humor gal who dominates her age group and can beat the boys too around one-turn.\u00a0\u00a0 Great shot in this spot from behind what may be a slower pace.\u00a0 Spooky named filly is from starcon stable.\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/LI>
      • Kensei’s Redoute’s World(AUS)<\/STRONG> (21\/1)\u00a0joins the pace hunt in just her 2nd lifetime dirt try.\u00a0\u00a0 The Redoute’s Choice daughter was a stakes winner a couple times over the lawn and finally tried the main track LTO with a successful short field ALW score.\u00a0\u00a0 Live sleeper if she can step forward after the effort.\u00a0 Bred for the green stuff but is she indeed better over dirt?\u00a0\u00a0 Litmus test. <\/FONT><\/LI>
      • Forty Dances(JPN)<\/STRONG> (24\/1) from lawyerron stable has won half of her six lifetime starts so far.\u00a0\u00a0 The Forty Niner royal bred gamely won a 99 SP# 7.5f stakes LTO versus her age group.\u00a0\u00a0 As good a spot as any to test her elders.\u00a0 Possible from behind the pace.\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/LI><\/UL>
        The rest of the field:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
        • At 9\/1, Personal Prayer<\/STRONG> leaps up after cracking the 100 sP# barrier LTO.\u00a0\u00a0 Congie3 kept this vet Pulpit daughter under wraps in the ALW ranks most this season.\u00a0 The midpacker may be short on black type, but makes up for it with consistency.\u00a0 Should be in the hunt since she’s in form.\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/LI>
        • At 7 years young, Prettyinpink <\/STRONG>(12\/1) can still pick up her feet and sure does rail in the BP for mallard stable.\u00a0 The End Sweep grand dame has worked her way out of the claiming level and picked up a 102 SP# ALW score LTO.\u00a0\u00a0By all rights, she’s outclassed here at this level and at her age.\u00a0\u00a0 But, ya never know!\u00a0 The midpacker could surprise as much as many!<\/FONT><\/LI><\/UL>
          Snowchief’s Picks<\/U>:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
          \u00a0<\/DIV>
          It looks racetime fave Cheyenne Gold will face sophomroes Exbourne’s Globe and Redoute’s World for the early lead.\u00a0\u00a0 I think Cheyenne Gold is pretty classy and much the best on paper in this field.\u00a0\u00a0 Probably on the racetrack too at\u00a0this point.\u00a0\u00a0 So I’ll with her over K’s By The\u00a0Way and Year of the Buda.\u00a0 Fu Fu Mascus might spoil\u00a0my trifecta.\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV>
          <\/FONT>\u00a0<\/DIV>
          Win:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cheyenne Gold\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
          Place:\u00a0 K’s By The\u00a0Way <\/FONT><\/DIV>
          Show:\u00a0 Year of the Buda<\/FONT><\/DIV>
          <\/FONT>\u00a0<\/DIV>
          Good luck and enjoy Simhistory Day!\u00a0\u00a0<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Cheyenne Gold, Fu Fu Mascus close faves in dozen distaffer sprint<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4594"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4594\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}