Season 18 is here!
We have an incredible amount to cover in this week’s CROWN Weekly, including some significant, much-needed, and downright bullish improvements and changes meant to catapult us into the second half of the calendar year.
Oh — and a horse sold for over $50,000. But we’ll get to that!
It’s all inside this week’s CROWN Weekly.
PFL Horse Sells for Record $50,000.01
The final Sunday of a season isn’t typically all that newsy. But Season 17’s Foal’s Day Eve went offscript.
Minutes before the calendar turned to Season 18, Foal In One and Solmate Stables shook hands on the largest horse sale agreement in Photo Finish™ history—a $50,000.01 agreement for an SS- Colt named Foal of Pinkabet.
Click here to read the full story.
S18 Check-In: Product Director Richie Choi
As we do each season, we pinned Richie down to interrogate him about everything players need to know about the race schedule. This season, we asked him to touch on the most high-level questions we’ve seen on Discord this past week.
Click here to read about all the Season 18 changes.
Why the Calendar Changes?
We’ve shifted the schedule for season 18 to make things easier for players and give every element of the Photo Finish™ LIVE experience its moment in the spotlight.
By not worrying about qualifying for the first major, foal’s day, racing, and breeding in the first week, players have more time to plan for their breeds and enter into more races.
We’ve also moved Majors to the end of the month so that horses can compete throughout the entire season (three weeks) to clinch their spots in the finals. This change provides horses with a greater incentive to continue racing all season long.
We’re also excited about adding Graded Stakes as a secondary series for players who aren’t in the top 10%. Horses aged 3+ can compete for glory over two weeks, and we hope to incentivize more competition with the 48 additional series available for all players to qualify for.
The two distances, 6 furlongs, and 10 furlongs offer the most significant coverage, ensuring no horse is more than two distances from its preferred length. The six grades (A- to S+) with two distances and four preferences (LD, LT, RD, RT) are designed to provide comprehensive competition opportunities.
Game development is all about all these changes and more – trial and error until you hit on something that makes the most people happy. We think these changes will be a great start in that sense.
Can You Explain the Two New Series?
With the Major Series moving to Week 4, we have much room for activities in the first three weeks! We’ve added two new series for the first and second weekends to fill the gap.
The Silver Stakes, a set of allowance races for horses aged 6+, and the Sugar Maple Cup, for fillies aged 4+.
We chose graded allowances for the Silver Stakes because they encompass the largest pool of horses. At 2 lbs per subgrade, the win and entry rates are almost mirrored, meaning that horses of any grade can compete on equal footing. This ensures that the best horses within each grade are competing fairly.
Why Grade-Based Claimers?
Grade-based claimers have been introduced for players who feel their horses aren’t quite competitive enough for top-tier races but still want a place for them to run. We’re testing this method out in hopes it offers an even more segmented section of the racing schedule for those looking for this sweet spot.
These new claimers, being grade-restricted, ensure that competition remains on a relatively even playing field while being much lower in cost.
The grade restrictions should prevent higher-end horses from dominating these races, as they risk being claimed if they do.
How Will the Changes Impact Horse Picks?
Horse picks are down a bit, but that was expected, as we made some tweaks that impacted them. This season, we’ve examined Horse Picks and believe the new structure gives the schedule more opportunity to showcase them.
Previously, there were few events on which to make picks. With the shift in Majors to the end of the season and the addition of the graded series, we’ve packed the season with an additional week’s worth of events filled with high-level competition.
In season 18, we have a lot more events where users can make picks on their favorite horses.
Foal’s Day Spaces
On Monday, Bryce and Ryan threw down on ANOTHER Foal’s Day Spaces!!
Season 18 is about to cook, and we chatted about all the improvements, updates, and changes before welcoming the newest crop of horses into the world.
Click here to listen to the replay.
Content Schedule
Monday Mayhem
Hosted by Doughboy, Monday Mayhem kicks off the racing week with a slate of juiced-up races that offer a chance to build a $DERBY bankroll.
Click here to watch Doughboy’s Monday Mayhem stream.
Trackside Tuesday
Hosted by Troy from High Octaning, Trackside Tuesday is your chance to gauge the talents of every horse in your stable at an affordable price.
Click here to watch High Octane’s Trackside Tuesday stream.
Tuesday After Dark
Hosted by Doughboy, the Tuesday night version of After Dark brings a deep slate of races featuring the juiciest horse pick pools of the week.
Click here to watch Doughboy’s After Dark stream.
Making the Grade Wednesdays
If you’re a big fan of Graded Stakes races, Making the Grade Wednesday is the place to be.
Click here to browse Making the Grade races.
Finishline Friday
Troy and High Octane Racing return for another stream every Friday afternoon.
Click here to watch High Octane’s Finishline Friday stream.
Friday After Dark
No week of racing would be complete, with Mo Knowz capping things off with a Friday night rendition of After Dark.
Community manager Fib joins Mo Knowz weekly for the horse pick-focused action.
Click here to watch all Mo Knowz streams.
Sunday Showdown
Many horses enter the Sunday Showdown races, but only one continues its career on the Photo Finish™ LIVE racetracks.
If you’re looking for a chance to go for winner-take-all glory with your horse on the line, Sundays are the place to test your risk tolerance.
Click here to watch Urban’s Sunday Showdown stream.
