2022 Racing Dudes Fantasy League Update: Taiba Gives Team Welch Hope

Each week, this important article will provide the standings, power rankings, and recent transactions for every league member. Not only will you see the latest claims in the league (which will show you what horses might be up-and-coming), but you will also get updates on the Kentucky Derby contenders as they prepare for their next starts along the Kentucky Derby Trail.

Let’s check the updates and see the latest news on all 50 horses in the league as the major preps are now complete:

Current Standings

Recent Claims

• No claims to announce this week.

Power Rankings

The “Power Rankings” feature teams’ odds to win the contest, as well as an update on every horse on each team. Here we go:

1. The Magic Mike Show (1/2) 

• Doppelgänger – He looks to be a step below, finishing fourth in a weak running of the Arkansas Derby (G1).
• Epicenter – He’s proven to be a stud for this team, picking up his most impressive victory yet in the Louisiana Derby (G2).
• White Abarrio – Yet another stud on this team as he showed great determination to win the Florida Derby (G1).
• Strava – He lost against allowance company in his most recent start once again as the team would really like to move on from him; however, they keep losing shakes. Big surprise. It does look like he might run this weekend in the Lexington Stakes (G3).
• Gilded Age – He was nowhere to be found in the UAE Derby (G2).

2. Jared Welch (5/2) 

• Emmanuel – He ran better in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), but still finished third. He is moving to the turf after that performance.
• Commandptaibaerformance – They gave him another shot in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), but he still was not able to make an impact.
• Taiba – This team now has a shot to win the league after this horse picked up an ultra-impressive victory in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
• Stellar Tap – He couldn’t even win an allowance at Oaklawn Park.
• Wit – He came back with a pretty solid victory in the Bay Shore Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. It was nice to see him break well from the gate.

3. Austin Elsey/Steve “Evil Steveil” Ronchetto (5/1) 

• Zandon – This team is on FIRE after his super impressive Blue Grass Stakes (G1) victory.
• My Prankster – He ran poorly at Keeneland in the Lafayette Stakes.
• Ethereal Road – The Rebel Stakes (G2) runner-up didn’t do much in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1).
• Cyberknife – Boom! This team picked up a massive win in the Arkansas Derby (G1) to propel up the rankings.
• Chasing Time – He has gone backwards with back-to-back poor efforts.

4. Jon White/Ryan Stillman (20/1) 

• Secret Oath – The filly didn’t embarrass herself; however, she could do no better than third in the Arkansas Derby (G1).
• Morello – Nothing went right for this horse in the Wood Memorial (G2) after a horrific break from the gate and trip.
• Early Voting – It was a heartbreaking loss for him in the Wood Memorial (G2), losing the lead late and finishing second.
• Classic Causeway – Yikes, not sure what happened in the Florida Derby (G1), but he stopped badly and is skipping the Kentucky Derby (G1).
• In Due Time – He ran well to finish second in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and seems to be getting better with each start. We’ll seem him in the Lexington Stakes (G3) this weekend.

5. Geist (20/1)

• Mo Donegal – He lived up the hype with an impressive last to first victory in the Wood Memorial (G2).
• Make It Big – He was pretty disappointing in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3). It looks like he is now off the Derby Trail.
• Dean’s List – This horse did not run well at Aqueduct in the Bay Shore Stakes (G3).
• Barber Road – He did what he always does in the Arkansas Derby (G1), which is come up and hit the board with a late run. This has been a solid claim.
• Gunite – He’s finally back on the work tab with breezes at Churchill Downs.

6. Real Dynasty (20/1)

• Pappacap – This horse improved in the Florida Derby (G1) but was still only able to manage a fourth-place effort. The Pat Day Mile (G2) is reportedly his target.
• Crown Pride – We’ll see if the UAE Derby (G2) winner can make an impact in the United States this season. It has not worked well in the past.
• Simplification – He put up a solid effort in the Florida Derby (G1); however, he could do no better than third.
• Un Ojo – He was nowhere to be found in the Arkansas Derby (G1), but he cut his shoulder during the race, which gives him a legit excuse.
• Zozos – The recent claim did what Real Dynasty hoped he would: run well enough to finish second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and head to Kentucky next.

7. Paul “Free Beers” Withrow (30/1)

• Smile Happy – He looked solid in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), finishing second, but was no match for the winner.
• Charge It – Paul won this promising prospect in a 5-way shake, and the horse came through for him in the Florida Derby (G1) with a nice runner-up effort.
• Echo Zulu – She’s back, and she’s a winner, but the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) was too close for comfort.
• McLaren Vale – He’s been transferred over to Tim Yakteen, but who knows where he’ll run next.
• American Icon – It’s never good when you lose against allowance horses. They’ve hit the reset button with him.

8. Kelby Von Hemel (50/1)

• Blackadder – He was a no-show in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1).
• Rattle N Roll – Big surprise, he was nowhere to be found again in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1).
• Call Me Midnight – We’ll see him this weekend in the Lexington Stakes (G3), which is a race this team needs to win.
• Pinehurst – The distance finally got to this horse as he was eased in the UAE Derby (G2).
• Forbidden Kingdom – He quit in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and is now off the Kentucky Derby Trail.

9. Aaron Halterman (50/1)

• Jack Christopher – It seems like he should be getting close to a race after several workouts at Payson Park Training Center.
• Messier – The hopes of this team winning looks to be in grave danger after he could only manage a second place finish in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
• Unpredictable Bay – He was beyond bad in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3). He’s entered Wednesday in an allowance at Keeneland.
• Sir London – He sucked something fierce in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3).
• We the People – He completely no-showed in the Arkansas Derby (G1).

10. Dan Waite and Michael Myers (50/1) 

• Barese – He was nowhere to be found in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2).
• Slow Down Andy – The Savior!! Slow Down Andy won the Sunland Derby (G3) to bring this team out of last place.
• Major General – We’ll see if he can rebound this weekend in the Lexington Stakes (G3).
• High Oak – You always hate to see a horse fall, but the good news is he is reportedly unharmed by the incident from the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).
• Spin Wheel – Even worse than really really bad in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2).