Fantasy League Update: The Finish Line Nears

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 two points races left in the league:

Current Standings

Recent Claims

• None this week

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:

(IMPORTANT: Power Rankings and Odds reflect the likely disqualification of Medina Spirit)

1. Jared Welch (8/5) 

• 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. He’ll run next in the Belmont Stakes (G1) with Flavien Prat opting to ride him, rather than Rombauer.
• 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 – This filly is still a maiden and is still awful.

2. Aaron Halterman (9/5)

• Collaborate – Wow, he couldn’t even beat his own stablemates in the Roar Stakes.
• Jackie’s Warrior – His win in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2) was ultra-impressive. We might see him next in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.
• Parnelli – He sucks every time he enters a starting gate.
• Whiskey Double – He ran well to finish a solid third in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2).
• Rombauer – Unreal! His upset Preakness Stakes (G1) win gives this team a major chance to win the league for the second straight season.

3. Jon White/Ryan Stillman (5/2) 

• Rock Your World – A brutal start and trip in the Kentucky Derby (G1) gave him no chance to make an impact in the race. We’ll see him next in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
• Rebel’s Romance – The newest claim for this team is pointing for the Belmont Stakes (G1) 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. We’ll see him next in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
• Concert Tour – He was a big disappointment once again, finishing ninth 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.

4. Paul “Free Beers” Withrow (10/1)

• Brooklyn Strong – As expected, he made no impact in the Kentucky Derby (G1), but at least he earned this team 10 points and is pointing to the Belmont Stakes (G1).
• Promise Keeper – An impressive win in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) earned this team an important 20 points. However, he will not run in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
• Medina Spirit – He ran ok in the Preakness Stakes (G1), finishing third. However, his Kentucky Derby (G1) victory probably will get taken away.
• 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 on Derby weekend but scratched out of the race.
• Malathaat – Paul got aggressive claiming this filly Monday because he assumed she’d run in the Belmont Stakes (G1), but then news broke Tuesday that she’s skipping it and waiting for the Saratoga meet.

5. The Killer Bs (12/1)

• Mandaloun – He’ll likely be retroactively named the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, but this team will likely still come up a bit short because his next start will come 1 week after the league officially ends.
• 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 is skipping the Belmont Stakes (G1) for the Texas Derby.
• Lemon Pop – This Japanese runner disappeared after last November.
• Nova Rags – He was decent in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3), finishing a solid second.

6. Real Dynasty (30/1)

• Keepmeinmind – He made up a lot of ground in the Preakness Stakes (G1) but couldn’t find a way to hit the board. We’ll see him next in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
• 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.
• 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.

7. The Magic Mike Show (99/1) 

• Prime Factor – This highly-hyped first-round pick is just terrible; 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 claim is the only reason this team didn’t finish last! His runner-up Preakness Stakes (G1) effort was solid. However, he will not run in the Belmont Stakes (G1), solidifying this team’s finish somewhere between second and ninth.

8. Mike “Saratoga Slim” Spector (99/1)

• Speaker’s Corner – This Bill Mott trainee looked great last year, beating two horses who have since won impressively. He hasn’t worked out in almost a month, though.
• Caddo River – He rebounded with a nice runner-up effort in the Arkansas Derby (G1). When will we see him next, though?
• Savile Row – He’s back on the work tab! Can he make his way into a points race before the league ends?
• Risk Taking – He did very little running in the Preakness Stakes (G1).
• Candy Man Rocket – He ran better but still lost in a sprint stakes at Belmont Park.

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. Dan Waite and Michael Myers (99/1) 

• Essential Quality – Uh oh, an-off-the board finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) has this team in big trouble. We’ll see if he runs back in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
• 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 – His Peter Pan Stakes (G3) effort was a total disaster.
• Drain the Clock – This horse is fantastic around one turn, which he showed winning the Bay Shore Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct.