Fantasy League Update: Three Derby Preps Set For Saturday

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 (G1) Trail.

Let’s check out all the latest transactions and scoring updates with three major Kentucky Derby prep races on the schedule for Saturday:

Current Standings

Recent Claims

• Dan/Michael CLAIMED Nicky the Vest and DROPPED Smiley Sobotka

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. Jon White/Ryan Stillman (8/5) 

• Rock Your World – The team turns to this turf horse to upset the Santa Anita Derby (G1) after losing top draft choice Life Is Good.
• Roman Centurian – His San Felipe Stakes (G2) performance left a lot to be desired, but it was good enough to see him again in either the Santa Anita Derby (G1) or the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct.
• Known Agenda – Boom! This questionable claim (at the time) showed the class of this team’s managers when he took home the Florida Derby (G1).
• Concert Tour – He looked like a monster in his Rebel Stakes (G2) romp and is now the clear top runner from his barn, so he may stay home for the Santa Anita Derby (G1) or go back to Oaklawn Park for the Arkansas Derby (G1).
• Dream Shake – This recent claim was a decent third in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) and is aiming for the Santa Anita Derby (G1).

2. Paul “Free Beers” Withrow (3/1)

• Brooklyn Strong – The Remsen Stakes (G2) winner returned to the work tab on February 26 but has a long way to go in a short period of time. He’ll take his one chance to earn a Derby spot in the Wood Memorial (G2).
• Promise Keeper – This recent claim did very little running in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3).
• Medina Spirit – This horse is tough as nails and ran well to finish second in the San Felipe Stakes (G2).
• Triple Tap – He won his debut impressively but was very late onto the scene. Did he start too late?
• Prevalence – He did what he needed to do in a recent allowance and earned a shot in the Wood Memorial (G2) this weekend.

3. Real Dynasty (5/1)

• Keepmeinmind – Yikes, his Rebel Stakes (G2) effort was a bit of a disaster. Hopefully he just needed the race and can rebound this weekend in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2).
• Helium – The newest claim pulled off a 16/1 upset in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and will train up to the Kentucky Derby.
• Soup and Sandwich – This team pulled off two of the best claims all year. Helium won at Tampa and this horse finished second in the Florida Derby (G1). Pretty good for two horses who were not on any other team’s radar.
• Weyburn – This latest claim is on target for the Wood Memorial (G2) this weekend after upsetting the Gotham Stakes (G3).
• Proxy – This guy has proven to be very valuable in the league but is also very frustrating. He just can’t seem to get the job done.

4. Jared Welch (6/1) 

• Highly Motivated – His third in the Gotham Stakes (G3) was not ideal, but he has a right to improve next out in his second start back this weekend in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2).
• Hot Rod Charlie – Boom, this team got a much-needed big victory in the Louisiana Derby (G2). he earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure that’s higher than any current contender has received.
• Ghazaaly – He still can’t get the job done, most recently finishing second in a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park. He looks to break his maiden this weekend at Keeneland.
• Donegal Bay – No way around it, he’s just awful now. 
• Class Reunion – The filly put up a poor effort last time out in a maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park.

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

• Essential Quality – This team needed him to come back strong, and that’s exactly what happened as he powered home to an easy win in the Southwest Stakes (G3). We’ll see him again this weekend in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2).
• Nicky the Vest – The newest claim will miss the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) this weekend, according to Daily Racing Form.
• Team Merchants – The Nyquist colt was impressive when breaking his maiden and finally had his first 2021 workout on March 6! We don’t know when we’ll see him next, though.
• Wolfie’s Dynaghost – He’s back on the work tab! Let’s see if he can make a race before the league ends.
• Drain the Clock – He ran a good second in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) but will still cut back to shorter races.

6. Austin Elsey/Steve “Evil Steveil” Ronchetto (12/1) 

• Classier – This Bob Baffert trainee was impressive on debut but hasn’t worked since 11/28. 
• Spielberg – He’s just a very inconsistent horse. He 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 still ran well; however, he could do no better than third in the Florida Derby (G1).
• Manor House – He was beyond bad in a Fair Grounds allowance in his last start.

7. The Killer Bs (15/1)

• Mandaloun – Wow, he just didn’t show up at all in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Who knows what happened, but he’s reportedly going to nominate to the Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland, just 3 weeks before the main event.
• The Great One – A wide trip gave him little chance to make an impact in the San Felipe Stakes (G2), but he’s expected to return for the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
• Get Her Number – Yet another horse who had all kinds of trouble in the Rebel Stakes (G2), he’s possible for either the Santa Anita Derby (G1) or the Arkansas Derby (G1).
• 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); however, he just wasn’t quite good enough to hit the board.

8. 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 – Oh boy, his Rebel Stakes (G2) effort as the 6/5 favorite was not good at all.
• Savile Row – He’s back on the work tab! Can he make a race before the league ends?
• Risk Taking – This late-round draft pick paid off with a big win in the Withers Stakes (G3). We’ll see him this weekend in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2).
• Candy Man Rocket – A tough trip saw him finish off the board in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2).

9. The Magic Mike Show (30/1) 

• Prime Factor – Wow, turns out this highly-hyped first-round pick is just terrible.
• Easy Time – He switched to turf and nearly won last time out against allowance company. 
• Starrininmydreams – There’s no way around it, he was horrible in both stakes efforts at Fair Grounds.
• Regular Guy – He’s just awful, no matter the surface.
• Midnight Bourbon – This consistent early-season claim ran well yet again in the Louisiana Derby (G2), finishing second.

10. Aaron Halterman (50/1)

• Collaborate – He wasn’t great in the Florida Derby (G1), officially ending any chance this team has of making an impact on this league.
• Jackie’s Warrior – He’s officially cutting back to one-turn races after a poor effort in the Southwest Stakes (G3).
• Parnelli – He sucks so bad but is going to try the Santa Anita Derby (G1) because why not.
• Whiskey Double – He earned a nice allowance victory at Oaklawn Park in his last start. We’ll see him this weekend at Aqueduct in the Bay Shore Stakes (G3).
• Rombauer – He picked up a big win for this team in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate and will point to the Blue Grass Stakes (G2).