Racing Dudes Fantasy League Update: Now it Gets Serious

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

There are three claims to announce this week:

• In a three-way shake: Jared claimed Spinoff and dropped Maximus Mischief
• In a two-way shake: Jon and Ryan claimed Maximum Security and dropped Trophy Chaser
• Magic Mike claimed Well Defined and dropped Award Winner

Power Rankings

1. Jon White/Ryan Stillman – This team’s big horses are ready to return to the track. This week, they’ll have Hidden Scroll in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), while next week, they’ll have Improbable in the San Felipe Stakes (G2). They look poised to soar to the lead without looking back and also picked up Maximum Security, who could end up being freakishly talented.

2. Paul “Free Beers” Withrow – It will be a quiet week for Free Beers in prep races, but we will find out about his recently-claimed Roadster when he runs in an allowance race at Santa Anita Park on Friday. If the Bob Baffert trainee does come back with a big race, this team looks loaded with potential to move up the standings.

3. Aaron Halterman – The team full of average horses continues its average run to eventual mediocrity. As has been the case since Day 1, this team lacks a star horse, which will eventually leave him out of his current first-place spot in the points standings. Mucho Gusto seems to be the main hope for continued success; however, he is probably Baffert’s third-string horse.

4. Jared Welch – It will be a quiet week for Team Welch once again this week, though he did win a three-way shake for Spinoff. That claim gives him two solid Todd Pletcher contenders who could be on the rise. With the rash of injuries that have hit this team in recent weeks, he is still in decent shape, thanks to a little luck in the claiming department.

5. Mike “Saratoga Slim” Spector –  Slim is set up for potentially big performances next weekend, with Mind Control in the Gotham Stakes (G3), Instagrand in the San Felipe, and Dream Maker in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). We will know a lot more after those horses run. As for this weekend, we’ll see if Dessman can run well in the same Friday allowance race as Roadster.