Racing Dudes Fantasy League Update: Action Heats Up This Weekend

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 runners as they prepare for their next starts along the Kentucky Derby Trail. Let’s check out all the latest transactions and scoring updates:

Current Standings

Recent Claims

• Jon/Ryan CLAIMED Roman Centurian and DROPPED Mutasaabeq
• Jon/Ryan CLAIMED Fire At Will and DROPPED Fenway
• Jon/Ryan CLAIMED Dream Shake and DROPPED Bezos
• Magic Mike CLAIMED Starrininmydreams and DROPPED Chess’s Dream
• Saratoga Slim CLAIMED Candy Man Rocket and DROPPED Known Agenda

Power Rankings

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

1. Paul “Free Beers” Withrow (7/2)

• Brooklyn Strong – The Remsen Stakes (G2) winner is still missing from the work tab. Did the Remsen Curse strike again?
• Prate – This Brad Cox trainee looked like the real deal in his debut score at Fair Grounds but will be kept sprinting for the time being. He’ in an Oaklawn Park allowance this weekend. 
• Medina Spirit – He went fast early and kept on going in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), picking up a big win for this team. 
• Triple Tap – This unraced colt by Tapit has put in some solid recent works at Santa Anita, but when and where will he finally run?  
• Prevalence – The team won a massive 9-way shake to pick up this impressive debut winner. 

2. Mike “Saratoga Slim” Spector (4/1)

• Speaker’s Corner – This Bill Mott trainee looked great last time out, beating two horses who have since won impressively, but he hasn’t worked since late November.
• Caddo River – The Brad Cox trainee looked like the real deal with an absolute romp at Oaklawn Park in the Smarty Jones Stakes. 
• Savile Row – He impressed in his debut at Del Mar on 11/8; however, he has not been seen on the work tab since that victory. 
• Risk Taking – This late-round draft pick paid off with a big win in the Withers Stakes (G3). 
• Candy Man Rocket – The newest member of the team won the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) in impressive fashion. 

3. Jon White/Ryan Stillman (5/1) 

• Life Is Good – The number one overall pick in the draft earned a solid 101 Beyer Speed Figure for winning the Sham Stakes (G3). 
• Roman Centurian – This recent claim could be on the rise after a solid runner-up finish in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3). 
• Fire At Will – This team takes a chance on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner, who will give dirt a try next time in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).
• Concert Tour – He rose quickly up the ranks after a solid victory in the San Vicente Stakes (G2). 
• Dream Shake – This recent claim was super impressive on debut, beating a stout maiden special weight field at Santa Anita.

4. Real Dynasty (6/1)

• Keepmeinmind – The Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) winner should be a consistent points-earner this season. He’s cross-entered in both the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and the Southwest Stakes (G3) this weekend.
• Ten for Ten – He wasn’t nominated for the Triple Crown. Not good.
• Olympiad – This Saratoga maiden winner hasn’t worked since 1/19. Not great.
• Ethical Judgement – He had a solid maiden-breaking score at Keeneland in October but just returned to the work tab on February 6.
• Proxy – He was a solid second in the Lecomte Stakes (G3), already providing plenty of value as a last-round pick. We’ll see him again this weekend in the Risen Star Stakes (G2).

5. Aaron Halterman (8/1)

• Senor Buscador – The Remington Park Springboard Mile winner has displayed a devastating closing kick in both of his starts. He’ll run this weekend in the Risen Star Stakes (G2). 
• Jackie’s Warrior – He disappointed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1); however, this horse looked like a monster for most of his 2-year-old season. We’ll see him this weekend in the Southwest Stakes (G3).
• Parnelli – He sucks and needs to be dropped, simple as that. However, he’s the only horse to earn this team any points so far.   
• Whiskey Double – He’ll likely need to be dropped soon after a poor allowance performance at Fair Grounds. He gets another chance this weekend in another allowance at Fair Grounds. 
• Rombauer – After finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), he makes his 3-year-old debut in this weekend’s El Camino Real Derby (G3) at Golden Gate. 

6. Jared Welch (8/1) 

• Highly Motivated – Incredibly, this horse fell to #8 in the draft, giving this team a major gift. We’ll seem him in a few weeks in the Gotham Stakes (G3).
• Hot Rod Charlie – His 3-year-old debut was solid, finishing a close third in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3). 
• Ghazaaly – This Pletcher colt finally debuted, finishing a promising third in an ultra-tough maiden special weight.  
• Donegal Bay – His Withers Stakes (G3) effort was a total disaster. 
• Class Reunion – The filly was a lackluster fourth in her debut at Santa Anita and is now working at Oaklawn Park.

7. Austin Elsey/Steve “Evil Steveil” Ronchetto (8/1) 

• Classier – This Bob Baffert trainee was impressive on debut but hasn’t worked since 11/28. 
• Spielberg – He sucked pretty badly in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3).
• Freedom Fighter – He ran huge to finish a close second in the San Vicente Stakes (G2).
• Greatest Honour – The newest member of the team won the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) impressively.
• Manor House – He was beyond bad in a Fair Grounds allowance in his last start. 

8. The Killer Bs (12/1)

• Mandaloun – A lackluster third in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) is not what this team wanted to see. We’ll see if he can do better this weekend in the Risen Star Stakes (G2).
• The Great One – This horse looked like a monster breaking his maiden at Santa Anita and could be developing at the perfect time.
• Reinvestment Risk – This horse certainly has a lot of class, but he wasn’t nominated to the Triple Crown.
• Lemon Pop – This Japanese runner turned heads with a solid win in the Cattleya last time out at Tokyo Racecourse. 
• Golden Pal – This TURF SPRINTER was drafted in a Kentucky Derby Fantasy League. Good luck figuring this one out…

9. The Magic Mike Show (12/1) 

• Prime Factor – Uh oh… Magic Mike is in trouble after this horse finished a flat third in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3).
• Easy Time – Yikes, he was a complete no-show in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes. At least the league is always better when this team runs a dud.
• Starrininmydreams – He’ll make his 3-year-old debut this weekend in the Risen Star Stakes (G2).
• Regular Guy – He pretty much sucked in an off-the-board finish in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and returns in a Fair Grounds allowance this weekend.
• Midnight Bourbon – The newest member of the team should add value after winning the Lecomte Stakes (G3). We’ll see him this weekend in the Risen Star Stakes (G2).

10. Dan Waite and Michael Myers (15/1) 

• Essential Quality – A major bright spot for the team, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner should have a strong 2021 campaign, beginning with the Southwest Stakes (G3) this weekend.
• Smiley Sobotka – LOL… you tell a guy not claim someone and he doesn’t listen… we expected this sort of thing to change when the team doubled in size.
• Team Merchants – The Nyquist colt was impressive when breaking his maiden at Saratoga but hasn’t been on the work tab since. 
• Wolfie’s Dynaghost – He broke his maiden impressively on debut at Aqueduct on 11/14 but hasn’t worked since. 
• Amount – Something went wrong for this horse in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3), as he had to be pulled up.