I have been looking at buying SO6, but I have had such problems with SO4 that I am more inclined to ask for my money back than spend more.
Among other things, the horses have a relentless determination to stick to a fixed distance. Horses have a certain level of mental and physical capability. They run as long as they can (or can be bothered). They don't measure distances.
The most annoying thing about SO4, I have found, is that horses which join your stable apparently half in ability, only for them to miraculously recover it when you sell them on. I wasn't sure if I was hallucinating this so eventually I tried an experiment. I Opened 10 simultaneous instances of SO4 at a point where i had a once promising horse entered in an average handicap. In five of them I sold the horse. In the other five I kept it.
In the games where I kept the horse, the horse struggled to come last, barely scraping a fourth place. In the games where I sold the horse, it won all five times. Not just won - destroyed the field. Hacked up. A canter. If you would lie pictorial evidence I can provide it. I really am that pedantic.
I observed this same problem when I bought SO2 and it's why I didn't buy SO3.
This game has fantastic potential and could be as big as Football Manager. If the problems are sorted, I will happily buy SO6 and probably every game you release thereafter.
Otherwise I will remain disappointed and say no thanks.
All the best.
Sean

Hi Sean

SO6 is the first version I have bought so as to SO4 I can't comment. How are you playing the game? jockey mode or trainer/owner?

I play as owner/trainer - and I can't say I have noticed this happening when I've sold horses on.
Depending on how you play maybe is the key?
from my observations - I keep 98% of my 2yo's til they're 4yo's - I only sell 2yo's at the end of their first season if their rating is around 60 or under.
I sell 3yo's at the end of their 2nd season if their rating is around 75 or under and at the end of the 4yo season if they're struggling to hold 100 rating.

I have found that the average horse doesn't start peaking til 4yo and consistently winning Listed Races. so maybe if you are selling a 3yo or 4yo you may miss out on its full potential
and that is why you see it win and/or beat your horse/s.

Of course this depends how you play the game....maybe you just want Group horses only in your stable and of course those horses show their blue ribbon potential at 2yo and 3yo.
In that scenario it's quite possible that a horse that isn't showing top line qualities, if sold at the end of the season, could go on and win a Group 3 (for example or romp in Listed races)

As to buying SO6 - personally I say do it. The constant updates/patches is a credit to this company. I've been in a gaming community where a leading company of it's time gives up the ghost.
Releases a game that is buggy as - does a couple of minor fixes then puts up the "do not disturb" sign.
Not that comparisons can be drawn here but the Starters Orders men/women seem to work just as hard making the game run smooth as does the Battlefield4 people do.

The frustrating problem I have is that this happens literally overnight. I usually keep horses until they are 5 and then either breed or sell them. I have had horse that I bought as Listed winners or Group placers at 2 or 3. Some of the 2 year olds don't train on, understandably. But then it seems that the horse I have bought never do better than placing in an 090 handicap with 8st7. Disappointed, I sell them on and they invariable win or place in a Group 1 in their very next outing. The case I described was literally overnight a horse went from being a temperamental no-hoper to destroying a field of established Group performers. This has really put me off a game I have always loved so I guess I'm just trying to get an idea if these problems have been fixed before investing and being disappointed again.
I'm guessing from your response that these problems are unfamiliar to SO6 players, which is promising. Thanks for that.

Hi Sean

Yes - that would be very frustrating seeing your ex class 2/3 horse bolt in at Group 1 level.

I have been racing for 40 virtual seasons now and I haven't seen that happen to me - so I am confident you wont see that again.
Because I love watching my horses race I usually hang on to them til there form starts sliding with age lol and then I sell them.
I am now starting to experiment with breeding which I am very interested to see the results

Give the game another go, Sean
It is a good game!

Doug