What is the out to grass option actually intended for? I use it at the end of every season and stick all my horses in it after their last race unless I want to do some specific training, but is this actually what it's meant for and will using it in this way detract from my horses performance?

i put all my 4yo out as the never beat their 5yo version in ck also if theres a little left or a lot of potential to be gained they will max at 5 helps with managing a large stable also as u only have 2,3,and your best 5yos.i retire at 5 before the end of season either to the barn or the glue factory.so on.......and on......

exactly same as above i put all 4yo out to grass and every horse that has not reached max potentall

I can't imagine what you're doing makes much difference, unless you're playing the NH game, because they'll only be in there a few days. I use it for NH 2yo's and 3yo which I don't want to run until 3, 4, or even 5. Then they're not clogging up my stable screen. I use it for flat 2 or 3yos which need more time or a distance they won't get until they're older (e.g. 2 m + horses). Or for horses who are nowhere near reaching their potential by the middle of their 3yo year, they'll go in until they're 4 and then go handicapping hopefully picking up a nice race at the end of the season. Finally I use it for 2yos who are badly injured, 6 weeks + usually, and any others who have a bad injury from the end of September onwards. It is for resting them for a season, like you would a real horse.

I only do it when I think the horse has ran enough times that season. With 2yo's that is 3 or 4 times usually (the really good ones will be 6/7) and then for older horses that will generally be after the Breeders Cup or China.

I dont think it makes a difference tbh.

PJ are you sure you aren't missing anything really good with the 4yo's?! I'm sure you have much more experience in the game than me, but I have had at least 3 horses now who have improved a hell of a lot from 3-4 and again at 4-5. It is not true for all.

I also use the out to grass option for a horse who has no more targets to un-clutter my stable screen or for a 3yo for example who can't win, or run well in the races for older horses. I'll put them out to grass and start again with them at 4.

I am working on stayers for last 4 weeks 1m6 to 2m4 horses

so i put all 2yo out to grass day 1 of season (no point at running them at 1m2f)

keep 3yo try win leger

put all 4yo out to grass day 1 of season

bring them back at 5 (there Peak)

if i have a superstar i will race them at 4

i also put my spare 3yo who have not reached max potential out to grass after 2 or 3 runs
i usually end up selling these but bring them back at 5 to have alook if there max potential not reached they go sales

its all about time management when breeding for lge
so out to grass gets them out the road its a good addition

i answered all your questions Supercat b4 i saw the question you posted appear just call me mystic meg

ya thats why i like out to grass de clutters the screen

if i have a 3yo that is exceptional i will race them at 4

but based on the 100000s of trials i have run there peak is 5yo
some peak at 6 but very rare

you rarely get a 4yo beat a 5yo in ck trials
and if you get one the same horse still ends up being better at 5 and beats its 4yo copy
you do get the odd 6yo beat a 5yo but that happends really only over gold cup distances 2m4f

If you intend to join the online league then putting out all the 4yos to grass you might be missing out a truimph hurdle winner in the Nh side of the game.

you no me mate im flat mad
have only spent a fraction of time on nh side but thanks for the heads up

Interesting thread. The question is whether putting out to grass increases potential gained compared with racing them through 4/5 years old. I don't race past 3 but has anyone compared potential increasing via racing vs potential increasing via out to grass?

Well so far I have put out 3 horses to grass. One was a super 2 year old who wasn't doing great at 3 so I put him out to grass and he returned a year later, much better than before. Another was a similar case but of a 3 year old who tailed off at the end of the season. At 4 he didn't do very well and his potential bar wasn't filled up yet. He came back at 5 and won a Grade 1 at 1 1/2 miles (his previous best distance) but I knew he wanted further. So in his 5 year old season he raced in 2 mile races and was always 2nd or 3rd. Then decided to bring him back as a 6 year old and he became champion stayer that year winning 4 more Grade 1's including the Melbourne Cup which I've always struggled with. The last one was a 2 year old whose preferred distance was 1 mile 7f but he won the Juvenile Stakes (1 mile 1f) however not wanting to tempt myself with him I put him out to grass

So in these cases (well 2 of them) putting the horse out to grass helped

Glad they didn't bypass Frankel's 4 year old career....

I guess it's all a personal thing within the game....I'm starting a campaign to see how many winners I can get in a season, so no horse is out to grass untill knackered!!!! ... I guess as I don't get concerened with exporting anything, times etc are not too important( I still enjoy picking up a low level handicap with a breeding trial, as much a Classic.

No embarrassment in that mate!