Ok I am new to this game and am still trying to get the hang of it- think I’m doing ok as it is.
My question (and it has been on my mind for a while) is that I have a 5 yr old stallion that I don’t know what to do with, Diligent Trick. I guess considering I’m posting in the stallion section, my question will lean to that. I’m just confused as to being able to retire him, if I decide to do that.
He was my second horse in the game, purchased and then sent to my farm for a bit of rest. Thing is, he is 5 yrs old. Recently raced him and he finished 4th of 6. It lists him as placed, he has never won a stakes- tho I don’t think he has run in at all, so I may work on him and point to at least one to see how he fares. Not sure.
I have read the stallion qualification and know that the stallion has to have at least 5 stakes wins before you can retire him to stud.
I don’t know- I can’t sell him yet, as I am still new and it says that I have to wait another 2 races.
Guess I’m just asking an older player as to what they would do…even if I do race him 2 more races, I wouldn’t be able to sell him as a stallion prospect…
Actually a stallion needs to have 10 stakes wins, including at least one G1 stakes win to be retired to stud. So your correct and it’s highly unlikely he’ll ever be a stud prospect. From looking at his race record I would guess he’s probably already reached his peak. You could try and sell him but you’ll make little if any profit as most people don’t want an older horse who isn’t placing in his races.
I personally would geld him to see if it would help at all - also stick to cheaper allowance races where the competition should be easier. You could also switch him to SC, although I suspect that he’s probably about reached the end of his usefulness. Good luck and hopefully you can squeeze a few more wins out of him.
Actually, you need 10 stakes wins before your stallion qualifies to breed. ;)
If he were my horse, I’d geld him. He’s run for a few years, and tried stakes twice this year and finished 8th/10th. That leads me to believe that he’s unlikely to ever win a single stakes, especially since the stakes races were on dirt and turf. He might be hiding a steeplechasing monster who’s going to win a billion dollars and every stakes race in the book, but that’s probably not amazingly likely.
So, as much as I’m sure you want a stallion to own/breed, I’d look elsewhere than this guy. If he were mine, I would geld him, and be sure to send him home for rest pretty often. Prior to his farm rest in Sept and Oct, he hadn’t been home for months, which probably explains some of his more lackluster performances this year.
You might also want to consider steeplechasing with him, though he seems to prefer dirt sprint-y stuff to turf.
I don’t know, was just a thought I guess as I am still feeling my way around the game.
Thanks for the suggestions. Gelding was on my mind, too, just wanted to hear what another person had to say- I’m still a rookie and felt that someone who has playing a while longer than me would have suggestions.
Anyways, I will take both of you up on what you suggested, see how he fares after all that…
Yeah, he’s a bit over the hill. Geld him and run him in some nice allowances. I’m personally a bit wary of steeplechasing, since you can’t go back once you’ve made the switch, but if he shows nothing on the flats, even with some good rest, that might be the way to go.
