Racing Dudes Fantasy League Update: Final Prep Races Loom Large

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.

Here are the latest transactions and scoring updates:

Current Standings

Current Remaining Points Race Schedule

20-10-5-1:

• August 15: Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park
  
• September 5: Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs
• September 5: Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga

50-25-10-5:

Recent Claims

• Real Dynasty CLAIMED Creed and DROPPED Farmington Road
• Real Dynasty CLAIMED Happy Saver and DROPPED Mr. Monomoy  

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. The Magic Mike Show (4/5)

• Tiz the Law – This horse is easily the top 3-year-old in the country after dominating the Belmont Stakes (G1).
• Modernist – He has completely fallen off of his earlier form after two straight poor efforts.
• Dr Post – He came up empty in the Haskell Stakes (G1), which was a very winnable race.
• Enforceable – Like normal, he came running late but could do no better than fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2). 
• Tizamagician – His turf debut did not go well in the Oceanside Stakes. At this point, he’s back to being just the team mascot.

2. Aaron Halterman (5/2)

• Art Collector – A big win in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) makes him a prime Kentucky Derby contender. 
• Azul Coast – He did no running at all in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), showing that he is not the top-level 3-year-old that many expected. 
• Authentic – He won the Haskell Stakes (G1), but he doesn’t look he wants any part of a 1 1/4-mile Derby distance. 
• Little Menace – He won the Derby! Too bad it was just the Grand Prairie Derby at Lone Star. 
• Pneumatic – His Belmont Stakes (G1) effort wasn’t bad, but his fourth-place finish showed that he is not a top-level member of this crop. 

3. Jon White/Ryan Stillman (6/1)

• Honor A. P. – This team is back in the picture in a big way after their first-round draft picked looked tremendous winning the Santa Anita Derby (G1). He runs this weekend in the Shared Belief Stakes. 
• Cafe Pharoah – This claim turned into a flop after it was announced that he will not make the trip from Japan for the Kentucky Derby. 
• Basin – His connections are cutting him back to one turn after a lackluster performance in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2).
• Tap It to Win – He couldn’t hold his speed in the Belmont Stakes (G1), finishing off the board after setting the pace. 
• Uncle Chuck – A big win in the Los Alamitos Derby (G3) has this team in prime position to make a final push for the top. The Travers Stakes (G1) is next.

4. Paul “Free Beers” Withrow (8/1)

• Thousand Words – This horse will likely make the Kentucky Derby based on points, but he is not an elite 3-year-old. We’ll see him this weekend in the Shared Belief Stakes.
• Cezanne – While he’s won both career starts, neither was visually impressive and each speed figure came back low. Can he pick it up this weekend in the Shared Belief Stakes?
• Nadal – Unfortunately, he came up lame after a workout and is reportedly heading off to stud duty.
• Necker Island – He showed some improvement with his new barn, finishing third in the Indiana Derby (G3).
• Caracaro – His return to the races was pretty impressive when he came up just short in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3).

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

• Structor – He’s out for the year with minor injuries that keep popping up.
• Ny Traffic – This colt nearly pulled off a big upset in the Haskell Stakes (G1), finishing second to Authentic. 
• Charlatan – He was finally disqualified from winning the Arkansas Derby (G1), costing Slim 50 points. 
• Country Grammer – Just like Slim predicted in December, Country Grammer won the Peter Pan Stakes (G3)!
• No Parole – Though he’s not a two-turn Derby-type, he showed that he is one of the nation’s best sprinters after demolishing the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1).

6. Real Dynasty (20/1)

• Green Light Go – He has struggled to run well or even stay healthy all season.
• Happy Saver – He could be bound for the Preakness Stakes (G1) after an impressive victory at Saratoga.
• Creed – This up-and-comer will point towards the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) for his next start. 
• Rushie – A solid third-place effort in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) means he’s in the Derby – if his connections nominate him. 
• Sole Volante – He surprisingly did not run a step in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and will try to turn things around in the Ellis Park Derby.

7. Jared Welch (30/1)

• Candy Tycoon – The newest member of the team sucked in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3).
• Eight Rings – He sucked something fierce in the Bachelor Stakes but is back on the work tab and pointing for a sprint at Saratoga.
• Toledo – He put up another sucky performance in a recent allowance race at Churchill Downs. 
• Shoplifted – He made a move in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1), only to flatten out and suck in the stretch. 
• Ete Indien – A minor setback made him miss sucking in a final prep and another minor setback reportedly has him 50/50 of even making it to the Derby, where he’d probably suck.

8. Dan “Wise Dan” Waite (30/1)

• Sonneman – This horse recently lost a two-horse race. Nothing more needs to be said. 
• Swiss Skydiver – She ran well in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) but came up just a bit short and will return to the filly ranks moving forward.
• Man in the Can – He ran how you’d expect an Arkansas-bred to do in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2). 
• Max Player – He returned from a long layoff and closed nicely to finish third in the Belmont Stakes (G1). 
• Mystic Guide – His Peter Pan Stakes (G3) third-place effort was decent, but he still has a long way to go. 

9. Brandon “B$” Bauer (99/1)

• Dennis’ Moment – Once the most hyped horse in the class at age 2, he raced just once this year before falling off of the Kentucky Derby trail.
• High Velocity – It was good to see this team get points in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), but he was far from impressive and has gone missing from the work tab.
• Silver Prospector – He was a no-show once again in the Arkansas Derby (G1).
• Thunder Code – We have not seen this maiden since he was drafted and chances are slim that we ever will.
• Major Fed – His second-place finish in the Indiana Derby (G3) could go a long way toward keeping this team out of last place. 

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

• Mischevious Alex – He was flat as a board in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1), finishing well behind the winner. 
• Mr. Big News – He sucked in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2). 
• Shivaree – He also sucked in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2); however, at least he has enough points to run in the Kentucky Derby. 
• King Guillermo – He looks like a good claim after he running a solid second in the Arkansas Derby (G1). He is reportedly training straight to the Kentucky Derby, so he will be of no help to the last-place team until the end of the season.
• Wells Bayou – Trainer Brad Cox announced on June 10 that he is off the Derby trail due to bone bruising.