In this part of our discussion, we continue to explore the early strategic choices of Ascension Stables Defying the Odds: ‘Minimal Effort’, “A” Grade Horse’s Triumph in the Twin Spires Sprint, Defying 22:1 odds, shedding light on their gigabrain approach.
Hanz Holdingworth: Ascension, take us back to your genesis moment in PFL. What was the attraction that pulled you into Season 8?
Ascension Stables: I joined right as season 8 was beginning. The game’s design really drew me in, along with the diverse ways to play. The biggest attraction? The wide-open chance to find edges and exploit inefficiencies. The game was new, and it was pretty obvious that most players were still novices at breeding for the then racing meta.
Hanz: Aha, so you saw a field ripe for a strategist like yourself. What kind of rookie mistakes or inefficiencies were you targeting?
Ascension: Well, I can’t spill all my secrets, especially with the recent fleet figure benchmark meta change. But the biggest thing I noticed was most people weren’t playing the long game; they weren’t strategically breeding for the sub-grade racing meta. They were just throwing stats together, hoping for a high grade. I saw the range in abilities, even within something like an A grade horse, and asked myself: How can I align my breeds/buys to consistently hit the top of a grade range? This wasn’t just about luck; it was about an intentional, strategic move. Surprisingly, many breeders weren’t seeing this and were offloading these high-potential horses for cheap.
The fact that Minimal Effort was first listed for just 37,500 derby shows the top breeders didn’t have their eyes on the ball yet. I saw the gem in the rough and snapped it up for 60k.
Hanz: Sounds like you found a diamond in the rough with Minimal Effort. What was the big charles move that made you pick him?
Ascension: My early strategy, which I’d call down breeding, was key here. It’s about breeding a horse that lands a lower grade than expected, but still packs a punch with better traits than the lower parent. Some folks see down breeding negatively, like sandbagging, but it’s really a strategic play to enhance a lesser horse’s stats. Isn’t that what we’re all trying to do in a skill game played for real money?
Minimal Effort was a product of this strategy. He came from a solid A- sprinter with 17 boosts, almost an A, and an S- with a strong marathoner preference. In theory, they should’ve averaged an A+. But this breed hit the jackpot with the down breed result, holding the A grade. This meant he had a solid chance of inheriting some S- level traits, positioning him at the top of the A range. But with breeding, luck still plays a part, especially with traits like distance preference.
Hanz: Naming him Minimal Effort, was that a bit of a cheeky move on your part?
Ascension: It was a bit of a joke, yeah. I knew he was going to be top-tier in the A grade, so it would seem like he was winning effortlessly. There was also a bit of a poke at the original seller in the name – they made minimal effort in playing the game, just dumped a top-tier horse on the market because he wasn’t another donkey S-.
Read Part 1 to this interview where Tombstone Stables gives insights to breeding a monster A horse.
Defying the Odds: ‘Minimal Effort’, “A” Grade Horse’s Triumph in the Twin Spires Sprint, Defying 22:1 odds
Hanz: I’m sure Tombstone might have some words to say about that 😀 What about the new Fleet Figure Benchmark races? How’s that shaking up your approach?
Ascension: With the Fleet Figure Benchmark races, it seems I might be biased towards the old sub-grade meta where I initially thrived. But looking objectively at what’s good for the game, I feel this meta shift was premature. It pushes the game closer to an efficiency state, narrowing the edges for skilled play. Sure, there are benefits to the new meta.
In a game without external funding, it’s a cycle of winners and losers. The transition from a completely luck-based start to an efficient endgame where only the best compete is the natural progression. The question is, how long can we stay in that sweet spot of early to mid-game, where hunting for edges and developing skills is both fun and profitable? Fleet Figure Benchmarks tighten the horse groups by ability, effectively creating sub-grades within grades. It seems fair but accelerates the game towards a fully solved state, more suitable for a mature, externally funded game.
The sub-grade racing scene was still young, with plenty of opportunities. It attracted players like me who saw the potential in graded stakes racing – skilled players could make good money racing and farming crown, attracting new and smaller stables. Even players with less skill could earn through crown farming. It was a clever system where investors funded the racers, and the racers, in turn, rewarded the investors.
The shift to Fleet Figure Benchmarks kind of nerfs the strategy that made Minimal Effort a star. It also dampens the impact of well-aligned traits, like those Minimal Effort had. One cool aspect of the old meta was using less successful S or S- horses in breeding to improve the A or A+ grades, adding value to these otherwise underperforming racers. That dynamic is lost now.
But I’m still a fan of the game. There are edges and opportunities out there. Each Fleet Figure segment will have a dominant horse archetype, and the key now is breeding the best performer in its segment, figuring out which archetype reigns supreme among its peers.
Hanz: Solid insight! Yes gameplay dynamics and balance must be insanely difficult to ever really please everybody. Finally, any genius advice for the newbies looking to buy their first horse in this changed landscape?
Ascension: Whether you’re breeding or buying your first horse, start by understanding why a top-notch S- can outdo a mediocre S. If the S horse has stronger overall traits, shouldn’t it theoretically win against any S-? Grasping this is crucial for smart breeding and purchasing. In today’s game, horses that can push their fleet figures beyond the average, theirs and their competitors’, are the ones to watch. It’s like investing, or anything in life really – taking the contrarian path often leads to gains that seem effortless, or should I say, with ‘Minimal Effort’.
Hanz: Something I think a lot of chads out there wondering is are you a big steak eater? What’s the fuel that drives a mind like yours making these big brain moves?
Ascension: hmmmm, not sure how to answer that, but I prefer pizza over steak.
Hanz: How did it feel when you won. You must have been over the moon. Where were you and how did you celebrate?
Ascension: Yeah it was really cool to win and more than just winning the money, it was the fact that it was mind blowing to see an A take down such a big race, I was going nuts watching it. I was at home, cooked up a derby dinner, got some drinks, and watched the live stream on my TV with my family.
They were exited to see a nice big payoff and really enjoyed watching the races.
Hanz: Thank you so much for sharing this alfalfa with us. Now that breeding week is underway, do you have any studs in the barn people should know about? I’m sure many readers are wondering what else you’ve been cooking…
Ascension: Cosmic Voyage is the best stud I have available today and is a full 9-star preference, high distance preference marathoner. This horse’s record speaks for itself with a 64% 1st place rate and an 85% ITM rate. His stud fee is on the high side, but his blood and gene pool are so rare, I contemplated keeping him for inhouse breeding only, so he may not be available for long.
Hanz: Phenomenal stats. Sounds like the sire of another potential championship winner. Again, thanks.
