As breeding season approaches in EQ, I spend a good chunk of my time browsing the many stud line-up threads that are published by my fellow EQ players. When I read through a stud post, I will closely inspect the racing credentials of a sparkling new freshman. Full of promise, stunning lines and great racing achievements, freshman lure the EQ player to breed one of their fabulous mare's to him. And we do so happily, nothing is more exciting than introducing new bloodlines in your barn.
After I've done inspecting a player's freshman prospects I will briefly pass over their somewhat less sparkly sophomore stallions. I think to myself that it's best to wait to see what this boy produces before sending one of my prize mares to him. That then begs the question, what's so different about a freshman and a sophomore? Is one season all it takes for an exciting freshman to lose his sparkle and become a dull sophomore? Well the answer is obviously yes. The fact of the matter is sophomore stallions will see the least amount of mares from anyone, including their owners. When a freshman is in your barn, you will send as many mares as you can possibly part with to him. The sophomore, well he has to wait until at least a few weeks, when the owner can see how his first crop debuts.
As for outside breeder's, well the temptation of new sparkling freshman or a 120 producing superstar stud, far outweighs the rather dull looking sophomore. Sure he has great racing credentials and fabulous breeding, but he has a whole bunch of yearlings waiting to be tested on the track. Why breed now when we can wait a month and survey his progeny a little? Even then why wait a month when next season we'll definately know how his 2yo's are performing. I know I won't 'waste' my fabulous mares on an outside sophomore stallion. Even my own sophomores are gingerly offered 4 maybe 5 mares if they are lucky, meanwhile I keep checking their new 2yo's to see how they are going, hoping i'm not making a huge mistake!
The fact of the matter is only time will tell if a stud will become a superstar, a complete dud or even a Joe-Average producer. Meanwhile the poor sophomore will have to wait his bogey season out with the hope that his 2yo's can do him justice at the races. Once his foals pass the test, he will line up in his junior season at stud with a little more prospect of pulling some more mares like he did as a freshman. I only can be glad that this season I won't be worrying so much about the plight of the sophomore, because this season I don't have any in my barn!
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