Following on from Matt's superb article about the amount of breeding that is now undertaken by the players, I thought it time to see if there was a pattern emerging with any particular stable or stallion strain being more dominant than another in order to try to answer that periennial question - if I breed to the best will I get the best? The scoring is out of 5 *'s.
The simple answer is - WHO KNOWS?!
Lets focus on the current crop of 2yr and specifically at the the horses currently in the Top Ten so far this season. 1-4 below (rest to follow by end of week).
Barcelona - Sire Mr Innocent Dam Yes She Can Can - Breeder - Port Pirie Racing
The only horse sired by Mr Innoncent in the game. The dam has two foals of racing age, both winners. At first glance a very unfashionable pedigree but one that obviously works.
Best from the Best Score - 3***
Taco Bell - Sire Bellbuster Dam Stellar Jayne - Breeder - Zippy Chippy Stables
Bellbuster, standing at stud for Snowbank Farm, has proved himself to be a very good bargain for those who managed to get breedings to him BEFORE this season. At a fee of only $30,000 he was one of the more reasonably priced stallions who got a full book. He has 14 yearlings ready to run next season. He also has 2 horses in the Top Ten 3yr olds this season. Stellar Jayne (multiple Group winner in RL) has two foals in the game, this and one sired by Rock Hard Ten (bred by Almosta Ranch) due to run next season.
Best from the Best score - 7*******
Redskyatdawn - Sire Dawn Patrol Dam Makybe Diva - Breeder Smokeys Stable
A solid if not spectacular sire, Dawn Patrol has sired several crops of racing age but usually only one per season with offspring including Case Closed, Inspection and Peakon on Patrol. Next season he has 3 yearlings due to run and has just sired 13 foals in his last crop. Definately a stallion to follow but probably as a sire of later maturing horses. Maykbe Diva was a racing superstar, winning 3 Melbourne Cups in a row. She has 4 registered foals in the game, the oldest (West End Riot) being by another Cup winner (Brew) but out of luck so far in 5 races to date.
Best of the Best score - 6 ******
Machete Sire Revenge Dam Bint Marscay - Breeder KRF Stables
Another "super" stallion who is living up to his hype. He (like Bellbuster) has an entry in the Top Ten 3yr olds (although only one representative). Bred in the purple by Stephen Got Even out of the Champion (RL) mare Serena's Song, he won 14 of his 18 lifetime starts and nearly $10million in purse money. Owned by KRF Stables he is a popular (if expensive) choice for many breeders when they want to inject a little bit of class into their lines. Due to his remarkable record, his fee has risen this year to $200,000 from a previous £75,000. The dam has had a foal every PF breeding season and has a 3yr old (Moet) in the Top Ten LIFETIME earnings. She has a foal by Park Lane due to run next season.
Best of the Best score - 8********
Mental Edge Sire Dajyjur Dam Pleasant Ballet - Breeder Bonai Farms
A very underused stallion in the game, siring only three horses so far - one in his first crop (Mental Edge) and two in 2007 (next seasons 2 yr olds). A horse more famous for "losing" the Breeders Cup Sprint when he "jumped" a shadow in only strides from the wire, and campaigned predominately in England over a mile on turf, he was a good horse. Perhaps that is what puts off prospective breeders - a) they perceive him as a "turfer" and b) he is a sprinter? Who knows but Bonai (the breeder of Mental Edge) must like him as he has used Dayjur again this year, but only one other breeder has joined him. The dam has 4 foals in the game, the other to race being Pleasant Vengence who has only made one visit to the race track so far and is now 3. Her next foal is by Housebuster, the sire of Bellbuster (ses above) so expect another good 2yr old.
Best of the Best score - 7*******
Silver Slicker Sire Dansilver Dam Slickfest - Breeder Parklands
One of the games "greats" on the track, Dansilver's impact as a top sire hasnt quite been fulfilled. There appears to be no reason why, he is getting the quality mares and plenty of opportunties. Perhaps his offspring need time to mature? From what has been seen on track so far (from a crop of less than 1/2 dozen foals), as the season has progressed they have improved. He has 8 yearlings to run next season. The dam, Slickfest, was a racing millionaire during her racing campaign, winning 13 out of her 37 races so she was obviously tough to sustain a solid racing schedule. This is her first foal. Owned by Parklands, they have a yearling by Thunder Artic due to race next season.
Best of the Best score - 6******
Hold That Train Sire Hold That Tiger Dam Very Classy - Breeder Eureka Racing Stables
An interesting pedigree, being by a sire by the sire of Sires, Storm Cat but Hold That Tiger only made 10 starts winning less than $600,000. This colt is the only foal from his first crop but he has only sired 5 foals all told. It has also to be said that the level of mares sent to him has not been of the highest quality, whilst they are solid they are not "great". The dam was unraced and is by Sky Classic (by Nijinsky) but looks very ordinary. This breeding does however almost prove a point that a below average mare bred to an average sire CAN make a good horse. There is every reason to believe that this colt will "train on" next season.
Best of the Best score - 5*****
Lazy Patrol Sire Dawn Patrol Dam Let's Elope - Breeder Smokey's Stable
Again, on paper this doesnt look like a dream breeding but the stallion is proving himself to be very good. Whilst unraced in the game, he has sired several crops of racing age, and can include in his current 3yr old runners Case Closed who holds 3 WRs and won over $1.5million to date, Inspection (filly), On the Prowl (filly/millionairess) and two colts, Peakon on Patrol and Turf Dreams. Already a pattern seems to be emerging. His fillies are very good his colts not so. Another stallion to have a small book next year, this time 3. The dam, Let's Elope was another to run over 20 times and have several wins to her name and earn over $3mil. All of her foals have been colts and her next foal to run is by Kingston Town (a RL gelding so there will be plenty of interest in his stock). Smokey's Stable is known for getting good stock from humble origins and this is a prime example.
Best of the Best score - 5*****
Linköping Sire Bold N'Free Dam Our Egyptian Raine - Breeder Port Pirie Racing
Now here is a stallion who made a strong impact on the game when racing - starting 50 times, winning 15 and over $6mil in prize money. Sadly whilst getting a large book of mares in his first season, so far only this colt appears to have made an impact. The theory must be that his foals will be better the older they get, so anything they acheive at 2yrs is a bonus. He himself got better as he got older. But that hasnt stopped breeders using him, in fact he is probably one of the most popular stallions in the game and usually has a full book. Our Egyptian Raine has two foals to race to date who hasnt shown too much on the track. She was not bred after producing Linköping and her next foal was born in 2008 and is by Lord Essex.
Best of the Best score - 7*****
(and finally!)
Skip Practice Sire Albert the Great Dam Dancethruthdawn - Breeder Fender Stables
Just making it into the Top Ten 2yr olds is a filly by a real trier on the track, Albert the Great who was very reliable and appears to have passed this down to his daughter- who has the best race record of the Top Ten = not in money but in 9 starts has never finished out of the top 3, including 7 wins. Redskyatdawn is higher placed with less wins due to winner more prize money. The mare, Dancethruthedawn, is regally bred being by Mr Prospector and out of Dance Smartly, herself a champion racemare. Her previous foal to race, Xtra Dawn, hasnt show much to be fair but she has been visiting only the top sires, her next foal to race being by A P Indy and interestingly named "Wooden Rabbit". A well respected player in the context of the game, when making this pairing Fender Stables obviously saw something worthwhile.
Best of the Best score - 9*********
Dont get mad reading this - its my own opinions and probably totally wrong but lets get discussing!
By - Nancy Newmarket
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4 comments:
A nice article Nancy... but perhaps Amanda or yourself can explain the ratings to us less savvy folk.
I started with 5 points max to each parent and then points deducted accordingly based on their race ability (or lack), other runners sired or mothered. A good race mare would have 5 pts but if she hadnt had any foals of note then a point was taken off etc.
I think it makes sense?!
Thanks "Nancy"... thought that you meant 5 was the total for each foal... and then you had some with 6, 7, 8, 9... My train of thought went something like this: These many foals have more points....
How about 100 bonus points to a stallion owned by the person who runs the game because obviously her stallion is producing somewhat unbeatable horses?
Hmmm....coincidence? I think not!
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