Upcoming Changes to the Stakes Schedules Explained

Welcome to the DerbyFever.com blog!  I am still working on adding the new stakes races, and hope to have them all added with this weekend's update.   While I'm here, I wanted to address my "less open stakes" statement remark, as it is causing a bit of a stir. 

It is true that the number of overall stakes races will be decreasing.   The initial reaction has been that this will make getting into the biggest races in the sim harder.  One thing that needs to be mentioned, however, is that the number of graded stakes will actually be increasing by 75%-125%.  That means double the opportunity to enter grade races.  Plus many non-United States races will open up to 20 entrants.  So the opportunity to enter grade races (and, in turn, earn enough points to enter the premier races) will expand dramatically.

One reason : real life stakes schedules across the globe card over 1000 group / grade races yearly, and there has been a constant clamor to "true up" our schedule a bit. We only carded about 600 prior to this year.  So the new schedule will better simulate the real schedule.  I will also be keeping most of our current "different" stakes races (though their purses / grades are likely to be downgraded and some will be moved) due to their historical significance (including the normal allotment of fainting goats, sprinklers, toilet scrubbers, wrestlers,  rock guitarists, and the like).  

To accommodate this influx of new stakes races and entries into them, a few things must occur :

* Restrictions will eventually be placed on travel between the 2 sides of the "sim-globe."  This will mean a quarantine period for your horse if you decide to move from one side to the other.  
* The points given out "just for entering" stakes races will either be reduced or eliminated, and point deductions will be put into place for older horses with very-low stakes points finishing worse than 10th in grade races.  Purses for these races may also be reduced compared to their actual counterparrts due to the influx of sim-dollars (that I'm not 100% sure of... just a thought).
* Longer wait periods between the purchase of a graded stakes race and the week it can be carded.  
* Some graded stake restrictions that are currently allowed for purchase may be removed altogether. 

These changes will not take immediately, and I will give everyone at least a 6-week warning before they go into effect. 

The "globe hopping" has been out of control and, with double the number of graded stakes and extended entry opportunities in each race, the need to "hop" to "find grade races" will be unnecessary.  And yes, I will be modifying some of the race carding procedures before putting in quarantine periods between the sides of the globe.  More races with restrictions will be added, and the overall carding will be better distributed (with some weekly non-stakes races being "locked" so people can better prepare for upcoming weeks).  To allow for this (as well as the new grade races), it will obviously be necessary for me to cut out some of the weekly non-graded stakes races.

Although these changes are likely to have a negative effect on the sim "bottom-line" (as there will be less reason to bid / buy races if they are already there, and less bidding will be available at each track), they seem necessary for the long-term health of the product.   But don't worry credit buyers : there will be other opportunities to buy and spend as more additions / modifications are made over the next several months (or ever how long my "non-employment" lasts).
    
Thanks!

--Mike