I am here today with HRP Hardman AER. OK, you are live chatting with the SRF please do not shout or swear 🙂  

What is your name and where did the stable name come from? Tell us a bit about yourself, please.

My name is Dave /AER stables. 46 years old from near Saratoga racetrack. My stable name is my daughter’s initials. She is 9 years old and is my entire world. As far as a profession, I have been in the car business since I was 18 years old. I possibly retired or maybe not as everyone basically did back in March of 2020 due to the pandemic and needing to be there for my 2 kids as I am sure many people/players have had to do. I am very glad for the time I have had to be with my family full time. It’s what matters the most beyond anything else.

Do you have any association with horses in real life? I am aware that a lot of other players do

I have zero association with any RL horses or horse racing. I could not tell you basically anything regarding horse racing. I play this game like a video game. Very vanilla.

TC races: I interview people who dream of winning one, and you have won a highly respected 4! Is that your key focus each year? Noticed that you don’t mess around at the lower tracks too much. Tell us more about your gaming strategy, please?

Sure Kevo. It is really simple. There are only 2 races I want to win each and every year. The KYD and the Classic. That’s it.   

I have no interest in winning at the lower-level tracks. As frustrating as it is for me to not be a 20% winner and 60% ITM player. The types of horses I want and the races I run just don’t get me to those numbers. Some players enjoy the “win” when below sandbagging. To see a $500 purchase and top 20 workers running at LS in allowance is just not good for the game in my opinion.   

I am very proud to have 4 TC wins, 2nd only to MB. MB and I are the only 2 players to have the career TC Winning KYD/PRK/Belmont.

You have bred some nice horses in the past. Who in your opinion is the number one breeder at HRP?

As far as breeding, I don’t have the excel spreadsheet that others use or the desire to research and all that. Here’s what I do. Basically, copycat MB or Yahudi….those are who I believe are the two best breeders ever here. Yahudi is the grandfather of all breeding. Everything else flowed from the top of his mountain.

‘Everything else flowed from the top of his mountain’. That has to be my favorite HRP quote of the year and oh so true well put. Who is your favorite horse in real life and then HRP please Dave?

I guess my favorite RL horse of all time would be…Funny Cide….

Living near to the track etc, it was all the rage for his runs, so just from the local aspect, I would say that.

HRP horses would have to be 2. 

Dirty deeds…..she was a beast, but a kitten in the shed…shame. She should have won an HRP award the year T7 horse won it.  

King Cobra…..obviously the KYD winner. Jedi breeds some really great talent. He is a very honorable player.

We know you helped several players when they started. What advice would you give to newer stables starting in the game, please? 

1. To start with, always a super thanks and shout out to… Grimley. He introduced me to the game and showed me training/racing and gave me advice, auction buying help, what to look for and what to look away from. He was my RL guide to HRP. Great player and I learned what he told me and just expanded on that. He’s a great guy/friend/HRP player. If he is in a race against you, guaranteed you’re going to be in trouble!

With being a part of the chats through the years newer players always come around. I am always willing to help in any way I can, but….my advice is sometimes looked upon as being too hard or negative by some of the elders of the game. If you’re not striving to be #1, then you might as well be last. My advice is to basically search MB, do what he does but on a super small scale, take chances, use the law of averages, be mathematical. You’re not going to be walking into this game and in a month be one of the top 10 in earnings. You can build quickly but you have to be smart. #1….don’t sell your best horses, if you want to be a seller that’s fine, but you want to race and win big races you keep them. That’s where you get the excitement. 

New stables…. watch/research/claim from top 10 stables…

That is good advice about hanging onto your best Dave. Onto the HRP road map. What game developments would you consider?

I said it forever….. only one entry per owner in all championship races unless you qualify for more.

Next part – Eliminate the percentage for jockeys, it’s dumb, means nothing. We aren’t racing jockeys; we are racing horses.

Make the workout engine more like the now 5X change race engine. So, when you have a great worker, it can translate to the track. In good/bad ways.

Also, I personally think support needs to develop themselves. Get behind their game, be involved, and communicate with community/players. Outspoken players and the quiet ones. We live in a dynamic world, people are dynamic, don’t muzzle the ones that don’t fit in your square box or pat the conformed ones on the back. We can in some aspect all help each other, not get strikes because your opinion isn’t the man behind the curtain’s opinion.

The conversation is flowing Dave and it is maybe a good time to ask now. You are very passionate about horses and one of the smart trainers in the game. It’s a question I would like to front. Why do you keep getting banned from forums, Dave?

All I can say Kevo is that I have earned 100% of my strikes. I don’t like losing. I think that’s obvious. I have said some things that I should not have, I own that. I am passionate about what I believe and will fight for what I think is right/wrong.

I also believe from a lot of players as well as the ownership I have gotten a very bad rap. I am not as bad as I am made out to be. There are a few stables that I will never agree with or be friends with, and that is my right to be that way, for whatever reasons I decide. I am by HRP banned from forum posting as well as having my site mail disabled. This I believe is very unfair and does not allow me to play on the same level playing field as every other player in the community. Some might clap and say too bad, but if you actually know me, you know where and what it is all about and I just want this game to be great for all. The GS player as well as the free track player.

I am firm in my beliefs, I apologize when I am wrong, but steadfast in what I fight for, or against.  

That is good of you to admit Dave. Any players Dave you want to do a shout-out to?

Yes, actually there is Kevo. A stable or 2 that get no acknowledgment at all.

1. Downwind stables. Great guy/great player/always wish the best
2. Cedar….. she is probably the nicest person that I have ever communicated with inside the game. If you have not talked with her, you’re missing out.
3. Sanny….. pound for pound, best player. Huge loss and was a friend.
4. Looney…..that dude might be the oldest guy living, but what a comedic genius. Stinks as a player, but at least he is funny. Thanks, pal.

What has been your highlight at HRP?

Highlights…

I want to highlight something not for me, but highlight…Spine…

Does anyone realize what a great player this guy is? Complete domination of free tracks. I want him to come back and race on the pay side, get involved. I would love to see it.

I also want to highlight my thanks to my HRP friends, I appreciate the critical words and the encouragement. You all know who you are.

That is good you got some good friends here. Lowlight? Ever felt like quitting?

It’s the only time I will give you the two-word answer in your interview, no comment.

That’s not fair Dave, I’m trying to earn a living here… Please tell me why? I genuinely don’t follow.   

I would say my lifetime HRP lowlight moment was the 2020 KYD. I can’t believe HRP allowed that to happen, didn’t come to the rescue, or acknowledge that it was wrong.

That’s it.

Thanks for expanding on the answer. OK, we are at this part already. Is there something Dave you would like to say to the community? This is your opportunity.   

In closing for everyone. Play hard, play to win. Be fair.  

MB….congrats on your pure domination of the TC.  I am glad to win the Belmont but equally as disappointed that HRP history wasn’t made as you’re the only player with the talent to ever have any chance. I applaud you and bow to your superior knowledge and skills.

Also. For newer smaller stables… DO NOT follow my path. This is bad news.

Kevo thanks for giving me a voice. I know I am not perfect.   

Support….. lighten up…#freeAER

That was a great wrap up Dave! Cheers for your time today and for agreeing to speak with me. Good luck with the KYD and the Classic this year.

Thank you, to all the readers, again for taking the time out to read my interviews. Hope you enjoyed and more to follow.

Stay tuned

Kevo/El Primero Rodeo

Categories: FEATURED STORIES, SRF Interviews