The race conditions for the first-ever Degen Derby are set!
The most degenerate two minutes in racing will be held on a turf course featuring a firm track and will run counterclockwise (left). The race will consist of 10 furlongs, which is equivalent to one and one quarter miles.
Just catching up with us right now? In case you’ve been watching charts instead of preparing for the Degen Derby, here’s what you’ve missed.
Third Time Games and Magic Eden are hosting a one-of-a-kind racing event on Black Friday (that’s November 25th) featuring 20 DAOs. Each DAO will purchase a Photo Finish™ LIVE horse and race it in our inaugural Degen Derby for the chance to win bragging rights, prizes, and degenerate glory.
With these race parameters public, it’s now on our DAO competitors to find the perfect horse for race day. However, let’s dig into what these conditions actually mean.
Turf vs. Dirt: Does It Matter?
Turf versus Dirt should be fairly self explanatory. One course is natural grass and the other is good ole’ fashioned dirt. Mud. Slop. Whatever you want to call it.
Dirt tracks are the most common racing surface you’ll find in the sport. Horse Racing’s illustrious Triple Crown is contested on three dirt tracks, and more than 90% of horse races in America are on dirt.
However our degens will be burnin’ the turf. The benefit of a turf track is that the horses slide and slip less often and are generally healthier after races. Another advantage is that clouds of dust are not being thrown in a horse or jockey’s face from the thundering hooves.
Naturally, some horses prefer dirt and others like touching grass. For the competing DAOs, one of the major strategy questions they’ll face is if they want to give up a preference for turf in favor of another attribute such as…turning left or preferring a firm track.
Wait, Horses Run Different Directions?
While some horse racing “simulators” run in straight lines, Photo Finish™ LIVE mimics real horse racing which means races are run clockwise (right) or counterclockwise (left). Horse tracks all over the world run races in both directions, however it is more common to find counterclockwise races in America.
Counterclockwise racing is considered more natural for the horses, and the practice dates back to Roman chariot races. Rumors persist that early American track owners were resistant to clockwise races in defiance of English standards. Further, Paul Revere only turned left on his historic ride, which reverberates today in American motorsports. OK, we made that one up, but historically speaking Americans like to turn left and dump tea into harbors.
Competing DAOs will need to decide if they want a horse that favors the direction of the race, or to go after another attribute such as its preference for turf or an overall firm track. In fact, it’s currently impossible to find a horse in the current population with a preference for left turns, turf, and firm conditions!
It’s a Horse Race. Anything Can Happen!
That’s it for now with our Degen Derby update! Now that the race details are set and the competitors are getting familiar with what’s on the marketplace, the next step is to start buying some horses!
However, we hear that Photo Finish™ LIVE Central Scouting will release a list of its Most Degenerate Horses soon…
