BARGAIN BRED RACING SERIES & BREEDING CORNER

Breeding Goals

What kind of things do you wish to achieve with your homebreds? Do you set goals? What kinds of goals do you set? Setting goals I believe are essential to being a good breeder. If you had asked me how good of a year did I have last year I would have told you I had a great year breeding. After all I have one homebred that has won four stakes races and four others that placed in stakes. I have two other horses that have broken the 100+ speed figure mark and seem on their way to stakes company. Once you get past the first seven horses, which are not great, I have absolutely sucked

I just recently went and looked back at my breeding numbers for my class of 2003. Of the thirty-four runners I bred last year only 20 have been winners so far (59%). Percentage wise that does not look too bad but I bred fourteen horses, some still trying, that could not get even a maiden-claiming win. Of course some of those are probably still developing and I am still racing six of those runners. Despite some high speed figures from some only five horses cleared their first allowance condition (14.7%). I only have one stakes winner (3%).

My first year in the Sim, 2002, saw me breed all bargain breds probably less than ten. I only have one horse left from that class and he is a stakes winner. I wish I had kept records of all my breeding that year. Last year I bred about half bargain breds (15) and half credit breds or high cost BP horses (19). I only bred 3 horses that cost more than 250 credits or BPs so not a bunch of the blue blood types.

My 2003 numbers will go up as the year goes on and may turn out to be a pretty solid class. At this point though I would have to say I expected a little more. I would have thought I could have got 80% of my homebreds to break their maiden. I also would have thought I could have got closer to 30% to clear their first allowance condition. The stakes percentage I’m watching but I am not worried about. Stakes winners will either happen or they won’t. If I get one every year can I be disappointed?

How should we factor in solid claiming or starter allowance horses? How much should these type runners lend to your success as a breeder? I think these can be very valuable when it comes to the next years breeding because of their BP earning potential. I still have six runners that cannot get it done against entry level allowance company right now but have won or placed in multiple claimers or starter allowances. I am only counting their maiden claiming, claiming, and starter allowance races in these figures.

33 Starts, 8 wins (24%), 3 places, 4 shows (45% ITM), 3 fourths, 6 fifths (72% Top 5)

I included top five finishes because you earn BPs for any top five finish. These six hombreds have probably earned more BPs than the five horses that have cleared their first allowance condition. I think producing these type runners each year in your breeding classes are vital to those who mainly use BPs.

My 2004 class is shaping up to be a much better bred bunch than any of my previous classes. Several factors have affected this season. In my first couple of years I was always looking out for potential brood mares and several came of age this year. Retired mare breeding has afforded even more opportunity to use blue blood type lines. Finally, I have realized the value of good claimers and have earned more BPs than I ever had before.

This year I am off to a pretty good start. As of week 2167 I have bred twenty-six horses so far this year (14 fillies and 12 colts). Seventeen have made starts. Those seventeen starters have run twenty-three times with five wins, four places, three shows, four fourths, and two fifths.

My expectations for this class are a lot higher than what I expected from last years class. I should be able to get 80% of my homebreds to break their maiden. I am aiming on getting 40% of my homebreds to clear the first allowance condition and this year should be my first year to have more than one stakes winner.

I think setting goals for yourself will help you become a better breeder. The first thing you must decide is what is important to you. Is it wins? A surface? Solid claimers? Allowance runners? Bargain Breds? Everyone wants to breed stakes winners but you should be realistic when setting your goals. Expecting a high percentage of stakes winners is not very realistic even if you spend 30,000 credits per horse. 

 Set your goals according to your style of breeding. For instance most of the horses I have bred have been bred with the mindset of breeding horses that prefer routes and may take a little longer to develop. So two-year-old statistics are not as important to me as it may be to others. If you have tracked your breeding over the past years go back and look at how you did. There were several breedings from last year I looked back at and thought, “ What in the heck was I thinking!!!”        

Determining your success, or lack there of, as a breeder is really up to you. Setting goals and tracking the results can be a rewarding experience.