Fantasy League Update: Paul Takes Lead with Medina Spirit Derby Upset

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.

Let’s check out all the latest transactions and scoring updates with just three points races left in the league:

Current Standings

Recent Claims

• Jon/Ryan CLAIMED Rebel’s Romance and DROPPED Roman Centurian

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 (6/5)

• Brooklyn Strong – As expected, he made no impact in the Kentucky Derby (G1), but did earn this team 10 points.
• Promise Keeper – He turned his form around with a win over allowance company at Keeneland. We might see him this weekend in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3).
• Medina Spirit – How about that? His upset win in the Kentucky Derby (G1) puts this team in first place heading into the Preakness.
• Triple Tap – He won his debut impressively but was very late onto the scene. Did he start too late? He was entered at Churchill Downs last Saturday but scratched out of the race.
• Prevalence – This horse has been majorly disappointing after showing so much promise early in his career.

2. Jon White/Ryan Stillman (3/1) 

• Rock Your World – A brutal start and trip in the Kentucky Derby (G1) gave him no chance to make an impact in the race.
• Rebel’s Romance – The newest claim for this team is pointing for the Belmont Stakes after winning the UAE Derby (G2) last time out.
• Known Agenda – The rail draw in the Kentucky Derby (G1) strikes again as this horse got a brutal trip in the big race.
• Concert Tour – He was a big disappointment in the Arkansas Derby (G1), finishing a lackluster third as the heavy favorite. We’ll see him next in the Preakness Stakes (G1).
• Dream Shake – It looked like he was going to win the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2) the entire stretch; however, he couldn’t get by the pace setting Jackie’s Warrior.

3. Jared Welch (7/2) 

• Highly Motivated – He looked like he was going to have a big shot turning for home in the Kentucky Derby (G1); however, he went backwards in the stretch.
• Hot Rod Charlie – It looked like he might win the Kentucky Derby (G1) at one point, but he just couldn’t get by the top two runners.
• Ghazaaly – He was no match for the winner in a recent allowance race at Churchill Downs.
• Donegal Bay – No way around it, he’s just awful. 
• Class Reunion – The filly put up a poor effort last time out in a maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park.

4. The Killer Bs (6/1)

• Mandaloun – His bounce back effort in the Kentucky Derby (G1) gives this team an outside shot to win the league, but there is still plenty of work to do.
• The Great One – He should be named The Not Great One after his dud in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
• Get Her Number – This horse ran much improved in the Arkansas Derby (G1); however, he could still do no better than fourth and passed on the Kentucky Derby. We might see him in the Preankess Stakes next weekend.
• Lemon Pop – This Japanese runner turned heads with a solid win in the Cattleya at Tokyo Racecourse last November, but we never heard from him again.
• Nova Rags – He was decent in the Florida Derby (G1) but just wasn’t quite good enough to hit the board. We might see him this weekend in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3).

5. Real Dynasty (12/1)

• Keepmeinmind – He made up a lot of ground in the Kentucky Derby (G1), but couldn’t find a way to hit the board.
• Helium – This horse ran well enough in the Kentucky Derby (G1) to believe he has a decent future; however, he couldn’t quite hang with the top horses.
• Soup and Sandwich – His Kentucky Derby (G1) was a disaster, finishing 19th.
• Weyburn – He wasn’t awful in the Wood Memorial (G2), finishing fourth, but he wasn’t nearly as good as this team had hoped. His connections are reportedly considering the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) and the Belmont Stakes (G1).
• Proxy – Yikes, he went backwards in a hurry after a promising start to the year and missed the Kentucky Derby. He may resurface on turf, where his half-sister Micheline is a multiple stakes winner.

6. Mike “Saratoga Slim” Spector (20/1)

• Speaker’s Corner – This Bill Mott trainee looked great last year, beating two horses who have since won impressively. He’s getting going late in the game, but at least he’s back working out. 
• Caddo River – He rebounded with a nice runner-up effort in the Arkansas Derby (G1), and is now considering a run in the Preakness Stakes.
• Savile Row – He’s back on the work tab! Can he make his way into a points race before the league ends?
• Risk Taking – Yikes, he did not run well at all in the Wood Memorial (G2). We’ll see him this weekend in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3).
• Candy Man Rocket – Another yikes, he was beyond bad in the Wood Memorial (G2).

7. Dan Waite and Michael Myers (20/1) 

• Essential Quality – Uh oh, an off the board finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) has this team in trouble. We’ll see if he runs back in the Preakness.
• Nicky the Vest – Yikes, this newest claim is injured and won’t be heard from for a while.
• Team Merchants – He finally returned to the races last weekend; however, he had to be eased to the wire in a turf allowance at Santa Anita.
• Wolfie’s Dynaghost – We might see this horse this weekend in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3).
• Drain the Clock – This horse is fantastic around one turn, which he showed winning the Bay Shore Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct.

8. Aaron Halterman (50/1)

• Collaborate – He wasn’t great in the Florida Derby (G1), officially ending any chance the defending champion has of making an impact in this year’s league.
• Jackie’s Warrior – His win in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2) might be the key to this team not finishing last.
• Parnelli – He sucked once again last weekend at Golden Gate.
• Whiskey Double – He ran very well to finish a solid third in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2).
• Rombauer – The lone bright spot for the defending championship team ran well to finish third in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2). We’ll see him next in the Preankess.

9. Austin Elsey/Steve “Evil Steveil” Ronchetto (99/1) 

• Classier – This Bob Baffert trainee now has a workout! Is it too late?
• Spielberg – He’s a very inconsistent horse who was nowhere to be found in the Florida Derby (G1).
• Freedom Fighter – Yikes, his stretch out to a one-turn mile in the Gotham Stakes (G3) did not go well. 
• Greatest Honour – He’s injured and off the Triple Crown trail.
• Manor House – He was beyond bad in a Fair Grounds allowance in his last start.

10. The Magic Mike Show (99/1) 

• Prime Factor – This highly-hyped first-round pick is just terrible as he couldn’t even hit the board in a one-turn allowance race.
• Easy Time – He switched to turf and nearly won last time out against allowance company. 
• Starrininmydreams – He made no impact in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2).
• Regular Guy – He sucked again in a recent Churchill Downs allowance race.
• Midnight Bourbon – This team got a bad break when this horse got a poor trip in the Kentucky Derby (G1). He still ran well, which gives this team hope that he can run better in the Preakness or Belmont.

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